A Picture's Worth a Thousand Words

   My next reading dealt with how our generation is now composing meaning through photographs, videos, computers, and images.  Instead of using print-based texts as forms of literacy, people primarily use visual literacy. In the article, four case studies were conducted on four different individuals who grew up using visual literacy and became advanced in computer skills.  These skills they learned in computer games and social media blogs have helped shape their literacy skills and writing skills in classes and the workforce. The purpose of this article was to show how our culture is constantly changing.  Even our teachers and parents grew up with different ways of finding information, so often times their ways of thinking are outdated compared to our new visual ways of thinking. One question that I pondered during the article was that since the article states that teachers often do not understand the new visual literacy, are students truly able to learn as much as they could if their teachers used more visual based sources?  Finally, this article is one last opportunity to explore research ideas.  This article has given me my research question that I will explore in future posts. The following questions are answered in my journal below:

• What do the writers mean when they argue that we "compose meaning not only with words but also with digitized bits of video, sound, photographs, still images, words, and animations" (183)? What are some examples of "composing" meaning?
• The authors argue that Danielle learned literacy skills such as "visual, kinesthetic, and interactive components of gaming" (185) through her participation in computer games. Do you agree that these skills are, in fact, literacy skills? Why or why not? Do you have skills that may be debatable as "literacy" skills? Explain. 

Journal 4

       Our generation has transformed from strictly print-based literature to new forms of technology and visual aids to access literary works.  The writers in “The Future of Literacy” state that we “compose meaning not only with words but also with digitized bits of video, sound, photographs, still images, words and animations (183).”  Before computers were invented or even became popular, the primary source of information came from print-based resources.  Newspapers were read daily and letters or phone calls were the main means of communication.  Furthermore, students used only textbooks for school teachings.  However, today communication, information, and messages can be relayed in more visual forms.  People often learn from videos or Internet sites, which are more convenient sources of information.  Additionally, images and photographs follow the saying “a picture is worth a thousand words,” as they also convey meaning to their viewers.  Overall, our generation has a much more visual learning style than strictly print-based texts.

            One can compose meaning in a photograph that they haven taken. For example, the picture may show but also describe how one feels on a particular day.  Taking a picture of clouds on a rainy day, may express that a person is feeling blue and down.  Moreover, composing cartoons and animations can leave their viewer with important information and ideas.  Political cartoons and animations one may see before the start of a movie are two examples of visual literacy.

            The authors state that Danielle, a case study in the article, learned literacy skills such as “visual, kinesthetic, and interactive components of gaming” while participating in computer games. I believe these skills are literary skills as they are all apart of literature.  For example, visual learning is very important in our generation since many sources are now visual.  Gaining ideas from photographs are key and learning from videos can help one succeed anywhere.  One literary skill I have is auditory learning.  Auditory learning means that things being explained and read to me help me remember information.  However, this could be questionable as a literacy skill because it does not help you read any better.  For example, when learning a new language for me, it is easier for me to learn by speaking and hearing the language.  On the other hand, when I go to read this new language my auditory skills are not much help.  The same goes for any type of reading.  

Problems with Plagiarism Policies

    The third journal assignment consisted of a reading by Margaret Price on plagiarism in literary papers and documents.  Price talked about how the policies for plagiarism are often unclear and leave too much room for misunderstanding for students.  The policy for plagiarism can change depending on the context of the paper, type of class one is in, and community in which one is living in.  The purpose of this assignment was to get a view of how some scholars view plagiarism and to think about our own issues and experiences with plagiarism. One issue I discovered in the reading was the fact that since literacy is constantly being altered, the plagiarism polices need to be changed every so often, as well.  Moreover, students in other countries may have different policies than we do in the United States.  This causes issues with international students. Thus, the problems with plagiarism is are examples of literary issue that could be researched about. The following questions are answered in my post:

• What are your personal experiences with plagiarism policies? How do they affect how you feel about writing/literacy?
• What other literacy issues have hurt or helped you become the writer you are today?

