The New Radical: Working with Capitalism?

“Aid is just a stopgap,” he said. “Commerce [and] entrepreneurial capitalism take more people out of poverty than aid. We need Africa to become an economic powerhouse.”

In a thought provoking speech, Bono asks his audience to consider what this past global recession would have looked like if it weren't for the rise of the middle class in India and China buying goods from the United States and Europe. Granted this is very much a self-interested position. However, he also considers the quality of life change for those now able to participate in market commerce. Though I hope philanthropic endeavors continue, I agree that "aid is just a stop gap." Aid without opportunity denies people of the ability to self-determine and participate as equals. It is why my favorite type of aid is microfinancing. 

I've been thinking about Bono's speech as I work to develop my own reimagining of critical pedagogy, which has long considered itself a pedagogy of resistance, particularly against capitalism. The radical critique of critical pedagogy, particularly by Peter McLaren, is that it doesn't go far enough in its critique of capitalism and promotion of socialist values. However, at this point, I believe the much more radical idea is to work with capitalism rather than dream of a communal, market-less utopia. Is this possible? I will be exploring this concept more through the Erik Wright's Envisioning Real Utopias. He argues that we should work to redirect capitalism with a "socialist compass" and gives examples of hybrid economies that function with both elements of capitalism and socialism. Essentially what he offers is a pragmatic argument for incremental change and compromise. While it may seem to some that this is compromising too much, it is a feasible plan that can start with everyday actions rather than a dreamed about revolution. 

Thoughts on the Anti-Education Era by James Gee

In the final chapter of Anti-Education Era, James Gee argues that we need to critically read like writers-- questioning the construction of the text and putting the text in conversation with our own work and interests. It is with this spirit that I compose this blog post. While I agreed with many of the points Gee made and found the book an easy read, I was overall disappointed. The back cover highlights four points Gee argues in eye-grabbing red font: "social media can both grow and stymy the next generation of learners," "it's up to educators and parents to maximize social media's positive effect inside and outside the classroom," "digital learning and social media can teach students to resolve global challenges," and "synchronized intelligence is an important strategy to overcome the limitations of today's schools." Overall, though, the book most spends a majority of the time discussing why humans are stupid (147 of 215 pages). This portion of the book is general social commentary about the faulty nature of memory, the need for comfort and meaning, and how people group themselves. Within this portion, my favorite quote, has to be, "We join committees where the committee as a group is usually stupider than the dumbest person on it and rarely smarter than the smartest person on it, but we call for more and more committees" (5-6).

The commentary on social media is mostly related to affinity spaces and the game Sims. It lacked anecdotes about using digital learning for civic engagement. Instead, the two key anecdotes focused on how people learn in the game environment-- one example being a Sims game based on Nickled and Dimed that demonstrates the difficulty of raising children on low income and the other example being a grandmother who learned how to construct a virtual purple toilet for her granddaughter to use in her Sims game.

In terms of use value for my own work exploring critical pedagogy and new media, I did relate his circuit of reflective action to John Dewey-- mentorship, experience, goals, personal investment, and meaningful action (15-16). I tie it to Dewey, rather than Freire, as it is more pragmatic and emphasizes mentorship and experience. I also enjoyed learning the term Pareto Principle, which was new to me. The Pareto Principle explains how a small fraction of the population have the largest take, whether that is in wealth, ownership, attention, impact, etc. This reminds me of the Andrew Keen's critique of Super Nodes, which notes that though everyone can create and publish online, certain individuals garner most of the attention.

Most of the information in the book is common knowledge, at least for those in higher education. Inequality leads to social ills. People gravitate towards meaning over facts. Our memories are imperfect. Stories motivate individuals more than dry statistics. Why the arguments are not unfamiliar to me, they may be to my undergraduate students. I am considering adding chapter two, "Short-Circuiting the Circuit of Human Reflective Action," to my composition coursepacks. Overall, the book is highly readable and easy to skim as it is written in plain speak and only cites sources at the end of the book. 

Are schools driven by market logic?

