Dennis Baron Response

Dennis Baron Response

        By Kyle Loftus

Summary:

In his article From Pencils to Pixels: The Stages of Literacy Techniques Dennis Baron talks about the concept of literacy technologies. Baron argues that there have almost never not been literacy technologies as they are everything made and used for literacy. Baron talks about the development of the computer early in his article and how it is so useful and effective in this day and age. Baron then goes further in depth explaining how this literacy technology sprang up from many other forms such as the first idea of literacy technology was carving into stone. Baron talks about how the technology then developed into the ink pen, then the pencil, the typewriter, the telegraph, the telephone and then finally the computer. Baron explains and argues how all of these started off as a ridiculous idea but it is these ridiculous ideas that bring about great new inventions. Baron argues they all would go through a process of introduction and use at minimal level because it was wanted to be a secret or it was hard to make. Then when it becomes easy and cheaper to make it begins to reach the public. After reaching the public it expands and gets accepted but later receives updates and changes to better the device. Baron talks about how this is never ending with these literacy technologies as they are always being critiqued and worked on to create the next best thing.  Baron also discussion humanist like Thoreau and their opinions on the growth and development of technologies and what they did to try and prevent it. Baron argues for how they couldn’t prevent the growth of technology in writing and writing in technology (computers). Lastly baron discusses the differences in writing and these technologies and how they were made, used and developed.

Synthesis:

This article is like John Dawkins article Teaching Punctuation as a Rhetorical Tool because they both are about the influences of time on writing and its growth and change. They discuss how it is ever adapting and changing to the time, how people are always looking for the next best thing or development. Also they both discuss and argue on those that try and keep it the way it always has been or try and prevent advancement. Dawkins is talking about grammar in writing and Baron is talking about literacy technologies but both are about the change in writing and uses revolving around it over time.

2. Questions for Journaling and Discussion:

I think that he almost implies this in some parts of the article because he does literally say it’s hard to see the growth and development of the computer happening. However, in the article he talks about how nobody ever thought after something was developed and useful something else better would take its place but it always has. Also he mentions there is always changes and developments being changed. Baron may mention the idea of further growth seems unimaginable and wild but based on his whole article his message is the opposite that over time the computer will become nothing like the pencil and some new necessity will take its place.

4. Questions for Journaling and Discussion:

The overhead is an old technology that was in every single classroom when I was younger. This was a device where you put a paper on a flat surface and using a light and reflection device it would project the image onto a wall or some other surface. This technology soon became useless and irrelevant in the classroom just like the pencil and the typewriter because better developments were made. These are all useful items but are almost more time consuming and overall less efficient than later models made therefore they were throwing away and the new tools became a necessity. For the overhead this was the projector itself which you could just hook up to a computer and post anything onto a surface or wall that you wanted.

3. Applying and Exploring:

When you think about technologies that keep and don’t keep information there are a few positives and negatives that come to mind. The positives are that if you forget something or want to show something to friends and family you can easily. Also it might be something you want to look at later or maybe have someone explain it to you. Although these are all good there are some bad things that come with it as well such as you could maybe say or send something on accident and you can’t take it back and now this other person has it or knows it. Also you could say something mean or wrong and this person now has this to hold against you. When you think about not keeping hold of information it is pretty much the exact opposite of what I just said. I think that you could say word and other document uses on the computer are because if you don’t save your information then it is eliminated and gone.

Meta Moment:

I think that it makes sense to think of writing this way because it is a technology by definition. The problem is that when people hear technology they think just computers and machines and so on. When in fact technologies are just developments, ideas and objects that are made and used with a specific purpose. This can alter my understanding of writing because it is now a process of knowing writing is among everything and is part of all growth and change throughout.

Article Discussion:

I think that Barons article was an interesting one and was in a sense intriguing to understand what he meant by literacy technologies and so forth. Also I was curious to read on throughout to develop better understanding as well as learn what it all entails. The article used examples very well to helping to make it relatable and easier to understand. Overall I think this article was very interesting and useful because it opens your view on writing and technology and how they go hand in hand. This was very fun to examine and give attention to especially getting to see writing in a whole new perspective.

Malcolm X and Alexie Response

Malcolm X and Alexie Response

Summary: In the article Learning to Read it talks about Malcolm X and it is mainly just a piece from his autobiography and he talks about how much prison had changed him. Malcolm was a troubled person and was blinded but saw the light thanks to Muhammad and his intense studying in prison. Malcolm talks about how he studied immensely every day and night and started with copying, reading and remembering the dictionary. After this he advanced to reading and through these readings and Muhammad’s teachings he became well aware of so much regarding the world and especially things regarding the white man. A lot of this piece talks about the issues of the white man and how he has done wrong to all other races or people of colored skin. Malcolm argues for how wrong this is and how it is missed up that blacks still have to fight and do so much more for even just the little things while fresh immigrants can come and take these things for granted like it is nothing.  Then in Sherman Alexie’s short article The Joy of Reading and Writing he talks about how he himself came about reading through his father. He argues that he started through the visuals given in a superman comic and worked up to literally everything with word and he read whenever he had the opportunity. Also Alexie talks about how he was different than the norm how Indians were supposed to be dumb and not know any of these things but he was the opposite he was smart, lucky and arrogant. Alexie argues that he did all this and devoted all this time to save his life.

Synthesis: Neither of these articles aren’t related to any of our past readings they are both their own pieces and have their own side or story to tell. These articles can relate to each other in the sense that they both describe different ways these authors discovered reading and why they found so much joy in it. These articles discuss how it came into their lives and why they made an attempt to keep it there and finally how through doing this learned and advanced in so many different areas. Also how they found joy in the process and what it meant to them at the time as well as now. Lastly there are in common in the sense that they were both underprivileged and segregated in a sense but took this as an opportunity. This opportunity allowed them to advance their skills beyond others and develop a keen understanding for reading and writing.

