Cumberland County Spring Break

Because the county schools are on Spring Break this week, I will give you the week to catch up on your papers and other course reading assignments. If yu have any questions, feel free to email me.

Lisa Gerrard: Feminist Research in Computers and Compositions

In Feminist Research in Computers and Composition, Lisa Gerrard suggests that understanding women’s “epistemological perspective” and their “position in society” will help us understand “how our male and female students are learning in the computer-based writing course…” She describes computers as having a masculine quality. Because of the nature of the computer, it may not meet the needs of female students. The purpose of this study is to raise and answer questions about “feminist research in computer and writing.” Computers were created by men and were used for “masculine” jobs e.g. warfare. Mostly men hold high computer tech jobs and have high tech skills. They also dominate the Internet. Gerrard does acknowledge a few women who took part in programming and computer inventions. She also mentions that computer companies recognize that more females are participating in this technology, which has created a market for female consumers. Because “composition,” or writing, tends to lean towards women and computer use leans towards men, Gerrard suggests that the playing field is evened out as far as final output is concerned. Nevertheless, the question exists as to why computers appeal to boys versus girls. While computers appeal to both boys and girls equally before fourth grade, by the time they’re in fifth grade, girls lose interest. The computer software that appeals to boys are the violent games and the stereotypes appeal to the girls, e.g. Barbie games. Studies show that girls spend less time playing games and prefer doing something useful and entertaining. Men “tinker and explore…women want to accomplish something.” Non-stereotypical games have been created for girls to meet these needs. Still, girls have less computer experience than boys going into high school and college. When girls have confidence in using the computer, they have more confidence in wordprocessing and blogging, etc. on the computer. Computers affect writing styles. Women are more “intimate” and prefer more privacy, but men are more public and informative, and therefore post more than women. Studies show that being more involved on the Net allows girls to become more socially involved. It presents a less inhibited environment. It allows the girls to create a “public voice.” Some sites are geared towards women and allow them to express themselves and provides a collective voice for females especially when so many other sites that gear to men use language that many women are uncomfortable with. Towards the end of this piece, Gerrard does explain that no matter the differences studies show about men and women and computer technology, generalizing leads to inconsistencies; because not all men or women fit the stereotype.
One statement that I found interesting:
The image of the composition instructor is described as a “sadomasochistic disciplinarian.”

"Why Youth (Heart) Social Network Sites"

Danah Boyd writes an interesting paper about the role of social network sites in the life of teenagers and young adults. It examines how teenagers use MySpace and other public sites in order to communicate with one another and share information anout themselves. I am unfamiliar with the inner workings of MySpace so this article enlightened me about how social networking sites may be useful.

"Male Designs on Technology"

Judy Wajcman's chapter on Male Designs was extremely uninspiring! I wasn't sure what motivated her research even though she states that "the point was to identify major areas of gender inequality and oppression, and seek to change them." I was more interested in the way women relate and interact to technology and that wasn't realy addressed. Wajcman asserts that "post-industrial theorists concentrated on hierarchies of class, rather than those of gender and, like thier predecessors, the new theorists of technology also fail to consider whether this technological revolution might have a differential impact on women and men. While the common theme is that everything in the digital future will be different, it is not clear if the social relations of gender will also be different becuse the question is seldom raised. While the optimistic commentators on the digital revolution promise freedom, empowerment and wealth, rarely do they show any consciousness of the relationship between technology and gender." I believe that there may be very real differences among genders as it relates to technology and its advances but I also believe that those differences shouldn't hinder the freedom, empowerment and wealth of all people. "Many studies identified the structural barriers to women's participation, looking at sex discrimination in employment and the kind of socialization and education that girls receive which channel them away from studying mathematics and science. Schooling, youth cultures, the family and the mass media all transmit meanings and values that identify masculinity with machines and technological competence." While I do agree that boys and girls are socialized differently, I also think that despite that socialization girls and boys can develop preferences and skill sets outside of their "normal" gender "role." Therefore, girls can contribute to technological advances just as easily as boys and can enjoy the "masculinity of technology." I was unsure as to why the author felt like women must forsake their femininity if they enter the world of technology if its systems aren't emasculated. There are women who don't desire a husband and children and prefer the long hours of research and to suggest otherwise is misleading. "Technology was seen as an extension of patriarchal and capitalist domination. As a result, feminist approaches mainly dismissed technoscience as inherently patriarchal and malignant." I don't agree with this line of reasoning and think that it fails to utilize the role that women can play even in a perceived patriarchal technological existence.

