Unessays
After reviewing recent literature and conference sessions centered on teaching pedagogy, I opted for the unessay assignment as the final course assessment in my undergraduate courses.
An unessay assignment allows students to select a topic related to the course content that interests them, conduct research, and creatively demonstrate their understanding of the topic in deeper and meaningful ways in a format other than a traditional research paper. As an early proponent for this assignment, Mark Kissel contends: “Sadly, creativity has been ‘educated out’ of us. An UnEssay project gives students a way to creatively interact with the class themes.”
Whether completing either an unessay or traditional essay, all students had to select from one of the major themes explored in the course modules and draw from digital and traditional objects from W. S. Hoole Special Collections, UA Digital Collections and/or a curated guide of DH projects and collections. All students had to submit a brief proposal, complete a peer review workshop on their rough draft, meet individually with the professor, and do a short oral presentation of the final project. For those who opted for the unessay, students had to submit an artist statement that explained their rationale for object created, the questions that they were trying to answer and how the final object advanced their argument in addressing the selected research topic. Rubrics are provided for both type of final assignments.
Suggested possible projects included (and were not limited to): mixed media art, photography, plays, children’s book prototypes, book art, board games, cross stitch, textile art, 3-D printed monuments, and digital collages. The actual completed projects have varied greatly. Below are representative examples of complete project.
Students have created:
An unessay assignment allows students to select a topic related to the course content that interests them, conduct research, and creatively demonstrate their understanding of the topic in deeper and meaningful ways in a format other than a traditional research paper. As an early proponent for this assignment, Mark Kissel contends: “Sadly, creativity has been ‘educated out’ of us. An UnEssay project gives students a way to creatively interact with the class themes.”
Whether completing either an unessay or traditional essay, all students had to select from one of the major themes explored in the course modules and draw from digital and traditional objects from W. S. Hoole Special Collections, UA Digital Collections and/or a curated guide of DH projects and collections. All students had to submit a brief proposal, complete a peer review workshop on their rough draft, meet individually with the professor, and do a short oral presentation of the final project. For those who opted for the unessay, students had to submit an artist statement that explained their rationale for object created, the questions that they were trying to answer and how the final object advanced their argument in addressing the selected research topic. Rubrics are provided for both type of final assignments.
Suggested possible projects included (and were not limited to): mixed media art, photography, plays, children’s book prototypes, book art, board games, cross stitch, textile art, 3-D printed monuments, and digital collages. The actual completed projects have varied greatly. Below are representative examples of complete project.
Students have created:
- Paintings
- Mixed media art of enslaved women’s resistance within enslaver’s households
- Digital collages of enslaved campus women’s experiences and legacy for current students
- STEM lesson plans exploring slavery, textbooks and professional ethics
- Spoken word poetry drawing on Alabama legal proceedings
- Digital maps and alternative community tours of African American experience
- Satirical campus recruitment pamphlets
- Short documentary films
- Quilts
Fall 2019 Slave Resistance (UA undergraduate seminar)
Prompt: Drawing on UA archival materials and DH projects, create an object that best explains the most significant aspect of enslaved African Americans’ resistance in Tuscaloosa, West Alabama, and/or state of Alabama.
Students created:
The gallery below showcases two mixed media projects created for the assignment.
Students created:
- Paintings
- Mixed media art of enslaved women’s resistance within enslaver’s households
- Mixed media art explaining the motivations for self-liberation in Tuscaloosa
- Digital collages of enslaved campus women’s experiences and legacy for current students
- Spoken word poetry drawing on Alabama legal proceedings
- Poetry drawing on Alabama WPA narratives
The gallery below showcases two mixed media projects created for the assignment.
Fall 2020 Slavery, Universities and Complex Legacies (Davidson College seminar)
Prompt: Selecting an appropriate research topic, create a new object that best explains the most significant aspect of institutional slavery, the enslaved experience, and immediate emancipation experience at Davidson College, 1837-1866.
Since this assignment is exploring the history of campus slavery, you cannot explore institutional legacy topics, including (and not limited to): Reconstruction, Jim Crow segregation, the long Civil Rights Movement, post-desegregation campus, and current legacy. You must limit your topic, discussion, and primary sources employed to the history of slavery and the immediate emancipation experience. You also must incorporate a minimum of three to five primary sources detailing aspects of slavery, the enslaved experiences and immediate emancipation experiences at Davidson College, 1837-1866.
Students created:
The gallery below showcases several pages of the adult ABC book created for the assignment.
Since this assignment is exploring the history of campus slavery, you cannot explore institutional legacy topics, including (and not limited to): Reconstruction, Jim Crow segregation, the long Civil Rights Movement, post-desegregation campus, and current legacy. You must limit your topic, discussion, and primary sources employed to the history of slavery and the immediate emancipation experience. You also must incorporate a minimum of three to five primary sources detailing aspects of slavery, the enslaved experiences and immediate emancipation experiences at Davidson College, 1837-1866.
Students created:
- An adult ABC book modeled after an 19th c. abolitionist version on the history of slavery and memory at Davidson College.
