Writing and Secular Knowledge~Ch. 9
"Knowledge is a large, vague term often considered coterminous with civilization."
"By knowledge, we mean concepts and information shared with other people rather than personal certainties." (Bazerman & Rogers, 2008, p. 143).
Until I began this concentrated study of literacy, I never truly thought about the ways that reading and writing -as a way to share and disseminate knowledge- are used. The sharing of knowledge is done through reading and writing; which makes the role of educator ever the more daunting. Hmmm...
"Thus the impact of literacy on thought and knowledge should be understood within particular social, cultural, and historical circumstances and practices. Writing in turn reshapes the forms of social and cultural organization in which literacy is practiced" (Goody, 1986, as stated in Bazerman & Rogers, 2008, p. 144).
I've been reading quite a bit about social constructivism lately. It fascinates me to think about the idea that learning does not occur in a vacuum, and that the interplay and exchange of ideas is beneficial to the meaning making process.
Social constructivism is based on the idea that learning occurs as a socially or culturally constructed practice. Vygotsky’s social constructivism has its roots in Marxism and socialism. He believed that language and culture played a large part in the learning development of a child (Vygotsky, 1962, 1978).
Local Literacies and Ways with Words reinforce the idea that learning is socially constructed and dependent upon others for implementation. In Local Literacies for example, Harry discusses helping his grandchildren with their homework, writing references, assisting neighbors with taxes, and writing letters to the local paper with his friend of twenty years. These activities certainly could not take place without the others in his life! How fortunate for his friends and family members that Harry is so generous with his time and writing abilities.
In Ways with Words, Heath documents the many influences one's home environment has on the learning that takes place at school. Heath discusses the socialization process that occurs in differing communities and the disparity that exists in educational opportunities because of those differences. She emphasizes that teachers must be made aware of language and cultural diversities so that students are not marginalized but empowered through their unique qualities.
The answer:
"Knowledge is power" (Sir Francis Bacon,1597).
Well said! Sometimes it gets a little overwhelming for me when I start reading something which leads me somewhere else and connects to yet another concept. I feel there aren't enough hours in the day to follow all these paths and makes all these connections. You did such a great job doing this with what you were reading in the Handbook, Local Literacies, and Ways with Words and then even tying it all together with Sir Francis Bacon. I am impressed :-)
ReplyDeleteHey Liz-
ReplyDeleteI agree! You have done a great job connecting a lot of big picture ideas...intertwining much of what we are studying in many different courses.
I'm continually amazed at the complexity of believing in the social construction of knowledge/literacy and the implications that has on our culture with the technology that pervades our lives. There are layers upon layers of construction going on simultaneously. How in the world do you twist it apart to study each aspect?
Social constructivism has been the critical lens that I have used to view my own teaching and pedagogy. Through several action research studies, I have personally seen the benefits of students working collaboratively in order to construct their own meaning. A teacher centered classroom was never my focus. Instead, I always valued student input and feedback, and created learning opportunities that provided vast amounts of student choice. This inevitably led to increased discourse opportunities for students in the classroom, in which a classroom community was truly established and promoted.
ReplyDeleteStudent choice is a key factor in constructivism. That is why Liz, Julie, and I are discovering that students taught using basal reading series, which lack any type of student reading choice, can lead to less motivated readers, especially amongst boys. We will continue to apprise you of our specific findings as we gain more data in our study.