Readings

Hi everyone, the "Technofeminism" reading by Judy Wajcman should be on the library course reserves page. I'd also like to talk briefly about this University of Richmond wiki project, History Engine, treating it as a possible model for some discussion.

I can't find the other reading offhand, so unless you've found it (in which case a link would be appreciated), here is an alternative reading, danah boyd's article on social networking technologies. Since we have been discussing many of these ideas all semester, please start with the Wajcman article, but I think boyd raises some important questions about how these tools are used.

Menu Driven Identities

The article "Menu-Driven Identities" was very strange to me. I can't understand why race is important on the internet. It seems to me that Lisa Nakamura is saying race should not matter, however we still in some kind of way need to be interested in race when we are on the web. The difference between blacks and whites having access to computers or being on line, is not about race. I think it is more about socio-economic issues. This article made me think about some of the students I have taught in the pass. These students were not computer literate because they did not have computers in their homes. However, the students who did, were computer literate. These students were both black and white, they just came from low socio-economic backgrounds. The school where I teach now, both the black and white students seem to have access to the computer. I don't think it is about just black and white, it seems to be who can afford a computer. I think at the end black students realize how important it is to be literate. They must use all of their resources outside of the home to become more involved with internet.

The Persistence of Difference

Todd Taylor’s article, “The Persistence of Difference in Networked Classrooms: Non-negotiable Difference and the African American Student Body” is not one that I understand fully why it was written. According to Taylor, Online attention has been predominantly given to differences in gender and those of various sexual orientations, but not enough attention has been given to racial differences. Taylor believes that these “electronic and networked learning environments” can provide cues to “teachers and students to become more responsive to racial differences” and can help “the teaching of writing in general.” I think that Taylor wasted time arguing over the definition of difference in order to explain “the debate over assimilation versus reverse acculturation.” He goes on to discuss the need for white educators to have a better understanding of black students. I guess, in order to successfully teach them. What does this have to do with computer literacy? I ask. Blacks are just as interested in going Online as Whites. I think that this difference is an economic dilemma, not a racial one. When Taylor talks about body language and cues teachers interpret from students as they use the computer, I fail to see what it has to do with race. To me, it has more to do with multiple intelligences, or learning styles. He says that teachers can read student body language better when students are on the computer and therefore can tell if they’re on task or are having difficulty than they would have if they were in a regular classroom setting. Again, what does that have to do with race? Taylor makes too many, what I consider racist, assumptions. “[Chris] is less comfortable speaking in class than…Stephanie, perhaps due to self-consciousness about his predominantly black spoken dialect.” I’m offended!!! What does dialect have to do with participation? Did he conduct a survey on this theory???? He can’t read minds!!! Maybe Chris had a zit or forgot his Tic-Tac.:) Maybe the black students have more of a problem with the professor than the class. The rumor may go as such: “That professor is weird!!! He’s always staring at the black kids and writing things down.” That’s probably why the black students are so timid. Maybe Stephanie is a nark. Or maybe Stephanie just has high self-esteem, and Chris and Felicia have less confidence. This has nothing to do with race. While I disagree with points mentioned in this article, I do have to agree with Taylor’s final thoughts about the fact that in the end “[w]e need to consider individuals as individuals…”

"Menu-Driven Identities"

Lisa Nakamura's chapter on Making Race Happen Online proved to be wordy and convoluted at times. I chose this topic because I was interested in how race effects users of the internet and if there is a correlation between frequent usage and race. The introduction to the chapter spent a great deal of time explaining how particular websites define arrange and offer inforamtion about specific races. I found this information to be unneccessary and unconvincing in trying to explain the role of race on the web. I did find the paragraph dealing with Excite's organization of race and gender intriguing. Nakamura says, "Excite's guided reading of race on the web performs another interesting textual move: it lumps gender, sexual orientation, religion, and age together with race. This organization of identity does not include"white" as a category: it is not on the menu at all. This omission is a disturbing example of the colonist or imperialit gaze that sets up a racial other: whitness is defined by its invisibility rather than its presence. The racial category of "whitness" is assumed to be a default option, thus creating a guided reading of the web that assumes that its reader is white." "Disturbing?" Why is Nakamura disturbed? The web reflects our society and its norms. "Whiteness" has always been "the standard" and everyone else is the exception. To contradict this notion, Nakamura sites Zickimund's statement that states, "the openess of the Internet may endanger the notion of a closed community and could become an ally in the struggle against bigotry and racism." Despite the anonymitiy of the web, races aren't merely defined by skin color but preferences, hobbies, and interests can be shaped by race as well. Therefore, identifying someone's race maybe apparant through their searches and browsing. "Web demographics are always in flux. It has been known for some time, however, that racial minorities use the web less than do whites. Whites are more likely than African-Americans to have access to a computer at home and work, while African-Americans are more likey to want access." Despite this, "government al funding to support computer instruction in public schools in the 1980s tended to favor upper-middle-class and white students who were, ironically, already those most likely to possess access to computers in the home." This is a very interesting fact that demonstrates the causes of the "digital divide" among races. Overall, this chapter dealt with controversial topics and sought to expound upon the premise that the web creates menu that fail to address ALL people, thus widening the digital divide.

