Topic: Do teachers in Art and English face the same problems of practice, process, and product?
I am interested in this topic because I have a strong interest and background in Art, Art Education, and Communications, and Intercultural Studies. I continually draw the same parallel issues that Crossroads brings up in Composition classes are also the same in Art. I believe that although the studies are separate in certificate it is a teacher issue across the board.
I want to know why teachers think they know better than theory and why there is such a struggle in changing practices as to not emphasize product over process.
What motivates me to learn about this topic is that since I am looking to become a teacher –at some level—I want to understand more about art education theory and compare it to English. I think it is valuable because most of the time people spend there time arguing how different they are, but they have a lot in common when it comes to teaching styles and emphasis on curriculum.
I think I know (1) teachers always think they know best and what they have found to work will not be challenged by some “theorist” & (2) creativity is handled the same way in the classroom with a paintbrush or pen.
The two questions that you could reasonably address in a seminar paper on your topic are: (1) What can we learn about education styles regarding creativity in American classrooms? (2) Why is it important to look beyond one’s department—comfort zone—to find an answer?
Monday, October 29, 2007
Revisiting the Inquiry Contract
Part I: Reflecting on your own writing
In his book, Inquiry and Genre, David Jolliffe proposes the following questions to consider when engaging in scholarly inquiry.
When the general public considers the subject I’m working with, what are the issues, questions or concerns that they think are important to discuss? Why would one compare Art courses to English courses?
Do these questions and concerns differ from those of the scholarly discourse community? I don't think they do. I'm sure I have to present a strong connection toanyone reading this essay.
In discussions of my subject, what are some of the status quo assumptions that appear to go unsaid but nonetheless seem almost universally believed? That art and english are separate and should stay that way. However, I don't think many have sat in the position I do.
In texts that people produce about my subject, what kinds of outcomes or results do they expect the texts to have with readers? Do writers about my subject usually expect a reader simply to consider their ideas, to believe in them strongly, to take some specific action? What?
Monday, October 22, 2007
Exploring your Inquiry Project Topic
If you are feeling confident in your choice of a particular topic for your Inquiry Project, you may only need to write about that topic. If you are unsure, explore two or three topics by responding to the following questions on your personal blog:
Part I: Exploration
1. Identify the issue or problem that you plan to focus on in your Inquiry Project. a. Synthesize the Veiws of process vs. product from both English and Art Education Perspective
b. integration--strengths and weaknesses) in both English and the Arts
2. What is your personal connection to and interest in this topic?
I am in Art Education and study Communications and have foundmyself in an interesting perspective to be able to analize different types of education strategies.
3. What opinions do you already hold about this topic?
I am learning that there are more parralels than I ever thought and I think that we could both learn from what the other has tried.
4. What knowledge do you already have about this topic. Alot on the Art side, but not too much from the English perspective.
What are your main questions about this topic?
What are process and product emphasis in both English and Art - past and present
How is "multicultural" works integrated?
What are you most curious about?
Is there a difference in theory v. application style at the colligiate level?
6. How might composition theorists and researchers approach or study this topic?
Perhaps a survey or interview?
Does this approach differ from those of other related disciplines (such as communication studies)?
not really.
7. How could you research this topic outside the library (for example, through interviews and/or observations)?
check the education journals and or find an art education source or theory book
Part II: Focusing
Write an initial claim, or an open-ended question, to guide your research on this topic. Make it specific but exploratory. Remember that a good claim opens up an area of inquiry about a topic; a claim should invite evidence, support, and debate.
Right from the beginning Language Arts and Applied/Fine Arts are seperated by certificate. But are they really different in the practice of education styles? Does theory match practice?
Part I: Exploration
1. Identify the issue or problem that you plan to focus on in your Inquiry Project. a. Synthesize the Veiws of process vs. product from both English and Art Education Perspective
b. integration--strengths and weaknesses) in both English and the Arts
2. What is your personal connection to and interest in this topic?
I am in Art Education and study Communications and have foundmyself in an interesting perspective to be able to analize different types of education strategies.
3. What opinions do you already hold about this topic?
I am learning that there are more parralels than I ever thought and I think that we could both learn from what the other has tried.
4. What knowledge do you already have about this topic. Alot on the Art side, but not too much from the English perspective.
What are your main questions about this topic?
What are process and product emphasis in both English and Art - past and present
How is "multicultural" works integrated?
What are you most curious about?
Is there a difference in theory v. application style at the colligiate level?
6. How might composition theorists and researchers approach or study this topic?
Perhaps a survey or interview?
Does this approach differ from those of other related disciplines (such as communication studies)?
not really.
