My Objectives

Bonjour! Hola! 

... and all those "Hello" things. My name is Noah McLaughlin; my pronouns are he/him and most students call me Professor McLaughlin. ("Dr." McLaughlin is my father, thank you...)

I'm an associate French Professor at Kennesaw State University, as well as director of the World Languages Resource Collection. I'm excited to teach a section of ENGL 2110 World Literature because, beyond minoring in World Literature as an undergraduate, I've always been interested in comparative literature and they way that stories from around the world arise, interact, and change. I'm an accomplished instructor instructional designer for online courses, so teaching it virtual is right up my alley. I enjoy the flexibility that it brings (as well as the particular challenges it can pose.)

Goals

My three goals will be a bit different from yours, as the syllabus' course objectives don't really apply to me. Nonetheless, there are some things that I want to accomplish (and help you accomplish, too).

1. Timely feedback

In the past, I've struggled with getting to all the grading in a timely way. And it sucked, and it made me feel like I was letting my students down. No more! This semester, everything you submit will receive a score, if not detailed feedback, within one week of its due date. 

I'm going to help make this happen by setting aside time specifically to review and score your work every Monday and Tuesday.

2. Engaging discussions

In most of my courses, the best part is often the various discussions and debates that happen centered on students' ideas. I hope to see this happen in this online format once again, and I plan to take part in the discussion forum each week. I won't respond to everyone's post, but I will be present with my own two cents.

3. Recruitment for World Languages & Cultures

You thought this was just an English class? Mwahahaha! Oh no, my friends, I'm a French professor. I'm here to show you how literatures from around the world and throughout history are engaging and meaningful. Be careful, you might become interested in learning how to read these works in their original languages. And then, yes, you will be in my clutches!

Or, you know, you can pick up a major in one of five languages, or a minor in nine different programs, among the thirteen languages we teach at Kennesaw State. Learning a language improves your critical thinking, expands your ability to communicate across cultures, and can even help prevent Alzheimer's and dementia.

Question

I'm especially curious to learn about your motivations for taking a World Literature course. This is a big class! There's bound to be a diversity of reasons for your curiosity...