Reflection
Multigenre
Literacy in a Global Context. Coming into class on the first day of the
semester, I really didn’t know what the class title meant. I had some guesses
but it wasn’t anything I really delved into, until the class was questioned by
Professor Wexler as to what the meaning was. It was so interesting to hear all
the various responses that people gave; all were very different and all were
correct. We all have different ideas of what literacy is as well as what it
means for something to be global. After having taken the class, I believe that
multigenre is not only the various genres within literature, but also the
different mediums used to teach literature. Literacy, I learned, is the varied
components of literature, which ultimately means it is people’s ability read
and write. The activities we did later, such as watching the documentary on
China, as well as the movie Beijing
Bicycle, really put into context and perspective the multigrenre literacy
in a ‘global context.’ I am finally able to understand the title of the class,
and understand what it means for education on a global scale.
The class
started with the Myth presentations. Although I had the textbook and had
skimmed it for context, I still did not understand how the subject really fit
in with the idea of being an English class. However, as the group and I started
working on the project, it because evident why myths are crucial to literature
as a whole. The myths are the foundation for a lot of ideas and concepts that
are still visible in modern texts and films. The Norse myths have become
popular in the Thor comic books, which have even become popular films now. The
creation myths, which show the idea of multiple Gods, all representing
different ideas such as Earth, wind, fire and water, can still be seen today.
As I was reading about the creation myths for my assignments, I could find many
parallels between some of those concepts and what I see in films and even some
children’s shows such as Avatar: The Last
Airbender and Dragon Ball Z.
These myths tie in directly with the title of the class, showing just how
global literature can be. The myths originated all around the globe, but can
still be seen in the texts and medias of American society. Those stories have
become timeless and transcend time and borders.
The poetry
section of the class seemed like it was the most difficult, although it was the
one that was a lot of fun and the one that allowed the class to be really
creative. The activity that required students to change the lyrics of a song
they liked, really was a nice ice breaker activity and really allowed me to
open up to the idea of writing my own poetry, that would be shared with the
class. The music videos which were shown in class show how music and poetry
incorporate multigenres and multimediums. There was a song presented that,
although on the surface was about love, was actually a call for equality. These
videos truly show the impact words can have when they are presented as a song,
versus a poem, or versus a speech, etc. The medium in which words are presented
as well as the ambiguity of the words can truly shape meaning. This is a great
lesson on the meanings behind words, and it was useful when moving on to the
poetry assignment. The analysis of the poem was very intriguing and really
allowed the class to explicate and understand the true meaning behind, not only
the words, but structure of the poem as well. Taking what we learned and
applying it to our own poetry was very difficult, but interesting. Hearing
other people read their poems was intriguing, because I tried to follow a
strict rhyme scheme, meter and form; and a lot of other people wrote in free
verse, and their poetry had a very unique charm. Poetry is a crucial part of
literature’ not only being able to read it, but to understand it as well.
Media literacy,
is a very new but important part of literacy. Using different mediums is
crucial in the modern classroom. The use of our blogs is the evidence of that.
The blog is very interesting because it allows us students to do all our
assignments but also make it more interactive and visually appealing, not only
for the audience, but ourselves as well. All the requirements are fulfilled,
but students are able to actually produce a portfolio of their work, which they
enjoyed creating. This is crucial for subject matter students, to see how
slight changes in traditional education can impact students and encourage them to
enjoy doing their work. The integration of the blog, and videos can really help
students stay engaged with the material. As seen in the presentations, the use
of social media, apps and other mediums can be used to even further their
understanding of the subject at hand. The use of such media also makes
education a global issue. Students can work online and interact or access the
work of other students; which is something they would never have been able to
do before. My blog was viewed in Alaska and Canada, and it was really
interesting to see that a person there may have been looking up something that
I was writing about. The use of such medias really does connect people from all
around the world.
The world
text analysis essay that was written was one that completely caught me off
guard. We watched a Michael Moore documentary, followed by a documentary on
China, and ended with Beijing Bicycle,
a Chinese film. I had trouble connecting all three together and then all of
them to the class. However, when I began to write my essay, I began to see a
correlation between all the films, as well as the articles that were posted on
Moodle. These films really are global texts and talk about issues such as
capitalism, education and a lack of opportunities, that can be seen all around
the globe. Although, the issues discussed in the films may not be the same, the
underlying ideas are the same. Also, media, such as films do help in connecting
the world. The students of the class could understand the everyday troubles of
the Chinese people, simply by watching the film. We could also see just how
significant the bicycle is to the Chinese people, because it is their
livelihood and or way of maintain a status within their societies. The film
allowed us to see a side of China that may have otherwise been not possible.
‘Multigenre
Literacy in a Global Context’ is a very interesting class that started with
history, and then looked at the future and ended with a view into another
culture. The class gave a very varied view into literature and the world: past,
present and future. The subjects covered in this class, as well as the
knowledge they impart is very beneficial for future teachers. The lessons
really teach people how to bring people together through education and media. These
are ideas that can be adapted by students and these are lessons I hope to carry
with me into the future, when I become an English teacher.
No comments:
Post a Comment