Module Assessment
Workshop

The aim of this workshop is:

• to kick-start your thinking about your module assignment
• to continue with the collaborative ethos of the module, offering each other support and ideas for the assignment

Please come to the session prepared to discuss your ideas:

• Devise an essay question. This will need to be negotiated with me, but when thinking of a question reflect on the scope of your assignment (how many words and how much time do you have?), the remit of the course (how are you going to show that you have engaged with course materials and ideas?) and - very importantly - what provokes you about your chosen topic? (what ideas do you want to tease out and discuss as you write?).
• Consider what theoretical perspectives you might use, challenge, extend, and where you feel that in this new media you might be able to generate new angles and ideas, however tentative.
• Think about what technology you may need to help you answer the question: will your piece be online (or CDROM) or on paper, or a combination of both. As always, be cognizant of why you want to present paper or screen-read work. If using electronic media, begin to think about what further skills you need to acquire.

A word about electronic media: don't be overwhelmed. You have all clearly enjoyed 'playing' with HTML - and in some cases DHTML - and through this activity produced intriguing and creative draft sites. But the point of these exercises isn't just to have fun, but to enable you to think about how and why web page writing works; to consider the value and limitations of this new media form. You can now begin to make choices. Quite simple text can be used very effectively - you don't need a 'flamboyant' site to make a valuable contribution to the field. In fact, as rule of thumb, I would advise you to use the minimum technology you need for your project. Concentrate on your words and your ideas, and let the technology (pencil, Word, HTML, hyperlinks, images) help you interrogate and present your ideas in the most effective way possible.