Post #9: On this type of reading/writing experience

Prior to ENED 250, I had never participated in a class that was digitally-based, nor had a kept a reader's notebook (digitally or otherwise).  I've noticed some changes in the way I read, write, and think about the literature I'm coming into contact with.  There are some things that I like about this type of class and some things I don't.  Here they are:

I'll start with a pro: direct communication with the instructor.  So many students in so many classes have questions or insights about what they're reading, but for whatever reason, be it timidness, lack of time, etc, they never get the opportunity to discuss it directly with their teachers.  The writers notebook gives students and instructors an arena in which to discuss these things.  Having said notebook digitized only adds to the benefit; it incorporates technology and makes this discussion quick and easy.  On a personal level, being able to read the comments that my instructor has made has been quit helpful.  Those in the instructor's position tend to know what questions to ask and how to help students expand their reading of a given text.

Another pro:  publication.  I've always been of the mindset that writing for a purpose - for the public sphere - is more exciting and beneficial than writing for yourself and your teacher.  Students tend to be more interested in writing, too, if their writing is for a reason.  If students are writing for something personal, in this case a their own blog, they're more likely to try and enjoy it.  Writing for this blog was, on the first day of class, an assignment.  Now, it has become something that I enjoy writing because it matters more to me on a personal level than an essay or paper would.  Giving writing a purpose beyond the classroom gets students, myself included, far more interested in writing than would be otherwise possible.

And for a con:  The only real downside that I've seen is difficulties with in-class discussion.  I'm not saying that discussions are impossible, but they're fewer and farther between than they would be if we were all reading the same text at the same time.  This is a personal opinion, and my views on the subject may differ from many other students, but I've always really enjoyed the in-class discussion aspect of English classes.  Sitting in a circle, discussing a book, thinking on your feet, even getting into a debate about a theme... these are all things that I love about the discussions that can be had in a classroom when everyone is reading the same text.  It seems more difficult to have such a discussion in this type of setting, where people are all reading different books of different genres with different themes and different subject matter... which leads me to another pro... well, two, actually.

Pro (two of them wrapped into one):  1. WE GET TO PICK OUR BOOKS!  This is the first class I've ever taken where I've gotten to pick what I'm reading, and it has been great.  No more will students be forced to read something that doesn't spark their interest.  So many students are turned off to reading because they're assigned things that are of no interest to them, so having students read what they want is an excellent counter.  2. Having students read different books has two pros in itself.  First, students hear about the books that others are reading, and hence, are introduced to a range of texts they would otherwise remain undiscovered to them.  Here's an example: I'd never heard of Rand's Anthem prior to this class, but someone mentioned it in class, and being that I've read The Fountainhead and love it, I decided to go out and get Anthem.  Had we all been reading the same books, its likely that the discussion about Anthem never would have occurred, so Anthem may have gone on unknown to me indefinitely.  Second, since were all reading different books, were given the opportunity to discuss themes and motifs that span genres, authors, and texts.  When I write on my blog that I really like theme X in novel Y, someone can read it and say, "Hey, Tim, you should check out poem Z, or short story A."  I, in turn, can do the same for others, offering suggestions or ideas that may further someones reading or introduce them to otherwise undiscovered reading material.

These are just a few of my thoughts on the way this class is set up. It isn't a definitive list by any means, for I'm sure that I could continue.  The bottom line is that I really think setting up a class as this one is is beneficial to the students, myself included.  I've enjoyed it, I've been engaged in the work, and most importantly, its shown me uses of technology that will benefit me (and my students) when I'm teaching.