1.       Questions for Discussion and Journaling:

I think that Malcolm is intending to speak to underprivileged people especially those that are of colored skin. I think this is so because his whole article is a bias clearly towards whites with all due respect and he expresses nothing but bad qualities and past actions about them. However, most of his article is about why he learned to read and how it affected him and shaped him.

3.Questions for Discussion and Journaling:

Malcolm had many influences the list that comes to mind would be the teacher that told him he couldn’t be a lawyer, Muhammad, the prison, the library, the dictionary and the numerous books he had read throughout his life. I think that the most influential was Muhammad because if it wasn’t for him and his teachings Malcolm might not have ever started reading and writing. I think also that the books were a huge role in Malcolm’s life because they made him think and analyze and eventually changed him and molded him into a different person. This person was the new and much smarter and moving Malcolm. I think the motivation that came from these was the new ideas, concepts and just overall learning Malcolm got from turning to every new page because it gave him pride and a desire to want more or know more if you will.

6. Questions for Discussion and Journaling:

I think that if I wasn’t motivated to find myself and what I wanted to be through college I wouldn’t be here. Also there is the idea that in order to get a job or be successful you have to go to college or have a miracle story but I am motivated to read and learn more in order to further my understanding and knowledge. This is because through doing this I am able to get better and more intelligent which will lead to success in college and out of college which is what I am here for in the first place.

1.       Applying and Exploring:

I think that being literate is completely changing not just in the United States but all over the world. As the world progresses so does technology and the ability to read and understand these technologies in today’s world is extremely important. The use of books and dictionaries is becoming a thing of the past for that and so much more is available online but it is also almost a completely new language when it comes to understanding and using these new technologies such as the internet and skype and so forth.

2.       Applying and Exploring:

I think that the big literacy impact on me was my older sister. My sister is older than me and therefore always was a few steps ahead in every process in regards to learning and school and so forth. I think that this motivated me to do more and learn more because I wanted to not only be like her but be smarter and more literate. Through this motivation I would help her study and learn her vocab words and ask her for help on writing and reading as well as my mom in order to advance my skills. I found my sister always doing her homework on time and checking it as well as sometimes re-reading things that she didn’t understand I took all her little tricks and techniques and put them to use for myself I wanted to make sure I was prepared. I didn’t want to be just prepared though I wanted to be the best or the smartest of the bunch in class as well as at home and even though that never happened it drove me to work hard and never give up. I was always in a reading skills class because I struggled with reading and understanding and so forth partially due to my ADD but regardless if it wasn’t for my sister I might have given up and who knows where I would be today.

Meta Moment: I think that my teacher would say the most important part of this text is how Malcolm went about his studying and attempts to advance his skills. I think my teacher would talk about how he did certain things and used other sources and continually practiced. I think this isn’t the most important part to get from the article. I think the most important thing I will take from this is through hard work and percervierence you can accomplish great things no matter your situation or surroundings.

Opinion on Articles:

I am not sure why these are important for us to read regarding our class like the other article but I do see why they are important or very enlightening to read. These articles remind you to never take things for granted and to always try your best. Also that through learning to read and write you can get and discover so much more in life regarding understanding people, places, things and even yourself. I think that both of these articles were actually pretty interesting to read and kept me drawn in even though their wasn’t really any story or suspense. Overall I am glad I read these and I have now learned and taken away a few helpful concepts and ideas.

Hooks Response

Bell Hooks Response

Summary:

In this short article Hooks talks about an autobiography and the writing that goes into it. She explains how this isn’t really a recalling or story of your life but argues that it is just a set of distinct memories or things that have stood out to you. Hooks also talks about her own life and the memories that went into it. She also mentions the idea that sometimes we create things or memories in our head that really never happened or we may have altered in our mind for some reason.

Synthesis:

I think this article is really something on its own but can relate to Peter Elbows article on voice when she talks about how we choose to think of certain things or remember them by ourselves. That these are our own decisions not that of others.

1.       As You Read:

I can’t think of any memory that I have completely fictionalized but I can recall memories or thinking back on things and believing they happened a certain way. Then through talking with others I discover that it didn’t in fact happen the way I thought it did. Also I can think on memories that are far more vivid to me than others because of the importance or severity such as getting stitches or having surgery done and so forth. These memories are most likely altered but not fictional just because of how I remember them but if I look back on them now I know they weren’t as bad or exactly how I thought they were.

4. Questions and Discussion:

Hooks original goal was to not kill herself from the past but to let go or break its hold on her today. Hooks did not meet this goal but instead a much better goal I would say. Hooks reached a goal of reviving the girl form the past she was able to rescue this girl and release her from being the enemy anymore. I think that Hooks in a way achieved her goal but it was in no way once so ever the way she predicted it to go but instead far better reliving and saving the Gloria from the past.

3.Applying and Exploring:

I think that when we write down a traumatic event or a memory that is more vivid and important to us it comes out a lot different than what happened an how we thought about it in our head. I believe this is because when we write these things down we see them for so much more and realize there significance and just let ourselves go. I think that we begin to let it write us and it just flows onto the paper and we just let everything we can think on or recall touch the paper instead of thinking up main points. Then when this happens the incident becomes so much more real and effective to us. Also it can be altered from before because we tend to lay it all on the line and let it speak for itself.

Thoughts on the Article:

I think that this article was a decent read and was in a sense interesting to think about. I had never thought of writing an autobiography as recognition of memories but instead took it for what I always learned in grade school. This perspective was appealing and interesting to read and after doing so I really agree with Hooks. I am unsure of the relevance to our class with this piece but I was interesting to read and get this new perspective on this type of paper.