Reading an Online Book

Tonight I skimmed through and read some of an online book, Passions, Pedagogies in the 21st Century (Selfe and Hawisher). It went pretty quickly, reading online seems faster than with paper. I missed my highlighter and wanted to write in the margins but couldn't.

Lots of good stuff in that book!

Freewriting and Blogging and Wrinkles

After some discussion and thought, I probably would not assign freewrites on the blog. Elbow has said, and Caron and Shana, reminded me that freewriting is supposed to be safe. Even with anonymous blogging, I think I would go back to the freewrite as being as Elbow originally described it to be.

And I didn't have a headache today in class; this weekend I was standing under a fluorescent light and noticed not a wrinkle, but a deep crease in my forehead. Since then I have been noticing that when I get stressed, my whole face tenses. So I was massaging my big crease on my forehead, trying to relax...but it wasn't working. No headache. Sorry to have been wearing my emotions. I have always had trouble controlling my nonverbal communication, a habit that not even the worst punishment could curb.

We only have a few weeks of school left and alot to do; I guess it must have really hit me today. I just want to do a good job, my best. I better start writing my papers soon...I feel like I am standing in the middle of very messy room, my notes and sources, and I just have to get started...

Blogging and Message Boards

After hearing Millie's presentation, I've been thinking about my own. I think I originally said that I wanted to explore voice and identity (culture,etc) in classrooms with messageboards. I will now incorporate "and blogging". I see plenty of opportunity using both tools in class. I think most of the students are doing a research section of their paper and then a practical application section. At least that's what I gathered from Trevor, Trang, and Jane's presentations. I'll ask Cathy when we discuss written rough drafts.

Anyway here is what some of the dividing factor to include both...Although Faigley reports success with synchrous message boards(almost 10yrs ago), in "When Blogging Goes Bad", Stephen Krause says that he thinks emailing is better. He writes, "But I still see the dynamic and conversational exchange made possible by a rather "old fashioned" electronic writing genre, email-- specifically, an electronic mailing list discussion-- as uniquely valuable in writing classes." He says he has more control, the ability to monitor. http://english.ttu.edu/kairos While he says blogging has a place in the classroom, he definitely advocates an emailing type system. On the other hand, I cannot ignore Ferdig and Trammel when they say blogging opens new perspectives and new audiences.

What do you think about using the class discussion board asynchrounously for editing papers? Then using the blog for free writes and research? But keeping the blog anonymous. For instance the blogs would be posted on the class website but not with students' names. (I think everything we have heard a presentation on blogging, at least a couple of people mention privacy). Does this sound manageable? It's sort of like what we did this semester with the synthesis papers on the discussion board and research on the web. Also if we met in the writing lab for class, we could start class once a week with a free write on the blog.

I can't wait to see how this is going to work in a real situation...I personally enjoy this part of class...the blogging and message boards. Maybe 'cause I'm nosey. I always wonder what everyone else is thinking/some people are so quiet.

Sorry this entry isn't really an analysis of an article. Just wanted to see what you'd think of using both in the classroom

Responding to Jeff Rice's "Serious Bloggers"

After discussing anonymity in blogging and privacy with technology, I wanted to actually read Jeff Rice's piece that Cathy mentioned. One thing he said really stood out for me, "When we become too serious about novel ideas too quickly, we deny ourselves the ability to experiment with and develop the very innovations in communication we are attracted to in the first place. In turn, we replicate processes already in circulation; i.e., we maintain a status quo and fail to explore possibilities raised by the new medium." Hey Rice, in my best Robert Dinero voice "Are you talkin to me?" (Taxi). I think he is. I am going to post this quote on my blog...'cause it makes me think. Makes me check myself...Am I a risk taker or just another additive in the preservative?

