Monthly Archives: May 2024

Linking Assignment

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Link #1

I was drawn to Shannon’s blog because it was visually appealing, easy to navigate, and told me immediately what her story was about. I find it hard to engage with material that I do not connect with however, in Shannon’s oral story she spoke about her dog. I also appreciated that we had similar experiences with the task while she also made points that I had not thought of. In a course that is exclusively online, I enjoyed looking at someone else’s work to see what their MET experience looks like.

Link #2

I chose to respond to Joti’s post because it was similar to my experience in a way that made me feel more comfortable in this course. I think it is easy to doubt yourself sometimes. I made an error with this potato stamp and although it was a very small and seemingly silly error, I found that reading Joti’s similar experience made me feel connected to my peers. Since this course is entirely online and there are no standard discussion forums I enjoyed reading peoples blogs in order to feel a part of the great group.

Link 3 https://jotisingh.weebly.com/tasks/mode-bending#comments

I commented on Joti’s post because I thought it was really creative and I had not used the tool she chose before. I also thought that she spoke to a practical side of the task which resonated with me and my daily life as a teacher. Her combination of multimodal elements, such as audio and interactive components, highlighted innovative ways to enhance student engagement and communication. This approach aligns with my interest in exploring new digital tools and methods to enrich my teaching. Additionally, Joti’s reflections on the technical and cultural aspects of the task provided valuable insights into how these strategies can be applied effectively in an educational setting, prompting me to consider how I might incorporate similar techniques into my own work.

Link 4 https://blogs.ubc.ca/texttech540/2024/08/04/task-12-speculative-futures/#comment-15

I wrote this comment because Lachelle’s story really hit home for me. The way it showed a future where climate disasters have isolated people and limited real human interaction made me think about my own fears about environmental collapse. It reminded me of how isolated and disconnected many of us felt during COVID-19, where virtual connections often felt hollow in comparison to in-person interactions. Reading her story made me realize how important it is to appreciate and make the most of our ability to connect with people face-to-face. It’s a good reminder of what we might lose if we don’t take care of our environment and to appreciate the freedoms we can often take for granted.

Task 2: Does Language Shape The Way We Think?

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As I watched Lera Borditsky’s (2017) lecture, I was surprised by some points she made, interested in others, and related personally to a few. I am not bilingual and have actually struggled in learning other languages. In my teaching I have not taught an EAL course, however I do try to make adjustments to my lessons to better accommodate students whose primary language is not English. This lecture had me thinking primarily about those students, trying to put myself in their shoes.

[05:05] Why do some languages not have numbers or colours? It is interesting to think how often these are used to describe or understand something. Perhaps these cultures do not value these as much and may rely more on estimation or practical values rather than exact numbers.

[11:32] How people organize time. This is another concept I had never thought of before this lecture. Perhaps a very narrow minded outlook, I just assumed this was somewhat universal. I found it interesting how the language you read (left to right etc) impacts how you organize time. I particularly liked her example of the logo for diapers being read differently in Arabic. A small example that points to the potential for much greater misunderstanding across cultures.

[15:05]  It is almost hard to understand how many different ways language can be understood and represented. For example, the use in some languages to utilize cardinal direction or more exact location. As someone who has never taught EAL this has me thinking about my students and how I may better be able to support them when they are learning English within my courses.

[24:00] I thought this discussion on language attributing different gender to certain words really interesting. Most notably, the underestimation of threat that hurricanes with female names pose. I personally relate to gender impacting how people perceive you in both personal and professional arenas. This shows just how engrained these gender stereotypes are in society.

[35:00] Mathematics is often seen as the universal language however she makes it clear that it is different around the world and in different cultures. I found it very hard to believe that some languages do not have words for exact numbers. I am respectful of others and their backgrounds however I am wondering if this could this be linked to lack of education or do they find no need for this type of language? However, if you have not learned or experienced this type of communication, you must not be able to think about numbers and quantities in the same way? It is hard to even imagine how different my daily communication would be without numerical texts and communication.

[45:00]  Language allows us to think about the world differently but we do not often think about these difference. This is very true and applicable to schools and teaching.

[57:00] I think this is my biggest take away from the presentation. An audience member asked “is texting changing language?” Borditsky (2017) responds stating that language is continuously changing and evolving. This change in communication that texting and other social media forms bring are not something to be afraid of as this shift through generations is inevitable. I think this was a very informative lecture that opened my mind to looking at language and how it is extremely connected to the way we think.

 

References:

Boroditsky, L. (2011). How language shapes thought. Scientific American, 304(2), 62-65.

Task 1: What’s In Your Bag?

