Sketching as an ally in the first-year composition classroom

Abstract

This thesis explores the possible use of sketching as a pedagogical tool in the
first-year composition classroom. The digital age has brought with it a wealth of new
(and culturally significant) multimodal compositions, that is, compositions that use
multiple modes of communication. In particular, visual modes of communication are
growing increasingly important. Furthermore, new ways of sharing information has lead
to an accelerating proliferation of new media that increasingly blends visual and verbal
elements in the creation of compositions. College students, in the midst of grappling with
these new challenges, and with the promise of unforeseen multimodal genres in the
future, will need the ability not only to dissect specific genres, but also to develop
methods for understanding and creating a wide range of multimodal texts. To equip
students with the tools they will need to construct these constantly shifting multimodal
compositions, this thesis argues that teachers should use sketching to afford students the
opportunity to create images as well as analyze them. By synthesizing a concept of
sketching from a number of literary, professional, and academic sources, this thesis seeks
to understand the value of sketching as a powerful tool to promote problem-solving, idea
generation, and the communication of visual ideas.

Date of Award	2012
Original language	American English
Awarding Institution	Eastern Illinois University
Supervisor	Tim Taylor (Supervisor)