Welcome to my first task! My name is Natalie Pang and I am from Vancouver, BC. This year, I am a grade 6/7 teacher in Delta, BC. I love being outdoors, taking on creative projects, and trying new things. For this task, I have chosen my work bag that I bring to school every day. 

 1. What is your daily need for the items in your bag? 

Bringing this bag back and forth from work to home allows me to have my daily essentials with me at all times. My keys and wallet are necessary, as it houses my drivers license and money. I typically like to do some work at home, so I bring my computer and charger home almost daily. We are currently doing a novel study, Refugee, so I am reading in detail at home, and using the sticky notes and pens to write notes and some planning for the unit. I also always have a snack on me in case I get hungry. It usually is a granola bar that I can easily grab and eat on the go. Finally, as a personal item, I have lip balm, which I use frequently throughout the day.

 

2. 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?

My laptop could be considered as a “text”, as it is a tool that allows for reading and writing in a digital space. Since the items in my bag are my essentials and quite minimal, I think this could be interpreted in the sense that I use my computer for a variety of things, that would have replaced the traditional pencil and paper format. I think that due to my age and as a millennial, many people my age utilize a computer as a multi-functional tool, which seems to be a norm for this age range.

 

3. 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?

Again, the laptop in my bag can be considered a “text technology”. I use my laptop to engage with language and communication on a daily basis. I communicate with my students’ family through emails, connect with colleagues and staff in the district through Microsoft Teams. Since I am relatively new to teaching, most of my teaching resources are digital. I engage in a lot of digital reading to find resources that I would like to use during my planning time.

 

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

My laptop would suggest that I am technology literate. I use my computer on a daily basis for a variety of things including: communicating via emails and Microsoft Teams with my staff, using spreadsheets to keep track of grades and marking, using Google Slides, YouTube videos, and a document camera app during my lessons, and using online resources that I will print during my planning. Although it is only one piece of technology, it is a powerful tool and I am able to use it for productivity in my professional life. The book, pens, and sticky notes that would indicate that I engage in texts and literacy in the traditional reading and writing sense. Finally, my car keys would suggest that I am literate in driving, as that is my mode of transportation that I use to get to and from work.

 

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

The narrative of the contents in my bag would suggest that I am a minimalist because there isn’t a lot of clutter, and all my items have a specific purpose. I think that the items are a good reflection of myself and the outward image I project because in my home and classroom, I have essential items that I use, and I usually donate or get rid of things that do not serve me a purpose. I think this also transfers to my own personality, as I am a quiet person, but communicate important information rather than rambling on about unnecessary topics.

 

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

The purposes of some of the items I have in my bag would have looked extremely different 15 to 25 years ago. The design, weight, and function of my laptop would be drastic compared to the one I have, a MacBook Air. Through my computer, I am able to access a variety of texts and technologies. For example, I would be able to create lessons and mark assignments through Google Classroom, rather than bringing home stacks of paper. In terms of teacher resources, most of them are digital and stored on my computer or through Google Drive. Moreover, contactless payment options are the new norm, especially since COVID. As a result, I do not carry as much cash in my wallet compared to 15 to 25 years ago. 

 

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

From an archeologist standpoint, the materials that the items were made of could be an indication of the temporal period. With the imminent depletion of our natural resources, there may be alternatives to certain items or more use of synthetic materials in the future. Looking in my wallet, the cash and coins would be used as evidence for the time period, as currencies change over time. Additionally, with the rise of online payments and banking, the need for card payments may be eliminated. As previously mentioned, contactless payment options are becoming more prevalent, which can eliminate the use of credit cards.

As for the book in my bag, the style of graphics from the cover may give clues to the temporal period. However, printed books could become obsolete given the different reading options there currently are (e-readers, audiobooks, etc.). The accessibility to reading today is quite remarkable. For this book that I have, Refugee, there is a free audiobook on YouTube that even shows the pages as they are being read, with engaging background music.