7. How could you research this topic outside the library (for example, through interviews and/or observations)?
check the education journals and or find an art education source or theory book
Part II: Focusing
Write an initial claim, or an open-ended question, to guide your research on this topic. Make it specific but exploratory. Remember that a good claim opens up an area of inquiry about a topic; a claim should invite evidence, support, and debate.
Right from the beginning Language Arts and Applied/Fine Arts are seperated by certificate. But are they really different in the practice of education styles? Does theory match practice?
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
**Not What it Seems** a students refection of academia
Jacqueline Jones Royster reflects on the experience of having one's "subjectivity" denied or disrespected in academic culture. My experiences reveal about voice, difference, and what may be gained and/or lost through membership in the "academic discourse community"? Here is the "scene" of a proposal for a peace mural project that has been shot down and built up simulataneously by the same poeople of academia!
I think that students are very much underminded as to what they can accomplish by the academic culture. Most hard working students keep odd hours to keep everything a float and their lives are very hard to keep up with. They balance a minimum of 4 schedules and yes rescheduling is just part of how it works. I have also found that mulptiple studies students are continually trying to follow many academic roads simultaneously. Although this accomplishment of multitasking would be seemingly valued in our culture it seems to not be. I serve 6 areas of study and they all want claim for themselves and seem not to value my input because I come from too many, although if one listens to me they can see the connections between my studies. But yet I am just an undergrad student. In fact when financial aid cut off aid for having too many credits
not finished...
My "cross-cultural exchange" became contact zones with individuals I really did not think were.
I think that students are very much underminded as to what they can accomplish by the academic culture. Most hard working students keep odd hours to keep everything a float and their lives are very hard to keep up with. They balance a minimum of 4 schedules and yes rescheduling is just part of how it works. I have also found that mulptiple studies students are continually trying to follow many academic roads simultaneously. Although this accomplishment of multitasking would be seemingly valued in our culture it seems to not be. I serve 6 areas of study and they all want claim for themselves and seem not to value my input because I come from too many, although if one listens to me they can see the connections between my studies. But yet I am just an undergrad student. In fact when financial aid cut off aid for having too many credits
not finished...
My "cross-cultural exchange" became contact zones with individuals I really did not think were.
Voice's Point of View
Jacquelene Jones Royster's essay "When the First Voice you Hear Is Not Your Own" is her own personal account of how careful one needs to be when entering "cross-boundary discourse". Cross-boundary-discourse can happen in a variety of ways; from subject matter to racial. She marks on both. Those who can do so successfully are named "hybrid people". She marks that a subjects position, or "voice", is detramental to the interpretation of the written work or speach. Even so with one's analytical lens on and even walking in the composers thought process, she still reminds it is still a limited lens.
Royster's "scenes", her personal account, warn about speaking for Others and she does not partake in tresspass vission. Tresspass vision (616) comes from a side of intellect and not personal history, which may lead to the devalue of ones opinion. Roysters engages on works from African American Woman in hopes that in doing so it will create a rite of passage to credibilty (617). This also marks why she believes--and I agree-- that it is not good enough to to just write, but to speak what is written. To speak aloud also means to be open to misinterpreted--or to have your well thought out words bruised by interpretation as she puts it. However, it keeps the lines of communication open and gives way to learning from one another. I think Bruffee would agree with Royster and vice versa, in that dialogue both about and for comoposition is key to effective comunication.
Royster also brings this into the classroom. She notes one also must be wary of "spirit murder" (621) in that when someone is talking or writing about someothing moving to them to be careful to nurture the student to keep sharing and not close up. I agree that opening and connecting with the students is key to keeping them engaged both in and out of the classroom.
Happy will the day be that essays like this no longer need to be written, but only archived as a growing point. Although Royster gives credit that the world "of rhetoric and composition has blossomed on diversified"(621) I feel the Arts are still behind. Yes they are better, but I agree that much more dialogue and documentation is needed for all groups of people that have been minimalized; aka the glass ceiling for all women.
This is a blog I could write forever, so if this sparks any inquiry please respond.
Royster's "scenes", her personal account, warn about speaking for Others and she does not partake in tresspass vission. Tresspass vision (616) comes from a side of intellect and not personal history, which may lead to the devalue of ones opinion. Roysters engages on works from African American Woman in hopes that in doing so it will create a rite of passage to credibilty (617). This also marks why she believes--and I agree-- that it is not good enough to to just write, but to speak what is written. To speak aloud also means to be open to misinterpreted--or to have your well thought out words bruised by interpretation as she puts it. However, it keeps the lines of communication open and gives way to learning from one another. I think Bruffee would agree with Royster and vice versa, in that dialogue both about and for comoposition is key to effective comunication.
