Posts for 9/14

Reading and Thinking Blog 4

O’Neill, Peggy, et al. “Framework for Success in Post-Secondary Writing.” WPA Council. Council of Writing Program Administrators, January 2011. Web. 13 September 2011.

“WPA Outcomes Statement for First-Year Composition.” WPA Council. Council of Writing Program Administrators, July 2008. Web. 13 September 2011.

Electronic Representation:
http://wpacouncil.org/framework
http://wpacouncil.org/positions/outcomes.html

Summary:
The “Framework for Success in Post-Secondary Writing” documents the primary qualities a student must have in order to thrive in a college composition environment. In addition, this document offers instructors suggestions on how to achieve these qualities in their students. The WPA first-year composition statement is a concise list of delineated qualities a student should have upon completion of the first-year coursework. The list is essentially a condensed and formalized version of “Framework for Success in Post-Secondary Writing.”

Thoughts:
Collegiate composition classes depend highly on the efficacy of prior student education for success. There is simply too much information to absorb in first-year composition if a student did not have extensive prior exposure. The necessity of K-12 composition instruction is particularly apparent in the scientific disciplines, where composition courses are rare if not non-existent. Students must therefore receive all formal instruction prior to college. As an example, both the undergraduate and graduate institutions that I attended did not have general composition requirements for any major. Once I focused in Physiology, applicable writing courses and the physical ability or time to take such a course disappeared. Therefore, a student in my situation was expected to come with all training in hand. How then, does a K-12 school district successfully prepare students for this potential path? Can high schools provide potential science students with additional instruction? Why or why not? What can the collegiate environment do to lessen this burden?




Reading and Thinking Blog 3

Selfe, Cynthia L., and Richard J. Selfe. “The Politics of the Interface: Power and Its Exercise in Electronic Contact Zones.” Computers in the Composition Classroom. Eds. Michelle Sidler, Richard Morris, and Elizabeth Overman Smith. Boston: Bedford / St. Martin’s, 2008. 64-85. Print.

Electronic Representation:
http://www.cyberhestia.org/selfes_interface.pdf

Thoughts:
Power relations between class, race, and gender are readily apparent in American society. How can technology avoid perpetuating these relations if the developers and consumers have conscious and subconscious realizations of the power stratification? It seems to be human nature to compete for status and wealth. No matter the intentions, won’t each developer and consumer use technology for self-improvement, thus perpetuating some form of power boundary? If one wants technology to be truly democratic, one must first address the human mentality behind the computer. Selfe and Selfe suggest personal reflection regarding the use of technology and the power relations we perpetuate as individuals (77). In addition, the authors advocate critical use, adaptation, and creation of technology to circumvent apparent ways technology reinforces dominant culture. The important aspect of these suggestions is not how we use or change technology, but how we identify our own perceptions about power and how we act on those perceptions.




Reading and Thinking Blog 2

Ohmann, Richard. “Literacy, Technology, and Monopoly Capital.” Computers in the Composition Classroom. Eds. Michelle Sidler, Richard Morris, and Elizabeth Overman Smith. Boston: Bedford / St. Martin’s, 2008. 20-34. Print.

Electronic Representation:
http://www.jstor.org/pss/376973

Thoughts and Questions:
The concept of “literacy” has many facets, thus making this term very hard to define. How has the definition of literacy or its conceptualization changed over time? What do we mean by “literate” today?

Specifically in relation to computer literacy, I found it interesting that NSF funded a study to define the term and came up with 64 objectives to make a person literate (27). That study was conducted in 1980. Technology, its functions, applications, and accessibility are rapidly increasing. I imagine that the initial 64 objectives have significantly changed. With the increases in technology, how can we determine if a person is computer literate? Is there a minimum threshold and who is qualified to determine this threshold?

Ohmann appears to have a pessimistic mentality towards the penetration of technology into our lives. Culture, skilled labor, the economy, and education will suffer allowing the uneducated or illiterate to perform the skills of the educated. Ultimately, the computer will hold the intellect. This is an interesting stance to take in light of the literacy concept. Literacy equates to power. Individuals who can read and write hold economic and societal power over those who cannot. Therefore, people strive to gain this knowledge and thus ratchet themselves up the societal food chain. The same can be said for computer literacy. Why then, should we fear or admonish technology as parts of this article appears to do? Because Ohmann is remaining critical and careful. Literacy and technology play with and reflect the political and cultural power stratification of our society. Literacy emphasized these power relations and we must be careful to prevent technology from following the same path.




Brain Rules Chapter 2: Survival

Medina, John. Brain Rules: 12 Principles for Surviving and Thriving at Work, Home, and School. Seattle: Pear Press, 2008. Print.




Reflection: MindMeister was an accessible technology that allowed me to map out simple notes related to a central theme. The ability to attach links, notes, and images added to the complexity of the notes. The aspect that gave me the most trouble was properly sizing and zooming in on the map for embedding in my blog. This took a fair amount of trial and error. Given more time, I want to learn to imbed pictures more effectively, play with different formats, and push the limits of this tool. Overall, this is a simple method for quickly mapping out bullet or talking points and associating backup information to each point.