Blog Post 2 :: Web 2.0 and Us

"Text is linear." This sentence begins what could be described as a whirlwind journey of composition, revision, and transformation of text through the digital realm. In the above clip, Web 2.0 is introduced to the audience with a statement that may reflect what viewers might accept about text in the traditional setting. Beginning with traditional pencil and eraser to the paper and then moving on to fingers to the keyboard (and hand to the mouse), the audience is able to visually follow the evolution of text in this medium as described by the author, Michael Wesch.

The video itself is an argument against the opening statement. Neither text, nor composition, is linear. Linear can describe something that progresses sequentially or something that is one-dimensional. Although it holds true that there are many steps involved in composing, the steps do not have to be followed in a single series, one after the other. If anything can be emphasized by this video, it is that by composing in the digital realm and adopting Web 2.0, we have only added an additional dimension to "text." Text is linear unilinear.

Another thing that should be noted about composition, regardless of whether it is traditional or contemporary, is that it is never ending process. This is evidenced in the first 16 seconds of the video, where the opening phrase is edited four times. And being someone who understands concepts better from a numerical frame of reference, that translates to an average of four seconds per edit! Although not every composition endures this rigorous editing, revision is an ongoing, necessary component of the composition process. Revision can be defined as the act looking at something again and making alterations with the intent of improvement. And we all know, there is always room for improvement.

In the digital realm, using a combination of varied types of media (i.e., text, images, video, audio) can potentially aide composition. In the previous 2 meetings, our ENGL 151 class has been able to exercise the use of image and video with text in composition. This experience is not unfamiliar to me, but composing this way in the context of a classroom has allowed me to rethink the use of web-based technology in a classroom setting. As a pre-service teacher, I understand the importance of technology. It can enrich instruction and help to decrease the generational gap between teachers and students.

On a personal level, I enjoy using many Web 2.0 applications (Twitter, Facebook, YouTube) and understand that an increasing amount of my students will feel the same. I've heard of teachers using Twitter, for example, as a way to communicate with students, but often wondered about the student perspective. I am now taking on the role of the student, looking forward to broadening my understanding of technology-based instruction this semester. I am rethinking (or in rhetorical terms, redesigning) my views on classroom instruction. Another reminder that the revision process is ongoing and unilinear.

Blog Post 1 :: Thoughts on Writing

"Write in recollection and amazement for yourself."
~ Jack Kerouac

I found this quote interesting because I have often had the experience of being asked to write with the purpose of recollection (writing to remember) in mind, but never with the purpose of shocking myself (writing for my own pleasure). When students are assigned writing in a classroom setting and asked to "write for themselves or their own enjoyment," they know that teachers have an ulterior motive. Knowing that your teacher wants you to write your assignment using a specific format, requiring a specific word count, or with a specific outcome in mind helps spoil the natural wonderment that writing should have, greatly affecting the outcome. This is an example of how external factors can have an influence on our purpose.

Often when writing we are driven by a collection of complex motivations—be it to achieve a good grade or self-expression through poetry. Unfortunately because of situations like this, a lot of the joy and wonder of writing (and communicating in general) has been stolen from us at a young age. Our culture’s obsession with structure and formatting has overshadowed the true purpose of writing, stifling the development of ideas, and eventually preventing concise arguments from being formed and executed.

This quote captures the idea that writing, ultimately, should have the writer as the audience first and foremost. It seems that writing with yourself as the audience doesn’t have to be limited to journal or diary writing. It is possible to have more than one intended audience—both primary and secondary audiences—in mind, as long as the general purpose is the same. As a pre-service teacher, I am motivated to help my students develop exceptional communication skills, regardless of what subject I teach. They should understand the process of composition of any type of communication, ranging from stating their purpose to understanding that the audience effects what they will ultimately produce.