Teaching
I have taught a broad range of courses at Penn State, most recently the senior seminar in IST (IST 440), which is a capstone experience. But from time to time I teach a seminar in the 18th-century British history of ideas. As a former director of composition programs, I am especially interested in all kinds of writing courses -- introductory, intermediate, and advanced. I have found English 418 (advanced technical writing) especially challenging because each student brings specialized intellectual knowledge to bear on the problem of communication. I am (what a surprise!) quite interested in how information technology enhances teaching and learning.
A decade ago, I taught a "cluster course" on revolutions--scientific, political, and cultural -- for undergraduate honors students. Current graduate students are completing dissertations on topics ranging from the history of actresses on the British stage (1660-1750); characteristics of a successful distance education program; and factors that sustain online virtual communities.
In the past decade, II have taught the following courses, each of them drawing on web-based resources to support teaching and learning. I am grateful for my students for being such generous colleagues. I am very happy to share my course materials with anyone who asks.
PSU 017 ("What was privacy?") Just search for courses by John Harwood
PSU 017 ("IST Freshman Seminar," with a focus on cyber-ethics Spring Semester, 2001)
English 597F ("Research Methodology," with Robert D. Hume Fall Semester, 2000)
English 597G ("English Intellectual Prose, 1640-1800" Spring Semester, 2000)
English 30 ("English 30: Computers, Communication, and Culture," Spring Semester, 1999)
English 556 ("Seminar in 18th-century British Fiction," Spring Semester, 1998)
English 497 ("Technical Communication," Spring Semester, 1997)
