Here is a link to my website draft. I had planned on doing more this weekend, but Staphylococcus aureus had other plans for me.
I wanted to create a website that reflected my professional and academic career (which is lacking in terms of teaching experience). Eventually, I would like to add relevant course information for my classes, much in the same way Dr. J adds information to our course blog.
Monday, April 28, 2008
Friday, April 25, 2008
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Response to 4/28 Readings
The Adult Literacy Process as Cultural Action for Freedom
Paulo Freire
Although Freire wrote his landmark article in a very different environment from both us and many of the authors who build on his writings, much of his advice and observations remain relevant. One aspect of this article in particular attracted my attention, in which Friere discusses methods of using culturally pertinent prompts in regards to writing. I feel that this is a wonderful way of getting students interested in what they are writing, and if my experience in the writing center is any indication, that is a tough task.
“Only someone with a mechanistic mentality, which Marx would call “grossly materialistic,” could reduce adult literacy learning to a purely technical action. Such a naïve approach would be incapable of perceiving that technique itself as an instrument of mean in their orientation in the world is not neutral.” (Freire 617) This profound statement can be applied to other areas of learning across the board, and even reminds me of the article we read that chastised those who refer to computers merely as “tools”, and not instruments of learning.
Rhetoric and Ideology in the Writing Class
James Berlin
Berlin points out an aspect of rhetoric and composition instruction that many other authors have noted “any examination of a rhetoric must first consider the ways its very discursive structure can be read so as to favor one version of economic, social and political arrangements over other versions […]A rhetoric can never be innocent, can never be a disinterested arbiter of the ideological claims of other because it is always already serving certain ideological claims.” (717-718)
It follows then, that no professor can be completely impartial, a fact that I’m sure we can all attest to. The question then, is what type of rhetoric to use? Berlin discusses three types of rhetoric: cognitive psychology, expressionism and social-epistemic. Of the three, I think a hybrid of expressionism and social-epistemic would be the best approach, as they both acknowledge biases, and provide strategies for overcoming them.
Paulo Freire
Although Freire wrote his landmark article in a very different environment from both us and many of the authors who build on his writings, much of his advice and observations remain relevant. One aspect of this article in particular attracted my attention, in which Friere discusses methods of using culturally pertinent prompts in regards to writing. I feel that this is a wonderful way of getting students interested in what they are writing, and if my experience in the writing center is any indication, that is a tough task.
“Only someone with a mechanistic mentality, which Marx would call “grossly materialistic,” could reduce adult literacy learning to a purely technical action. Such a naïve approach would be incapable of perceiving that technique itself as an instrument of mean in their orientation in the world is not neutral.” (Freire 617) This profound statement can be applied to other areas of learning across the board, and even reminds me of the article we read that chastised those who refer to computers merely as “tools”, and not instruments of learning.
Rhetoric and Ideology in the Writing Class
James Berlin
Berlin points out an aspect of rhetoric and composition instruction that many other authors have noted “any examination of a rhetoric must first consider the ways its very discursive structure can be read so as to favor one version of economic, social and political arrangements over other versions […]A rhetoric can never be innocent, can never be a disinterested arbiter of the ideological claims of other because it is always already serving certain ideological claims.” (717-718)
It follows then, that no professor can be completely impartial, a fact that I’m sure we can all attest to. The question then, is what type of rhetoric to use? Berlin discusses three types of rhetoric: cognitive psychology, expressionism and social-epistemic. Of the three, I think a hybrid of expressionism and social-epistemic would be the best approach, as they both acknowledge biases, and provide strategies for overcoming them.
Monday, April 21, 2008
Response to 4/21 Readings
Protean Shapes in Literacy Events: Ever-Shifting Oral and Literate Traditions
Shirley Brice Heath
Shirley Brice Heath begins her essay by cautioning readers against relying on literacy theories. She goes on to define what a literacy event is; any occasion in which a piece of writing is integral to the nature of participant’s interactions and their interpretive processes. Heath takes this theory, and investigates its veracity in the context of a particular community, Trackton.
In exploring the applications of literacy in Trackton, Heath lists the following as purposes for writing in Trackton: instrumental, interactional, news-related, confirmation, provision of permanent records, memory supportive and as substitutes for oral messages. Most of these purposes are supplemented by oral actions.
