ERIC EJ690844: Genre, Medium, and Learning to Write: Negotiating Identities, Enacting School-Based Literacies in Adulthood

2004·4.1 MB·English

by  ERIC

Beatrice Quarshie
Smith

Genre, Medium,
and Learning

to Write:
Negotiating
Identities,
Enacting School-
Based Literacies
in Adulthood

Writing Snrmeton othe United Sats now retinal thes place ve ne
worked extern. For aul learn in pon atin si

en ad eater go bak
school to acer tn wri thay need tn develop a alfa

ies we understand lw wait
as oti Cente, Sach

mre Mets comin Write
15 jure! of Calientes 3), Senng 28S

snmagh en fener complicatedby te 52 oF conzputers owt.
Ing -s.tucion In tee Unites Sates at lea, one onnaequence a the
‘engoing technological reve ution i tha -loge wil. nicuscion tp
aly ner a computermencove cnvioneicnte The merrelatea-
shipbe.nsoulilesi2yl=sning ual merging echnel-ateahas romped
some stholars designate sarent :ollegeaged sudenls us mento
Ea geraratin ware relovonahip eth computer teehnclogy shapes
sheirassunglivnsabuu leraty (Dsfelmeyer, 2002; Tar's, 1992) P=
From my obseweaions, is charscteseation cons not desctbe Ue cape
excesafna-nadional oniming edoain oper admissions ists,
fer tees Sauer s, dhe solworse. environmen eae further layers a
fn-plewity te isuss of xderey eonerretio fer abe sealing ing
subject althougs shemidy nthe rledaest-p berween computers 2:4
venting aasevelved asa subleil u vation stadrs over thn la" 99

al examines the lle soy weated
‘xpeviences of nomrad'ional earner: in comporsesodiated learns
ecvsrenmests, Usdevstanding ho adults negate learning i
florins onvimsnroats can help ws erese beter learicg adic
Tus due adults who are rzurnt- 5m tadional echoe'ing ir anereests
smombers This alizis penenls ths Eolings of « quatates ead ene
Sorted fe 2 common college wate gues that we weed ly
doely sll learners (pe =cacapeusiln hele experiomees with chao
fies end teraces i ays thal os alual (ity alzeady sont, wh
Simesanen-rly tonarng ts development of what they deste ia 656
tha: ate seldeinpenening

Genre Study: "The Avrodiography

parteuary fhnce weap sn aow sting foactons in the avalos
Shere Gauolonce, S001 p. Sl, Herfrd 1990, p. 9m) ever cae lest
‘wentjfive yeees ore, the weak et selec i, Gel we diverse asa
lie lingu rine (aig, 1975 Kress IMR; rales, 900), comune
Cason ties Compl scnexon, 1978), Pion: ae competion
(Rowacshi, 200), szerman 1997, Coe, 192; Devil, 1225-0. lo,
1s84: Ruse, 1097, snd uration (chrisde, Init Cope 6 Saaptee
ISS Dias, 2804; Sewn & Medbeay, 160") hove pushed reer a
(reyeonenptualizaten of zens, Thi sip uy boy cf wot has
convied gee sudy rote explaracor zower as itbas moved lary
‘cyan she ci oF eve res Caich a8 auteatography) and io delite
:ng anc orgtng the sinds of soca artons tat tents snake Fess ble
“hetncally, Such sock sclis nde “de scially sane ned
4

soe Moka sr 2

of appenoriarly meengntoing end bchaving” (User, LUN. 941)
{hac > an-eealae onl wen <n: ae a te fener that gereR
“use. tsnotoast echorluncli, Baws
(2000; argusd for feragronndirggoore #8the sheteieal ersiseamere
‘thin which we ecoaiias eit and conequerdy eproda-e varia
tuations precni“eg relatos, are eenties (9 230} Sus: epic.
tire Uznoertionntha sey of tests te ~lade the ends of
‘hata par of ‘evervay spel Wat merey vasa and ge
‘Ths move aa cntial fe herais exetes the sheoceicl sce
rag she sudy oF gore and tenarath ose consumes er oto
Sy sens, and thus gcuords sul sey she kind ef seriouanees hat
‘us netetcfore czpliede-Iy te sarameal ane cues-sanouical tc,

