Biography

Matthew MacKnight holds a Ph.D. and M.A. from the University of Rhode Island in English with a concentration in Writing and Rhetoric. His initial research involved examining intersections of LGBT rhetorics, (video)gaming, and social media. He has been teaching at URI since 2007, specializing in courses heavy on digital design, including Writing in Electronic Environments and now the capstone senior Web Portfolio. Among other courses he has taught are Writing to Inform and Explain, Travel Writing, and Writing Culture.

Since earning his doctorate, he has also taught various courses at Bristol Community College in Massachusetts, specializing in developmental writing pedagogy for an “open-enrollment” student body, including American Sign Language learners (ASL) and English for speakers of other languages (ESOL). He was an active member of BCC’s “Portfolio Project Committee” and helped develop curricular standards, student-outcomes, and best teaching practices. He has also taught courses ranging from Intercultural Communication to Science Fiction Literature there.