In the opening chapter to his 2011 book, On Critical Pedagogy, Henry Giroux writes, "Public school teachers were deskilled as one national political administration after another embraced a stripped down version of education, the central goal of which was to promote economic growth and global competitiveness, which entailed a much-narrowed form of pedagogy that focused on memorization, high-stakes testing, and helping students find a good fit within a wider market-oriented culture of commodification, standardization, and conformity" (7-8). While I respect the work of Giroux greatly, his view on the relationship between schools and markets has not evolved since the 1980s. The standardized, hegemonic practices in schools does not reflect the current market logic, but is an antiquated system reflective of the factory society. Students are unable to meet employers expectations because schools are not giving students the skills needed to succeed in today's market.

In a report by the Chronicle of Higher Education, half of the companies surveyed stated they had difficulty finding college graduates with the right qualifications to meet the requirements of their job openings. That is not the worst of it: "Nearly a third gave colleges just fair to poor marks for producing successful employees. And they dinged bachelor's-degree holders for lacking basic workplace proficiencies, like adaptability, communication skills, and the ability to solve complex problems."

Companies no longer want passive cogs who will perform a task without questions. While students are leaving colleges with technical skills, they lack the critical thinking skills necessary to problem solve and innovate. The New York Times interviews Jaime S. Falls, the vice president of a large Human Resources Organizations. He states that college graduates starting out “are very good at finding information, but not as good at putting that information into context."

In addition to problem-solving and critical thinking skills, another buzz word that often comes up is "flexibility." This seems in direct opposition to conformist and standardized educational practices. While the argument in critical pedagogy has often been these practices are harmful to democracy, it appears they are also harmful to the economy. Who benefits from standardized education?

Reflections on Online Activism

               Throughout seven weeks of the winter semester, my online Composition II students completed online activist activities that corresponded with the problem/solution essay they were researching and writing. At the end, I asked that they write a reflection on what they discovered and how successful they felt they were.

The writing prompt:

Throughout almost half the semester, we engaged in online activities designed to promote a cause and bring about awareness and change. Now we are going to reflect on our experience, discussing what we learned about online activism.

Introduction:

In your introduction you want to describe your cause and what you wanted to achieve through your online activist activities. End with a thesis statement that discusses what you learned, what opinions you formed, and how successful your endeavors were.

Body paragraphs:

Make at least three claims that support your thesis statement. Back up those claims with specific examples and analysis of those examples.

Conclusion:

In your conclusion, look to the future. Do you think you’ll use these skills again? Do you feel that these skills empower you to create change in the world?

I tried not to be too leading in my writing prompt. If I were to change anything about the prompt, it would be to emphasize that both positive and negative opinions regarding online activism were acceptable if they were able to support those opinions with their own observations and experiences. However, based on the mix of feedback I received and the discussion of the assignment in my student feedback forms for the class, I don't think most of the students were simply feeding me the answers they thought I wanted to hear. It is always a worry when a reflection like this is tied to a grade.

For the most part, students seemed empowered by the process and were surprised by how social media could be used for more than sharing personal feelings and celebrity gossip. One student, who was advocating for animal writes, wrote, "I used Twitter for my awareness and was blown away by how many other people were behind the same cause. Seeing new posts everyday about a dog or cat needing a new home made me determined to spread the word... Communicating with others over the internet allowed me to learn about all the cruelty that happens with animals. For instance, I read posts and saw photos about grizzly bears being strapped in jets and ejected to see if the systems worked. Using Twitter in this way opened my eyes to things that were going on that I’d never heard of.  I began to read articles from other countries and became acquainted with organizations from around the world. My passion for fighting for animals grew even stronger." Many students had similar reactions of surprise and noted how much Twitter actually helped them with researching their topic.

Most students defended their feelings of empowerment by making statements about "making one person aware." Some, though, felt discouraged by the difficulty of gathering a large audience or getting people to comment on their work. It's not enough to simply Tweet facts or begin a blog. The most successful online activist in the class utilized his Facebook network to create an activist group of 400 members, which led to a successful online petition that garnered support from all over the world. It's not enough to have a voice, you need to have a network. As one student wrote, "In doing this project, I found out that getting your name out there, and networking with other bloggers or tweeters like you is very important. With tweeting it can be as simple as mentioning someone in a tweet, and they will most likely respond to you. On Twitter, I learned how easy it is to connect with someone, even if they live across the world or are famous. And that is why I think it is important we did this project, because it taught us that we can connect with people all around the world, and have our voice heard."