Menu-Driven Identities

This article, “Menu-Driven Identities”, is really starting to confuse me. First, it is not fun to read; the text makes it hard to read. Second, I don’t know what Lisa Nakamura is talking about. First it’s all about race or the lack there of on the web, then she starts talking about portals and the overload of information found on the web. She compares it to literature. Then, she loses me. I wish that at least at the beginning she would stay focused! She then discusses how portals have discreet way of identifying your race by tracing the type of sites you focus on. The portals mentioned above refers to Yahoo and something I’ve never heard of: Excites. This portal does focus on race. In fact, they use white as its default race. Gender is also included. This article seems to feel that while race should not be an issue via the Web, identifying race is important. I say this because the author seemed to be slighted since some of the ethnic groups, such as, interracial,l is not listed as a choice. Would you make up your mind? Guess what, as long as race is important to people, racism will be an issue on the Internet. As mentioned, while participating in chatrooms, people sometimes live out stereotypes. The article eases its way into the discussion of the division between Whites and Blacks and their computer literacy and access. While the lack of a connection is made with Blacks of the World Wide Web due to the fact that the creators are white, Blacks are encouraged to get involved and create web sites that address their needs.

Sample videos

In the context of Alex Reid's essay on podcasts, here are some videos I'd like to discuss:

• Kevin Lee's "Video Essays as Teaching Tools."
• Alex Juhasz, "Final Video" and Sample student video list.
• Bill Wolff's class: "Canceling Class is Awesome!" and his assignment that students reflect on what YouTube means to them. Their answers in class discussion and in video format.
  

PowerPoint Is Evil

“PowerPoint Is Evil” by Edward Tufte is an opinionated article about why he thinks that PowerPoint is not a preferred mode of displaying and presenting important information. While the concept of displaying a presentation using slides and bullets is not unique, the ease and availability of PowerPoint has created an over-use of the product. Tufte says that it encourages the user to present as little information about the topic as necessary. Tufte believes that this takes away from the whole concept of the topic and important points that may not be able to fit in the slides. He feels that a PowerPoint presentation should not be the final product. Rather, it should be an accessory to the final product. He also discusses how it is being over-used in schools. While students are using this medium for creating their work, they should be writing more substantial pieces not on PowerPoint. This, he believes, takes away from what they should be learning and practicing. I agree that it should be used in moderation.

Tuning In

Students and iTunes University was basically discovered by students who wanted to record lessons. "Coursecasting" allowed students to share information about lectures, web sites, and databases. This allows the students and faculty to communicate, which I think is a good idea. Students and faculty can upload and download information easily. Students using technology such as blogs and wikis to communicate is a great addition to a students learning. However, I don't think it should be used by itself. I think that students need various ways to write, whether it is through technology or not. Students only get better when they practice. The more they practice writing, the better they get. Exposing them to different ways of communication is the best way.

Digital Divide

In this article, The Myth about the Digital Divide…”, Hawkins and Oblinger discuss the meaning of the term Digital Divide. First, they explain that there is still a divide even though the gap is gradually shrinking. The reason that the divide still exist is the fact that the divide can mean a number of things. While students may have a computer, it may not be a new model and therefore lacks special features that new systems have. Students who may have a fully loaded computer may not understand how to use all of the features. Still, some may be savvy with using certain Online tools, but may be inefficient in other areas. Still while the system may contain all of the features, the student may not have access to the Internet. Again, even with all of the capabilities, the student may not have the access to sources that can provide tutorials or coaching when they run into a problem with their system or how to utilize functions and tools that they may not understand. In the study titled, "Second-Level Digital Divide… ", Eszter Hargittai, discusses pretty much what Hawkins and Oblinger mention. She concludes that the digital divide goes beyond the ownership of a computer and even the access to Online features . She explains that ability to efficiently and skillfully use the Internet is another type of digital divide which age does play a role in. She explains that younger users from the teens through the twenties are more savvy users. Still slower users, with practice and time, have room for improvement.

