clutter
Just a quick note on something that I’ve found helpful with regard to the long assignment sheet. Especially since we’re sometimes dealing (as was noted in class) with some pretty tough concepts, one thing that I’ve done–and which has worked to some success–is to contextualize/provide an example of what I mean on the assignment sheet. For instance, on my technology assignment I’m working with the idea of translating an icon’s specific identity traits into general criteria that kind of frame how the person is acting out ‘cool’ through these traits. I worked with the idea of criteria this semester and was met with a host of blank stares. So, on the assignment sheet for my future class, I just provided a brief example. Let’s say they thought someone’s tattoos were cool. They wouldn’t say “Cool is tattoos” (the criteria come in the form of Cool is… statements) but instead they might say something like “Cool is the redefinition of the artistic canvas.” Obviously, this comes with the disclaimer that my specific criteria is not to be used as their own, but they have a model to work with/a general idea of what I’m looking for when I say ‘criteria’ and how it [criteria] should make room for examples similar, but not identical, to tattoos. And I don’t necessarily think this is leading the witness too much because it’s specific enough that it resists close emulation but (hopefully) informative enough to give the student a model for how to go about their own task.