identity in fyw
Apr 4th
photo courtesy of a sea snow (http://photozou.jp/photo/show/240326/29485488)
Recently a colleague asked me to share some ideas on how to present on identity to a first year writing class. I told her that during the time I was teaching fyw (I’m currently teaching rhetoric, technology, and the internet), I approached it through a very multimodal pop culture focus: Lady Gaga.
In order to reach a variety of people (I had a returning vet, a high school student, foreign language students, and traditional students), I needed to set this concept up in ways that the students could all relate.
- We read the NYTimes article “Text Generation Gap: U R 2 Old (JK)” and discussed how relevant this was to the people in the class. Did it define anyone? Was it indicative of a generation? Was it important?
- Next, we read the ever-controversial Camille Paglia and her article (Lady Gaga and the Death of Sex) about Lady Gaga in relation to other iconic figures like Madonna and Gwen Stefani.
- Then we read Jack Halberstam’s What’s Paglia Got to do with it? We also discussed who Paglia and Halberstam are, why their opinions might matter, and how they could be focused to reach specific audiences.
- We then watched several videos:
- Madonna singing “Material Girl“
- Lady Gaga singing “Poker Face“
- Christopher Walken performing “Poker Face“
- Brittani Louise Taylor performing “Lady Gaga Fashionista“
After these, we discussed how the articles and the videos add to the idea of who Lady Gaga is, how we, the general public, might view her, and if this is a strategic identity construction. We also discussed how some of the gestures in Poker Face are similar to Madonna’s in “Material Girl” and how artists often “remix” or “reuse” iconic symbols as their own.
- Finally, we looked at images of Lady Gaga on Google Images. What do images of her with or without makeup, in a meat dress, in various forms of dress or undress, mean? How do these construct identity?
What was really interesting about this form of discussion is that because it was held early in the semester, it gave a baseline of inquiry into the topics we tackled later in the semester. We (and usually this was the students) referenced the Paglia and Halberstam articles several times throughout the semester in relation to ideas of community, technology, and critical analysis.
The best outcome, though, was that we had fun. It was enjoyable to see the students get excited about the discussions.
the internet: then and now
Apr 3rd
Last week, students and I listened to a 1993 podcast from NPR’s Science Friday and watched a video from a 1994 NBC Today Show. Each of these was taking a look at the Internet at the time, forming questions around “what is this thing” to “what can this do for me?”
While the Today Show clip reminded us of a time when many people didn’t know what the Internet was or how it worked, the Science Friday showed us that some of the same issues that concerned issues then still concern issues today.
Some of the topics we found pertinent:
information
-ignore (usually advertisements)
-disinformation/misinformation
-trust
-amount of information
-size of information (files/streaming, etc.)
prime sources
-copyright
–direct contact between creator and consumer
commerce
media of the people (democratization)
-public access
–accessibility speed (modem)
synchronous/asynchronous communication
MUDs/MOOs/MMORPG
Machines know everything about you
This was not only a great exercise in listening, but in also assessing what the real issues were and are in understanding the Internet.
Writ3577 students & their projects
Mar 31st
This semester Writ3577 (Rhetoric, Technology, and the Internet) students have created great projects that focus on helping others through volunteering and donations.
Group A
This group is collecting donations of CDs and DVDs to send to a local Minnesota National Guard troop stationed overseas.
OperationTroopDonation website
http://www.wix.com/operationtroopdonati/operationtroopdonation
UMN CD/DVD Drop boxes
Drop box set up now in office of Veteran Services in the Science Teaching and Student Services building.
Drop boxes at Coffman Union and St. Paul Student Center will be available March 28 – April 8th.
Group B
Postcards Anonymous and UMinnesotaNice
This group sends anonymous postcards to people who are doing good works throughout the world. Next week is Japan week (they are translating English to Japanese and mailing postcards to people in Japan) followed by Libya week (again, translated and sent to Libya). If you are interested in helping out, please let me know. Since this is an anonymous group, they have to give you permission to their site.
They have also set up a Twitter account for http://twitter.com/#!/UMinnesotaNice to send thanks yous, accolades, and appreciations to others, capitalizing on the idea of Minnesota Nice (and UMN).
Group C
This group has set up multiple sites to record, encourage, and initiate volunteerism at the U. They have participated in the Polar Plunge for Special Olympics and are participating in Meals on Wheels for National Volunteer Week. In addition, they want to know what others are doing to volunteer. They plan on taking pictures, interviewing volunteers, and posting the information to their sites.
Tumblr site: http://turnup-volumn.tumblr.com/
Facebook site: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=149449328449007
Twitter account: http://twitter.com/#!/TurnUpTheVolUMN
dear fuji
Feb 8th
I am near the end of this pet-sitting visit. Another day or so, and you’ll be free of me. I “say” this, that you’ll be free of me, as you rest comfortably on my lap, listening to the BBC and avoiding being upset by your pet brethren who surround us in various states of repose.
You and I formed a new bond on this visit. If I miss saying goodnight to you, you sit outside the bedroom door crying until I participate in the ritual. Then you are happy and go off to do whatever it is that you do while the dogs and I sleep.
You are a sweet cat. I enjoy my time with you. You’re also sneaky, ducking your head in at the food while I prepare it, trying to get a quick bite. You make me me laugh.
which comes first?
Oct 31st
Concepts of pedagogy are reflected in nearly everything I do that requires interaction with others, with technology, and with media in general. Having had a background in educational technology / instructional design/technology, I find that every decision I make in regards to technology comes down to a few basic questions that I ask of that technology:
- What is its impact on the targeted audience?
- Does it fulfill a need that is not otherwise fulfilled?
- Am I engaging technology for the sake of the technology, or for the sake of improving communication?
- Who does this implementation benefit?