Heath also notes that “individuals saw literacy as an occasion for social interaction.” (Heath 451) ; she provides ample examples of this, from church activities to porch discussions. Even the usually literary act of completing paperwork for school or work is intertwined with social discussions, as townsfolk share information.
I liked Heath’s example of the written version of a prayer verses the oral result. I saw a few devices that reminded me of oral epics, such as the use of formulaic voices, and expression of personal involvement.
Hearing Other Voices: A Critical Assessment of Popular Views on Literacy and Work
Glynda Hull
I think that Hull does an excellent job debunking current myths and views surrounding worker illiteracy. Hull questions both the relevancy of literacy in specific work situations, and the burden that is shifted onto the worker, rather than the employer. My favorite example that she gives is “[t]he years of picky hiring are over. Vicious competition for all sorts of workers – entry-level, skilled, seasoned – has begun. Employers must look to the nonmale, the nonwhite, the nonyoung. There may be a push for non-citizens as well: over the next 10 years …only 15% of work force entrants will be native-born white males.” Aw, poor native-born white males! Whatever will they do?
I found the personal accounts that Hull uses a sad indicator of current government programs. Jackie was trying her hardest to get off government assistance, but it seems to me that the government provides little assistance or incentive to do so. In addition to this, as Hull points out, some of the programs that involve workplace training are merely training for tests that have little or nothing to do with actual tasks.
As I had previously been unfamiliar with Taylorism (it is a pity that it is so negative), I read Hull’s section relating the effects of Taylorism with great interest. As anyone who has worked in retail, manufacturing, or many other fields knows, workers are still accorded very little trust, with most of the responsibility and training given to managers. However, workers still seem to be given a fair share of the blame when something goes wrong.
Sponsors of Literacy
Deborah Brandt
I though Brandt’s essay does an adequate job explaining the discrepancies between teaching methods used and methods that work, and the underlying politics motivating those choices. Brandt looks at the sponsors of literacy programs, and investigates their intentions. I have to admit, I had never considered the politics behind academic programs such as literacy, this article really made me think.
Brandt looks at the reasons people seek literary education, the foremost motivation being upward mobility. She does this by looking at two specific individuals, Raymond and Dora. Raymond enjoyed a childhood full of technological advantages, while Dora grew up as a bilingual minority in a Midwest town. Although Dora and Raymond find themselves in very different literacy environments, they both have the desire to learn more.
I appreciated the amount of real life examples Brandt uses in her essay, I found most of them relevant, and all of them interesting to read. Given the examples, there is a great deal of truth in Brandt’s statement that “the course of an ordinary person’s literacy learning – its occasions, materials, applications, potentials – follows the transformations going on within sponsoring institutions as those institutions fight for economic and ideological position.” (Brandt 177)
Strangers in Strange Lands: Student Writing Across Curriculum
Lucille Parkinson McCarthy
McCarthy’s introduction to “Strangers in Strange Lands” is an accurate portrayal of advice that I myself have been guilty of giving: write to your professor. I often tell students in the Writing Center “Well, I personally think this…but you need to check with your professor”, or something similar.
McCarthy draws from the works of two noted sociolinguists, yet another indication of the connections between composition, writing pedagogy, and linguistics. McCarthy does an adequate job explaining her data, but I felt that she should have given more contextual information. I did like the quote from Dave, where he explains that he sees writing as a tool. I felt that this highlights many students view of writing not as a learning process, but as a tool to be acquired and wielded. This mindset parallels Dave’s desire to find on “right” interpretation of a poem for his poetics class. McCarthy call this being “tied to the concrete material”, a problem that many students face.
By looking at what classes Dave does well in, McCarthy construes Dave’s intent and perceived benefits from each class. In classes that he sees as vital to his career and further academic success, he does better. In a class such as poetry, which is only tied to a grade, Dave doesn’t do as well. This may seem obvious, but I think it is important for instructors to keep in mind, so that they might find ways of linking a particular class to a students aspirations.
Shirley Brice Heath
Shirley Brice Heath begins her essay by cautioning readers against relying on literacy theories. She goes on to define what a literacy event is; any occasion in which a piece of writing is integral to the nature of participant’s interactions and their interpretive processes. Heath takes this theory, and investigates its veracity in the context of a particular community, Trackton.
