Summary

This semester I updated (and pretty much overhauled) the CRJ 6700 course: U.S. Judiciary. This is a required course for Criminal Justice Majors and helps bridge the gap between remembering core concepts and vocabulary and applying that knowledge to everyday problems within the field across differences. I decided to think of a fun theme that might overlap these learning goals and settled on true crime. More specifically, students will conduct research and construct a series of zines using true crime stories to analyze how true they really are. The zines will culminate into a large collage at the end of the semester.

Throughout this process, I have been thinking about how to utilize a backward design and flip the classroom approach to a hybrid course. I have been frustrated with my previous attempts and felt there must be a way to integrate the online readings with the in-class activities in a way that didn't feel so isolated and clunky. I settled on using Hypothesis Social Annotation for the online readings, setting aside two computer lab sessions to use the annotations and an online graphing assignment, and to use the rest of the in-class time for activites that would dive deeper into topics or re-focus some critical concepts. All assessments will be conducted online.

Most of the readings will be linked through Brightspace to Jstor articles. The in-class activities will focus on the true crime zines, analysis and discussion, and thinking about ways to create an interactive true crime archive through the Academic Commons. The archive will be designed in multiple semesters, with different levels of student participation. The first phase will involve collecting true crime stories, making in real life zines, and thinking together about what we want the archive to do and how to interact with the public.

In reflection, I am grateful for the opportunity and the community to think through this revision & update with peers in my criminal justice program as well as with guided assignments and structured discussions from our facilitators. I am excited to see other projects and to discuss how we might build off each other's work and of course - what the students do with it!

Click here to view the syllabus on Academic Works or click here for an editable document.