Journal 3 

            Ever since I began writing in elementary school, plagiarism has been a huge part of every English class discussion.  From my first research project, to my papers in college, “no plagiarizing” has always been a highly stressed phrase.  One of my biggest research projects took place in my junior year of high school.  The project was to pick a controversial issue that has been debated about in scholarly journals.  The paper was to be at least fifteen pages long and required over twelve sources.  The lessons, research, collecting data, and final drafts took place over the course of one semester.  One of our first lessons on the project was plagiarism.  My teacher stressed how we needed to write in our “own” words and cite every idea and quote we took from other authors.  However, a few students in my class were caught plagiarizing but on complete accident.  Since the project required many sources, keeping track of which ideas came from what author was tricky.  One friend of mine cited the wrong author in one paragraph of her paper and was ridiculed by our teacher for plagiarism. Another student got in trouble for patch-working, as she thought she could take a source’s sentence and plug in some of her own words instead.  This instance was also considered plagiarism. Luckily, I have never plagiarized but many of my friends have had bad encounters with plagiarism.

            The unfortunate experiences of my friends and fellow classmates made me scared about plagiarism.  I was constantly scared I would cite the source incorrectly or accidently cite the wrong source.  This made me very hesitant about what ideas from sources I could use.  If I had a great idea of my own, I would be afraid that my teacher would think I got the idea from some other source.  Often times I would not be able to use this idea, as the consequences of plagiarizing, even by accident, are so severe.  Additionally, I am always cautious about making sure my words do not sound anything like the author’s in a source I am using.

            Another literary issue that has helped me become the writer I am today is the constant change in data especially in science and discoveries.  For example, when writing a paper for a science class, such as Astronomy, where discoveries are constantly being made and new theories always developing, I must double check the validity of information in my sources.  If a source is dated ten years back, then I know I need to make sure the information has not changed.  This has made me a better writer because I know make sure all of my sources in all of my classes have up to date and authentic information. Therefore, a literary issue has helped me with my writing in all instances.  

Malcolm X and His Quest for Learning

    For our second brainstorming journal assignment, we read an expert from Autobiography of Malcolm X, titled "Learning to Read."  In this piece, Malcolm X discusses how developed his reading and writing skills in his seven years of prison.  Malcolm X is also influenced by many literary sponsors, this term being defined in my previous blog post.  In his readings, he learns about white supremacy and the many hardships other races endured, especially African Americans. One controversial issue in Malcolm X's piece is how he learned more in his seven years in prison than many students do in college. How can it be that a man became more educated in prison than in school? Malcolm X never made it past the eighth grade yet educated himself in prison. Overall, this reading gives you a take on building literary skills in different ways and is designed to make you ponder more about a research question.  The follow questions are answered in the blog:

• Drawing on Brandt's definition of literacy sponsor, list as many of Malcolm X's literacy sponsors as yo can find. Remember that sponsors don't have to be people, but can also be ideas or institutions, that can withhold literacy as well as provide it.  
• Brandt explains that people often subvert or misappropriate the intentions of their sponsor. Was this ever the case with Malcolm X? How so?
• Explain a time you misappropriated one of your literacy sponsor's intentions. 

 Journal 2     

    Malcolm X had numerous literary sponsors who influenced his quest to improve literacy.  Elijah Muhammad was his leading sponsor who was the founder of the Nation of Islam.  Malcolm wanted to be able to write well-written leaders to Muhammad, and therefore, needed to rid himself of his street hustler slang.  The idea to get rid of his slang vocabulary was a literary sponsor by itself for Malcolm X.  Thus, Malcolm X began educating himself in writing, vocabulary, and reading.  He paid close attention to Muhammad’s teachings, which taught him about white domination and their cruel acts.  Another literary sponsor was the Norfolk Prison Colony School, which provided pens, pencils, tablets, and a huge library for him.  The dictionary was yet another literary sponsor Malcolm X came across.  The dictionary taught him the vocabulary to read books and helped him improve his penmanship by copying down the entire dictionary. Other literary sponsors were the idea of white supremacy, which drove Malcolm X to read about the hardships of other races, and the idea of civil rights.

         Malcolm X misappropriated his sponsors in two occasions.  First off, he disobeyed the prison, which was a huge sponsor, and their “lights out” rule.  Since the prison was providing him with an enormous library and allowing him to take out more books than the maximum amount, he was defying them by sneaking around the guards to read longer at night.  Malcolm X also misappropriated the literary sponsor, the idea of civil rights.  He took civil rights to an entire different context by explaining how civil rights did not even entail human rights for African Americans.