In exploring the applications of literacy in Trackton, Heath lists the following as purposes for writing in Trackton: instrumental, interactional, news-related, confirmation, provision of permanent records, memory supportive and as substitutes for oral messages. Most of these purposes are supplemented by oral actions.
Heath also notes that “individuals saw literacy as an occasion for social interaction.” (Heath 451) ; she provides ample examples of this, from church activities to porch discussions. Even the usually literary act of completing paperwork for school or work is intertwined with social discussions, as townsfolk share information.
I liked Heath’s example of the written version of a prayer verses the oral result. I saw a few devices that reminded me of oral epics, such as the use of formulaic voices, and expression of personal involvement.
Hearing Other Voices: A Critical Assessment of Popular Views on Literacy and Work
Glynda Hull
I think that Hull does an excellent job debunking current myths and views surrounding worker illiteracy. Hull questions both the relevancy of literacy in specific work situations, and the burden that is shifted onto the worker, rather than the employer. My favorite example that she gives is “[t]he years of picky hiring are over. Vicious competition for all sorts of workers – entry-level, skilled, seasoned – has begun. Employers must look to the nonmale, the nonwhite, the nonyoung. There may be a push for non-citizens as well: over the next 10 years …only 15% of work force entrants will be native-born white males.” Aw, poor native-born white males! Whatever will they do?
I found the personal accounts that Hull uses a sad indicator of current government programs. Jackie was trying her hardest to get off government assistance, but it seems to me that the government provides little assistance or incentive to do so. In addition to this, as Hull points out, some of the programs that involve workplace training are merely training for tests that have little or nothing to do with actual tasks.
As I had previously been unfamiliar with Taylorism (it is a pity that it is so negative), I read Hull’s section relating the effects of Taylorism with great interest. As anyone who has worked in retail, manufacturing, or many other fields knows, workers are still accorded very little trust, with most of the responsibility and training given to managers. However, workers still seem to be given a fair share of the blame when something goes wrong.
Sponsors of Literacy
Deborah Brandt
I though Brandt’s essay does an adequate job explaining the discrepancies between teaching methods used and methods that work, and the underlying politics motivating those choices. Brandt looks at the sponsors of literacy programs, and investigates their intentions. I have to admit, I had never considered the politics behind academic programs such as literacy, this article really made me think.
Brandt looks at the reasons people seek literary education, the foremost motivation being upward mobility. She does this by looking at two specific individuals, Raymond and Dora. Raymond enjoyed a childhood full of technological advantages, while Dora grew up as a bilingual minority in a Midwest town. Although Dora and Raymond find themselves in very different literacy environments, they both have the desire to learn more.
I appreciated the amount of real life examples Brandt uses in her essay, I found most of them relevant, and all of them interesting to read. Given the examples, there is a great deal of truth in Brandt’s statement that “the course of an ordinary person’s literacy learning – its occasions, materials, applications, potentials – follows the transformations going on within sponsoring institutions as those institutions fight for economic and ideological position.” (Brandt 177)
Strangers in Strange Lands: Student Writing Across Curriculum
Lucille Parkinson McCarthy
McCarthy’s introduction to “Strangers in Strange Lands” is an accurate portrayal of advice that I myself have been guilty of giving: write to your professor. I often tell students in the Writing Center “Well, I personally think this…but you need to check with your professor”, or something similar.
McCarthy draws from the works of two noted sociolinguists, yet another indication of the connections between composition, writing pedagogy, and linguistics. McCarthy does an adequate job explaining her data, but I felt that she should have given more contextual information. I did like the quote from Dave, where he explains that he sees writing as a tool. I felt that this highlights many students view of writing not as a learning process, but as a tool to be acquired and wielded. This mindset parallels Dave’s desire to find on “right” interpretation of a poem for his poetics class. McCarthy call this being “tied to the concrete material”, a problem that many students face.
By looking at what classes Dave does well in, McCarthy construes Dave’s intent and perceived benefits from each class. In classes that he sees as vital to his career and further academic success, he does better. In a class such as poetry, which is only tied to a grade, Dave doesn’t do as well. This may seem obvious, but I think it is important for instructors to keep in mind, so that they might find ways of linking a particular class to a students aspirations.