The aatobisgtapay genre often pawns? ae condveiee foe ine
vedeing soit writers t public wiidig For eau gle Sertiolomee
src Fetrsiy (2935) init. sraéents te pie wen via seas,
‘lscussing aad sins abeu ac-aalogyat Hol teeta The reading ard
Aisenssion of avrabiograpincal leis si. 48 Manyacet Neate Blather
‘Wier <= aya Angclen'as aw Way rhetoard fre Sigs, its ecguca,
{bsovade ears with mlm entry nts om seni they ea Be
ain thtell veriomsof cher own stoves, Tht ais sates) Sea comma

pog:e mere tx adult learning crs te see~ in Larsen are Boedy's
sige aLu.the usef-Inees 0 ae"ablgrapiiel song to the
Geveiepmens of adi Ieseness, ‘they asset ua. “every aul learnt
(02 the tery ofthat in| Mon mpmitcamt eres ot
(© 13)-1his dea of ax sbiagny ata medium for “ining exper co
an bringing tie being i pactculacly sigitlcanh iy Ure contest of
Ke ‘asi, etes “Vapenence sa omce
dation od i in 288 oF ne ptate™
ec adul, nannies saga in
Inkepretive swell 2 cecal recive praca abe te exper
parculanly wher exctiescs a qua sta vate (Ya Ras), 907
fi, when experien-a ie conzepeualzed ‘phe comenagivaly ites
pragautialy” (173

‘Men adult Teauess, Uoauls Htersse, 7 Fev hows tat
place them outside he howmeries eetesnunss by the eonveaticaal
Sudesurauurecurrculsm? Thess Ieamers afin lnk cenfidesce abut
she schskbased btevacy coils, Indeed, as oth Heaton! Some, ae

jill 1994) haves dor-neeatedenmrenches neuous of wit wuts
as ering ole lead 19 the marg-alizztion of arsed “gaye seers
‘and Lier wacher. When t-siniction slated sa eoing suck “earners
Geseog hese seule eres rts feta # ert

camirti=s oF esc viters abe: leasing , wie ean be fetes,
7 Frama Cee Rens wn Lenin, 542) Sprig 288

gre (2001 peed aut shes any ads presen themeelwes ax helpless
and incompetent in their lneraty ilies Fuether ews cones olen,
tee. imimdated by weiting Create of she pubic and seal aatuce oF
the ner (Clack Fean, 197) Such Welter may feel cance abou
‘Ge mature of wid in igher education du is oot ci by « demas
tbon between sheir fozmeraelves'and there ‘becoming selves (ps8

Yerasanjone whe sores wh adult Tearners wll ant they hing to
Gir learning a rich cruy of eperiouces,vflen lieracy seated, at
can ke egamed by she pecagomes ana environments that a Teara

earners (a) tha uae af he aurablograpy ard che psi it cpons
(©) Ge naire ofthe elector. learaing envizonttent is which leart-
S25 wvnte is emoedded, and (c) the arccesss3 of Hemtityregeciation
{that onvirorment Speriizaly, tasks how eva wha idersicos are
corstructed/ene:posed, and what fubject posions ze taken ug by adele
earners as they ork with and arcund technologies Itai locke athe
‘plications ofthe findings or aching adul lesmors in nesvorsed

