For me, alternative texts are simply those other texts that are implied to be in opposition to primary or core texts before any of the discussion that took place in this class. That said, I was already familiar with Mikhail Bakhtin's concepts of dialogism and heteroglossia and Julia Kristeva's ideas of intertextuality. I already subscribe to the condition that all the texts and ideas I have already read mediate anything I now choose read. I think it is safe to say that everything we take in is already mediated by other texts.
So, what has changed as a result of EDCI 353B? Well, I am a bit of a literal thinker and I tend to think in terms of print when we are discussing text. I know that this is not necessarily how the term is always used but that is what I revert to. I need reminders that nearly every human experience can be reduced or renamed as text. I can honestly admit that I hadn't really thought of replacing the printed text of Romeo and Juliet with a graphic novel or Baz Luhrman's hollywood production. There is really no reason not to though - I almost immediately get that, though it helps if I get a nudge in the ribs.
What do I privilege in my daily interactions with core and alternative texts?
I privilege text when it comes to learning, at least what is traditionally viewed as learning ... the kind of learning deemed to take place in classes or for personal growth. But when I have a computer problem or a broken vehicle, the computer and internet are my go to resolution centres. I make use of blogs, videos, forums, you name it. I am also quite convinced that I learn when I play video games with my boys but exactly what skill set I am learning is debatable. I also have to admit that I have found certain movies to be very enlightening and thought-provoking - it is a short list but I could include Waking Life, The Corporation, The Ister, and a few more if pressed hard. I think it important to admit that I think there is no substitute for any of these movies in the world of printed text - not to mention that I think the movie format is inherently better suited to moving its viewers through comparative works.
What I observed being privileged - text types and related teaching approaches - in the classroom.
In my experiences in the classroom, printed text was the most privileged text type. Other mediums are certainly used to supplement but certainly not replace print. In english classes there is considerable use of multimedia materials but they are clearly used as supplements. I have seen videos produced by students but nothing that seriously contested the primacy of printed text and the good ol' formalistic approach of New Criticism.
How Mackey's [2002] 'asset model' could be applied in my subject area, and how this approach would help all learners to become literate in my subject area.
The first thing I would take from Mackey is her statement of literacy - any "interpretation of recorded symbolic representation." This means that printed text is just as good as, and certainly no better than graphic novels, comics, plays, movies, skits, etc. It matters more how you perform or interpret a symbolic representation than what kind it is. What we need from students is the ability to critically assess media, whatever form it may be in.
The second thing I would take from Mackey is that educators need to revise education so as to proceed from the kinds of skills students are good at rather than to focus on the skills they (the educators) have learned to be good at. Let's face it, students are not the same at all as educators remember when they were on the other side of the desk. This involves two parts: 1) teachers need to begin by foregrounding the skills students are comfortable with rather than those favoured by teachers and administrators and 2) students need opportunities to actively produce things to showcase and develop those skills/literacies using critical interpretations and representations.
Even if a given teacher cannot bear to let go of the printed text as a primary source, students will benefit from:
- a thorough grounding in critical practice for as many literacy types as possible
- the bridging effect multimedia usage can have on students experiencing difficulty with a learning outcome
- and the enhanced learning that comes when students are producers instead of merely consumers in the education process.
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