Rhetorical Literacy

The role of teachers is supposed to be much wider than I have previously thought if we consider computers are one of the essential tools in a new age. Through skimming Selber’s Chapter 4 and reading a synopsis of Selber’s “Rhetorical Literacy”, I realize that I should broaden the traditional notion of literacy, as we have learned in this course that the question “what is multiliteracy?” is indispensable for teachers to navigate our students in computer age. For example, I was impressed by Rae Roberts’ comment on the discussion about the Blackboard platform. She said once she dropped the production paradigm model and made way for the communication paradigm model, the collaboration and learning began. To me, this is a fully new approach to teach because I thought only the best way to teach writing using computers is “the electronic equivalent of the five paragraph essay assignment.”(p136)

The notion of teacher as a facilitator or a guide is not new but we have to think it again when designing not only online courses, but also face to face classes. Selber cites four parameters of a rhetorical approach : persuasion, deliberation, reflection, and social action. According to the encyclopedia, captology is the study of computers as persuasive technologies that can be used for presenting and promoting a point of view. Students must understand how to cope with persuasive aspects of Internet information. "Overall, this chapter insists that students who are rhetorically literate will recognize the persuasive dimensions of human-computer interfaces and the deliberative and reflective aspects of interface design, all of which is not a purely technical endeavor but a form of social action." (140)

How do I apply these parameters to my classes? Because rhetorical literacy is a very difficult idea, I might misunderstand some parts of what Selber said, but I would like to offer my reflection on this topic in my own understandings. I don’t think teachers need a totally different set of teaching method. First of all, we must understand computers as a tool metaphor is neutral. Because they are neutral, students must be careful about how to use computers and how to evaluate information they get on the Internet with critical eyes. As Selber suggests, students can be “reflective producers” of online texts and designers of interface if they become rhetorically literate. That is, as a composition teacher, we expected students to “produce a thoroughly original text.” before. However, in the connection paradigm, “the ability to write with fragments” is valued. While browsing Websites, we come across various information, proposals, ideas and so on. Using those fragments on the Internet, students can create a new production and “effect change in technological systems.”(p182) As for teachers, we should reconsider what literacy means and teach how to become really a multiliterate person.

functional literacy again

I have almost the same problem as Lilia of this course had. I use computers in my listening classes in the computer laboratory in college and students sometimes enjoy information and materials on the Internet such as BBC News, but every time we begin the lesson somebody has trouble with their computer. It takes some time to fix it. A computer is an amazing tool and expands the scope of our activities, but it has both positive and negative sides as our discussions in this course show. First of all, teachers should be functionally literate.

critical lieteracy

In Chapter 3 about Critical Literacy, Selber writes a computer can be seen as the artifact metaphor; therefore, the non-neutral dimensions of computers should be paid attention to . Students should be taught not only how to use computers technologically but also how to cast a critical eye on the dominant force of the society in which the use of computers is taken for granted. Seeing computers as artifacts tends to be overlooked, but we should consider whose cultural norms and standards are these norms and standards of “this constructed worlds”(p88). In order to be critically literate, students should be “provided a metadiscourse that students can use to identify biases, belief systems, and political blind spots.”(p101) For example, Internet discussion boards, or chat room conversations are relatively new tools, which enable us to express our opinion whenever and wherever we want to on an anonymous basis. However students are rarely taught how to participate in the discussion. Selber proposes eleven power moves concerning technological regulation, but I think, among these, deflection (I think the information on the Internet can lead us to biases, depending on what aspects of information are emphasized.), segregation(Poor and elderly people are especially reluctant and unable to access to the technology), and centralization(This power move is the most important because users are usually unaware of being controlled by central management.) are important in my educational setting. As Selber writes in conclusion, computers can be dangerous if students are subserviently embedded into technological contexts and information networks

functional literacy

Colleges and universities begin to teach computer literacy such as “becoming familiar with computer hardware, file concepts, working with a word processor, a database program and an ability to use the Web”. But Selber says these skills are not enough to cope with a new age in which we interact with people on a global level. It was hard to understand what Selber tried to say in his book, buy my understanding and reflections are as follows:
He says that the computer requirements must include file-management schemes, writing effective e-mail messages, participating in asynchronous discussions, analyzing the reliability of Website content, creating visuals, and situating technology in social, political, and economic contexts. Students must be functionally, critically, and rhetorically literate. Among three literacy skills, I think functional literacy is the most essential.
Functional literacy is crucial because students must control technological resources, understand online environments, demonstrate technological proficiency, and access the discourse of technology. They have to make use of a computer to the fullest extent for their educational goal. It is not an exaggeration to say that students cannot survive in college without the ability to use computers today.