Method

he study adopted a qualtstive, sste=atic, and intersonal inguiry
races by drasring or shelorgwadiion of oechcr esearch (Pat rman
& Duify Hester 2002) ina fvahanam level reading wesing cours att
‘open adicissins co-ansznity college, In thes: senthess o: the method
ahdimethedelogy i teicher-sitah, Raumann and Dory Heessr meted
Guta wormerstime of eather resatch i at ts pragmatic aed sc
lonented, that is, savolves retlecting on one’s teaching ane prac,
‘quiring chant i, exploring t, a4 then taking sion ta impr oF
alos i (p. 2) Inuity ane rllection ace oot cae i teacher reel
land esearch knovledge. Out of sch practices teacher produces new
Tinnwladge abet reaching and Isarving, in she cetres fer shies
sucess ers espetie 2 Goveluy sade related iterates that woud
‘erable them to function mr acaceraie and public communes. AS with
ll reing ere arte csllega Fsermse was mugen acomp er
“Ee-worked environmen, Tas arate developers posits ead at
‘eriting as social 2ractices, recognising that “we wnte not ae slate
‘ndividzals but as members of communities whose belief, enncrras,
a pracclensbovh signe andl constr, at eset pac, the sores oF
(Gigs we ean say” Hurts, 1929, p12. Tho challenge tr the teacher
‘was te craw on what ea:ners brought ‘» tie networked exvisenmens,
‘while engaging these experiences as leitinste for explorion,
Geo eon and Lars Wie Ey

‘Sighlerss eh. leaonery enrolled: a pubis, midwestern
feelings desig the fa. of 20ND owovies tie data (or
sve 8 mer and “9 seemen, o>

vine Canibbean, ad

9% are Lispunse ad
‘Students com fem a eal area “hat

Sot Women accou [t 56% ot ste waders popalation Mam sider
(Gots) grend he hood en a parson basis

Frireary se hnclag =a, Bteracy su-veys and $a
enzagenersted zeshiograp hse tex Supp e~ntary deve sone
teackes jourual en-es hese includ partidpact sbeesver note),
teaching log. end confers Inee

‘Teuliuclgieal iterary mares. stants wor ed whine bout and
respend to tems relates to amily etauy hisses, pereor:lenacy
bistories and mer-orisa,ane hisesweth-echnolegies toca wate
allowed ts Ue-ids what coratinied se*anelrgieaie hein ines Jey se
Sponed => questicas stc- as “Du vou wiasices yotswalta Rtrate “Fer
ofthe technslogies’ “rw Ao va eta tera in sniscoatext™

“Techielogy autobicgraphies. Sviders" re toked tm set c85873
af eto aes about thou Lacs au as rege chen
to Ldamtiy very self cenacieusy rhe sechslmis that they use
\eete tobe esplet abut what 3 azmeT-gy wan te hom ae chy. Ste
ema er ala to conside= the caltially spose ways in wiz st
Sefiriiors fancuen?

1a Lasse essays Uiey setonezned shale presets of aging
ters rrartices thee co=ticlled a wia.ever cates the) 2noee a
sites for (hei recorstruesions in drng thet “eeometructon, saicests
ado exanie abel: ineracier Wit” various technaloges 22 thoy
Asfined show and => evaluate che eau ofthese (ecologies om thelr
_proosse of ceeuiring ar extend ng ther “terac abssties. The asia
‘lent Seabed teks lugiesn very aad tema specit=aiy noted

othat emer aigal eehasleaes a angi sur densa

ing oflternoy. Tis techno agy sutebiegeaphves therelors, focus on tke
artice=* mulutal prccesssth whick uses of weading writes and
ocumuriclir. ace asacdatee in fhe many com's n which tne cult
earners inthis 2255 tanctioa, The Wctuatogy aucoaiagrahien wane
20 japnate Clge Bergan Lear 342 Spring 2084

‘ublic sets, in chat they eete Hound as # class book that all sents
ecuved and used for ochor exorcses im the course

Procetwre
‘The course wos caught ina computer amediswed envizonment in which
Sudenis read discussed snd wee abou, ie median of instcuckon
Ind fs related dimes ond sepreseections. Sen's in hie st
‘iso used u cuunve bed, cachcr moderates ayzadrvaone discussie
Is: on the college's cule eaching progam, Toplass che dala were
eliawed during “he fal of 200 ern materials reared ta Fe ee
olde coures which epanised ar Wo five wees