- STEM lesson plans exploring slavery, textbooks and professional ethics
- An interactive timeline in the library with the historical documents accessible using augmented reality technology
- Satirical campus recruitment pamphlets
The gallery below showcases several pages of the adult ABC book created for the assignment.
Fall 2021 Black Women's Activism (UA undergraduate seminar)
Prompt: Selecting an appropriate research topic, create a new object that best explains the most significant contributions made by Jennie C. Lee and other black Alabamian women to the New Negro womanhood movement and assess how their efforts compare with the black Washingtonian women discussed in Treva Lindsey’s Colored No More.
In addition, you will be required to submit a 3–4-page artist statement explaining how your rationale for the object created, the questions that you were trying to answer and how the final object advances your argument in addressing the selected research topic. The statement must include endnotes and a bibliography. These components are not included in the page count.
Students created:
Below are a few examples of their creations.
In addition, you will be required to submit a 3–4-page artist statement explaining how your rationale for the object created, the questions that you were trying to answer and how the final object advances your argument in addressing the selected research topic. The statement must include endnotes and a bibliography. These components are not included in the page count.
Students created:
- Digital collage exploring black women's beauty aesthetics including hair and dress
- Digital collages exploring how Tuskegee served as an important center for the New Negro Womanhood movement in Alabama
- A physical quilt
- A physical scrapbook
Below are a few examples of their creations.
Spring 2022 AAST 303 Education of Southern Blacks (undergraduate seminar)
Prompt: Using The Crimson White, Corolla, and other materials contained in W. S. Hoole Special Collections and UA Digital Collections, create an object that best explains the most significant person, event, organization, development and/or campus racial incident shaping the African American experience following the graduation of Vivian Malone. Note: You are not allowed to discuss pre-Malone graduation events and must focus on the campus community from 1966 to 1980.
In addition, you will be required to submit a 3–4-page artist statement explaining how your rationale for the object created, the questions that you were trying to answer and how the final object advances your argument in addressing the selected research topic. The statement must include endnotes and a bibliography. These components are not included in the page count.
Students created:
Below are a few examples of their creations.
In addition, you will be required to submit a 3–4-page artist statement explaining how your rationale for the object created, the questions that you were trying to answer and how the final object advances your argument in addressing the selected research topic. The statement must include endnotes and a bibliography. These components are not included in the page count.
Students created:
- Digital collage
- Digital timeline
- Physical mixed media collage on canvas
- Physical mixed media collage on wooden paddle
- Physical distressed pair of jean shorts
- Kiln-fired bell and clapper
- Physical architectural drawing for a new Black Student Center
Below are a few examples of their creations.
Spring 2022 BUI 301 Slavery, Emancipation and the University of Alabama (Blount Scholars Seminar)
Prompt: Using the Rhondda Robinson Thomas's Call My Name, Clemson as a model and campus research in W. S. Hoole and UA digital collections, select an appropriate research topic and create a new object that best explains the most significant person, organization, campus event and/or contributions made by African Americans and their white allies reconciling the history of race and legacy of slavery at the University of Alabama from 1901 to 2006. Note: You are not allowed to explore Autherine Lucy’s desegregation attempt, 1963 Stand in the Schoolhouse Door or topics on UA history discussed in any of the assigned readings.
In addition, you will be required to submit a 3–4-page artist statement explaining how your rationale for the object created, the questions that you were trying to answer and how the final object advances your argument in addressing the selected research topic. The statement must include endnotes and a bibliography. These components are not included in the page count.
Students created:
Digital collage
Digital scrapbook in the style of Eunique Jones Gibson’s Because of Them, We Can.
Mixed media sculpture
Vox-style documentary on sorority desegregation
Dance music video celebrating Vivian Malone's legacy
Physical board game
Proposed new signage for African American campus history
Below are a few examples of their creations.
In addition, you will be required to submit a 3–4-page artist statement explaining how your rationale for the object created, the questions that you were trying to answer and how the final object advances your argument in addressing the selected research topic. The statement must include endnotes and a bibliography. These components are not included in the page count.
Students created:
Digital collage
Digital scrapbook in the style of Eunique Jones Gibson’s Because of Them, We Can.
Mixed media sculpture
Vox-style documentary on sorority desegregation
Dance music video celebrating Vivian Malone's legacy
Physical board game
Proposed new signage for African American campus history
Below are a few examples of their creations.
Spring 2023 AFR 101 Intro to Africana Studies
Prompt: Drawing on course themes and discussions, create an object that best explains an expanded course theme, major issues, and/or contemporary debate within the contours of Africana Studies as a field of study--its genealogy, development, and future challenges.
In addition, you will be required to submit a 3–4-page artist statement explaining how your rationale for the object created, the questions that you were trying to answer and how the final object advances your argument in addressing the selected research topic. The statement must include endnotes and a bibliography. These components are not included in the page count.
