Q: What is the purpose of this course?

A: English 320 is a survey of the "long twentieth century" of US literature that emphasizes the role played by ethnicity in the ongoing and never-ending process of American identity, both individual and collective. Like ENGL 304 and 307, the surveys of early British and early American literature, the course eschews narrow periodizations or cultural/regional groupings and offers students broad exposure to a wide range of primary texts. Unlike those courses, the temporal focus is much shorter and more "contemporary" and requires a challenging balancing act in order to capture the dizzing range of ethnic diversity that grows from the distinct waves of immigration from the late nineteenth century to the present without making X or Y author or text "speak for" a complex and internally diverse ethnic history. Although many instructors require research and writing in some form, the primary focus should be on breadth of reading: from the standpoint of the broader curriculum, students in 320 should build on the close reading and critical interpretive skills honed in 220 and 252, and they should build their knowledge of broad cultural historical themes in recent US literature to prepare them for more intensive work in 300- and 400-level seminars on more specialized topics. Although the impetus to cover ground prohibits deep engagement with any single field’s critical literature, some integration of criticism helps to frame debates about the literature of particular ethnic traditions in the US and extend the skill-building in decoding critical arguments that begins in earnest in 252.

Q: What texts or textbook/s do you assign?

A: I don't know of a single instructor who uses a single anthology or textbook for this course. Most instructors emphasize prose fiction and assign a big handful of novels. Most instructors assign between 6-8 novel-length texts (many include "life writing" genres but few diverge into poetry or drama in a significant way). Feel free to lean into your own interests and areas of expertise, provided you keep diversity and broad coverage in mind. Survey the 320 instructors' private repository of syllabi and other materials for ideas. Prof. Chinn's syllabus is exemplary in its broad coverage of 20thC texts, with a strong post-60s emphasis. Prof. Miller's interestingly breaks out three periods from the 1850s-present, giving "ethnic diversity" a more historically informed treatment.

Q: What's the best way to assess learning in this course?

A: Perusing the sample syllabi, one finds a striking diversity of approaches here. Rather than prescribe a set of "best practices," it seems best to survey various kinds of assignments that instructors can mix and match, including:

• low-stakes informal writing: response papers, blog or discussion board posts, in-class essays, quizzes.
• short essays: well-written and closely-observed responses to particular prompts aimed at particular texts or clusters of texts.
• exams: many instructors issue a midterm and/or a final (see Prof. Chong-Smith's syllabus), usually with short essays and often with passage identifications.
• longer essays: some instructors (see Chinn's syllabi, for example) assign formal research papers, usually of about ten pages with a relatively small number of sources, generally on a topic of students' own choosing.
• participation: how you evaluate it depends on your priorities and protocols, but it is essential to communicate to students what you expect in class, and how you will evaluate this aspect of their performance.

Q: Are there specific policies that must be incorporated into my syllabus?

A: Yes, please check the sample syllabi on the Academic commons group page. You must include the “Learning Outcomes” you deem appropriate for 320 along with the standard language for ADA Policy, Academic Integrity, and Policy on Sexual Misconduct. Here's an example from a 306 syllabus. For the specific language for standard College-wide polices mentioned above, plus best practices for all syllabi at Hunter, check out the Hunter College Faculty Senate's excellent guide.

Q: What resources do I have access to as an instructor?

A: Please visit the 320 instructors’ group page on the CUNY Academic Commons, where you will find sample syllabi, course units, and so on. I encourage you to post your own helpful documents to this page, and contact me if you have problems joining or using the group. ACERT, Hunter’s center for teaching and learning, is a lively hub linking instructors, librarians, ed tech specialists, etc.: their site has a wealth of teaching resources, and they host scores of events on pedagogy each year.

Q: What are my options in terms of “learning management systems” (LMS)? Do I have to use Brightspace?!

A: You are free to use whatever you’re comfortable with. By default, all courses get Brightspace shells, which you are free to customize/use. But there are many alternatives, including free/open options based on the WordPress blogging platform. Instructors can now host course materials on CUNY Academic Commons sites like this one: there are hundreds of sites to browse there for inspiration. Get started here if you're interested.