Text Technologies: The Changing Space of Reading & Writing

Link to my Powtoon can be found here.

 

For this week’s assignment I decided to something out of my comfort zone and create a video advertisement of the items I have in my bag from Task 1. I redesigned my assignment so that my purpose transformed from a “show-and-tell” task to a “selling” task. I used Powtoon to create an animated advertisement video and Descript to create the voice-over. It was my first time using both applications so this was evidently not the best looking video. Nevertheless, I had a lot of fun learning and playing around with the features and I hope to use more often in future assignments or projects!

Based on the ideas from The New London Group, they state that modes of meaning can be presented in various ways, such as audio, gestural, spatial, and multimodal (The New London Group, 1996). I chose to create an advertisement because their goal is to send a message to their audience using various literacies. The visual aspect provides individuals images and texts of what their product looks like, while the audio provides the language and together they form a learning relationship for their audience.

 

References:

The New London Group.  (1996). A pedagogy of multiliteracies: Designing social futures.  Harvard Educational Review 66(1), 60-92.

I originally started creating my emojis on https://emojikeyboard.io but the selection was limited so I opted with using the emoji feature available on my iPhone instead as they have a much larger selection of emojis to choose from. I found this task to be much more difficult than I anticipated. Despite using a different application to create my emoji story, I was still limited to the number and type of emojis I could choose from to describe the movie. This was perhaps the movie that I was describing was complex as the characters in the story could appear in different forms.

 

Did you rely more on syllables, words, ideas or a combination of all of them? Did you choose the work based on how easy would it be to visualize? Did you start with the title? Why? Why not?

When creating my emoji story I relied more on ideas than syllables or words. I first created the title, then listed out the characters, and then identified some of the main ideas and events that occurred in the movie. My initial thought was to start with the title as most people would at least know the name even if they have not seen the film or know the plot. Once I listed the movie I started to explain the plot but I encountered a challenge where I had trouble describing the characters. As previously mentioned the characters in the movie appeared in various forms, so I decided to list out all the characters and included a symbol plus (+) sign to show that this specific character could also appear in a different form in the movie. Once the characters were established I tend to identify the major events that occurred in the plot to include in my emoji story. During this process there were some portions of the movie that I had to take out or adjust slightly as I realized there was not an emoji that represented the specific idea I had in mind.

Reflecting on this assignment and comparing with the previous ones (specifically the manual script and Twine task), how we effectively convey a story requires a bit of both hypertext and graphics. That being said, there needs to be a balanced relationship with how much text and graphics appear in a specific amount space. Too much graphics may result in an unstable relationship yet readers are limited to a set amount of text information given to them at any certain time (Bolter, 2001). Looking back at my emoji story, if I were to show it to a friend I would be doubtful they would understand the story without any text. Multimodality is also important to consider in terms of representation culturally and socially (Kress, 2005). Further, the combination of both not only provides a visual appeal, but it also accessibility. Following Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, Decolonization, and Anti-Racism (EDIDA) frameworks, accessibility features such as captions, text-to-speech, and colour blind options provide a combination of text and visuals in order to support usability in technological tools.

 

References:

Bolter, J. D. (2001). Writing space: Computers, hypertext, and the remediation of print (2nd ed.). Mahwah, N.J: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. doi:10.4324/9781410600110

Kress, G. (2005). Gains and losses: New forms of texts, knowledge, and learning. Computers And Composition, 22(1), 5-22. doi: 10.1016/j.compcom.2004.12.004

Option 1: Write a diary entry, reflection, short story, or a poem of approximately 500 words by hand. Take a photo of your work. You may opt to reflect on a moment of your day, comment on a news story you’ve encountered, or theorize about readings with which you’ve engaged. Alternately, you may opt to write creatively. Whatever genre you select, the goal is to write “manually” (from Old French manuel, from [and later assimilated to] Latin manualis, from manus “hand”). Include a short (250-300 words) commentary about your manual production of text in which you address the following questions:

 

Do you normally write by hand or type? Did you find this task difficult or easy? Explain.

When it comes to writing long papers such as essays and assignments or lecture notes I will usually type. If I am writing something short I will usually write by hand. I do prefer paper planners over digital ones and so small items like to-do lists will usually be written on paper. I did not find this task particularly difficult, if anything it felt a little time consuming since writing by hand takes a little longer than typing on a digital tool.

 

What did you do when you made a mistake or wanted to change your writing? How did you edit your work? Did your choice of media play a part in how you edited your work?

I usually write in pen and so when I made a mistake I used white-out to fix it. Since I wrote in single space, if I needed to add a word I had to write in a tiny gap. The choice of media did play a part in how I would edit my work. I knew that writing by hand would not allow me to move paragraphs around without rewriting it and so prior to starting my diary entry, I briefly brainstormed what I wanted to write and how to organize it to minimize as many mistakes as possible. Unlike writing on a computer, I could not easily ‘ctrl+c’ and ‘ctrl-v’ to move, remove, or add sentences.