Students created:
Mixed media collages
Timelines
Replica of the Greensboro Sit In Counter Chair
Etched Wooden Collage
Physical Wooden Cradle
Replica of a Railroad Track
A decoupaged medical tray
Digital collages
A Witness Tree
A T-Shirt inspired by Freedom Dreams
Campus Brick Tribute to the Enslaved Campus Laborers
Below are a few examples of their creations.
In addition, you will be required to submit a 3–4-page artist statement explaining how your rationale for the object created, the questions that you were trying to answer and how the final object advances your argument in addressing the selected research topic. The statement must include endnotes and a bibliography. These components are not included in the page count.
Students created:
Mixed media collages
Timelines
Replica of the Greensboro Sit In Counter Chair
Etched Wooden Collage
Physical Wooden Cradle
Replica of a Railroad Track
A decoupaged medical tray
Digital collages
A Witness Tree
A T-Shirt inspired by Freedom Dreams
Campus Brick Tribute to the Enslaved Campus Laborers
Below are a few examples of their creations.
Spring 2023 AFR 224 Race and Campus Histories
Using the Rhondda Robinson Thomas work as a model and campus research in Archives and Special Collections’ physical and digital collections, select an appropriate research topic and create a new object that best explains the most significant person, organization, campus event and/or contributions made by African Americans and their white allies in reconciling the history of race and legacy of slavery at the Davidson College from 1962 admission of Benoit (Ben) Nzenga to the 2013 graduation of Kaneisha Gaston.
In addition, you will be required to submit a 3–4-page artist statement explaining how your rationale for the object created, the questions that you were trying to answer and how the final object advances your argument in addressing the selected research topic. The statement must include endnotes and a bibliography. These components are not included in the page count.
Students created:
Mixed media collages
Physical model of a museum exhibit installation at the Hurt Hub
Spoken word poetry presented in a call and response format
Digital collages
Physical collage on an old window
Southern Belle standing on a Brick with Black student criticism of KA’s Old South Celebration
Decoupaged baseball bat of the early Baseball student/athletes
Below are a few examples of their creations.
In addition, you will be required to submit a 3–4-page artist statement explaining how your rationale for the object created, the questions that you were trying to answer and how the final object advances your argument in addressing the selected research topic. The statement must include endnotes and a bibliography. These components are not included in the page count.
Students created:
Mixed media collages
Physical model of a museum exhibit installation at the Hurt Hub
Spoken word poetry presented in a call and response format
Digital collages
Physical collage on an old window
Southern Belle standing on a Brick with Black student criticism of KA’s Old South Celebration
Decoupaged baseball bat of the early Baseball student/athletes
Below are a few examples of their creations.
Fall 2023 AFR 101 Intro to Africana Studies
Drawing on course themes and discussions, create an object that best explains an expanded course theme, major issues, and/or contemporary debate within the contours of Africana Studies as a field of study--its genealogy, development, and future challenges.
In addition, you will be required to submit a 3–4 page artist statement explaining how your rationale for the object created, the questions that you were trying to answer, process including research and methods (including any use of AI generated illustrations, digital tools, software programs), and how the final object advances your argument in addressing the selected research topic. The statement must include endnotes and a bibliography. These components are not included in the page count.
Students created:
Mixed media collages
Poem based on Asbestos Town podcast
Poem based on Freedom Dreams
Digital collages
Replica bricks of Davidson Campus history
Below are a few examples of their creations.
In addition, you will be required to submit a 3–4 page artist statement explaining how your rationale for the object created, the questions that you were trying to answer, process including research and methods (including any use of AI generated illustrations, digital tools, software programs), and how the final object advances your argument in addressing the selected research topic. The statement must include endnotes and a bibliography. These components are not included in the page count.
Students created:
Mixed media collages
Poem based on Asbestos Town podcast
Poem based on Freedom Dreams
Digital collages
Replica bricks of Davidson Campus history
Below are a few examples of their creations.
Fall 2023 AFR 350 History of Southern Black Education
Using the Rhondda Robinson Thomas’s work as a model and campus research in Archives and Special Collections’ physical and digital collections, select an appropriate research topic and create a new object that best explains the most significant person, organization, campus event and/or contributions made by African Americans and their white allies in reconciling the history of race and legacy of slavery at the Davidson College from 1962 admission of Benoit (Ben) Nzenga to the 2013 graduation of Kaneisha Gaston.
In addition, you will be required to submit a 3–4-page artist statement explaining how your rationale for the object created, the questions that you were trying to answer, process including research and methods (including any use of AI generated illustrations, digital tools, software programs), and how the final object advances your argument in addressing the selected research topic. The statement must include endnotes and a bibliography. These components are not included in the page count.
Students created:
TBA
Below are a few examples of their creations.
In addition, you will be required to submit a 3–4-page artist statement explaining how your rationale for the object created, the questions that you were trying to answer, process including research and methods (including any use of AI generated illustrations, digital tools, software programs), and how the final object advances your argument in addressing the selected research topic. The statement must include endnotes and a bibliography. These components are not included in the page count.
Students created:
TBA
Below are a few examples of their creations.