Sunday, February 5, 2012
Reading at Risk: A Survey of Literary Reading in Americai
As I peruse this article I find myself pondering three questions concerning the author: (1) what does the National Endowment for the Arts constitute as literature, (2) when the argument concerning video games and other electronic media devices were presented, did anyone in this organization ever play any type of video game before they came to the conclusion that "interactive electronic media such as video games, and the internet foster shorter attention spans and accelerated gratification", and (3) why do they feel that their research findings are accurate when it is based upon only 17,000 adults?. The National Endowment for the Arts idea of literature is actually reading literature in a book. The online Websters dictionary defines literature as: " a. writings in prose or verse; especially writings having excellence of form or expression and expressing ideas of permanent or universal interest, b. the body of written works produced in a particular language, country, or age c : the body of writings on a particular subject d : printed matter (as leaflets or circulars)" Literature does need to be located inside of a book to be determined as literature. The National Endowment for the Arts also contradicts itself by stating that the internet and video games fosters shorter attention spans and accelerated gratification. This very same article can be found on the internet. This article is classified as non-fiction (informational) genre. So, since this article can be found on the internet, should this article not be considered as a form of literature? Just because information is available via internet, does it make it a non-form of literature? To lump any form of electronic media as non-literature is ludicrous. Some individuals are audio learners. The very foundation of our earliest education is audio. We learned our alphabet, numbers, colors, shapes, etc. by singing and memorozation. Just because an individual reads something inside of a book does not constitute them as literate. I have found that many of my students can read fluently, yet fail to comprehend what they have just read. I find that when I come across students such as this, when I provide audio as well as having them follow along in the book, they will comprehend the material. The last bit of information that this article addressed, I found myself vastly disagreeing with was the classification of video games. There are many online games and video games that are very educational. Organizations such as PBS (Public Broadcasting System), Nick Jr., and Disney Jr. have esatablished online games and video games that are dedicated to helping children in subject areas such as math, reading, spelling, and even science. It is the parent's respoinsiblity to monitor what their children are playing online as well as on the video game systems. If civilization takes one step back and dismiss "literature" for electronic media devices, then it is taking one hundred steps back for evolution. E-books, the internet, and other various sources of electronic media helps to provide and maintain an eco friendly environment. This means that publishing companies are spending less while gaining more profits, consumers are also spending less as well, and trees are not dying for books, so what is truly the problem with electronic devices?
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Verrinda,
ReplyDeletereading your comment I began to wonder about the NEA and its concerns about its own viability as an organization. You are probably aware that just recently there was talk about cutting endowments to the NEA. For many contemporary artists the NEA provides important financial support; so perhaps the decline of book reading is a concern about the decline in publishing of contemporary poetry and fiction?
Your comment really made me wonder about the economic motives of the NEA report.
Verrinda and Eisabeth,
ReplyDeleteIt's very interesting to note the motivators for publicizing certain peices of data. I concurr with this point of view: everyone does certain things for specific reasons. I believe that self-interests are a work here. Also, Verrinda your comments about what constitutes literature is intriguing. We discussed in class that being literate does not just mean "reading." It is the ability to critically process the reading at a sophisticated level. I am thinking of what Elisabeth does with her Backyard Shakespearian plays. She teaches her kids to read Shakespeare's work and then "do" something with it. Literary development is often define with blanket statements and I am starting to see the holistic development of readership being multi-modal for sure! Great post and I like that you disagree with someone. I am still trying to learn how to disagree with an academic's thoughts. I will try this next time I do the readings. LOL.
I also questioned NEA's motivations for the study or the findings. Maybe my problem is that I assume that because their findings could affect schools and teaching that their interest would lie there too. But I think they are looking primarily at their declining support group.
ReplyDeleteSo maybe the problem isn't so much with the study as what people do with it. If their findings become fuel for broad or abrupt changes in education, especially without input from the experts, teachers, then the information is being misused. I guess it would be concerning to them if their primary audience (and their) funding is shrinking.
I can support NEA and what they do. I just get worried when it looks like they have the potential to affect educational policy too much.
I found it interesting that the electronics that posed such a problem here weren't mentioned (at least in the summary or main points) in their other study.