This semester, our English 251 class at BYU has sampled probably every type of literary criticism and literary study imaginable, but with a twist. We've combined the traditional ways in which to study literature with the new ways to study literature, and personally, I feel like I have benefited more from this practice than I would have, had I geared my literary study towards either one or the other.
Being an English Teaching major, I have always been exceptionally fond of literature. That being said, I've found excessive literary study, i.e. "beating the book to death," exceptionally boring. It always seems so removed, and just super, super dry. Aside from the technology, blogging, and publishing that we participated in during the semester, we focused a lot on traditional ways to look at literature. One thing that I found particularly unique and helpful was the "personal" look we were encouraged to take in regarding a poem or a novel. From the very get-go, we were asked to analyze sentence structure and so forth, but we were also encouraged to put our personal thoughts into things. Doing so greatly helped me, especially when reading a pretty difficult book, such as Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness.
I also felt like the resources and textbooks we were required to obtain breathed "a new life" into traditional literary study. All the books that we read were definitely academic, but I feel that none of them were archaic. Overall, I feel like the biggest thing I learned regarding traditional literary study in this course is the fact that literary study doesn't have to be dry and boring.
This class has been able to turn my ideas about the effectiveness of technology in a new direction by introducing the blogging process. Although we often discussed aspects of traditional literary study in our blogs, it was nice to be able to do so in a new medium. Blogging brought new life into boring things and made me appreciate traditional things such as "analyzing the sentence structure of a poem" because the medium was so different. My ideas about analyzing a piece of literature might have been the same had they been written on paper, but translating them into blog form made homework more fun.
I was pretty apprehensive about blogging at first because I'm a pretty quiet person and more of a "listener" than a "teller." I was honestly nervous to post my writings online--not only would my fellow students see them, but anyone who typed in the right keywords online would be able to see what I wrote. Instead, I found that it's actually great to post my own writings online. I found that getting feedback from my fellow students was really helpful and encouraged me to read, write, and review my work more fully. We also explored Goodreads and Amazon like there was no tomorrow. Similar to my experience with sharing my thoughts while blogging, browsing sites and being encouraged to comment on them encouraged me to be more comfortable with the online world. It was neat to be assigned comment on discussion boards. I've come to see that introducing commonly-used secondary media into a curriculum can increase a student's desire to participate in the learning process.
As I am pursuing a teaching degree, I hope I will be able to remember what I have learned in this class. I hope to remember that a student can come to appreciate literary study of a novel such as Heart of Darkness by looking at it in a different light. I also hope I can remember that Facebook and Twitter can be very effective tools if used appropriately. Overall, I am very thankful for everything that I have learned in this class, and that they will truly be applicable to my future life and my future study of literature.
Friday, April 17, 2015
Digiliterary Analysis
This semester our Analyzing Literature english class has been working together to publish an ebook about becoming"digiliterate" (a term that we thought we coined, only to find that #digiliterate was already trending on Twitter).
The idea behind digiliteracy is that reading as an experience has fundamentally changed due to the influence of technology and the internet. Readers don't read in isolation any more, there is an interconnectedness that cannot be avoided. Our experience with books has changed, from how we find the books we read, how we actually read the content, how we connect with others about the content, and how content itself is produced.
This project became a huge focus of our class and there were of course, various successes and failures. For other educators and students who are considering undertaking a similar project I would share the following from my experience:
Successes:
The idea behind digiliteracy is that reading as an experience has fundamentally changed due to the influence of technology and the internet. Readers don't read in isolation any more, there is an interconnectedness that cannot be avoided. Our experience with books has changed, from how we find the books we read, how we actually read the content, how we connect with others about the content, and how content itself is produced.
This project became a huge focus of our class and there were of course, various successes and failures. For other educators and students who are considering undertaking a similar project I would share the following from my experience:
Failures:
- The work load fell heavily on some individuals.
- We weren't able to spend as much time analyzing literature.
- We were forced to perform quality research because we knew we were working towards publication. We learned about new avenues for research that will shape how we do it in the future.
- We learned about the subject (digital literacy) by DOING it. We were actually engaged in it through the production of our book, which gave us more authority in our writing.
- We had to be accountable for our own work and progress because when we got behind we influenced the group. This is a valuable experience for life after school.