Royster also brings this into the classroom. She notes one also must be wary of "spirit murder" (621) in that when someone is talking or writing about someothing moving to them to be careful to nurture the student to keep sharing and not close up. I agree that opening and connecting with the students is key to keeping them engaged both in and out of the classroom.
Happy will the day be that essays like this no longer need to be written, but only archived as a growing point. Although Royster gives credit that the world "of rhetoric and composition has blossomed on diversified"(621) I feel the Arts are still behind. Yes they are better, but I agree that much more dialogue and documentation is needed for all groups of people that have been minimalized; aka the glass ceiling for all women.
This is a blog I could write forever, so if this sparks any inquiry please respond.
Monday, October 15, 2007
"Now I have to teach them to think too?" Or can I?
Patricia Bizzel's article "Cognition, Convention, and Certainty: What We Need to Know About Writing" has an interesting take on the current issues seen in the classroom. She start by saying that the comp classroom use to be where teachers helped place ideas on paper, teach style, and exposure to "good" models will help those not creatively inclined in language arts. However, she notes that today’s teacher has to not "only convey information but also...transform students' whole world view"(387). The most current issue seen today is trouble writing Standard English and almost all are agreed that "writing has to do with the thinking processes involved in it (388).
Bizzel then goes on to state where composition specialists agree and disagree. The agreement is: "there are some fundamental elements in the development of language and thought", language can be learned, as well as complex conceptual structures. Then the ultimate test of mastery, of said abilities, are tested in the field of society through engagement with others. The disagreement is which part of "writing is relevant to composition studies" (388).
There are two "camps"; one is writing is primarily inner-directed and the other is writing is out directed. "In the current debate, each camp seeks to define what we MOST need to know about writing"(388). Inner-directed theorists seek to discover that the writing process are fundamental which equals universalism. They also think that language dictates the how we write. If there is no word for what is needed to convey meaning how can one convey it through writing? They also believe these fundamental structures of thought and language can be taught. They also teach through audience analysis (390). Outer0directed theorists debate that thought and language processes can NOT be taught and looks into discourse analysis (analyzing community). "Audience analysis aims to persuade readers that you're right; it is to dress your argument in flattering apparel. Discourse analysis aims to enable you to make that argument, to do the intellectual work of significance to the community, and hence, to persuade readers that you are a worthy co-worker" (392). It is also important to note that Bizzel defines discourse community as Stanley Fish does through " "interpretive community'...whose language-using habits are part of a larger pattern of regular interaction with the material world"(398).
Bizzel also tears into Flower and Hayes's "process theory" model a lot. She gives the props for continuing to revise it in the beginning. But then attacks the "goal setting" process because the WHY of why we goal set is not researchable (399). In that even through the lens of protocol analysis --the bridging of articulation of the writing process and the writing process of the test writer--is still an interpretive lens and is not near 100% effective to see into why people do what they do.
I think this article is highly relatable to my own composition experiences. I have noticed my own writing process develop as my vocabulary has. I also agree more with outer-directed theorists in that word choice does dictate my word choice and structure development. I agree also that students are not ready for real world application in that they loose their creative nature in most academic settings and therefore write to the limited audience of the institution. Unfortunately, this will inevitably create a large problem in life after a syllabus. So hopefully we will figure out the why and start up the writing process in the next generation.
Bizzel then goes on to state where composition specialists agree and disagree. The agreement is: "there are some fundamental elements in the development of language and thought", language can be learned, as well as complex conceptual structures. Then the ultimate test of mastery, of said abilities, are tested in the field of society through engagement with others. The disagreement is which part of "writing is relevant to composition studies" (388).
There are two "camps"; one is writing is primarily inner-directed and the other is writing is out directed. "In the current debate, each camp seeks to define what we MOST need to know about writing"(388). Inner-directed theorists seek to discover that the writing process are fundamental which equals universalism. They also think that language dictates the how we write. If there is no word for what is needed to convey meaning how can one convey it through writing? They also believe these fundamental structures of thought and language can be taught. They also teach through audience analysis (390). Outer0directed theorists debate that thought and language processes can NOT be taught and looks into discourse analysis (analyzing community). "Audience analysis aims to persuade readers that you're right; it is to dress your argument in flattering apparel. Discourse analysis aims to enable you to make that argument, to do the intellectual work of significance to the community, and hence, to persuade readers that you are a worthy co-worker" (392). It is also important to note that Bizzel defines discourse community as Stanley Fish does through " "interpretive community'...whose language-using habits are part of a larger pattern of regular interaction with the material world"(398).