        I have misappropriated one of my literary sponsors intentions in the past, as well. My literary sponsor was my job at a pool as a lifeguard.  However, I had not completed any training to be a lifeguard.  Therefore, my job, which still wanted to hire me, sent me to a course for free. Once the training was finished, I was expected to then work at the pool.  I misappropriated my sponsor, as when the course was over, I was unable to take the job.  Thus, I got the benefit of the free course but my sponsor did not get anything in return since I could not work. 

Literary Sponsors

    For our first brainstorming journal assignment, our professor had us read "Sponsors of Literacy" by Deborah Brandt. This reading was designed to show how their are people, ideas, and institutions that help guide and sponsor our literary learning. The piece comments on the dynamic of these literary sponsors and what their role is in teaching. One issue that came about in Brandt's writing is the fact that literacy is constantly evolving.  How has the demand for literacy changed and evolved over time? People are left behind during these demanding changes.  In general, this reading is a start to developing a literary research question and gets one thinking on possible issues that are important today. The following questions are discussed in the journal entry:

• How does Brandt define a literacy sponsor? What are several particular characteristics of a literacy sponsor she offers throughout the article?
• Why does Brandt claim that sponsors always have something to gain form their sponsorship? What does this motivation have to do with Brandt's finding that the sponsored sometimes "misappropriate" their literacy lessons?
• Offer at least two examples of how literacy sponsors can gain from their sponsorship, and then develop at least two examples from your own experience. 

   Journal 1  

     Deborah Brandt, in “Sponsors of Literacy,” states that sponsors set the terms for literacy.  A literacy sponsor is an agent who withholds, supports, and teaches literacy in an attempt to gain an advantage or receive a benefit in return.  Sponsors are similar to delivery systems, as without them, literacy could not be brought to each individual learner.  Parents, teachers, and employers are all examples of sponsors who convey the act of reading and writing.  Sponsors can also be establishments and ideas that convey some sort of literacy. A literary sponsor must be influential, more knowledgeable, and informative.  Furthermore, a sponsor must employ power and determination as some of their driving characteristics.

       Brandt claims that sponsors always have something to gain from their sponsorship, as they are looking for success in some way.  Sponsors receive benefits either directly or indirectly, simply by being associated with whom they sponsor.  If sponsors had nothing to gain, than their would be no advantage for any sponsorship at all. Since they are always looking to gain something from their sponsoring, often times literary lessons are “misappropriated.”  Some sponsors put self-interest and self-development ahead of literary lessons.  When this happens, the lessons can be taught improperly, send the wrong message, or be “misappropriated.”

        Literary sponsors gain sponsorship in many different instances.  For example, as Brandt pointed out, companies sponsor Little League teams all the time.  By wearing the sponsor’s name, the team gets to play ball while in return the company is being advertised.  Another instance is when the England Protestant Sunday Schools was sponsored to enhance learning by adding writing and math to their curriculum.  Ministries sponsored the learning and received the benefit of spreading the Protestant faith in return.  In one of my own experiences, Barnes and Noble sponsored my elementary school by encouraging students to read a certain number of chosen books.  The students who participated, including myself, gained literary knowledge and in return Barnes Noble received a form of advertising.  Moreover, a literary sponsorship is given each and every day by our culture in their constant support of technology access.  Libraries, schools, restaurants, and even public train stations provide Internet access allowing us to read something on the internet at our own convenience.  

Legendary Layout

So why blue? I chose my blog's layout to be shades of blue and some green because it reminds me of the ocean. I feel calm and free to let my mind wander when I am looking out at the ocean. I know I have done some of my best and deepest thinking while starring out into the vast sea.  My friends home in New Jersey, who this blog is primarily for, enjoy the beach and the serenity of the ocean, too. I hope my friends and anyone who reads my posts get a good feel of how I write. In return, I hope to become a better writer and express my creativity. This is the first time I am making any of my writing public so hopefully this will result in some positive improvements in my writing.  My entire blog is apart of a process to develop a present literary issue in society today and conduct research on this problem.