Russell Cook’s students gain new perspective on city through “Mystory Baltimore” project Dr. Russell Cook wanted students in his Introduction to Communication course to learn about teletheory and the distinctions between hierarchical and rhisomatic structures of thinking. He also wanted them to learn about Baltimore—its culture, neighborhoods, challenges, and hope. The pursuits of these aims converged in a provocative assignment called “Mystory Baltimore.” Based on a post-modern essay form devised by Professor Gregory Ulmer of the University of Florida, the assignment required students to develop a Web-based essay comprised of interweaving expert, cultural, and personal discourses. Toward that end, it asked them to engage in extensive research about the City, by reading its history, by traveling its streets—by bus and on foot—and by meeting its people. As the completed assignments demonstrate, Dr. Cook’s students gained fresh perspective on Baltimore and the inexhaustible richness of its life and character. |
