Engl 431: Web Usability: Writing and Reading on the Web
This course considers how users use Web sites, how/when sites are successful, and how/when they’re not. We will consider usability issues by examining different styles/genres of Web design. Course invites students to explore these areas through various reading/writing exercises, assignments, and lots of Web browsing. We begin with a basic introduction to Web usability and progress to examining specific applications.

Engl 435: Topics in Writing for Digital Media: Designing Virtual Worlds
This course focuses on exploring virtual worlds and how they currently are used in education, business, government, and entertainment. For our class, we will focus primarily on Second Life, with some class meetings taking place in-world. In addition to becoming familiar with some of the technical and psycho-social elements of both living and working in virtual worlds, students also will create a design prospectus for an original simulation in Second Life.

Engl 435: Topics in Writing for Digital Media: Digital Storytelling in Interactive Media
This course focuses on creating and developing effective characters for interactive media such as computer/video games, and educational and reference CDs and DVDs, among others. Material presented includes: background, history, and development of digital storytelling in the entertainment and educational fields, and techniques and strategies for creating effective characters for a variety of purposes and venues. We will study different interactive projects and the characters that populate them. Students will create an original proposal for a new or revised character to enter an interactive application.

Engl 435: Second Life (meetings in computer lab)
Provides you an opportunity to live for one semester as an avatar in a virtual world (Second Life). During this time, you will become part of different in-world communities, produce an ongoing research project that documents your experiences, and transform/repurpose that experience into a communal 3-D virtual learning space in-world at the PUC Island. You will work both individually and in collaboration with other avatars. Produce information for an audience in traditional forms of text as well as a virtual space in-world. Develop skills in communicating/writing for virtual worlds and basic skills in 3-D building and scripting to produce your own interactive virtual spaces/objects.

Engl 436: Writing for Informational Interactive Media
Provides an introduction to writing for informational interactive media. Material presented includes: the role of the interactive writer, thinking interactively, interactive structure, script format and the special challenges of presenting information interactively.  We will study sample informational interactive programs and scripts including: e-learning, educational and reference CDs and DVDs, and multimedia exhibits, among others. Students will create an original design proposal for an informational interactive application with flowchart, script, and treatment.

Engl 437: Writing for Narrative Interactive Media
Provides an introduction to writing for narrative interactive media. Material presented includes: the role of the interactive writer, thinking interactively, interactive structure, script format, digital storytelling, and the special challenges of presenting information interactively.  We will study sample narrative interactive programs and scripts, including computer/video games, simulations, and worlds, among others. Students will create an original design proposal for a narrative interactive application with flowchart, script, and treatment.