The question of what people do with texts and how they make sense of them is a question open to all levels of interpretation. Based on the readings from this week, the general definition of "texts" has evolved as technology continues to develop and change. The way we communicate news, stories, and with each other are an ever changing method and will continue to evolve as technology evolves. What started as a town crier evolved into a newspaper, a television broadcast, a webpage, and now IM or twitter feeds as instantaneous notification at our fingertips. The terms "texts" is now almost limited to the words, and not the format of presentation that we utilize.
I believe that the availability of information and the speed at which it is available to us as people has helped us to become a more efficient and society. We can respond immediately, call for action, or just utilize the information to better inform ourselves. Because we are getting this information at different times and places throughout the day, it has continued to change the context and meaning of the information as we receive it.
Literacy as social practice applies to informing ourselves not just as students or teachers, but as citizens. It is not restricted to the classic novel analysis or the interpretation of Shakespeare anymore. Technology has shaped the way we internalize and synthesize the information presented to us now, and in turn that changes the way we learn from them.
When I am presented with text, I try to create connections to the world around me from them. If there are terms I don’t understand, it is easy enough to research those, in most cases instantaneously. In addition, when situations are referenced that provide context I may not fully understand, the ability to instantaneously discover what that context is allows us as learners to decipher a better understanding of meaning.
The quote above references "careful and sensitive attention to what people do with texts", and should not be overlooked. In a world where information is so readily available our understanding of text can be misconstrued. Many people fall into the trap of short text, where headlines are fact, and no further information is explored. As a learner and a teacher, I try to ask questions around headlines and look for the answers to those questions within the text, constantly questioning legitimacy. Because information is so readily available, it has become more and more challenging to decipher informative statements and the theories tied around those statements. As learners, we need to be ready to challenge even the facts, and question how it can be used to further not only ourselves, but also the individuals around us.
As relevant or irrelevant we may deem text to be, it is important that we recognize that social practice is not an individual activity. The term "social" inherently involves others. Furthering our own purposes is human nature, but as critical thinkers and educators, we need to also consider how any text can further others in their learning lives.
I appreciate your thoughtfulness on the idea of texts providing you with information that must be 'vetted' or evaluated for accuracy or even timeliness or other criteria which you apply to your critical thinking and analysis of the material. Kudos
Wow, Bridget, very comprehensive. One of my favorite books is I Read It, But I Don't Get It; it is a comprehensive text and I have found it to be very beneficial. It provides many useful comprehension tools including those to assist in making text-to-text, text-to-world and text-to-self connections. It is geared towards teachers teaching younger students, but as an adult, I have found it very useful. Thanks, Julie DeBold
The question of what people do with texts and how they make sense of them is a question open to all levels of interpretation. Based on the readings from this week, the general definition of "texts" has evolved as technology continues to develop and change. The way we communicate news, stories, and with each other are an ever changing method and will continue to evolve as technology evolves. What started as a town crier evolved into a newspaper, a television broadcast, a webpage, and now IM or twitter feeds as instantaneous notification at our fingertips. The terms "texts" is now almost limited to the words, and not the format of presentation that we utilize.
ReplyDeleteI believe that the availability of information and the speed at which it is available to us as people has helped us to become a more efficient and society. We can respond immediately, call for action, or just utilize the information to better inform ourselves. Because we are getting this information at different times and places throughout the day, it has continued to change the context and meaning of the information as we receive it.
Literacy as social practice applies to informing ourselves not just as students or teachers, but as citizens. It is not restricted to the classic novel analysis or the interpretation of Shakespeare anymore. Technology has shaped the way we internalize and synthesize the information presented to us now, and in turn that changes the way we learn from them.
When I am presented with text, I try to create connections to the world around me from them. If there are terms I don’t understand, it is easy enough to research those, in most cases instantaneously. In addition, when situations are referenced that provide context I may not fully understand, the ability to instantaneously discover what that context is allows us as learners to decipher a better understanding of meaning.
The quote above references "careful and sensitive attention to what people do with texts", and should not be overlooked. In a world where information is so readily available our understanding of text can be misconstrued. Many people fall into the trap of short text, where headlines are fact, and no further information is explored. As a learner and a teacher, I try to ask questions around headlines and look for the answers to those questions within the text, constantly questioning legitimacy. Because information is so readily available, it has become more and more challenging to decipher informative statements and the theories tied around those statements. As learners, we need to be ready to challenge even the facts, and question how it can be used to further not only ourselves, but also the individuals around us.
As relevant or irrelevant we may deem text to be, it is important that we recognize that social practice is not an individual activity. The term "social" inherently involves others. Furthering our own purposes is human nature, but as critical thinkers and educators, we need to also consider how any text can further others in their learning lives.
Bridget,
ReplyDeleteI appreciate your thoughtfulness on the idea of texts providing you with information that must be 'vetted' or evaluated for accuracy or even timeliness or other criteria which you apply to your critical thinking and analysis of the material. Kudos
Wow, Bridget, very comprehensive. One of my favorite books is I Read It, But I Don't Get It; it is a comprehensive text and I have found it to be very beneficial. It provides many useful comprehension tools including those to assist in making text-to-text, text-to-world and text-to-self connections. It is geared towards teachers teaching younger students, but as an adult, I have found it very useful.
ReplyDeleteThanks,
Julie DeBold