Assignments: Culture of Books and Reading
Throughout the course, and during the study tour, we completed a variety of assignments and projects to further our understanding of culture as it pertained to reading. Below are the texts we read, a brief explanation of each assignment, and a copy or sample of my assignments.
Hoban, Russell. Riddley Walker. Indiana University Press, 1998.
Lansky, Aaron. Outwitting History: The Amazing Adventures of a Man Who Rescued a Million Yiddish Books. Algonquin Press, 2005.
Merkoski, Jason. Burning the Page: The Ebook Revolution and the Future of Reading. Sourcebooks, Inc., 2013.
Wood, John. Creating Room to Read: A Story of Hope in the Battle for Global Literacy. Viking Press, 2013.
Lansky, Aaron. Outwitting History: The Amazing Adventures of a Man Who Rescued a Million Yiddish Books. Algonquin Press, 2005.
Merkoski, Jason. Burning the Page: The Ebook Revolution and the Future of Reading. Sourcebooks, Inc., 2013.
Wood, John. Creating Room to Read: A Story of Hope in the Battle for Global Literacy. Viking Press, 2013.
Notes Over Readings
In order to make sure that I understood what I was reading, as well as to help my participation during class discussions, I took notes as we completed assigned readings within each text. Below are copies of those notes.
In order to make sure that I understood what I was reading, as well as to help my participation during class discussions, I took notes as we completed assigned readings within each text. Below are copies of those notes.
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Discussion Boards
At several points throughout the semester, prompts were posted on Blackboard for us to respond to in several paragraphs. The prompts covered current events and what we read in our texts. We were often required to evaluate the reading material and link it to outside sources, as well as our own opinions.
At several points throughout the semester, prompts were posted on Blackboard for us to respond to in several paragraphs. The prompts covered current events and what we read in our texts. We were often required to evaluate the reading material and link it to outside sources, as well as our own opinions.
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Assignment One: Papyrus Autobiography
For this assignment, each of us was given a piece of papyrus (yes, just like the Egyptians were famous for using!). We had to create four panels telling a brief story about some part of our lives. The caveat: NO WORDS. The only way in which we were allowed to tell the story was through pictures. It is remarkable how difficult a story can be to tell without words. When you think about it, not even most children's books are devoid of words. However, we all pulled through and did very well, in my opinion. My own work tells the story of how I learned to read. Forgive the poor artistry; I was never a visual artist, even with two years of art classes in high school. And also forgive the twist ties used to roll the papyrus together. For some reason, I COULD NOT find a simple piece of ribbon or string. Therefore, fall back on the old adage that every college student should know: improvise.
Assignment Two: Tattoo Biography
For this assignment, we delved into the cultural meanings of tattoos. Tattoos are not, in fact, a recent technique. They have been popular as powerful symbols for centuries in many countries. Our task was to observe two individuals with visible tattoos. We had to make not of their age, ethnicity, behavior, attitude, and the environment. Now, considering that this was the end of January, that is NOT an easy task! However, I was able to find two individuals and surprised myself with what I was able to glean from their tattoos when I really thought about it and connected them to the behavior of the individuals.
For this assignment, we delved into the cultural meanings of tattoos. Tattoos are not, in fact, a recent technique. They have been popular as powerful symbols for centuries in many countries. Our task was to observe two individuals with visible tattoos. We had to make not of their age, ethnicity, behavior, attitude, and the environment. Now, considering that this was the end of January, that is NOT an easy task! However, I was able to find two individuals and surprised myself with what I was able to glean from their tattoos when I really thought about it and connected them to the behavior of the individuals.
Tattoo Biography | |
File Size: | 21 kb |
File Type: | docx |
Assignment Three: Reading Habits Observation
For this assignment, we again played the role of observer. Instead of trying to decipher the meanings of tattoos, we instead focused on HOW people were reading and WHAT they were reading. We were to observe more than one individual and make note of many details, including focus, posture, location, and they type of material/medium being read. This assignment proved just as interesting, if not more, than the tattoo biography. It is amazing what you can gather from a person's facial expression, posture, and movements when you really look for it.
