There are 8 lectures in this class. You will watch these during the week when it suits your schedule best, along with the assigned readings (see syllabus). Then, you will respond to my lecture by hitting the “leave a reply” link (to do so you have to be logged into your CUNY Academic Commons account). I will always post the lectures the week before the following week’s classes (pay special attention to the dates of each lecture, as your responses will be due by the end of that day)

For each lecture comment section you want to post one original comment. I also invite student to reply to each other. This is not mandatory, but this extra engagement will reflect well on your final grade, say, if you need a boost by the end of the semester. So, if you feel inspired by another student’s comment, let them know and feel free to elaborate on your own thoughts in response.

For your original comment, please do not summarize the lecture or the reading. This is very important. Instead, choose a theme from the lecture and readings that interests you or a specific artwork to think about further. Offer something new and constructive for us to think about. For example, you can make a connection I did not see in my lecture. Or you can describe a work in such a way that sheds a different light on it. You can choose to elaborate on the social or political context. You can make an argument that I did not make in my lecture about a specific work or artist. You can take an existing idea from the lecture or reading and run with it by adding your own perspective. Or you can do a combination of these approaches. In short, you want to develop an idea or topic that interests you, which might form the basis for an online discussion with fellow students.

This is a low-stakes writing exercise geared towards the practice of focused, analytical, critical, and experimental thinking.

The length of your original comments can vary, though they should be around 400-600 words. Please take your time  and have fun with these comments. Along with the final paper, they comprise the major writing component of this course and a sizable part of your grade.

Speaking of, I like to be completely transparent about grading, so here’s a breakdown of how this part of your grade will be assessed:

Comment Section Participation (30%):

For each class/lecture, your original comments are worth 1 point. I will not be grading the writing or grammar, but please always strive for clarity and sound writing. Always proofread your writing at least once before hitting the post button.

You will get a full point for your original comment if it is focused, considered, and well thought-out, and relates clearly to the lecture and the readings

You will only receive half a point for your original comment if it feels underdeveloped, rushed, or too general like a summary. You may also get only half a point if you don’t really demonstrate that you watched the lecture and did the readings. Please also stay away from ChatGPT or any other AI to do your writing for you. It’s almost invariably bland and boring, and you won’t be getting anything out the class.

You will get no points if you do not post a comment by the end of the day of that session’s date (unless you email me beforehand with a compelling reason why you need more time that week, especially if there’s an emergency).

With 8 sessions there are a total of 8 available points by the end of the semester. Here is the grade breakdown (notice how you can basically miss one class and still be in the A-range). +/- will be determined by participation during Zoom sessions and the quality of your original comments week-to-week (and as I say above, occasionally replying to other students on their comments won’t hurt either!)

Grading Rubric (10 Points Total)

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