The WIDE World Web

Kirk St. Amant Workshop & Presentation Materials

June 22, 2009 - by Bill Hart-Davidson, from the blog WIDE World Web

Last week, Kirk St. Amant of East Carolina University visited MSU and offered a workshop and a presentation. Both were very well attended events. Below, we've provided a short summary and a link to a PDF of slides from each event.

The Academic Book: An Overview of the Review and Publishing Processes
[slides]
This objective of this workshop is to provide an overview of the decision making process associated with publishing an academic book. In so doing, the workshop will examine

•How market factors and prospective readership can influence the publishing process

•How the review process of book proposals and book manuscripts operate in general

•What factors to consider when selecting a press and drafting a book proposal

•What factors to consider when trying to convert a dissertation into an academic book

Participants are encouraged to bring draft book proposals – and even draft introductory book chapters – to the workshop for discussion and review.

Online Education in the Age of Globalization: Trends and Considerations
[slides]
Online education has opened the classroom to students from around the world. Yet global access to online classes and online degree programs is but the first step in creating effective international learning environments. This presentation will provide an overview of the global market for and international interest in online education. In so doing, the presenter will discuss what aspects educators and administrators should consider in order to develop an effective online learning environment for individuals from other nations. The presenter will also examine what aspects educators should consider when organizing and overseeing an online class comprised of students from different nations and cultures. The presentation will conclude with a discussion of strategies administrators, educators, and students can use to develop more successful international online learning environments and experiences.

Speaker Bio
Kirk St.Amant is an Associate Professor of Technical and Professional Communication at East Carolina University and is the Editor of the Texas Tech University Press Series in Technical Communication and Rhetoric. His research focuses on globalization and its effects on industry and educational practices.

WIDE would like to thank all of our fellow co-sponsors for both events: the MSU Graduate School, College of Arts & Letters, The Writing Center, The Department of Writing, Rhetoric, & American Cultures.