Bizzel also tears into Flower and Hayes's "process theory" model a lot. She gives the props for continuing to revise it in the beginning. But then attacks the "goal setting" process because the WHY of why we goal set is not researchable (399). In that even through the lens of protocol analysis --the bridging of articulation of the writing process and the writing process of the test writer--is still an interpretive lens and is not near 100% effective to see into why people do what they do.
I think this article is highly relatable to my own composition experiences. I have noticed my own writing process develop as my vocabulary has. I also agree more with outer-directed theorists in that word choice does dictate my word choice and structure development. I agree also that students are not ready for real world application in that they loose their creative nature in most academic settings and therefore write to the limited audience of the institution. Unfortunately, this will inevitably create a large problem in life after a syllabus. So hopefully we will figure out the why and start up the writing process in the next generation.
Wednesday, October 3, 2007
An Honest Relationship?
David Bartholomae had some very interesting points within in his work titled "Inventing the University", which had four main setcions. In his first section he states that by nature a student in a Liberal school should be able to act a a chameleon in writing in various discourses simultaneously by the sophomore year of study. He also defines "basic writers" as those placed in traditional remedial courses. Then he eloborates and states that a defining characteristic is that "basic writers" offer advice or homilies rather than academic conclusions. His second part adresses audience in that a student must be able to write to a variety of audience in order to be sucessful. Also, knowing the "codes" (language of a particular discourse in which the audience is adressed) grants the inside track knowledge neeeded for powerful discourse. He also notes that where education fails is when students are not engaged in scholarly projects - or what is perceived as busy work to the student. Then lies a truth in that students will engage in bastard discourse. Bastard discourse, ironically, is acheivable bacause a student can fake their discourse. This type of discourse is also brought up to note that it undermines education because instead of setting up schemas-- which is challenging-- the students take the easy way out and write to get by and then cheat themselves as well. Section three is about how one sifts through college entrance essays and what he thinks constitutes as a good paper and questions creativity. He states that non creative works can be masked as great writing because of mastery of good grammar but is one reads carefully it is easy to see the lack of creativity. Good writers also set the stage for transition in thought with academic proof behind there transition into a well thought out and executed conclusion. There is even notation for the naive writer to use a template to help draw out a conclution from unfamiliar texts. Section four hammers out the ideas that it is in the naive writers best interest to learn many different forms writing styles and to practice writing as honest as possible inorder to grow from the experience.
O - I have a lot to say about this article. As for the part about entrance essays I still don't think it is an accurate we to place people. I was placed in a remedial English course for college and my teacher was completely befuddled as to why I was in her class! She even went as far to see if it was a clarical error and it actally did note that it was perceived that my idea of being creative through reflective thought, I in fact was marked down for writing too informally. However, I whole heartedly agree with the concept that bastard discourse really is a waste of everyones time. On the students side not going the extra mile to connect with the assignment will only hurt their own knowledge in the end because they most likely will not grow from whatever such discourse was used. In fact, I would even hypothesize, that once they "get away with it" they will inturn be more focused how to do it again verses trying harder to connect with the assignment. As for the instructor's side, they may not pick up on such discourse because it is masked in the dialogue of the community and there by think the course work is working well. Therefore, I think it is just as important for the teacher --at the colligiate level-- to pick relative exercises that work with the objectives of the course and it is the students job to build their own schemas.
He draws on many authors of composistion theory. Flower is noted arguing that inexperienced writers largest difficulty lies in "negotioating the translation between"writer-based" and "reader based" prose"(627).
O - I have a lot to say about this article. As for the part about entrance essays I still don't think it is an accurate we to place people. I was placed in a remedial English course for college and my teacher was completely befuddled as to why I was in her class! She even went as far to see if it was a clarical error and it actally did note that it was perceived that my idea of being creative through reflective thought, I in fact was marked down for writing too informally. However, I whole heartedly agree with the concept that bastard discourse really is a waste of everyones time. On the students side not going the extra mile to connect with the assignment will only hurt their own knowledge in the end because they most likely will not grow from whatever such discourse was used. In fact, I would even hypothesize, that once they "get away with it" they will inturn be more focused how to do it again verses trying harder to connect with the assignment. As for the instructor's side, they may not pick up on such discourse because it is masked in the dialogue of the community and there by think the course work is working well. Therefore, I think it is just as important for the teacher --at the colligiate level-- to pick relative exercises that work with the objectives of the course and it is the students job to build their own schemas.
He draws on many authors of composistion theory. Flower is noted arguing that inexperienced writers largest difficulty lies in "negotioating the translation between"writer-based" and "reader based" prose"(627).
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