In the upcoming Autumn Quarter, Dr. Maria Prikhodko will be teaching WRD 377 Writing and Social Engagement. While WRD 377 focuses on various themes depending on when it is offered, the upcoming iteration of the course repeats the Spring Quarter 2022 theme, “Writing Across Americas,” and will include collaborative opportunities with a Chicago nonprofit and with students from Brazil’s Unichristus University.
Read on to learn more about the course, which offers students a unique opportunity for international connection and global citizenship education.
Overview
Grounded in DePaul’s mission of preparing all students for global citizenship and success, this course introduces students to the critical study of global citizenship from a non-Western rhetorical and Global Englishes perspective. The course explores ways to deconstruct the role of “native speakers” and national identity in language, writing, and communication. In the second half of the quarter, students in the course will engage in weekly collaborations with a cohort from Unichristus University located in Fortaleza, Brazil. Students will also collaborate with a Chicago-based non-profit organization.
Beyond the opportunities for local and international cross-cultural engagement, this course fulfills the Experiential Learning Requirement in the Liberal Studies Program and is a great choice for any students looking to broaden their understanding of communication and education praxis.
Internationally Collaborative Projects
Starting in Week 4, students will have weekly collaborations with students from Unichristus University in Fortaleza, Brazil as a means to “strengthen their intercultural rhetorical competencies and global citizenship skills.” Unichristus students typically major in engineering, social, and health sciences and study writing and rhetoric with an emphasis on English as a second or a foreign language for scientific purposes.
Through 6-7 meetings, students will collaborate with their Brazilian peers to extend practical applications of their writing knowledge. For example, students will work in groups to write essays about intersectional identities that take their own diverse perspectives into account. Beyond several reading and writing assignments, other collaborative activities include discussions and watching videos together to delve more deeply into topics of communication and identity.
Dr. Prikhodko’s Perspective
In sharing her take on the course, Dr. Prikhodko highlighted its connection to both her scholarship and life experience as a second language speaker/writer of English. She shares, “Given my background in foreign philology and applied linguistics, conversations around systems of power attached to English in the US and globally (Brazil as an example) allows me to feel a sense of belonging.”
Dr. Prikhodko also highlights that the course fills an important educational gap for many students who are interested in the real-life application of rhetorical tools and knowledge of writing’s function as a social practice. She shares that students who take WRD 377 are themselves often a diverse group, “[who] have their own rhetorical practices to appeal to their audience or just construct knowledge. However, this class allows them to bring more patience and empathy into this dialogue and for their voice to be heard by a culturally diverse audience.”
Key Takeaways
WRD 377: Writing and Social Engagement – Writing Across Americas allows students to broaden their horizons on what writing can achieve in terms of collaboration and social connection. Students will gain the ability to “communicate more meaningfully with other cultures, ethnicities and genders, and other realities” while honing specific writing skills and rhetorical strategies.
Learn even more about International Writing Culture through WRD 377 on the DePaul University website.
If you’re interested in WRD 377, you can register now on Campus Connect! To stay up to date with all upcoming courses, check out the WRD Blog’s ongoing series of Course Spotlights.