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Computers, Composition and Context: Narratives of Pedagogy and Technology Outside the Computers and Writing Community

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Computers, Composition and Context: Narratives of Pedagogy and Technology Outside the Computers and Writing Community COMPUTERS, COMPOSITION AND CONTEXT: NARRATIVES OF PEDAGOGY AND TECHNOLOGY OUTSIDE THE COMPUTERS AND WRITING COMMUNITY Richard Colby A Dissertation Submitted to the Graduate College of Bowling Green State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY December 2006 Committee: Kristine L. Blair, Advisor Julie A. Burke Graduate Faculty Representative Sue Carter Wood Bruce L. Edwards ii ABSTRACT Kristine L. Blair, Advisor This dissertation examines the technology and pedagogy histories of composition teachers outside of the computers and writing community in order to provide context and future avenues of research in addressing the instructional technology needs of those teachers. The computers and composition community has provided many opportunities for writing teachers to improve their understanding of new technologies. However, for those teachers who lack the resources, positions, and backgrounds often enjoyed by the computers and composition community, there is little that can be provided to more equitably address their teaching needs. Although there is much innovative work in the computers and composition community, more needs to be done to address the disconnect between theory and practice often perceived by the marginalized majority of composition teachers. Although the community has often cast itself as sensitive to the majority of composition teachers, they have also implicitly ignored these teachers because the community has addressed technology in highly focused terms, relied on contexts for its scholarship that do not reach many composition teachers, and has been dismissive of many mainstream technologies. In order to address the gaps left by these assumptions, this dissertation shares literacy, teaching, and technology narratives of five writing teachers from different generations, educational backgrounds, and regions, situating their histories against the backdrop of composition and computers and writing history. These narratives revealed that contemporary theory did not appear relevant to the teaching of writing for those teachers who were not educated in the field of iii composition. They also revealed that the teaching of writing and the use of technology was remarkably uniform across many contexts, even as the specific technologies employed were different based mostly on an individual’s own educational history. Specific recommendations for the computers and writing community to address the needs of this group of composition teachers were to model technology use in first year composition and beyond, work with individual teachers to adapt technology to meet their needs, consider other disciplines uses of technology and writing, and continue to pay attention to educational histories of those who teach composition to see how technologies are adapted. iv ACKNOWLEDGMENTS When I first came to my advisor, Dr. Kristine Blair, with the original idea about this dissertation, she was enthusiastic. I had no idea how this dissertation would turn out, and at times, I was not sure if it would turn out at all, but I always came back to Dr. Blair’s enthusiasm, confident that if she felt it was a worthy project, than it must be. When all was said and done, Dr. Blair’s quibbles and sedulous assistance in working on this document not only helped me finish, but added to the respect that I already had for her work in composition and computers and writing. The feedback, advice, and assiduous readings from my other committee members, Drs. Sue Carter Wood, Bruce Edwards, and Julie Burke also provided me the opportunities to temper how I read the history of composition, to reevaluate what I knew about research, and to consider application of my eventual findings. Their seemingly tireless effort coupled with the coursework of the BGSU Rhetoric and Writing program contributed a great deal to this project. I owe my deepest gratitude to my family who has taught me the value of hard work, a respect for difference, and a deep appreciation for education. And finally, warm love and appreciation to my wife, who diligently wrestled with her own dissertation at the same time, whose emotional support and patience with my work schedule was so important to finishing this document. v TABLE OF CONTENTS Page CHAPTER I. TECHNOLOGIES, CONTEXTS AND COMMUNITIES IN COMPOSITION...... ................................................................................................... 1 Introduction ................................................................................................... 1 The Cyborg Era................................................................................................ 3 Warrant 1: Technology as Immaterial/Material............................................. 6 Warrant 2: Context Matters............................................................................ 16 Warrant 3: Defining Specialty ........................................................................ 26 Intersection: Concerns and Framework ......................................................... 36 Conclusion and Study Organization ............................................................... 37 CHAPTER II. THEORY AND METHOD .................................................................. 39 Introduction ................................................................................................... 39 Methodology: Theory and Background .......................................................... 40 Method ................................................................................................... 50 Informants............................................................................................ 50 Procedure ............................................................................................. 52 Analysis ................................................................................................... 55 Technology Use.................................................................................... 56 Impetus for Pedagogy.......................................................................... 60 Attitudes toward Technology............................................................... 62 CHAPTER III. AARON AND ANNE: CREATIVE WRITING, COMPOSITION AND THE LIMITS OF TECHNOLOGY ..................................................................... 65 Introduction ................................................................................................... 65 vi Aaron: Limits and Possibilities at the Community College............................ 67 Anne: Independent Learning and Computers as Play ................................... 79 Analysis ................................................................................................... 89 Impetus for Pedagogy.......................................................................... 90 Technology Use.................................................................................... 101 Attitudes toward Technology............................................................... 106 Conclusion ................................................................................................... 109 CHAPTER IV. JENNA, LYNN AND ANNA: LITERATURE, COMPOSITION AND THE PROMISE OF TECHNOLOGY .......................................................................... 112 Introduction ................................................................................................... 112 Jenna: Technology, Literature and Tradition................................................. 113 Lynn: Literature and the Ever-present Promise of Technology..................... 126 Anna: Technology-rich Community College................................................... 138 Analysis ................................................................................................... 146 Impetus for Pedagogy.......................................................................... 154 Technology Use.................................................................................... 157 Attitudes toward Technology............................................................... 161 Conclusion ................................................................................................... 164 CHAPTER V. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS ................................. 166 Introduction ................................................................................................... 166 Outsiders Looking In, Insiders Looking Out, and Outsiders Who Walk On By ............................................................................................. 167 Impetus for Pedagogy ..................................................................................... 169 Technology Use............................................................................................... 174 vii Attitudes toward Technology.......................................................................... 178 Generation Gaps / Education Gaps ................................................................ 181 Paying Attention.............................................................................................. 185 What Computers and Composition can Learn ............................................... 192 Recommendations ............................................................................... 193 Limitations and Suggestions........................................................................... 197 Final Thoughts...............................................................................................
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