We hope that there will be long-term effects from our ebook. I anticipate that the effects might be most profound for us involved. I think what we learned about research, team-work, and accountability will influence us more than any other aspect of this project.
Flashbacks: Not just for TV shows
My, my. What a semester it has been! This class has come a long way, dear internet, and you've been along for the ride with us. It's been quite the journey, getting here. We started small. Back in the first week of January, we talked about some of the books that most impacted us. Mine was Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card. I look back at that post and see a version of myself with little experience writing for blogs. It was the first time I had ever written a blog post that was intended to be read by the entire internet. I'm sure it hasn't been read by the entire internet or else I'd have heard about it, but it was the intention that counted.
From there we began to explore various kinds of literature. We began with Poetry. We analyzed some of our favorite works of poetry and even song. We wrote a little bit of poetry ourselves, including my own sonnet written about Warhammer 40k, considered one of the "Four Pillars of Nerdhood." Even that early on, we were exploring the ways that the internet influenced us and our understanding of literature. We were discussing how the internet served to bring new literary works to our attention, and allowed us easy access to works that we had not even heard of only a few days previous. The groundwork for our eBook was already being laid, even back then.
From there we began to explore various kinds of literature. We began with Poetry. We analyzed some of our favorite works of poetry and even song. We wrote a little bit of poetry ourselves, including my own sonnet written about Warhammer 40k, considered one of the "Four Pillars of Nerdhood." Even that early on, we were exploring the ways that the internet influenced us and our understanding of literature. We were discussing how the internet served to bring new literary works to our attention, and allowed us easy access to works that we had not even heard of only a few days previous. The groundwork for our eBook was already being laid, even back then.
Me, Literature, and my Bishop
In the midst of finals, work, and summer plans our English 251 class has itself at the end of our time together! We have had a very unique experience together and I have learned a lot of things that I was not anticipating when I signed up for a class on analyzing literature.
When I initially registered for this class to fulfill a university requirement I had a very specific idea of what I thought I was going to get out of the class. I have always been intimidated a little bit by literature. It always seemed like something for people who were more cultured and educated than me. I was hoping that by taking this class I would never have another experience like one I had when I was having dinner once with one of my ecclesiastical leaders (In my faith his position is called a "Bishop") and I could not tell him what my opinion of Anna Karenina was, or any of the other titles he quizzed me on.
It turns out that I still don't know much about Tolstoy, but through this class I have learned something about what my experience with literature can be in the future. Our class had a specific focus on digital learning. We explored different avenues and resources that are available for us through the internet and technology that make it possible for us to become "life-long learners" (which is one of the objectives of our university, BYU). The techniques that I have learned in this class will enable me to take greater control over my own learning and will help me to do so without feeling intimidated.
One of our experiences that we had with literature was with the novella Heart of Darkness. Now this novel exactly the sort of thing that would have scared me to death before this class. But as a class we took advantage of sites such as Goodreads and Amazon to learn more about how people interpret the novel through resources such as reviews and forums. I found that I was not alone in my confusion! And I also found insights that helped me formulate my own analyzation of the text. This means that I could become an active participant in literary criticism and not just another student that summarizes the content found on "Sparknotes" or "Cliffnotes."
Another experience that I had, another "aha" moment was when I was trying to conduct research on the subject of borrowing ebooks from local libraries. Dr. Burton had taught us about the value of "social" research. The idea behind social research is that we don't have to be restricted to only looking for information through books or websites, that we can gain valuable information from real people. One way that we did this was through a Facebook post. Dr. Burton simply asked people about their experience with elending and we had a huge response! I was able to gain valuable information through this and my vision for how we can conduct research was expanded. Another experience I had with this was that I was able to reach out to local librarians via email and learn about their experience. These new techniques will help me in my future schooling and learning.
Although my experience was not what I anticipated, I feel like I am now better equipped to become the kind of reader that I want to be. I now know how to function more completely as a modern reader of literature and that will shape my future experience. Bishop Ashton and Tolstoy won't know what hit 'em.