 

What do you feel is the most significant difference between writing by hand and using mechanized forms of writing? Which do you prefer and why?

The most significant difference between writing by hand and using a mechanized forms of writing is time. As I reflect and type my answers out right now I am able to share my thoughts much quicker that if I were to write this reflection by hand. Another difference I noticed through this activity is convenience. Digital writing tools today have many functions that enhance our writing skills. Fonts to keep our writing neat and even, a redo and undo button for mistakes, as well as a cloud to save our work and have access to it wherever we go are just a few of the abundant tools available for us.

 

My unedited and unscripted story using Speechnotes:

“For this task I’m going to be sharing a story about a recent camping but I went on about a month ago I wanted to show you the story because I’ve been noticing the weather lately has been getting a lot warmer here in BC it’s been raining a lot for spring season and so yeah now that I’ve been noticing. Sun has been rising earlier in the sun has been setting later I am looking forward to a lot more outdoor activities in the next couple of months so yeah so like I said a month ago I went on a camping trip with a couple of my friends this was one of my friends very first camping trips she’s never been camping or so we decided to go together so that she gets to experience the Great Outdoors we went on a Ford 88 tripped the first day was set up. I’m actually it was not raining a little cloudy but it was dry which was great it’s that everything out we got our canopy we built our tent the only thing that ever smoothie except for one thing which was starting the fire unfortunately the firewood that we bought from was wet and so we had a lot of trouble getting the fire to start while we were able to ignite a flame none of the wood was actually catching on fire so that’s what is a while we had to get some dry to get that started but eventually after a couple of tries you’re able to get a fire going which was nice after the first night during the say it was sunny which was nice we were able to relax kind of enjoy the weather you know sit by the fire and essentially do nothing since at home we don’t know we’re always super busy either working or you know running errands and what not but if I am. Camping look doing very mundane tasks looking at the fire can be super super relaxing which is one of the reasons why I love to go camping yeah. Leaving site. Euron I was closed to a lake and sound the afternoon we all decided to walk to the lake and kind of just enjoy the weather in the nature and what it has to offer it was very nice you know just sitting by the calm waters you know watching some people play no swim in the waters yeah so after that I know the second day we was pretty relaxing the third day we woke up to quite a bit of rain it wasn’t raining a lot but it was just that I had a little bit of drizzle and so on this day we decided to stay in the tent and on the campsite for a bit we bought a couple of board games and so luckily we had a really big ten and we played a couple of board games like telestrations this game called super super fun the rain stopped afternoon so we were able to go outside at the fire again and make some lunch and dinner on the fourth day was pack up day so woke up a pack to every and we left and yeah and so overall we didn’t do too much but it was super nice getting the chance to relax and you know bring her friend for the first time to her first camping trip”

 

How does the text deviate from conventions of written English?

When looking at the raw text from my recording, I see that the text is very unorganized with many errors. Given that I was sharing my story on the spot I realized that I shared whatever content popped into my mind at the time. My text contains many punctual and grammatical errors where many sections of the text contains run-on or incomplete sentences along with some filler words. These errors may have been because I was speaking too fast with very few pauses, and so the digital tool was unable to catch certain words or wrote incorrect words resulting in many grammatical and punctual errors. This is something to keep in mind when using these features, as computers may not be able to pick up the language as quickly as a person would if we told the story to a friend rather than a computer. I also recognize that even if English is not my native language, I grew up speaking it everyday and so if I were to communicate with someone whose English is difficult for them, I need to slow down and pace myself to help communicate to them better. Lastly, in terms of spelling and punctuation, I noticed many words were spelt incorrectly, possibly because I did not annunciate the word clearly or because I spoke too quickly.

What is “wrong” in the text? What is “right”? What are the most common “mistakes” in the text and why do you consider them “mistakes”?

Some aspects that are “wrong” with the text is the use of slang and incorrect use of homophone words. While slang is commonly used in oral language, it is not as common in written form and is only used in specific writing genres. Another key difference between written and oral communication especially in the English language is the different homophones and homographs. While I did not notice this mistake in my text, in the past through my other experiences with the voice to text feature is that sometimes the application would use the incorrect versions of certain homophone words (e.g. “bored” versus “board”). While in the written text itself the word is considered “wrong”, it is not necessary something we can blame the voice to text application for as it requires context of the story which only the storyteller or reader can be aware of.

 

What if you had “scripted” the story? What difference might that have made?

If I had scripted the story then the text would be much more organized. The paragraph would have much more structure, a little less repetition, as well as filler words which would make it easier to read and follow along. At times when I was thinking on the spot and talking about whatever popped into my head, I talked too fast and the voice to text application was unable to pick up some of the words I said which resulted in many incomplete sentences. Further, given that for this task I was asked to speak an unprompted story,  reading back my text I realize there was lots of repeated content. If my story were scripted, it would contain much more detail and less repetition as I would organize what I would like to share in my story beforehand.

 

In what ways does oral storytelling differ from written storytelling?

