Diana Vecchio, MA
- Assistant Teaching Professor of English
Affiliated Programs
Education
- MA, Medieval Literature (2005)
Rosemont College (PA)
About Me
I believe that all students have a voice and need to learn how to use that voice to express their ideas clearly and critically. I see education as centered around experiential learning. I approach my classes as a place for students to make mistakes in writing because they are correctable and students can learn from them. My role in all of this is as facilitator. Teaching students to think and write critically by requiring them to read reflectively helps them find their true voice. At the beginning, their views are based simply on what they have been told more so than what they have learned.
I design my courses to encourage refining their views based on their new-found critical thinking skills. Ideally, every student will feel confident and comfortable enough to express his or her view in the classroom. This exchange of ideas furthers learning as the students then become part of the process of educating others as they foster their own learning. For those not comfortable speaking in class, they benefit from hearing others' ideas while having the opportunity to be heard through their writing. These two opportunities develop critical, deep thought.
I approach all my classes from the view of experiential learning, that is, what can students learn about human experience and how can they incorporate that into their lives. In first-year courses, changing themes every year allows me to present material as current and relevant as possible. I do this in an attempt to engage students in their own learning. When students see the relevance of the material in their own lives, they are more likely to think on a deeper, independent level, therefore enhancing their learning. I see first-year courses as the place to make mistakes without irreparable academic harm.
Often students are learning specific skills or the correct technique for the first time. While there are typical errors made at the freshman level of writing, each student is an individual with his or her own mistakes in form or content. In class I address these common errors through explanation and practice.
Research Interests
My research interests are literature of the Middle Ages, particularly Arthurian Literature, 19th-century writers, and the correlation between literature and popular fiction and film.
Professional Affiliations & Memberships
Mid-Atlantic Popular & American Culture Association (MAPACA), Popular Culture Association/American Culture Association (PCA/ACA), CEA