When I initially registered for this class to fulfill a university requirement I had a very specific idea of what I thought I was going to get out of the class. I have always been intimidated a little bit by literature. It always seemed like something for people who were more cultured and educated than me. I was hoping that by taking this class I would never have another experience like one I had when I was having dinner once with one of my ecclesiastical leaders (In my faith his position is called a "Bishop") and I could not tell him what my opinion of Anna Karenina was, or any of the other titles he quizzed me on.
It turns out that I still don't know much about Tolstoy, but through this class I have learned something about what my experience with literature can be in the future. Our class had a specific focus on digital learning. We explored different avenues and resources that are available for us through the internet and technology that make it possible for us to become "life-long learners" (which is one of the objectives of our university, BYU). The techniques that I have learned in this class will enable me to take greater control over my own learning and will help me to do so without feeling intimidated.
One of our experiences that we had with literature was with the novella Heart of Darkness. Now this novel exactly the sort of thing that would have scared me to death before this class. But as a class we took advantage of sites such as Goodreads and Amazon to learn more about how people interpret the novel through resources such as reviews and forums. I found that I was not alone in my confusion! And I also found insights that helped me formulate my own analyzation of the text. This means that I could become an active participant in literary criticism and not just another student that summarizes the content found on "Sparknotes" or "Cliffnotes."
Another experience that I had, another "aha" moment was when I was trying to conduct research on the subject of borrowing ebooks from local libraries. Dr. Burton had taught us about the value of "social" research. The idea behind social research is that we don't have to be restricted to only looking for information through books or websites, that we can gain valuable information from real people. One way that we did this was through a Facebook post. Dr. Burton simply asked people about their experience with elending and we had a huge response! I was able to gain valuable information through this and my vision for how we can conduct research was expanded. Another experience I had with this was that I was able to reach out to local librarians via email and learn about their experience. These new techniques will help me in my future schooling and learning.
Although my experience was not what I anticipated, I feel like I am now better equipped to become the kind of reader that I want to be. I now know how to function more completely as a modern reader of literature and that will shape my future experience. Bishop Ashton and Tolstoy won't know what hit 'em.
Looking Back and Forward
As my students conclude a semester of being introduced to literary studies, capped by the major project of us producing an ebook together, Becoming Digiliterate, it's time to take a look at our path here, and our future path as individuals and as co-creators of our ebook.
I'd like each of my students to write two final blog posts.
"Literature and Me"
The first post should be a retrospective personal narrative, one that traces their own progress of coming to understand the nature of literature from this semester in two ways: in terms of traditional ways to understand and study literature; and in terms of the future of literary studies as we have emphasized in our ebook.
I do not want students to recap our calendar or assignments, but instead to talk about their personal literary identity and how this is evolving based on their reading, research, writing, and publishing for this course. They should review their prior blog posts and scan those of fellow students to be reminded of what we have studied and the realizations that we have come to. What was literature to you before? How has this view developed? How will what we have studied and done in this course affect your future literary life?
I want students to focus on a few "aha" moments they have experienced, and tell an interesting story about their learning this semester which also shows they have reflected on the course content and activities across the whole semester, not just during our final project. At the same time, I hope that the project has been part of that "aha" experience. (Please note, this post should not be used to evaluate the success of the project - that's for the second post. In this one, I'd like to hear a more personal perspective on how doing the project has affected one's personal views of reading and literary study, whether in school or beyond).
As with all good literary writing, this short narrative should be supported with reference to specifics. In this case, that should include books read, class and online discussions, and assignments. Shoot for around 500 words, and be sure that you are not addressing this post to fellow classmates or just the teacher. Inform the broader blog world about your experience.
Evaluating Becoming Digiliterate
I'd like my students to write a second final post that is focused on the experience of creating an ebook together. This should be addressed to future students or to people in education generally. What exactly was the process, and how did doing this project differ from a typical course in literature? Obviously this project had successes and failures. Evaluate these honestly, but constructively. Where did things go better than expected? What problems could be addressed if future students do a similar project? Is collaborative learning or project-based learning a chaotic mess, or is it worth the price? Does doing a project like this ebook remove us from the core of literary study, or does it make literary experience better in some ways? What will be the long term effects, if any, from doing this project?
This can be about 200-300 words in length.
I'd like each of my students to write two final blog posts.