Overall, I feel that I seen enough benefits this semester to continue this assignment. However, I have realized based on the feedback of my students that I need to have this be a full-semester project with more training on building a network. The only hesitation, and why I began this project with caution, is that some students have a very set negative opinions on sites like Twitter and Facebook. Those opinions roadblock the effort they put into the project and become a self-fulfilling prophecy. Online activism only works with time and effort.  This was something a number of students noted in their reflections.

Project Online Activism

To gain perspective on online activism, my online composition II class read "Hashtag Activism" and "Politics of the Internet." Most students related to the article, "Hashtag Activism," which states: "The ongoing referendum on the Web often seems more like a kind of collective digital graffiti than a measure of engagement: I saw this thing, it spoke to me for at least one second, and here is my mark to prove it." It recognizes that social media is a tool, which purpose is driven by the one operating the mouse. Liking something on Facebook is not going to make you an activist. However, if you are an activist, Facebook can help you generate support and awareness. The article many examples proving the power of social media in the right collective hands, such as how an online petition changed the film rating of the documentary Bully from R to PG.

 The "Politics of the Internet," for me, was the more interesting read. It correlates the design of the Internet to philosophical principles that could reshape politics:

•                The internet is nothing if not an exercise in interconnection. Its politics thus seems to call out for a similar convergence, and connections between the disparate interest groups that make up the net movement are indeed getting stronger. Beyond specific links, they also share what Manuel Castells, a Spanish sociologist, calls the “culture of the internet”, a contemporary equivalent of the 1960s counter-culture (in which much of the environmental movement grew up). Its members believe in technological progress, the free flow of information, virtual communities and entrepreneurialism. They meet at “unconferences” (where delegates make up their own agenda) and “hackerspaces” (originally opportunities to tinker with electronics); their online                forum of choice will typically be something such as a wiki that all can contribute to and help to shape. ("The New Politics of the Internet: Everything is Connected")

It's an interesting piece that is grounded in free data optimism. Most interesting is that the piece in The Economist only discusses economical concerns in relation to intellectual property rights. It doesn't examine the hidden cost of free data -- our attention. But I digress... ah yes, online activism. Our journey should begin in full-fledged splendor after spring break.

Here is the assignment:

As we research our causes and later argue for solutions, I want us to document and promote our findings online. Online activism can take many forms through social media, blogging, website creation, petitions, videos, and memes. Because of the various options and because we will be working independently, I will expect you to keep track of your posts, Tweets, and work to submit in a portfolio on April 18th. For blogs, all I need is the URL. For the Tweets and Facebook group posts, I need an actual word documents with the Tweets and posts copied into it.
If you get behind on one of your tasks or decide you want to switch to another activity, that is fine. The flexibility of having the project submitted as a portfolio allows us this freedom.
More details on the requirements of each option are listed below. The Youtube video and website options are listed last, as they are the most detailed.

Option 1: Facebook group posts and comments
For this option you can start a Facebook group or join an existing group. Each week you will post or comment on a post at least five times. These posts and comments will need to be submitted in a word document at the end of the project. I suggest updating a word document every week.

Option 2: Twitter Feed
For this option you will need to have 10 tweets a week. Three of these can be retweets. You can always Tweet news stories or websites you like. There should be a hashtag related to your cause or created by you that you will use in your feed. Avoid plagiarism.

Option 3: Blog
For this option you will need to maintain a blog and post to it weekly. Blog posts need to be at least 200 words, proofread, and contain no plagiarism. You should also use tags or keywords in your posts so that you blog can be found through a Google search.

Option 4: Online petition
For this option you will need to create an online petition. You should have a strong written portion of 250-500 words.

