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OGDEN — A trendy and "Fearless" approach to teaching English learning objectives has students "Ready For It" at Weber State University.
The newly debuted Taylor Swift Studies elective made available this spring has professors shaking off the old ways of getting their students engaged in learning.
"I need to emphasize that this class isn't a fan club," said Lindsey Rowley, who's currently enrolled in the undergraduate version of the class. Rowley said the class discusses and explores critical views of the pop star as well — it's not all a "Love Story" or all "Bad Blood."
"It's a professional classroom environment where we are actively engaged in learning about Taylor Swift's influence on everyday life," she said. "It's been inspiring to learn about that kind of songwriting and how it can have an impact on our world."
Taking inspiration from other schools in the country that have already implemented similar courses, Weber State's English department saw an opportunity to bring a brand-new learning experience to its students and immediately began looking for someone to teach the class. Associate professor Emily January was enchanted by the opportunity to teach the Swift-themed class.
"It is a blast," said January, expounding on how the students are extremely engaged in the class. "The students are engaged, everyone shows up, they bring in ideas that I've never heard of, so it's really cool that we get to learn from each other — it's a very egalitarian, democratic way to run a class."
Currently, WSU's catalog of Swift-inspired electives includes one class that is taught at a graduate level and one at an undergraduate level, ensuring that as many students as possible are the lucky ones who have the chance the register for the class. However, with only about 60 spots made available at the start of 2024's spring semester, January says many students were unfortunately not able to join her class during this semester despite its positive reputation.
"We have enrollment limits, but I know there were so many students who wanted to take the class this semester but couldn't," January said of the popularity and demand for the new elective. "So it only makes sense to offer it again in the fall to make sure those students who showed interest get a chance to take the class."
Themes explored in the class include anything from discussions about feminism and the analysis of protest songs to the study of poetry and business, all examined through the lens of Swift's discography and creative works, including her music and music videos. Students in the class are learning how to research using a variety of methods and sources, applying critical theories to the interpretation of texts and more analytical skills that improve the students' ability to engage with media and draw interpretations from texts.
"I think the conversations we have in class are very necessary conversations we don't have enough of in the world," Rowley explained, describing how she believes that the class broaches important topics relevant in the current era. "Specifically, we've talked about feminism, equal rights and LGBTQ rights — I think these conversations are only helping us as we go forward toward our degrees and even our careers out in the world."
The texts in the class are primarily Swift songs, of course. January explained that the same learning objectives that are taught in typical English and literature classes can be taught all too well through the interpretation of modern works by engaging students with learning material in a style they can easily relate to.
"When students hear about 19th-century literature, they just don't know what they're getting into," January said. "Even though the texts of that era are wonderful and exciting, it's hard for students to relate to some of them. They're still learning the same things and they're still becoming experts at writing, analysis and research, but we are teaching them in a way that is more appealing to students."
January believes there is a promising future at Weber State University in teaching learning objectives using pop culture topics because of the overwhelming enthusiasm that students have shown for the Swift-themed electives — with extra confidence that the Swift Studies classes will remain in high demand for the foreseeable future.
"Taylor Swift continues to produce music and continues to drive the economy and continues to be at the forefront of the news. I think, in that sense, we'll at least see this class last as long as she does," January said.
The overwhelming popularity and the great deal of enthusiasm behind the new Swift Studies elective at WSU means that the subject may become an evermore mainstay in the university's course catalog. It also possibly signals a rising trend in using modern pop culture to teach a traditional educational curriculum to students in a meaningful, impactful way.