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My name is Kristjana Young and I am a secondary school teacher in the Coquitlam school district, currently completing my 3rd and 4th courses of the MET program. For this exercise I picked the bag that I carry around all day. To and from work, and while completing errands. This bag carries my necessities for work and leisure and represents my responsibilities, hobbies, and is a glimpse into who I am. 

Some items this bag includes are:

  • Cell phone
  • Laptop
  • Wallet
  • 2 sets of keys
  • A cosmetics/medical items bag with items such as a toothbrush, Tylenol, etc
  • Sunglasses
  • Dog treats
  • Nespresso coffee pods
  • Hand sanitizer and lip balm
  • Granola bar

These items speak to who I am as well as the activities I engage in. Dog treats (and my dog who wanted a treat) show I am a dog owner. This also represents my need for physical activity and being in the outdoors. I often find dog treats in different pockets and it reminds me of these times with her which I really enjoy. My key lanyards are both representative of different times in my life. One of the school I am currently teaching, and one of UBC, the school I currently attend. Additionally it connects to one of the areas I most dedicated myself to, basketball. This UBC athletics lanyard is a reminder of the time and energy I put into competing at the university level in basketball and these spark amazing memories of my time playing. I then was lucky enough to compete for team Canada junior teams and finally end my career playing professionally in Germany. Now my basketball days are behind me while I turn my focus to volunteering at the high school level, connecting me to not only my students but also my past.

My laptop is my connection to my responsibilities both at work and in school. I carry this around and find time to complete necessary work during down time. The Nespresso pods also indicate coffee is a necessity as both a student and teacher! As I am always on the go I need to ensure I have coffee travelling with me as well as a quick snack.

The text technologies in my bag are numerous. They include my iphone, laptop and ear buds (not pictured). These text technologies show that I interact more with digital texts and communication. I definitely listen to podcasts and audio books more than I would read or write text on paper. Those articles I do read for school are all transported through my laptop. There are more subtle examples of text technologies all throughout my wallet on the different cards and receipts. Although even much of the purchasing or commercial engagement I participate in is done through my cell phone or computer applications. For example, ordering my Nespresso pods is done through digital apps and communication.

15 years ago most people’s bags would have had less advanced technology such as laptops or cell phones. The ones they would have may have been larger and heavier or would be replaced with notebooks, pens/pencils, and erasers. My personal bag would be traded in for an athletic bag. My laptop would be replaced with basketball shoes and a water bottle and a notebook filled with goals and training plans. My social calendar would be replaced with tournaments, training sessions, and physiotherapy appointments. It is exciting to think about the changes over the last 15 years. What will my bag look like in the next 15 years? How will technology have changed?

I think the private contents of my bag are similar to the narrative I have of myself and the image I outwardly project. I am an organized, hardworking, and social person. I think my laptop, telephone, and receipts would portray this image accurately. However this picture is just a glimpse or snapshot into one’s life, there is of course more complexity to people than the items in their bag.

Activity 1.4 Defining Terms

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What is text? 

Text is written words that communicate ideas and information

What is technology? 

Technology is any digital device that helps complete tasks such as communicating and computing.

OED Etymology

Text: “The wording of anything written or printed; the structure formed by the words in their order; the very words phrases, and sentences written.”

Technology: “The product of such application; technological knowledge or know-how; a technological process, method or technique. Also: machinery, equipment etc., developed from the practical application of scientific and technical knowledge.”

Texture: “The process of art weaving; obsolete.”

Textbook: “A book used as a standard work for the study of a particular subject” or “a book containing a selection of Scripture texts, arranged for daily use or easy reference.”

Technique: The formal or practical aspect of any art, occupation, or field; manner of execution or performance with regard to this. Also more generally: way of doing something.

Early in the graph during 1500 to 1700 the use of these terms fluctuate in usage. Text is used more often whereas there are many years where technology is not used at all. This continues up until about 1930 where text and technology begin to spike, reaching their peak around 1991. They then both show a decline. 

Can you identify historical events that might have influenced changes in the usage of these terms over time as evidenced in the Google Ngram search?

End of World War II 1945- often war sparks innovation which could point to the beginning of the climb in technology

Television invented 1927: Technology brought into the living rooms of many people

Internet invented 1973: This is where we see the term technology take over text. This would have been a huge innovation that sky rocketed technology usage

How is technology related to text?

I think technology is related to text in many ways. Text is the language used for communication while technology and devices are the tool. Technology allows people to create text, access text, and share text.

Some question that emerged from this activity are:

  1. Historically what caused the spikes in the use of the term technology during 1500-1550?
  2. Why did the use of technology and text drop after 2000, and what would the graph look like today. I tried to search until 2024 but the generator would not allow past 2019.