Title: Classical rhetoric in a liberal arts and science undergraduate setting: Ancient tools for modern lea
1Classical rhetoric in a liberal arts and science
undergraduate setting Ancient tools for modern
learning
- Dr Michael Burke
- Roosevelt Academy (Utrecht University)
- Middelburg, The Netherlands
2Research question
- Can classical rhetoric successfully function in
a modern university setting as a paradoxically
innovative foundation course for undergraduate
students in a liberal arts and sciences college
setting. - empower students with a range of strategies and
heuristics to tackle and successfully negotiate
their choice of major.
31. The setting / pedagogical model
4The Liberal Arts Sciences educational system
- USA (e.g. Smith, Amherst, Swarthmore, etc, ).
- Broad/Preparatory.
- Often
- 600 students / 25 in one class.
- Bachelor-only (3-year).
- 4 departments (3 major / 1 foundation).
5The Liberal Arts and Sciences colleges model in
the Netherlands
- University College Utrecht (1998).
- Roosevelt Academy Middelburg (2004).
- University College Maastricht (2000).
- In pipeline
- Amsterdam University College (2009).
- Tilburg University College (2009).
- Leiden University College (2010).
6Roosevelt Academy, Middelburg
7The four main departments
8The Academic Core dept.
9The rhetoric and argumentation track
10Benjamin Bloom's Taxonomy
- Categorizing levels of abstraction in questions.
- Competencies demonstrated skills (from lowest
to highest).
- 1. Knowledge
- 1. Comprehension
- 2. Application
- 2. Analysis
- 3. Synthesis
- 3. Evaluation
112. The Acc120 Introduction to Rhetoric and
Argumentation course
12Acc120 Introduction to Rhetoric and
Argumentation course
- WHO?
- Compulsory (first-year arts humanities
students/majors). - Elective (second-year law political
sciences students).
13Some course materials
- Aristotle The Art of Rhetoric.
- Corbett, E. and R. Connors, Classical Rhetoric
for the Modern Student. - Course Reader (includes chapters by Quintilian,
Cicero, Hugh Blair, etc.).
14What is taught in the RA rhetoric and
argumentation course
- 15 weeks.
- 4 contact hours per week 10 hours per week
study/preparation. - GOAL to provide students with the tools to
write academic papers and give presentations in
other (major) disciplines (AH SSC).
15Weekly course structure
- 1-2 historical overview.
- 3-6 invention/discovery of arguments.
- 6-7 arrangement of arguments.
- 8-10 stylizing of arguments/language.
- 11-15 performance ( memory).
16The first canon of rhetoric The
invention/discovery of arguments
- Logos, Ethos, Pathos.
- Syllogisms, Enthymemes.
- The Topics (common special internal
external). - Avoiding fallacious argumentation, etc.
17The second canon of rhetoric The arrangement of
arguments
- Six part essay/speech structure
- 1. Introduction
- 2. Background
- 3. Division
- 4. Arguments/Proofs
- 5. Counter arguments
- 6. Conclusion
18The third canon of rhetoric The stylizing of
arguments
- 1. Grammatical competence syntax, lexis,
vocabulary. - 2. Imitation reading, copying, translating.
- 3. Style figures schemes, tropes, analyzing
modern political speeches.
19The fourth fifth canons of rhetoric The
memorizing action of arguments
- In a debates b individual speeches
- Good/solid arguments?
- Well-ordered?
- Good use of style?
- Appropriate use of logos? ethos? pathos?
- Voice quality gesture?
- An awareness of the context/kairos?
203. Course assessment methods
21Grading breakdown
- Attendance, participation, preparation
(discussion, critical thinking, etc) (2 x 10
20) - Mid-term and end-of-term exams (20 each 40)
- Speeches (10) and debates (10) 20
- Assignments (5) 4 each 20
22Assignments analyzing old essays for
- 1. Quality of arguments sources
- 2. Appropriateness of structure
- 3. Use of style figures
- Student Learning Goals
- Reflect on past errors
- Suggest improvements
- Remember for future essays
234. Preliminary testing
24Some initial data collection as a springboard to
a larger study (Autumn 08)
- Official course evaluations
- 44 students (22 in each group)
- Quantitative data (26 questions)
- 4.4 4.3 (out of 5.0)
- Qualitative data - Two basic questions
- What did you like most about this course?
- What improvements would you suggest?
25A random selection of three responses likes
- A. It is very practical and what I learned in
the course I could use very well for my other
courses - B. I now know how to write an essay
- C. For the first time I really feel I have been
able to apply what I have learnt. I am now
consciously aware of fallacies being committed
and I have learnt how to properly write an essay
26A random selection of three responses
improvements
- A. I am still sceptical on the major focus of
this course has on the ethical appeal - B. The assignments are useful, but constant, and
is a lot of work for very few marks. - C. Make manual more clear. We need a better
distribution of reading assignments
27What next?
- I have designed a real questionnaire which I am
now testing for its appropriateness - 27 completed out of 44 (autumn 08)
- 10 completed out of 24 (spring 09)
- Look at data this summer / Change questions if
necessary / Deploy the real test in 2009-10
28Hopes (long-term)
- Make rhetoric and argumentation mandatory for
- 1. All Roosevelt Academy first-year students
- 2. All Dutch LAS first-year students
- 3. Show UK academic institutions (especially
English Law depts.) the pedagogical value of
such a course
29The original question
- Can classical rhetoric successfully function in a
modern university setting as a paradoxically
innovative foundation course for undergraduate
students in a liberal arts and sciences college
setting? - Formal data gathering procedure has started (more
clarity in 1-2 years time) - Informal signs appear to point in that general
direction
30From Desiree XXXXXXSent Tue 12/16/2008
918To Michael BurkeSubject Acc120
-
- Dear Dr Burke,
- I have enjoyed your course very much and I
would like to thank you for teaching me rhetoric
this past semester. The classes were very
informative and I have learned a great deal over
the past months. And I promiss I will put my new
skills to good use. - Désirée
31Some references
- Aristotle. The Art of Rhetoric, trans. Hugh
Lawson-Tancred. London Penguin edition, (1992) - Benjamin S. Bloom. Taxonomy of Educational
Objectives. Allyn and Bacon, Boston, MA. (1984)
Pearson Education - Burke, Michael. Persuading Through Language
Rhetoric. Pedagogy and Modern English, London
Palgrave (forthcoming 2011) - Corbett, E. and R. Connors. Classical Rhetoric
for the Modern Student. 4th ed. Oxford, OUP, 1999.