Tuning In

In the article “Tuning In” , Alex Reid discusses the wide range of iPod and mp3 media player use. Educators are aware of the popularity of these technologies among the youth. So, their goal is to merge this interest with the academic world. Professors are using iPods to broadcast assignments and to communicate with student. They then use this medium to blog and twitter. This method is also being used in the workplace to communicate with employees as well. It seems to me that everyone is trying to get someone’s attention in order to get them to do what they should already be doing without the aid of incentives.

PowerPoint is Evil

I really enjoyed this article about PowerPoint being evil. It does seem like a bad prescription drug that seems to have way to many side effects. I don't see why people think it is such a big deal to do a PowerPoint presentation. I think that it's ok in the business arena, or when you are trying to sell something. However, in the school setting, I'm not sure it is real effective. Students need to be able to do research and write papers. In the article by Edward Tufts I agree that the PowerPoint presentation in school minimizes the reading and effort students need to put into their work. Learning how to write and do research for a report should be more important than a PowerPoint presentation. However, I think it is good to know how to do a PowerPoint presentation, but I still think the old fashioned way of doing a presentation is better! I think it requires less work than if you actually sat down and wrote a paper. Students today, are always looking for a short cuts to keep from doing work. When students do PowerPoint presentations, there doesn't seem to be a lot of work put into the presentations. In other words it seems to be more about using the technology than the quality of work itself.

"Powerpoint is Evil"

Wow! Tufte was really reaching when he entitled his article, "Powerpoint is Evil." His assertions are based entirely on opinion and are purely subjective. I attended a leadership conference on this past weekend and found the use of powerpoint extremely effective an engaging. To write off the entire tool as evil is rather silly and immature. The users have more to do with a single presentations effectiveness rather than the tool itself. Tufte goes on to say, "Particularly disturbing is the adoption of the PowerPoint cognitive style in our schools. Rather than learning to write a report using sentences, children are being taught how to formulate client pitches and infomercials. Elementary school PowerPoint exercises (as seen in teacher guides and in student work posted on the Internet) typically consist of 10 to 20 words and a piece of clip art on each slide in a presentation of three to six slides -a total of perhaps 80 words (15 seconds of silent reading) for a week of work. Students would be better off if the schools simply closed down on those days and everyone went to the Exploratorium or wrote an illustrated essay explaining something." I disagree with this overarching generalization and believe that powerpoint has been an effective tool in the use of summarizing, interpreting and evaluating literature. Students must select pertinent information to place on slides which uses higher order thinking skills. I totally disagree with Tufte's opinion and am curious as to the "real" reason he believes that powerpoint is evil!

"Tuning In"

Mr. Reid states in his closing arguments that "the challenges that result are not only technical or institutional but they are intellectual and disciplinary as well as we are forced to consider how our disciplinary paradigms have been shaped by the technological conditions of a print culture, conditions that are quickly fading away." I agree with his assertion because as an educator I find it rather daunting to incorporate technology with pedagogy in such a way that both are enhanced and better together than seperate. In addition, Reid says, "Perhaps the most difficult aspect of this ongoing innovation is faculty development. As it turns out, learning the technical matters of networked media composition proves to be only a minor challenge in comparison to reshaping one's pedagogic practice. From this perspective we have only begun to experiment with the implications of working in a media network that cuts across our courses." This will be the goal of teacher education programs as they prepare educators for the 21st century learner.

Wednesday's Readings

Sorry for posting some of these so late:

• Alex Reid, "Tuning In."
• Edward Tufte, "PowerPoint is Evil."
• Related, not required: "PowerPoint Anthology of Literature."
• Ester Hargittai, "Second Level Digital Divide."
• Hawkins and Oblinger, "Digital Divide."
  

The Rhetoric of Technology

In summary, I believe that Hawisher and Selfe's article focuses on the use of technology in the classroom. I get the impression that they do not believe that many opinions of educators who use technology in the classroom are credible. These teachers are advid users of technology in the classroom. Therefore, what they have to say about it is positive. Hawisher and Selfe build this doubt off of two observations. First, the teachers are bias and leave no room for expressing counterarguments. And, through observing classrooms, they have discovered that the results are not always positive. I believe that if you support something, you're only going to focus on the good because your goal is to "sell" the idea. In this case you can't believe everything you hear because the opinion is not well-rounded.

"New Media Literacy"

This article primarily deals with the possibility of erroneous information being masqueraded as truth via media outlets. With the rise of blogs and other web-based news sites the probability of these incidences rises drastically. I think the author made valid suggestions at the end of the aticle when he says to be skeptical of everything but not overly skeptical. When receiving news from the Internet it is imperative to check sources and verify the validity of the information.