Option 5: Three Memes
Your memes must not violate copyright laws or contain plagiarism. See examples of memes here: http://knowyourmeme.com. I suggest images with captions or parodies.
due dates: March 14^th, March 28^th, April 14^th

Option 6: Youtube video
Youtube due dates:
Storyboard: March 14^th
Email progress/youtube rough draft: March 28^th
Final video: April 14th
Your youtube video should make a compelling argument for your cause and/or solution. My suggested length is three minutes. However, we can negotiate this when you complete your rough draft. If you don't have a video editor you prefer to use, I suggest using wevideo.com, which is a cloud-based editor. I have a tutorial for the program here: http://youtu.be/35pnAQnMdgc.

Option 7: Website

·       Create a website using www.weebly.com, www.wix.com or site builder of your choice

·       Repurpose your 5-7 page Problem/Solution essay to fit the conventions of writing for the web (see online activism module under content)

·       Have at least four distinct pages

·       Choose or design a fitting template

·       Pick images that communicate your message (www.creativecommons.org, www.flickr.com, www.morguefile.com, or http://photobucket.com)

·       Avoid plagiarism or copyright issues

Examples from my Winter 2012 English 112 class:

http://poverty.natemealey.com/
http://childabuseprevented.weebly.com/
http://solvepoverty.weebly.com

Youtube, Your Voice

-->

            For a democracy to function…citizens must actively engage in public debate, applying reading and writing practices in the service of articulating their positions and their critiques of the positions of others. To have citizens who are unable to write and read for the public forum thus defeats the central purpose of the notion of democracy. (Berlin “Rhetorics” 109-10)

            Most of my assignments in this half of the semester have to do with changes to the public forum. To be civically empowered, students must be able to navigate and create in the interconnected multimedia environment of the web. Mashable declared 2012 to be the year of Youtube, where 7,000 hours of news-related video was uploaded daily. If students want a voice in today’s media landscape, they need to be able to do more than write a letter to the editor. They need to be able to articulate an argument in a multimodal fashion.

            My basic writing students are passionately committed to wanting to improve their city. Most believe the answer lies in targeting the youth – the youth who are discarding their education and pursuing a lifestyle fueled by drugs and money. Reaching today’s youth will not be achieved through letters to the editor. To reach the broader demographic needed to make change, our students need to go through the channels of social media and Youtube.

            After spring break, my English 090 students are going to create their first digital stories, a collection of personal testimonies regarding violence in Saginaw. They will be personal and driven by narrative elements, as this will anchor the unfamiliar video components in mode of storytelling they are comfortable with. Honestly, having done my first testimonial video on the topic of urban violence, I can say it is a more raw and powerful way to tell a story. Writing allows for a bit of distance, in fact distance is necessary to achieve perspective and reflection. However, the sound of your own voice reading the story and the images of real places and people removes the distance. The story becomes more immediate, the pathos stronger. Multimodal storytelling has more affective bandwidth – it’s able to convey more, faster.

While I’ve done a lot of video editing and remixes and mashups, this is my first personal digital story. Somehow that makes it seem less polished and more earnest. It makes me uncomfortable, and I take this to be a good sign:

Connectivist vs. Participant, Dewey vs. Freire

I remember when I first heard about Gregory Ulmer coming up with his own terminology to reflect the evolution from literacy to a new symbolic, visual practice needed to thrive in digital environments, Electracy. Reading about digital pedagogy lately, it no longer seems radical to invent one's own term. It seems a new term crosses my Twitter feed on a weekly basis -- participant pedagogy, peeragogy, hybrid pedagogy, connectivism -- each indicating some new practice or means of interaction in a networked, online environment. Perhaps, I should be looking to coin my own term in my dissertation instead of trying to connect a very non-technical practice that is most often linked to Brazilian peasants to new media ecologies.


Today though (and this could be may lack of sleep and excess of coffee talking) an interesting distinction emerged that could connect to the differences between critical pedagogy forefathers, John Dewey and Paulo Freire. In one vein, you have connectivism, which discusses knowledge building as an associative activity, tied to experiential and active learning. In the other vein, you have the emerging peer-based learning, tied to participant driven MOOCs. One is a radical new framework for education and the other is a more pragmatic approach to using the online environment to enhance learning and increase student engagement. One can more clearly be related to the work of Freire and the other to the work of Dewey. I'm not sure what I'll do with this discovery....