- What is the purpose of the implementation?
I think some of these questions come from my technology background, some arise from my rhetorical training. In all dilemmas, I am thinking about audience and purpose. While doing so, I’m considering new ways to engage my audience (whether that is in the classroom, at a conference, or with colleagues).
It boils down to the question of “Am I using the right tool for the right situation?”
I think, with all of the tools at our disposal, we often rush in without considering the need or purpose of the tool. Why should we? It takes 2 seconds to make it happen.
But the ramifications are that we may establish a foundation that leaks. If that technology is not kept up, if it is abandoned mid-building, what does that say to the authority of the developer, the construction of a cohesive identity, and the ability of us, as rhetors and instructors, to anticipate the needs of our audiences?
I love technology. I often rush into it with abandon when applying it to my own desires. This often helps me define how it will be used in a larger setting. When it comes to implementing it on a grander scale, especially in the classroom or for colleagues, I’m much more restrained and thoughtful, using the knowledge I’ve gained from personal use and interactions, to determine its purpose within the greater network.
Finally, I adhere to the adage that “just because we can, doesn’t mean we should.”
wish you were here: digital postcard
Jul 24th
Last week I was talking to a friend about the research I’m interested in; we were discussing postcards and the Postsecret phenomenon. Then she asked me if my photography posts weren’t the equivalent of mailed postcards.
I’ve been thinking about this quite a lot lately. Both versions are “posted,” both include images and text, and both are typically written with specific audiences in mind.
Today I began a roadtrip, and I’ve been posting some of the images I’ve been taking to a google map I created. Others I took specifically to post here as digital postcards.
In other words, I wish you were here.
writing accountability
Apr 26th
I have been trying to find ways to make myself more attentive to my writing habits (which have been dismal to be honest). I suffer from that perennial problem of procrastination and fear — fear of writing, fear of not writing, fear of having someone read my writing, etc.
Last week I read Billie Hara’s article on ProfHacker about 750words.com. I signed up. But then I decided not to do it. I wouldn’t go to the site every day. So how could I incorporate the same idea into my workflow in a way that works best for me?
I live on Google. Ok, not the planet Google, but the great spacious cloud of Google. I use many of the tools extensively, for nearly everything. Ack! I know. But I also backup, so never fear. :-) Anyway, I am always using my calendar, docs, etc. So how could I make them work for me in the same way that 750words works for others? I created a calendar event that emails me every morning, alerting to me to my time to write for 10 minutes (I picked 10 minutes to get me started — and I typically write about 500 words in that 10 minutes). I also use Docs to write in, so I can write from anywhere.
I called my brother and let him know so I’d be accountable. He suggested that this could be a good way to create reflections on my exams and dissertation (smart man, that guy) and that those reflections could turn into something else in the future.
I’ve also made my calendar public, just to hold myself more accountable. Once I’ve written for 10 minutes (and I downloaded a timewatch app on my Droid — yes, I just had to have the Droid involved! — to time myself, to make sure I did at least 10 minutes), I update my calendar to show that I did the writing.
And there it is. 10 minutes. Every day. I’m creating a habit. And a good one at that.
toys
Apr 4th
In case you haven’t heard me yell it from the rooftops, I got the Motorola Droid that runs the Android operating system. I’ve dropped my landline and am focusing my telephone life into my mobile phone.
Why? It’s simple. I got maybe 2 calls a month on my landline and they were mostly wrong calls or “approved” telemarketers. I don’t need to pay $40 a month for that. Instead, I can get a phone that does all of the things I would typically do on my mobile phone + my iPod Touch. Really, it’s as simple as that. I’m simplifying my input and output.
Now, anyone who knows me and knows my iPod behavior knows that I love my apps. First thing I do on my Droid? Oh, yeah, I’m hooking up the email accounts then adding some apps. The Android store has great apps, and I think it will only grow as more Android-based phones like the Incredible and EVO hit the market.
Best of all, I have everything in one place. And it makes me happy.
the looking glass
Mar 28th
This is a presentation I’ll be giving on identity of the self in a psychology class this week.
I know, I know. I used Foucault. How could I not since he talks about mirrors? Damn him. ;-)
the collateral of words
Mar 19th
On twitter and facebook I recently wrote:
Words have become my main form of collateral, and now I think I fear using them. It’s more than writer’s block. It’s about identity.
I wrote this in the midst of struggling with a paper. I’ve been thinking about it a lot since this and these are some of the issues that have arisen from it:
Because this is the first time in my life that my words and my thoughts are REALLY paying my bills, I’m much more cognizant of them than I’ve been in the past. I fear speaking out and/or writing in public now more than I have because I will be held accountable for my words, and people may challenge them. What if I can’t hold my own in the challenge? What if I just don’t have the knowledge and/or skills to do so? I have great fears of disappointing people I respect and, conversely, not being respected for who I am and what I think. This manifests itself in problems with writing. Academics can be snarky. As I’ve followed recent tweets by academics at one of the largest conferences in my field, I’ve noticed that so many of them were snarky, negative complaints about silly things. They weren’t issues with theory, but personal digs. Why do we do this to ourselves, to people who actually *get* us? Recently I was told that I talk too much in class. I like to add to discussions, but if others think I’m talking too much, I shut down. I choose seminars because there is discussion and they are interesting and engaging. I need to find that place of medium existence in which I can feel safe expressing my words and not intrude on others’ spaces. I’m not sure where that is or if it is possible.
Finally, Peter Elbow, a respected and controversial professor in my field, said this at a recent conference:
Nobody can write well unless they are able to make a fool of themselves.
In the end, maybe most of us, especially those of us who are engaged in social mediums in online spaces, are willing to make fools of ourselves. It may be the degree in which we do so that makes us better writers.
