Learning Outcomes

• 1. Gain Shakespeare Literacy
  Demonstrate mastery over fundamental information about Shakespeare’s works, life, and legacy

  a. Breadth (knowledge of a range of Shakespeare’s works)

  b. Depth (more thorough knowledge of a single work)

  c. Performance (stage and screen)

  d. Legacy (history, scholarship, popular culture)

I can honestly say that I had never read any of the plays I did during the course of this semester. I had never seen a Shakespeare play either. Thankfully, I was able to experience The Bard's plays in all of these dimensions: the breadth of his works I am now familiar with has been expanded significantly, mostly because I decided to start watching movie productions of Shakespeare plays for fun, I've become intimately familiar with Hamlet especially, and I've seen two on stage performances and evaluated them, as well as the many I've seen on screen. I've also done a few blog posts about Shakespeare's background, exploring the question of his authorship, and some biographical information.

• 2. Analyze Shakespeare Critically
  Interpret Shakespeare’s works critically in their written form, in performance (stage or screen) and in digitally mediated transformations. This includes 
  a. Textual analysis (theme, language, formal devices)
  b. Contextual analysis (historical, contemporary, cultural)
  c. Application of literary theories 
  d. Analysis of digital mediations

I've had the chance to evaluate Shakespeare performances both on screen and on stage as mentioned above. I've become very familiar with the text of Hamlet, as my research paper was mostly textual analysis. My thesis is based largely on Hamlet's context as part of the tradition of revenge tragedies. I regret that I didn't apply established literary theories as much as I could have, but I certainly had experience with digital mediations with my analysis of how my experience with fanfiction affected my view on the text.

• 3. Engage Shakespeare Creatively
  a. Performance (memorization, recitation, scene on stage or video)

  b. Individual creative work (literary imitation, art, music)

  c. Collaborative creative project

Performance: probably the only time I got a chance to do this was in my prototype video, but it wasn't really my best, uh, performance. :) I definitely did individual creative work with my fanfiction, and I'm participating in collaborative work by combining my project with Cortnie with reference to her ideas on fanfiction.

• 4. Share Shakespeare Meaningfully
  This includes engaging in the following:

  a. Formal Writing. Develop and communicate your ideas about Shakespeare clearly in formal and researched writing and through a format and medium that puts your ideas into public circulation.

  b. Informal Writing. This mainly means through regular online writing

  c. Connecting. Share one’s learning and creative work with others both in and outside of class.

Formal writing: research paper. Informal writing: my blog. Connecting: I've had several chances to share a synopsis of my project with friends and family. It sometimes comes up with "what classes are you taking?" or "What's your major?" One of my friends even demanded that I send her the link so that she could read my fanfiction piece.

• 5. Gain Digital Literacy
  Students use their study of Shakespeare as a way of understanding and developing fluency in 21st century learning skills and computer-mediated modes of communication. Those skills are grouped under the following categories.

  a. Consume - Effective and independent selecting, searching, researching, 

  b. Create - Producing content that demonstrates learning and which can be shared for others to profit from. 

• c. Connect - Engage with other learners within and outside of the class to develop thinking and share more formal work.

Consume: a lot of this was done during the research portion of my research paper, though i think the process could have gone a little more smoothly, had I given it more time. Create: this should be demonstrated during the final, and when I tell everyone about my fanfiction. Connect: As I mentioned above, I've had many opportunities to share with family and friends, but I've also been able to share on a small scale with 'Blogging Shakespeare' and with Henry Jenkins in my requests to do guest blog posts.