"When the First Voice You Hear is Not Your Own" Jackie Jones Royster

This essay is a starting point for me in research about technology and writing. Of many of the great essays we read in 220A, this one is very memorable. Royster points out some very important issues about voice and asks some thought provoking questions which I think definitely spill over into teaching writing with technology. At the beginning of the essay, or in "Scene One", she discusses how isolated and insulted she has felt around her colleagues when they discuss aspects of her culture without considering her or her cultural experience. If she feels this way, how would a student in 1A feel? Then in "Scene Two" Royster describes how she, as Dubois has, lifted the veil between her culture and mainstream. She has decided to speak, but she feels that her voice is often "muted". In "Scene Three" she shares her experience with hybrid voices. Royster even gives an example of how someone told her she sounded like herself, like she was using an "authentic" voice when rendered characters' voices during a presentation. So all of Royster's assertions and experiences make me consider the students who will be in the comp class at Sac City or any other JC in Sacto. How can I help celebrate their voices? or maybe that is the wrong question? How can I help them to recognize the validity and powerfulness of their own minds-when they have had these "Crash" encounters either in their academic experiences or just in daily life?

Royster then asks some important questions of her own "How can we teach, engage in research, write about, and talk across boundaries with others, instead of for, about and around them?" (620). Now for me this is where I think of technology. Discussion boards provide a way to do this, to make sure everyone gets a chance to talk and blogs provide a release for creative identity.

In using the blog, I think that a student could have the oppty to use all of her voices/discourses possibly...I have to explore more on this.

Gretchen Wilson's "Politically Uncorrect"

Recently I saw for the fourth or fifth time, Gretchen Wilson's video "Politically Uncorrect", and I have noticed that each time I see it, I become more and more agitated. I couldn't figure out exactly why until this week in class when we were talking about Wysocki again and visuals. Her lyrics are not what really bother me, although I could see the W using it to rally the Southern vote. http://www.fatlyrics.com/lyrics/1640/Gretchen_Wilson/Politically_Uncorrect It's the video. While she sings, "I'm for the low man on the toedom pole/And I'm for the underdog God bless his soul/And I'm for the guys still pulling third shift/And the single mom raising her kids. Okay it's not exactly the lyrics...It's the fact that the director has soldiers in the video, and people walking with signs that say, "Yes to prayers in school". One of the lyrics in the song is "I'm for the Bible". Okay just because you are for the Bible doesn't mean you are for prayer in schools....GRRR.

This video has also made me remember an incident with my daughter...A few years ago, shortly after 9/11, I was doing my imitation of Bush saying strategery or something like that, and my daughter said, "Mommy, you shouldn't make fun of our president." I was thinking where would she get this...Now I sort of know. Maybe she saw a video or some news clip or something that although the words weren't directing her, the images were. And I think of all of the country music viewers who are hearing the words to that and other songs and seeing the visual/image...Propaganda?

Exploring the Digital Divide

Exploring the Digital Divide- I was trying to post on Matt's blog, but I couldnt' figure out how...grrrr. That's okay. I'll just write my idea on my blog and figure it out later. Like before 5pm today. I just wanted to say that it seems like I can't talk about voice, identity, or authority in a classroom that uses technology without further exploring the digital divide as Matt and Trevor have pointed out. I can see evidence of the divide without even opening a book, and I think that is sad. I mean take a look at the self check out at the grocery store and Home Depot. Many times I have stood there and watched frustrated people just start pushing buttons. Then some equally annoyed employee walks over and says excuse me and just checks the person out himself or herself. All the while I am thinking, "Why did you come to self check out if you didn't know what to do!" And now that I have learned a name, digital divide, for what I am seeing, I am more patient and less judgemental. My sister, a hairdresser, told me that she went to the dentist a while back and the receptionist asked her to sign in on a Kiosk. She said she stood there and didn't know what to do. Her son had to figure it out for her, and then when he got stuck an agitated receptionist left her desk to assist them. So I now I am considering the people who will be in my 1A class which will be at a junior college...How will they react to my assignments? Then I have to remember what Banks says, he says let the technology assist in your teaching style; don't let the tech drive the teaching. If I keep them in mind, the students, then I think everything will end up being fine.

For me this research isn't just about a grade for 220C, I plan to attempt to actually use it when I get a job. So it's pretty serious business. Caron asked me about the readings from 220A, I brought them in because I pulled out my rationale when I started this project. For me it's all encompassing. And I like this; because it feels practical and valuable. I can't wait to actually get some real teaching experience...that way when I write about these things it will be that much more meaningful.