Conceptual Map

Introduction:

I went through and reviewed my older posts for this semester in an attempt to create a conceptual map of my readings and my theoretical / methodology. Overall I think I tend to focus on the articles that deal with composition and research as a social act. I thought it would be effective to do a sort of highlight reel, so below I will feature quotes or concepts that really stood out from my posts. Along with the highlights I will add commentary relating the concept / idea with my overall theory of research and my project for the semesters.

From the Original Post:

Deborah Mutnick “Inscribing the World: An Oral History Project in Brooklyn”

“Pedagogy of the public sphere” (627).

I liked this terminology as a way to describe the ways we can learn and be taught from the everyday elements of our life.

Comments:

As I said above, I do like this terminology and I do see learning as a reciprocal process…I think this concept is directly related to my project. I think there is a lot that we can learn from Moore’s newspaper column about the way in which literacy is used as a tool for activism. I think we can also learn from the rhetorical strategies that Moore employees throughout the column. I think Mutnick is also making a statement that carries a broader implication. A “pedagogy of the public sphere” seems to imply a change in the focus of our teaching, one that uses the everyday, the public as a way to inspire and involve students, participants and teachers in a symbiotic learning environment.

From the Original Post:

The Literacy of “Argumentative Discourse”

On page 34, Street comments that in order to understand the approaches and consequences of literacy we can use three categories: Literacy Acquisition, Consequences of Literacy and Literacy as Social Practice. These categories illuminate what I see as the give and take of literacy. Literacy is approached or given in different ways dependent on the contextual situation and following the way in which literacy is practiced or approached there are consequences.

Comments:

Street has become very well known for his ideas on literacy as social practice. I really like the majority of his work and picked this section of my post because of the way in which he divides the approaches and consequences of literacy. I think his focus on the contextual and situational aspects of literacy are important as well. I am hoping to see evidence of situation in Moore’s column. My hunch is that the column was used as a means of promoting the political agenda of the Norris Community Club and by extension, the Norris Community.

From the Original Post:

Brain V. Street “Literacy in Theory and Practice”

Literacy as a whole is a social event, but because of the social nature, literacy or more specifically the analysis of literacy, is problematic because of the multiple influences. Influences like ideology or cultures that are difficult to pin down.

Comments:

I think Street articulates the difficulty in examining literacy practices. Literacy and by extension the practices associated with it are legion. It is difficult to differentiate and explore the multitude of ideologies and influences that make up literacy, but at the same time it is this very difficulty that also makes this type of research so interesting and rich.

From the Original Post:

David Gold / Rhetoric at the Margins

1. Strong Service EthicNon-existent in modern colleges (at least to my knowledge and excluding the few clubs that promote service oriented learning). But Service across the curriculum required by all students in one form or another is non-existent, but I think it should be a requirement. Service is at the center of well-being and commitment. I think a service oriented program would also help students become more attached to the subject and the school at large.

Comments:

I liked this idea not just for use in the university as a whole but also in the individual classroom. I think part of researching in the community is service and service is an essential quality of humanity. I think the idea of service oriented research relates back to Mutnick’s concept of “Pedagogy of the Public Sphere.” If we are researching and in a sense using the public for our research it seems ethical to give back to the community, hence the idea of service. I don’t think it would hurt to have in our minds a way that our research could benefit the community we study. In terms of Mr. Moore’s column I am hoping to lay down a foundation for further research as well as help the community gain a greater sense of history and the struggle involved with the rights they enjoy today.

From the Original Post:

“All play and no work make Jack a numbskull and a parasite”: William Mayo’s East Texas Normal School

“Mayo geared his curriculum toward his student’s interests and needs, paying particular attention to how the school fit into the surrounding community” (115).

Reciprocity: page 129-130, Mayo made the effort to connect the school with the community.

Comments:

I was especially interested in William Mayo and his pedagogy. His desire to interact with the community seems to echo what we are trying to accomplish in class and with our projects. I selected two quotes from this post because they are both focused on Mayo’s emphasis on reciprocity. As with the other posts I see research and service to the community as a central part of what I want to do with my project and my career on a more broad scale.

Conclusion:

The list above is not comprehensive but it does represent the highlights of my posts. I also want to make use of Deborah Brandt’s Literacy in American Lives, Shirley Brice Heath’s Ways With Words, and Heath and Street’s Ethnography. Overall I see my interest focusing on the social aspects of literacy and the implications that this has for both research and pedagogy.