‘Students Fast were ashec ts comolete the lecirciogical eracy survey
Seuder's shared and daeasiral rete evry sesainans heh i elas a4
Cle ea Ue cragaged ina tuber ut planning invention, aad deal
2g procesteso generate wechncloay aulobiogaachues as det ik males
‘reece forthe antes Thess rots andes samples fring thar ere
2 Studer /techiloy inieraclione provide dat fo: Ce sali

Daca Coding and analysts
até cading and analvsi enailed iden isis paviexs in Cie weprecen.a
sions of self an sschinclogy use ast was eacoded mn students (tectncl
9) auchngrapos. Sader tars were read by the author

tp identiy recasting theres, Te ina Cotes wece meso eomattuc
Sion ard recovery represencatiors of tie teraces, writers conte, a

te generate the three broad themes sed ler the analysis, Tae
ther csded the date yesng he revises chemes: The seconé coder then
reall es independdensy and cod the same: by temifying xl
abeling texts that reflected the cstegories anc cher:es. Tae percentage
Cregreement cur ndepersent coding wel 36 Inthe cases where
‘ve ditsgived, we diseuwod our redonae for vateguryCesigmasio ard
cares to consenas on how tie data smnple ancald be label.
‘The final thematic categories need fr the analyse ate
1 How (ex eatade comueturative pracioes and alle ‘heir
wrters 6 engage in memery work.
2 Hw teats allow writers 79 compose/construct idersites in
terme ifthe wavs bs s/"ich wre sepreserthemseives 2d
he seal andavadericrwerlds awl ashovr they repre
ere a2

‘Show lulinluyies ase repesented and how/whem weitere
eas tho Kreractes

‘The texte used Sr he analysts wore tose that ands presented 2
{eit nal ats fr the ait tec-logy autceingrapng. “aere nad
nafs ware suh-lli-s< “art ¢ the etudents peri.a6 Ue wee
Tas texts used in the é:zcusson ofthe anz'yaar=reprosroted vst #8
sendenss w:ote ec. he va ples siete tor dieeeniom are sharae
terbticof tin thames idenfied dring coins

Analysis of the Intersections of Genre, Medium and
Writer Subjaccivities
This selon sldreses te dlmenslone of vsiting the at-ybiogrerhy,
\sringinelecrnic envulcamens ai ce geueseee tant nag.
lion ah wetting ennat= fer aut narrers “re stexacy au ioatap.y
ot naracs is» pecawouic sxategy teachers have often éraloee ta
“andervand se smn 5B Mille (189)
decane Jutstch aantens Fein eave, suienss idles edseatonal
stance (p.25)—Uuss, they mals allie the wes of expemsonres
Grat Pamesmcents zeqristuon anc uridersiansing tera practcen
lava vinilar way, tckme'ngy antsbiognasies rover. toe experintal
dynamics (ua dues seme’ rsione and Iterations with “ear
sechncg es The enable Cieu7ite-s lb oo atuul an apeane sel?
sol asa uobesen ured eategery per se hut rather ata process haz
Goines io being at Ue point of ext prcdcton ctoblograpies. aa
Hosted (1009) notes, enable us to examine ie lating betwee
selhiepcesesu:, ne hibtoise: wales and he tpleatons of tie
relationship for unde: sali Cu complet e€-he mement-y in
tod sv afes (p

iuclogy watobiugcaphies pvide opaarranties fa aden 226
Ascrom cay and me tevent ears sspestencesardca he ndleceens
‘dua ememping tee nalepies imate oa die. al ales lowanus leering
feaming Swatey.n, ud cremations to Iving th raese tech! ogies
Self aed Htligoss (1998) te tht "wechne’ 9 along with tae iat
(Cac sarpurd is un In aving and sertingireusive u asatout, oik
pPhysccally acd intell=tuully iar-pes he ways nae we mae eat
‘ng? [F-D. Computers, ly pointed out, “change the way a which re
read, construct. end ferret texts. In doi 0 eckstlagy fervee us te
otha orastituiea.s t le] am". suchlogranes as,
for: smeave an averse to hws vgs sbout a” elt“ Wiles “hen cann3t
Ibe separated fem the wtter's slencty, though evar denrity = serpted
ough che on'mrellv available meds of set. al aatcative tom
plates tet at-uccane expr-nnrial histor (lesen, “99, p=
‘nvigts become clscrer as we examine dh fist theane of anal