"Literature and Me"
The first post should be a retrospective personal narrative, one that traces their own progress of coming to understand the nature of literature from this semester in two ways: in terms of traditional ways to understand and study literature; and in terms of the future of literary studies as we have emphasized in our ebook.
I do not want students to recap our calendar or assignments, but instead to talk about their personal literary identity and how this is evolving based on their reading, research, writing, and publishing for this course. They should review their prior blog posts and scan those of fellow students to be reminded of what we have studied and the realizations that we have come to. What was literature to you before? How has this view developed? How will what we have studied and done in this course affect your future literary life?
I want students to focus on a few "aha" moments they have experienced, and tell an interesting story about their learning this semester which also shows they have reflected on the course content and activities across the whole semester, not just during our final project. At the same time, I hope that the project has been part of that "aha" experience. (Please note, this post should not be used to evaluate the success of the project - that's for the second post. In this one, I'd like to hear a more personal perspective on how doing the project has affected one's personal views of reading and literary study, whether in school or beyond).
As with all good literary writing, this short narrative should be supported with reference to specifics. In this case, that should include books read, class and online discussions, and assignments. Shoot for around 500 words, and be sure that you are not addressing this post to fellow classmates or just the teacher. Inform the broader blog world about your experience.
Evaluating Becoming Digiliterate
I'd like my students to write a second final post that is focused on the experience of creating an ebook together. This should be addressed to future students or to people in education generally. What exactly was the process, and how did doing this project differ from a typical course in literature? Obviously this project had successes and failures. Evaluate these honestly, but constructively. Where did things go better than expected? What problems could be addressed if future students do a similar project? Is collaborative learning or project-based learning a chaotic mess, or is it worth the price? Does doing a project like this ebook remove us from the core of literary study, or does it make literary experience better in some ways? What will be the long term effects, if any, from doing this project?
This can be about 200-300 words in length.
Sunday, April 5, 2015
Fourth Time's the Charm? Not Quite.
Our class has just put forth the fourth (Ha!) draft of our eBook about the changes in reading in the digital age. We've come pretty far from where we were, but we've still got a lot of things to work on. For my class members, I've included below a few notes that I took while reading this build.
Before I go into individual chapters, the over-arching problem I've seen is that we need to do some editing! I noticed a lot of errors in this build. As we haven't yet had the copy editor go through the chapters, this is understandable, but I do think this should be our next step. I also agree with Shelby's post about it being a good idea for us to take one or two chapters and look at those alone so that we can do a sort of peer-edit.
Class, I've numbered the notes 1 and 2 based on the order your chapter lies in the book, not on the order you may have written the chapters. Hopefully, I don't offend anyone. I just took quick notes so, as a general rule, just know that I thought all of the chapters really were well done! :)
Emily:
1. I love the personal nature of this chapter. I really enjoyed reading it!
2. I think this chapter needs a little bit more development or worded a little bit differently? I understood your stance but that could be because I know what we're aiming for, but I think you might need to clarify your argument. Again, I think the peer-edit might help this more because you'd have actual notes about what might need changed and so forth.
Saren:
1. My immediate thoughts when reading your chapter were, "Sooooo good!" Haha. I really loved how you applied your analogy to Harry Potter.
2. I noticed in this one that you talked more about Amazon and I think you could find a way to plug in Dr. Burton's chapter about Amazon. Just a thought!
Lauren:
1. I think this is the perfect chapter to begin the Find section, but I think it would be good if you are more direct about it being a finding chapter in the beginning. Does that make sense?
2. I didn't get your second chapter!
Saturday, April 4, 2015
Evaluating Round 4
The fourth draft of our class's eBook has just been published, and it's looking good! To be honest, I don't feel like a ton has changed since the last draft came out. There are a lot of really great things going on. I like the length of the chapters a lot. The writing is generally pretty good too! I think that it would be beneficial for us to each trade chapters with someone else and just have them critique it hard core. The content is good, but there really is a need for serious editing.
As far as the layout goes, I think the sections go well together. Is the content all on there now? Is it all completely finished? I'm excited that this is going well and have been coming up with ideas of how to market it on social media sites. What are the issues that are preventing us from getting it published by like....Wednesday?
That's just my take on things. Happy Conference Weekend!
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