I'm Back in the Home Computing Business

My computer is feeling better. Although, I will admit, it was nice not being a slave to the computer when I was at home. I didn't feel the need to compulsively check my online class. Yesterday morning, I actually didn't turn on my computer first thing, choosing to read a little bit instead.

Speaking of reading, I've done a lot of it in the past week.

First up:

Writing New Media Theory and Applications for Expanding the Teaching of Composition - Anne Frances Wysocki, Johndan Johnson-Eilola, Cynthia Selfe, Geoffrey Sirc

I did read the whole book, which has a intro justification by Wysocki and various chapters by the other authors. Some of the chapters were more helpful than others. And that is what I will discuss here. The previously mentioned justification, "Opening New Media to Writing" how the incorporation of new media fits in with and expands thoughts on composition pedagogy. She outlines how technology has has changed how we communicate and has opened more literacies that educators must address. It discuss how the writing process gives more agency and power to the author (in new media settings) and how as writing teachers, we can help them learn about making choices that fit what the students want to say.

"Students Who Teach Us: A Case Study of a New Media Text Designer" by Selfe tells the story of a student who was born into low socioeconomic conditions, but always saw his mother reading. When he got to college (on a football scholarship) he become interested in graphic and web design. While he suffered at writing traditional papers, he excelled at making rhetorical choices visually. Selfe uses this case study to argue for multiliteracies. She also uses this as an argument that with these multiliteracies in the classroom, the boundary between teacher and student can be broken down and that it can become a more cyclical relationship where they are learning from each other and that instructors shouldn't be afraid of this shift.

"The Sticky Embrace of Beauty:On Some Formal Problems in Teaching About the Visual Aspects of Texts," by Wysocki challenges the cut and dry principles laid out by Robin Williams in The Non-Designers Design Book and turns towards Kant's critique of judgement so that designers can consider the context of the audience by thinking about emotions that are brought up through visual elements. This article was less helpful, but interesting nonetheless, especially as someone who has lived and died by Williams' book.

I also read, Computers and the Teaching of Writing in American High Education, 1979-1994: A History by Gail E. Hawisher, Paul LeBlanc, Charles Moran, Cynthia Selfe

A really interesting read about the early use of technology, not just in the classroom, but in scholarship and the workforce and of the technology itself. The shift in the kinds of technology and how it can be applied to writing (networks and Internets as collaborative writing) is pretty fascinating and the challenges that these early adapters faced are still fairly relevant issues today. It has really pushed me towards looking at access and power in the use of computers and technology. Some students don't have a lot of access or limited access prior to getting to school and when instructors expect students to have this knowledge, they aren't empowering students to learn.

I feel as though, in terms of Computers and Writing, I am reading the same things over and over again. This does get a little frustrating, but I feel as though I am heading in a direction of focusing my question so that I can branch out a little more. More on my questions later...

I've read a few other things that I will return to later. I am hungry right now. Greek pasta salad is calling my name!