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
The truth behind the McCain girls
So it ends up the McCain girls were a comedic hoax all along! This news article has some pretty good quotes about it, I think the most telling one is:
"That video recorded more than 1.6 million views and earned mentions on CNN and on ABC’s “Good Morning America,” with people alternately mocking it and wondering who was responsible. The singers seemed intentionally bad, which led many bloggers and YouTube commenters to assume that it was meant to insult Mr. McCain. The liberal blog Eschaton put it this way: “I believe the YouTube era begins the age when it is impossible to tell parody/irony/performance art from completely sincere product."
Apparently it was created to mock the candidate video phenomena, they did a good job making it look home made. I love the fact that they went to the lengths to do a response to the haters video too.
"That video recorded more than 1.6 million views and earned mentions on CNN and on ABC’s “Good Morning America,” with people alternately mocking it and wondering who was responsible. The singers seemed intentionally bad, which led many bloggers and YouTube commenters to assume that it was meant to insult Mr. McCain. The liberal blog Eschaton put it this way: “I believe the YouTube era begins the age when it is impossible to tell parody/irony/performance art from completely sincere product."
Apparently it was created to mock the candidate video phenomena, they did a good job making it look home made. I love the fact that they went to the lengths to do a response to the haters video too.
Monday, April 14, 2008
Walk it Out: Assemblage?
This video is a 1960s dance number by Fosse set to a modern rap song. It is eerie and humorous how well the two sync up; would this be considered assemblage?
Here is the original version for anyone who is curious.
Texting practices on cellular phones and in online instant messaging
“Wat r u doing?”
Texting practices on cellular phones and in online instant messaging
Over the past decade, the popularity of cellular phones has increased dramatically. At the same time, in developed nations, computers now exist in the majority of both home and educational environments. During this time period, text messaging has evolved from a lingo used by a minority to a dialect used worldwide. As our society becomes more technologically saturated, it is important to understand the text making practices that constitute text messaging, as well as the cultural and educational impacts.
In my paper, I propose to first examine the various methods text messagers utilize when composing messages. These include: spelling variations, creative acronyms, abbreviations, and alternative grammar. Although it may seem like an unstructured form of communication, text messages actually follow rules and conventions, which I believe qualifies it as a dialect.
In addition to looking at the mechanics of text messaging, I will also look at the cultural impact, as well as implications in educational settings. Cell phones have become an integral part of everyday life in many countries, and text messaging is one of the preferred methods of communication among youths. The response in the media to texting lingo has been largely negative, as Carmen K. M. Lee notes in his article “Text-making practices beyond the classroom context: Private instant messaging in Hong Kong.” The response in regards to education has been mixed; some educators feel it sullies student’s academic writing, while others maintain that students can code-switch between text speak and scholarly language. Lee argues that some students have constructed methods of learning via online instant messaging through the use of code-mixing. As distance education becomes more commonplace, instant messaging may find a more secure footing in the academic realm. Therefore, it is important to understand the forces behind students’ composition process, as well as recognizing the validity of text practices.
Texting practices on cellular phones and in online instant messaging
Over the past decade, the popularity of cellular phones has increased dramatically. At the same time, in developed nations, computers now exist in the majority of both home and educational environments. During this time period, text messaging has evolved from a lingo used by a minority to a dialect used worldwide. As our society becomes more technologically saturated, it is important to understand the text making practices that constitute text messaging, as well as the cultural and educational impacts.
In my paper, I propose to first examine the various methods text messagers utilize when composing messages. These include: spelling variations, creative acronyms, abbreviations, and alternative grammar. Although it may seem like an unstructured form of communication, text messages actually follow rules and conventions, which I believe qualifies it as a dialect.
In addition to looking at the mechanics of text messaging, I will also look at the cultural impact, as well as implications in educational settings. Cell phones have become an integral part of everyday life in many countries, and text messaging is one of the preferred methods of communication among youths. The response in the media to texting lingo has been largely negative, as Carmen K. M. Lee notes in his article “Text-making practices beyond the classroom context: Private instant messaging in Hong Kong.” The response in regards to education has been mixed; some educators feel it sullies student’s academic writing, while others maintain that students can code-switch between text speak and scholarly language. Lee argues that some students have constructed methods of learning via online instant messaging through the use of code-mixing. As distance education becomes more commonplace, instant messaging may find a more secure footing in the academic realm. Therefore, it is important to understand the forces behind students’ composition process, as well as recognizing the validity of text practices.
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