1 Commemareis pnerions and yemony wor
ike vti=r auobiographical wong, ecology auubiographies wow
{ads twnters make ane snriake persona memery. The work oFsep=
Tetenting siemery is simultaneously 21 eae 2° elf epresenats
sand a revslation ofan uuthoril se, Shasing euch 2s alo enables 3
‘lasscoom comraunsty to expereace the comamnal effeom of emer
Iheng a legtimating evportnoes lated nthe em snd ae,
‘Titeiavies and techrolugies, However, uisbiggrhical siting alto
‘constitutes ssketaling forthe erting ssjer because st makes pubc
frat hich ea, apurtil ha momento earronmng naan private
‘same dnc, testes di potenti: fe voyeuris. ad exhibitions
im the example below, ‘lina (ell nares ate Settious), @ twenty-six
year-old Whit snman eho inf high =o and later want ack fer ber
‘GED, engages in seniors work it is also in some ways comscemc:
luce In she process she constructs aspects ropresomtation of her sl
‘She noter
As Twas giowing up my family moved a lot A ioum of
techaalogs shat has helped ma v2 romemisse vents t= =
lie that" aeould have no fen shot ar proces Plesures arm
2 wonderful way to loos back at events in 2 person's Lie ar
Sco who they were then and noe they may are> chemged. ©
‘would way that paceares arn one of may Eiorste forme of tech
pelos Tse 12%
|e Tina feck back at hor ekldheod, she onsct fe readersreprcsen-
talons ef her childhood nd the relationshie she has developed with
various technelegies. Photseaphc ‘echnc.caes, she notes, enable us
ti tomemnor a sseardea past tnd 9 eaprre the present hy crest
physica arcs uf experience. This prof her tex allows ert tars
‘bet gave on her life, 9 rea2 it and to -ateroce: it. Se als situates her
‘ending af photograchie techroiogis in a ‘arger calzura con:cxt B5
‘capturing what Hesiord (1996), drawing o.alzn Sokula’s wor terms
“the socially cohesive function ofthe ahotcersphic image anc its mors
‘eeariamy” (p 6) Solis work aces the Mis-oica Functions
laphic tec-nolegies by deonstrsting, ax-ong tte thing, how “fam=
Aly photographs ssstained seramental tes in a nation of samigrarss"
and area ad a “winerennsh cenvny fala that woe seiee
‘and oecome an ese lesley fratare of areca mas ctr”
(G5 quoted in Hesiod, 1999, p. 6) Tina Zly photogs an her
Tlabensiupte taose ahotes allow ker wy susizin her ies her posta
to fom history anc thes constuct a wel. represents cestain part
Gee, Mean Lsng 1 Wr

lot hor dentixy and her expenences, Wet as soos! action is fondo.
enlly abou: mean'ag making. Representations ch dood sn he
inecione of phoiogrepic technologies on one's ssemories of chleaved
fan kelp saudenss like Lina make sense of tree rlatiorshpe with che
rechnnlngiee ®mat ate becor-ing par 0! eis lesrrngemvinonaronts id
Uo locate tec: ia ties sslteral ane seciepoltcal com

