I received feedback to separate the microaggression assignment into two assignments. Additionally, it was suggested that I shortened the components of the outline (e.g., asking for psychological consequences related to microaggression) and provide an alternative writing assignment. Now, the draft of the outline is a low stakes in class activity that will be conducted two weeks before the video presentation/paper is due to allow for edits to be made on their outline before incorporating the outline in their presentation/paper and submitting the final version of the outline. For the alternative writing assignment, students will be asked to submit a paper on a microaggression they have either endured or witnessed on a social media platform. Before the outline is conducted in class, examples of how microaggressions can be depicted in various settings including online will be discussed. The article below will be distributed to students and guide the class discussion.

Nothing Micro About It: Examining Ableist Microaggressions on Social Media (adityavashistha.com)

Low Stakes Class Assignment

Students will be asked to complete a one-page draft of the microaggression outline in class. Students will be asked to describe the microaggression, the theme of the microaggression, possible implied messages of the microaggression, and how this specific microaggression relate to parts of their own intersectionality/basic social groups and subtypes that they make up. 

Revision: Use the feedback you received in the previous workshop, revise your social media writing assignment.

Include a brief reflection (150 words) of the changes you made to the assignment and why. This reflection is intended to help you retain meta-knowledge about your assignment designing process.

Reading: Chp 5 of Gottschalk & Hjortshoj.

Designing: Based on recommendations in Chp 2 on sequencing, and Chp 5 on Informal and preparatory writing, design a low stakes in-class writing assignment that will help students prepare for the social media writing assignment you have designed.

*Post both assignments as one post using the “Spring 2023” category on the website.

IN CLASS ACTIVITY

After discussing ethics we would watch the following tik tok video: https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTRW3a4Mc/

Please answer the following questions:

1. What is learned helplessness?
2. If you were doing this experiment on participants, what steps must you take for it to be ethical?
3. If you were conducting this study, would you fully inform your participants? Why or why not?

Assignment

On PsychInfo find and read the article by Seligman, Maier and Geer (1968).

1. Create an Instagram post that illustares what learned helplessness is.
2. Create a reel briefly discussing the study and then list and explain what ethical issues should be raised concerning their research.

REVISIONS MADE:

After our last session I received feedback that I should separate it into a class activity and an assignment. I changed the assignment so that now it would incorporate the use of social media. I would require 2 Instagram posts (1 post, 1 reel). Before doing the class assignment we would discuss the Ethics chapter and talk about some examples of unethical research that have been done in the past and how to make them ethical. A week later they would have to create a post and reel discussing the assigned article and the ethical issues in that experiment.

LOW STAKES CLASS ACTIVITY PRIOR TO ASSIGNMENT:

READ THE ARTICLE BELOW:

http://www.pnas.org/content/111/24/8788.full

1. What ethical issues are raised by this study? (brainstorm with your partner and prioritize)
2. Could Facebook have addressed the hypothesis without explicitly manipulating the content of the News Feed? If so, how?

Create a 3-minute TikTok video on a microaggression that you either (1) personally experienced or (2) witnessed happened to one of your peers. The duration of time will allow for you to get your message across in a way that is compelling, but also concise.

Within your video, either (1) describe or (2) act out the microaggression.

Then address possible interpretations, possible intent, and possible implications and impact of the microaggression. Additionally address how does this specific microaggression relate to parts of your own intersectionality/basic social groups and subtypes that you make up. Furthermore, you can address psychological consequences related to this microaggression, themes associated with this microaggression, and how other sources (e.g., the media) further promotes themes associated with the microaggression.

Additionally, you may add text, transitions, or effects to your video.

In addition to the TikTok video, an outline of the information gathered on the topic along with at minimum three references from trusted sources (e.g., peer reviewed journals) are to be submitted on Blackboard prior to presenting your video to the class.

1. Writing :On pg 7 of The Elements of Teaching Writing,  the authors argue that what constitutes good writing differs across different discourse communities. Based on your experience, describe briefly (in 150 words approx.) what constitutes good writing in psychology? While responding, you might want to consider genres apart from academic papers, such as blog posts, newspaper articles, podcasts as well. Post your responses as comments on this post
2. Designing: Design /revise an existing assignment or class project from your syllabus to incorporate the use of social media. Please create a separate blog post for your assignment, and select the category “Spring 2023” before publishing.
3. Reading: Chp 2 of Gottschalk & Hjortshoj. During our next workshop we will be reviewing our assignments using the criteria listed on pages 29-40 .