In oral storytelling, the story is not communicated only through words, but also through facial expressions, tone, and mood. Through my experiences I find that oral storytelling in a way is more direct and easier to follow. The storyteller will share very specific details of the story as well as the specific tone and mood that they want the readers to hear and understand. Written storytelling on the other hand, provides more room for imagination. Ong’s (2002) article mentions that “without writing, human consciousness cannot achieve its fuller potentials, cannot produce other beautiful and powerful creations” (Ong, 2002, p. 24). In written language, in order for the author to share the story through their eyes, much more detail needs to be included as facial expressions, tone, and mood are not as obvious for the reader to interpret. Through this method this also allows much more room for the readers to imagine and interpret the story in their own way. As someone who loves reading, while I always try to picture in my mind what the author is describing in the plot, I tend to always create my own narrative and image of the character and setting descriptions in my head through my imagination and personal experiences.

 

References:

Ong, W. J. (2002). The orality of language. In Orality and Literacy (pp. 5-10). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203426258

The image above shows what I typically carry in my bag! Some of the items that I always bring with me include: water bottle, wallet, keys, compass card, Airpods, chapstick, hand cream, sunglasses, gum, extra masks, mask case, hand sanitizer, a sanitary bag containing sanitary pads and Band-Aids, dental floss, some extra hair elastics and hair pins, notebook, a pen, a whistle, and a self-defense keychain tool. In my introduction I mentioned how much I love to read so whenever I can I bring my iPad along with me to read.

 

How might these items be considered “texts” and what do they say about you, the places you inhabit, the cultures with which you engage, and/or the activities you take up?

Growing up here in Vancouver I’ve become accustomed to the rain and sudden weather changes so I’ll usually carry an umbrella with me if I see a grey and cloudy sky. Transit is usually my main form of transportation so throughout the years as a student I’ve invested in many backpacks that is the most functional for me. The neighbourhood I grew up in was not the safest and so as a woman I always carry a whistle and self-defense keychain tool for my personal safety.

 

Thinking about the title of the course, what are the “text technologies” in your bag, if any? What do these items say about how you engage with language and communication?

In terms of physical text technologies some of the obvious objects includes my phone, iPad, and Airpods. My wallet size has also gotten smaller in the last couple of years as we are now able to pay through our phones and Apple watches via Apple wallet, and many ‘points’ cards can be scanned through an app in our mobile devices. Cash is rarely used for me now as many places accept card as the primary form of payment. In terms of digital technology usage, this would include my compass card as I am able to fund my compass card at home via a computer. Listening to music while commuting is something I truly enjoy and so music is another form of language and communication that I engage with in my bag. Thirdly, there is quite a bit of digital footprint in my bag. While I much prefer reading a paperback book, reading through a tablet or phone has been much more practical for me as it is portable and more accessible. I tend to also use my data either to scroll through social media when I’m transiting, or while I am commuting to a new or unfamiliar place and I need to use Google maps to help me.

 

What do the items in your bag say about the literacies you have?

I believe that my bag consists of a variety of different types of literacies. A big one is digital literacy, the arise of the COVID-19 Pandemic has caused us to adapt and change how we learn and teach. Media literacy is another important one as the advancement of technology has also allowed us to easily communicate with others as well as receive news and information through our technological devices. Health literacy is also now a critical one in my life as it has become part of my every day routine to bring my masks and hand sanitizer where ever I go.

 

How does the narrative of the (private) contents of your bag compare with the narrative produced by image you have of yourself or the image you outwardly project?

Comparing the private contents in my bag to the narrative I create towards others, I do believe that many of my friends, colleagues, and family members would describe me as someone who is very organized and prepared. I would agree that the private contents in my bag mirror that. Some examples includes always bringing extra masks and sanitary pads, as well as an umbrella even if rain is not predicted in the forecast. I also always make a habit of cleaning out any trash or unwanted items in my bag every time I come back home to ensure my bag stays clean.

 

What would this same bag have looked like, say, 15 or 25 years ago?

Imagining how my bag would have looked 15 years ago, some of the objects that would obviously not be in my bag are my iPad and Airpods. Instead of listening to music from my iPhone I would be listening through an iPod with wired earphones. Carrying extra masks and using hand sanitizer religiously are also two objects I didn’t imagine seeing myself bring and use on a daily basis. In addition, the transit system in Vancouver has also evolved greatly. Back when I was in high school I remember I had to always carry change with me in order to get on the bus. Now that we have a compass card system, I can easily prepay a set amount of money into my card and conveniently tap it to get on the skytrain or bus.

 

How do you imagine an archeologist aiming to understand this temporal period might view the contents of your bag many years in the future?

If I were to put the items in my bag into a time capsule and someone were to find it a few decades later, some of the key items an archeologist would find are masks and sanitizer. They would understand that I experienced the COVID-19 Pandemic and how much it affected how we lived and survived. They would also look at type of technological devices I carried and compare how much technology has advanced as well as understand how we have evolved throughout the years. Lastly, the umbrella may be a unique one but perhaps 50-70 years later weather patterns could change very drastically and it won’t be a necessity for individuals living in B.C.