The computer as tool metaphor has negative and positive sides. The negative side includes political dimensions. “The tool metaphor tends to mask the political dimensions of computers. Technology is indifferent to the various ends it can be employed to achieve.” That is, computers can be used for any purposes and can be fit into any social context. Although I am not sure in what cases computers can serve for undesirable purposes, students must acquire analyzing and evaluating skills about Website contents because the tool metaphor is neutral.

Selber also writes about social conventions and says “ functionally literate student understands the social conventions that help determine computer use.” As each culture has its own mores, each network group has its own convention. Students have to be sensitive to those conventions and observe the rule of netiquette. No one can teach appropriate etiquette about what and how their e-mail messages should be sent to the opposite party except the teacher.

Though I cannot fully understand what Selber is trying to say, I think functional literacy is one of the most important literacies for helping students learn autonomously and work with others collaboratively.

Another set of multiliteracies

I found one article in which the word “multiliteracy” is used, but the author proposes another set of literacy.
http://www.iatp.md/multimedia/docs/multi_liter.doc.
She says that ESL students must be multiliterate in a new age and develop linguistic competence as well as cognitive, social, and cultural skills. She cites four literacies which students need to acquire. 1) Students must be taught to be functionally literate.( This means that students are able to read, understand, write, and speak English.) 2) Academically literate ( Students must read, understand, analyze and respond to interdisciplinary texts.) 3)Critical literate (Students should evaluate information appropriately.) 4)Electronically literate (Students will select and use electronic tools for autonomous learning and so forth.)
This set of literacy is completely different from Selber’s set and it is easy and understandable although it’s a little too simple. I think the similarity between two sets of literacy is that our students have to acquire not only linguistic ability but also other skills to cope with a new age of 21st century.

constructionist vs constructivist

What are some differences between constructionist and constructivist viewpoints? Which do you think are most compatible with multiliteracy frameworks?
I found a few sites referring to the terms, constructivist and constructionist and my findings about the differences between the two terms are as follows.
1) Constructivist viewpoints
By reflecting on our experiences, we construct our own understanding of the world. We generates our "mental models," which we use to make sense of our experiences. Learning is the process of adjusting our mental models to accommodate new experiences and an active process in which learners construct new ideas or concepts based upon their experience and knowledge. Constructivist models view us as a builder of knowledge, not a passive receptor, but an active constructor. Therefore, teachers should understand the active nature of the learning process in which students are already engaged, so that the teacher can enhance and facilitate that process. Teachers’ role is facilitating students’ learning by asking open-ended questions to promote discussions among students.

2) Constructionist viewpoints
Constructionist thinking adds to the constructivist viewpoint. People learn by actively constructing new knowledge, not by just receiving information into their heads and people learn with particular effectiveness when they are engaged in "constructing" personally meaningful artifacts (such as computer programs, animations, or robots). The best way to learn is to build something that is personally meaningful. Knowledge is constructed in a social context where the participants make something shareable. This happens in a context where the learner is consciously engaged in constructing a public entity. This view may be compatible with multiliteracy framework and collaborative learning environment because the constructionist view emphasizes constructions of something tangible which are external and shared.
(resources)
http://www.funderstanding.com/constructivism.cfm
http://www.artsined.com/teachingarts/Pedag/Constructivist.html
http://crpit.com/confpapers/CRPITV23Cannings.pdf
http://lcs.www.media.mit.edu/groups/el/elprojects.html
http://hale.pepperdine.edu/~dlafount/constructionism.htm

Robin Good's presentation (multiliteracy and collaboration)

As for Robin Good’s presentation, I have just finished watching it and taking some notes. I have no experience with any of these tools, so I become painfully aware that I am far behind the new technology. The point he says about the new breeds of technology is that they are “inexpensive”, simple and specialized feature focused, and easy to use, while traditional tools need quite a bit of time to learn and high cost. Certainly these tools offer a lot of chances to interact and collaborate at online-learning. These are wonderful tools because classes will become more interactive and collaborative and get closer to face to face situations. Accordingly, multiliteracy and collaborative learning environments are connected in that multiliteracy promotes collaboration among participants in online-learning.
However, the teacher is required to master new skills and to guide their students into the virtual world if they haven’t used these tools before. I think this is a little bit overwhelming task for busy and unskilled teachers.