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For my blog post this week, I have decided to interact with the readings which were scheduled for the course. The readings include include “Chapter 3: Remix: Afrofuturistic Roadmaps—Rememory Remixed for a Digital Age” from Digital Griots: African American Rhetoric in a Multimedia Ageby Adam Banks, the chapter devoted to Practice in Douglas Eyman’s book on Digital Rhetoric: Theory, Method, Practice, and a piece published by Dustin W. Edwards in Computers and Compositionentitled “Framing Remix Rhetorically: Toward a Typology of Transformative Work.” I begin my blog post by discussing Banks’ text. While I was reading Adam Banks’ text (a text Ii enjoyed so much earlier in the course that I purchased my own copy), I had a lightbulb moment when I realized that the remix—this future text which draws upon preexisting text or texts—might be perfect to teach in the unique writing program here at Illinois State University, one which draws heavily on the tedious, yet comprehensive, Cultural-Historical Activity Theory. When we look at the seven concepts which comprise this theoretical paradigm, I think that, as instructors, we could yield interesting and effective uptake through teaching the remix. What this means is dependent upon the instructor. (Edwards approaches the pedagogical usefulness of remix in his article. I want to note that because I think it is important to put these readings in concert with one another, and if more than one scholar is saying similar things, maybe we should listen.) I could see instructors finding success in creating an assignment where students create a text, analyze through a Cultural-Historical Activity Theory lens, and then remix the text, while noting how aspects of production, distribution, reception, etc. deviate from the original genre produced. I also see the benefits in using a preexisting text and allowing students to remix into a new text on their own. So often, students complain about a lack of creativity in introductory writing classes, to these would be interesting assignments which allow the students to participate successfully in the class, which is heavily influenced by genre studies, while triangulating student creativity, student learning, and the learning objectives outlined for the course by the writing program. I find it interesting to note as I transition to discussing Eyman’s chapter, that one of the case studies he focuses on as he develops his chapter on practice is the Kairos article from 2007, the one with twelve authors, one of whom is Joyce Walker. I think this is interesting, very interesting, and I have read that piece. One of the great things about this chapter is that Eyman, who is, already, someone I respect a great deal and look forward to hearing, and possibly interacting with at Computers and Writing, writes specifically about what he does when he designs a digital rhetoric class. This is early in the chapter on page 117, but it is something that I noted for future reference, as I am finding my voice as a scholar studying rhetoric and composition. I think one of the things I have been doing as Ii navigate the readings and concepts for this class, is I have been taking my criticism out of the digital realm and into the real world. After some expert advice and some follow up research, I feel as though I have a better grasp not only of the practices associated with digital rhetorical studies, but also how I can pursue my own interests in the field in a way that is beneficial to my academic career. Finally, I mentioned that I am finding my voice. Each day I have something new I am interested in researching, one day it is access to technology, the next it might be the impact of black comedians on digital spaces. While I still see myself grounded in technical communication and digital rhetoric, the possibilities of study continue to reveal themselves to me on an almost hourly basis, and the implications of what I might study become clearer each day. I truly believe in the idea that it takes a village, and every day I find myself reflecting on how lucky I am to have found my village, and the community of scholars and peers who are going to help raise and shape me into the Rockstar scholar that I want to become.
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Charles WoodsPhD student focusing on Rhetoric, Composition, and Technical Communication at Illinois State University. Archives
October 2019
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