INTRODUCTION
Qatar University needs to introduce the proposed creative writing course for students in the Department of English Literature to address this important academic gap. The main objective of this initiative is to provide students with an opportunity to express themselves creatively through writing and explore their interests, which can lead them to become better writers and enhance their skills. Thus, the course brings new elements through creative writing without contradicting Qatar University’s goals in general. The addition ensures that literature students practice themselves in the creative process to succeed in life and profession. The Creative Writing Course aims to generate creativity to give students some solid structure that they can use to shape their narrative skills while engaging in what should be an ongoing adventure into making fiction writing possible.
Overview
Qatar University develops a novel paradigm in education about literature by emphasizing the importance of crafting fiction as a creative writing course. This course emphasizes enriching students’ creative abilities through theoretical lectures, practical workshops, and peer feedback sessions. The course differs from traditional academic writing, looking at story components and developing characters, structure, and dialogues in isolation (Williams et al., 2018). Based on various successful programs initiated in institutions such as The University of Manchester and Harvard University, this course intends to provide learners with a supporting environment to open their minds to developing innovative short stories. However, this is an innovative approach to facilitating the creation of an all-round dynamic learning environment in the Department of English Literature.
Background
The proposed course in creative writing borrows ideas from established courses at reputable universities such as The University of Manchester, Harvard University, and Concordia University’s background. Using theory discussions with practice workshops illustrates the importance of creativity in producing literature (Suchy, 2023). The background highlights the necessity of incorporating creative writing at Qatar University, representing a gap in the existing programs. The course aspires to upgrade its literature curriculum by embracing reputable strategies and acknowledging the exceptional potential of inventiveness, thus enabling students to hone their writing skills and offer noteworthy contributions to English Literature.
Statement of Problem
At Qatar University, within the Department of English Literature, there is a big gap that undermines the development of gifted students. There are no formal guidelines to guide their learning process because no creative writing course would serve as a ground to express their minds freely and test various writing styles. This present space impedes them from getting into significant matters like narration components, the creation of characters, the line or story sequence, and dialogue issues that concern the writer. It should be rectified by offering a complete literary education to the students, such as a creative writing course to help them refine their writing skills for creativity to thrive in English literature.
Need
A creative writing course is imperative for this university because it can foster changes in students’ path of acquisition of knowledge and experience in literature studies. In this case, this is not your regular class but rather a vital gap that has existed in academics, and I will now try to fill it; it gives space for students to express themselves creatively. The course helps learners create short stories, thus addressing all current problems and adding novelty to literature pedagogy. The course will enhance creativity and engage students’ hands on the craft, which is expected to improve the entire learning experience while equipping students with critical competencies in English literature.
Scope
The scope of this initiative stretches beyond the classroom, positively impacting the lives and future career paths of the students. The course is also dedicated to providing a detailed study of the short-story genre concerning literary methods and teaching the students how to write and edit in a workshop environment. Concerning overriding educational aims, this course would be positioned as a valuable addition to Qatar University’s academic curriculum. According to Filstrup (2019), creative writing skills give the student some additional skills necessary for life after school, particularly in writing professions, and provide a complete education that is not just “literature.”
References
Filstrup, C. T. (2019). How to be a better scientist. https://repository.library.noaa.gov/view/noaa/53127
Suchy, S. T. (2023). Creative Writing in Higher Education: A Literature Review of the Marketplace Relationship. Higher Education-Reflections From the Field. https://www.intechopen.com/chapters/85480
Williams, J., Ahmed, A., & Bamigbade, W. A. (2018). Writing centers in higher education institutions in Qatar: A critical review. Writing centers in the higher education landscape of the Arabian Gulf, 41-59. https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-319-55366-5_3
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