Fondazione Rinascimento DigitaleFirenze, 16 December 2009

“MyDante and Ellipsis: Defining the user’s role in a virtual reading community”

Frank AmbrosioAssociate Professor, Philosophy

Eddie MaloneyAssistant Professor, English; Director of R & D, CNDLS

Theresa SchlaflyWriter & Editor, CNDLS

Center for New Designs in Learning & Scholarship, Georgetown University

Fondazione Rinascimento DigitaleFirenze, 16 December 2009

“MyDante and Ellipsis: Defining the user’s role in a virtual reading community”

Frank AmbrosioAssociate Professor, Philosophy

Eddie MaloneyAssistant Professor, English; Director of R & D, CNDLS

Theresa SchlaflyWriter & Editor, CNDLS

Center for New Designs in Learning & Scholarship, Georgetown University

MyDanteMyDanteMyDanteMyDante

dante.georgetown.edudante.georgetown.edu

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3 LEVELS3 LEVELSFirst, the literal, narrative level of the story of Dante the Pilgrim's journey from the Dark Wood to the Final Vision.

Second, the ironic and metaphoric level communicated by the artistic choices Dante the Poet makes regarding characters, episodes, images, and themes.

Third, the reflective level, contained in the reader's personal responses to the poet's testimony, in the form of a dialogue between poet and reader.

First, the literal, narrative level of the story of Dante the Pilgrim's journey from the Dark Wood to the Final Vision.

Second, the ironic and metaphoric level communicated by the artistic choices Dante the Poet makes regarding characters, episodes, images, and themes.

Third, the reflective level, contained in the reader's personal responses to the poet's testimony, in the form of a dialogue between poet and reader.

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“Using MyDante was a holistic learning experience. It added a

different dimension to the class that there was so much you could

experience outside of it. It was like having twice as much class time.”

- Lauren Funk, student

“Using MyDante was a holistic learning experience. It added a

different dimension to the class that there was so much you could

experience outside of it. It was like having twice as much class time.”

- Lauren Funk, student

“The journals are a private space in which to think about what we discuss in class and what we read by Dante and relate it to our own lives.”

•“Ulysses and the Sin of Deception”

•“Judgment and the Ego”

•“Who is Satan?”

•“How Do We Tackle Sexuality in Light of Today’s Discussion?”

•“Some thoughts on Sartre’s No Exit and the infinitude of hell”

•“Do I Need a Beatrice to Love?”

“The journals are a private space in which to think about what we discuss in class and what we read by Dante and relate it to our own lives.”

•“Ulysses and the Sin of Deception”

•“Judgment and the Ego”

•“Who is Satan?”

•“How Do We Tackle Sexuality in Light of Today’s Discussion?”

•“Some thoughts on Sartre’s No Exit and the infinitude of hell”

•“Do I Need a Beatrice to Love?”

“…I worry sometimes that I might be making a mistake similar to Dante in line 77 by trying to fit all reality into a

particular worldview; either out of ignorance or timidity.”

“Reading Canto XXX and Canto XXXI I imagined myself like Dante, hiding his shame with beard pointed dejectedly

towards the ground…” 

“…I worry sometimes that I might be making a mistake similar to Dante in line 77 by trying to fit all reality into a

particular worldview; either out of ignorance or timidity.”

“Reading Canto XXX and Canto XXXI I imagined myself like Dante, hiding his shame with beard pointed dejectedly

towards the ground…” 

Multimedia ProjectMultimedia Project

“This process definitely helped me reflect on the meaning of the poem

in my own life, as the images I chose provided a visual bridge between

Dante and myself.”

“This process definitely helped me reflect on the meaning of the poem

in my own life, as the images I chose provided a visual bridge between

Dante and myself.”

“Due to MyDante, the course become far more than a philosophy course. It became

an interactive journal, a colloquium, a journey, and a cross-disciplinary synthesis

of scholarship…. My experience with MyDante is invaluable in continuing to interpret the poem’s meaning and in

forming strategies for evaluating other texts.”

–Rob Begin, student

“Due to MyDante, the course become far more than a philosophy course. It became

an interactive journal, a colloquium, a journey, and a cross-disciplinary synthesis

of scholarship…. My experience with MyDante is invaluable in continuing to interpret the poem’s meaning and in

forming strategies for evaluating other texts.”

–Rob Begin, student

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THANK YOU!GRAZIE!

THANK YOU!GRAZIE!

GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITYGEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY

dante.georgetown.edudante.georgetown.edu