tha those sbities were very ener Tan ol rime
say very firs: book Grecn ges cd Hon by Dz Seuss loved
‘pading this Boo snd wold often eal thie ook wa te Pree
timer say se [new older my responsi did’ change,
{ust expanded my herizon wath reacing and werang and
‘perfheted Phom i she eae
ike Tina, Timmy 3+ Uoixy some resneubecing as be eevonstsucs
bg lnerace develoomers. Isamy tees the asquision ef lteracy a3 ss
fire racelegy, and he pemembers his nnners of angi Teracy
8 a exponsiily" dual began before Cosa ae.coling aut Zot whch
School became te place o make osttect Ia and out oF ache, a0
hs races fer iter semullien 2s apparmnitss te expr is ha
apie, Thoaga Tammy does aut explivily ies any othes metabers
of fis househels ints excerpt. nis eaconatruction makes cleat that
big fem hoa Insracy expectations ane “hat hess ware aupporsd by
‘making seeding material available his. Ts eoraucLons and
ootesentatiora ofa liteate self ee se posstoned to acknovledge the
tumoral eontet of writing os aachool sbject. 4s memhare of acsesre
that privileges dhe deve'cpment of Ui love of books in the yo Lom
fam cenly aga, we soccanizs tht script in “mms tat
TarGul« hrentyfeuryear old Wh oman, the act ofteembering
Literacy experiences ed io 2 {reassessiner of the values she ates
to lioracy ard its place in her life
+ Asaehrld gewing up ca ersember how it care ranch
about school, [never realized ew impoctant literacy i ated
“ow you cent fonction witkoutit seetvee being azz read
szcd write every ir-porant. [emerchar my parents ting
Ze all though schcal that ecuation i important anc how
‘rthont en edncarion yes will get nowhere in lie
Ti tais pert of Cal's text, she revcels the values her family has 220ut
the sequisten ond canter afashool ase eran and aie
sense List such aevasand wontiolcan cng Gall Life pu ively, Guile
6 dmalfcntnge hating ad iaamaing 242) Song a

‘apresentarom here is aymptoneae nf lenge sanue that ele fair
to leaclers of ad.lUleaiuels, Clearly, she suggestig« discoanecti
berraen theory praff-ed hy her shnl and fase that ae woul
-nave Reyond noo. She could not ase the on-nectien harem the 59
worlds $0 net parenis wok on she sole of Selpics her connect the das
bersmnen the tp ervrenments
"hats, 2 FR sour year old White man whe was a recently displaces
‘worker retuagt school, peseats 2 econstructicn this experience
*hetis alse couched ima eestembsring rarative. His narrative provides
smi otentatien ts uml le curing his ch hood
* Ale Lie die fla hierar, (lesion was coming io
lo hams They er to spent that me fe most peo.
‘ls Nl bad oossmaee an sar high soe. emeeioer
ay “rather end: ol he cpp Une me gbeone we 2
fbr schooland when we returned home en beled You alan ad
‘9 hte te eles ous 2ach morning and ev=ring
Jae'smemory work encedesa te2=tory of:2-hnelog-cal innovaticn
‘orbs peers His recollections provide ahiseorical rely tha: may not
be avaiable to over meses of he classroom wsamity
“Nadia'smpresessation of her experiences sith tee=noegies ffir @
‘erent conception and o-lez:atir to the technologies #
loves uatislive. Nada a nave of We Canbbean, i a worn
Tate rraries Se ne
‘+ Uniorunessy poopl indus sei
stvisioges wich as leery, tevsions, a retigersers for
reve onen, the een reryene hat om ve hese nee
oes Vl ay of son wes not =-ed:n ahome wbere motem
‘sulnloge was cormunplace However Fas ineduced m ame
1. Thee teenage ive mae eas and am anes
‘Tess excerpt afe-s an ompasiionsl tet to the enatractons of er
teraporary western cultore thar tg teprecenzed In the narrzives of
‘Americans, While she desiibes dcmesuc echncloges as necessities,
She notes chat at leas in sore arta of cur world, eve rereseies
Cannot be acquired by everyone. Like Jake, he sico construct these
technologies as charecest=s cf progtess. For is zeason she sas
am agsinst reverng t may chfdhond days” 4 fornposinon of Jakes
‘Nadia’ experiences, paroulany inthe content of contemoorary
alae, actully captures the changing mies afterhn lagi in peoples
livesaswelles tuei staated ya.ure They alse uaderseore che fact Ua
the wealthy Have alieays ad mits acoess to fechre ogics.mnevatons