Develop analytical and interpretative skills of literature through creative and critical collaborative learning practices

Abstract

Reading and studying literature have often been seen as an independent learning activity, in that students read and respond to literary texts individually based on their interpretations and understanding. Yet in a literature class, what is equally important, though one which has yet received sustained attention in scholarship on literature pedagogy, is how students’ individual acts of interpretation can benefit from discussions with their peers, and how their participation in various creative and critical collaborative learning practices can be a challenging, yet rewarding learning experience. With the uncertainties surrounding the teaching and learning practices because of the global pandemic, this project seeks to explore different online learning tools that can provide students with the opportunity of carrying out textual practices collaboratively (such as the use of the annotation function on Zoom), or responding to texts individually while also getting to know their peers’ responses through tools such as Canvas discussion board or the instant messaging function via Socrative. It will also build on some of my observations and findings in my previous teaching project by developing course-dedicated online platforms that will be used to host students’ creative projects, as well as to serve as a medium through which students can engage in dialogues and to learn from each other’s creative projects. This project will impact on my design of teaching and learning activities for BAEN and College specified courses that I offer at CityU, such as EN2717 Literature Across Time, EN3581 Literature and theCity, and EN2721 The Art of Life Narrative.