BOPPPS Final

BOPPPS
LESSON

HOW TO EVALUATE
VISUAL RHETORIC

Chelsie Meredith
Adjunct Certification Program
Fall 2015

Table of Contents

Syllabus Snapshot.......................................................................................................................................... 1
Student Preparation Strategy .......................................................................................................................2
BOPPPS Lesson Plan and Supporting Materials ........................................................................................3
Test Questions .............................................................................................................................................. 6
Rubric .............................................................................................................................................................7
Showcase Presentation ................................................................................................................................ 8
Reflective Essay............................................................................................................................................. 9

Syllabus Snapshot

PAGE 1

Student Preparation Strategy

During the BOPPS lesson, I will illustrate how to read a graphic novel, as well as,
how to analyze the visual rhetoric used.
Students will need to have read the introduction to In the Shadow of No Towers, a
graphic novel by Art Speigelman. This introduction has some visual text material, but is
mostly written text; therefore, it should not be too difficult for students who have no
experience with the genre.
In order to ensure that students read the required material, I will ask students to do
two things before the lesson begins:

1. I will ask students to write one question they have from the introduction.
Perhaps Spiegelman has alluded to an event that they are unfamiliar with or a
term they do not know.

2. I will ask students to write one assumption they have about the text. What
direction do they think it will take? What mood do they expect the author to
use? Something of that sort. After the next class period, when we have begun
looking at the text, I will ask students how their assumptions are panning out.
This question will be repeated throughout the unit.

3. Finally, I will give students 5 minutes to Free-Write about a memory or
association they have in regards to September 11, 2001.

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BOPPPS Lesson Plan and Supporting Materials

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Test Questions

Question 1: When evaluating visual rhetoric, the audience should observe:
A. What is the color palate?
B. What is the name of the author?
C. Where the image is published?
D. What is the favorite color of the artist?

Question 2: Using the below image, identify two rhetorical decisions that the
author makes.

A. Color and Aphorism
B. Imagery and Panel Layout
C. Color and Text
D. Page Layout and Synecdoche
Question 3: When creating a visual text, an author makes conscious rhetorical
decisions that will assist him to persuade his target audience. Using the below
image, identify who the target, or intended, audience is. Remember, “every
body” or “everyone” is not a sufficient answer.
Question 4: Using the below image, identify a rhetorical decision that the
author makes. Finally, in a well-developed paragraph, argue that this rhetorical
move was a good or bad decision on the behalf of the author and explain your
position. You should refer to the image, using specific examples or information
from the image, in your paragraph.

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Rubric

PAGE 7

Showcase Presentation

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Reflective Essay

The Adjunct Certification Class has allowed me to learn new class activities and
technologies, provided access to pedagogical resources, and broadened my understanding
of multiple disciplines. Upon completion of the course, I wish to implement these ideas in
future semesters and develop new ways to improve myself as a teacher.

Overall, I’ve learned a variety of new teaching techniques such as the Value Line,
the importance of Recapping Information to Gauge Student Retention, and many others.
Both the Value Line and the many technological ways of taking polls are great additions
to my teaching repertoire. I enjoy receiving student feedback and these provide engaging
ways for students to participate quickly. In addition, because formal assessments in my
class are focused on academic writing, rather than test-taking, I think that I am not always
as assertive in needing students to recall information. Typically, I employ the Socrative
Method of asking questions as a recap at the beginning of the class. Also, I ask these
pointed questions at the end of class and offer students the chance to ask for clarification;
however, after reviewing the many ways to quickly assess students, I think I will start
implementing some of these occasionally. I’ve always been a fan of the “I Do, We Do,
You Do” teaching philosophy. Because the lesson ends on “You Do,” I am not always
able to assess if students understand the material until after the “You Do” is complete.
This can take the place of homework, group work, or working on their actual papers. The
CATs could help me assess this information earlier and allow me to make necessary
modifications while ensuring students achieve the learning outcomes.

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This semester, I have incorporated a couple of strategies into my teaching;
however, I intend to utilize more of these in future semesters. For instance, in the Spring
Semester, I will be teaching my first English 1301 course online. Typically, I conference
with each student about each one of their writing projects. Doing this online seems more
cumbersome to me; therefore, I will implement the 1 minute paper instead. This will
allow students to write out any issues they are struggling with. This alone can be an
important step in critical thinking and self-reflection. I will then respond to each of these
ensuring the student still receives that one-on-one attention. I am also considering
implementing this in my online Creative Writing courses instead of the conference for the
same reasons. I look forward to seeing how this works out.

Because I have been pushed to evaluate my teaching methods, I am a better
instructor. Similarly to my students, I often become convinced that I am doing everything
perfectly. The difference is that my students will get back graded assignments throughout
the semester to help them gauge their competence of material. As an adjunct, I never
receive Peer Feedback; I am hardly evaluated by my superiors; and I have to wait until
the end of the semester to receive guidance from students. While I do take their ideas into
consideration, it is not always constructive. I once was told the best thing I could do to
improve my course was to bring coffee for the students. However, this course has forced
me to take stock of my teaching toolbox. I always look for new themes or texts to
challenge myself with, but I don’t always mix up my methods for delivering the content.
After completing this course, I have a larger box to pull from; I intend to do just that.

Finally, to further my professional development, fulltime and adjunct instructors
should be able to meet every so often (such as once a month) to share materials and

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insights. For example, the second Tuesday of every month could be a themed round-table
discussion among colleagues. These dialogues can alternate between being
discipline/department specific, or overall. Topics might include: designing a syllabus,
going beyond the Power Point Lecture, sharing texts, Peer Editing, or lesson plan swaps.
I have numerous colleagues approach me about the technologies I use, teaching resources
I employ, or even just my syllabus; I would love the opportunity to share these on a larger
scale, as well as, gather fresh ideas of my own. Yes, this event would benefit teachers by
allowing us to learn new techniques, but more than that, it would generate ideas and
foster professional relationships. I’ve enjoyed listening to other teachers describe how
they deliver material, both in and out of the ACP class. This communication gets to the
heart of why I love teaching—every day creates opportunity to improve myself and the
lives of my students.

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