For this assignment, we again played the role of observer. Instead of trying to decipher the meanings of tattoos, we instead focused on HOW people were reading and WHAT they were reading. We were to observe more than one individual and make note of many details, including focus, posture, location, and they type of material/medium being read. This assignment proved just as interesting, if not more, than the tattoo biography. It is amazing what you can gather from a person's facial expression, posture, and movements when you really look for it.
Reading Habits Observations | |
File Size: | 18 kb |
File Type: | docx |
Assignment Four: Constructed Book #1
For this assignment, each of us was given a small hinge, such as would be used on a door. Our instructions were simple: use the hinge as the basis for constructing a miniature book. Nothing else. We were given almost absolute freedom and interpretation for this assignment. As for what the pages could be filled with...that too was totally up to us; some chose to display various fonts, some Bible passages, some very short stories, some math equations and formulas, and still some found other unique features with which to fill their books. In class, we reviewed "established" methods of designing, binding, and creating books to serve as templates. However, almost every single one of us chose a different methods (typically inventing out own method) in construction.
For the inner pages of my book, I used some "special" paper that my parents used strictly for printing resumes and documents of the like. I cut it up into strips, then into the correct size from those strips, and nested them within each other. Using needle and thread, I sewed (mind you, I DO NOT know the first thing about sewing; I'm sure I ended up inventing a new and poorly effective method of stitching during the process) the pages together. I filled most of these pages with inspirational quotes that I had found. Then came the interesting part: over the course of several days (yes, days) I glued cut pieces of twill fabric onto the hinge as the cover. Metal and glue, of course, do not always bind, and I had to constantly add more glue once most of it had dried. One of the pages from my group of sewn pages was glued under the patch in this process, so the pages were held in place. After much trimming and gluing and watching and waiting, the final product finally emerged! It was by no stretch of the imagination a masterpiece (and certainly not a design for a book that I would consider buying at first glance), but it was a success nonetheless!
For this assignment, each of us was given a small hinge, such as would be used on a door. Our instructions were simple: use the hinge as the basis for constructing a miniature book. Nothing else. We were given almost absolute freedom and interpretation for this assignment. As for what the pages could be filled with...that too was totally up to us; some chose to display various fonts, some Bible passages, some very short stories, some math equations and formulas, and still some found other unique features with which to fill their books. In class, we reviewed "established" methods of designing, binding, and creating books to serve as templates. However, almost every single one of us chose a different methods (typically inventing out own method) in construction.
For the inner pages of my book, I used some "special" paper that my parents used strictly for printing resumes and documents of the like. I cut it up into strips, then into the correct size from those strips, and nested them within each other. Using needle and thread, I sewed (mind you, I DO NOT know the first thing about sewing; I'm sure I ended up inventing a new and poorly effective method of stitching during the process) the pages together. I filled most of these pages with inspirational quotes that I had found. Then came the interesting part: over the course of several days (yes, days) I glued cut pieces of twill fabric onto the hinge as the cover. Metal and glue, of course, do not always bind, and I had to constantly add more glue once most of it had dried. One of the pages from my group of sewn pages was glued under the patch in this process, so the pages were held in place. After much trimming and gluing and watching and waiting, the final product finally emerged! It was by no stretch of the imagination a masterpiece (and certainly not a design for a book that I would consider buying at first glance), but it was a success nonetheless!
Assignment Five: Social Media/E-Books Reading Habits Survey
This assignment was...interesting. Upon arrival at the airport to leave (March 14th, 2014), we were given a folder with various papers in it. The majority were survey papers, ten in total. By the end of our stay in Scotland, we had to have interviewed ten people (no one from the United States) using the questions on the survey. The survey asked questions about the use of social media to obtain news, the future of reading, and other topics exploring how people read and perceive reading. In all honesty, the Scottish accent was not troubling or difficult to understand. However, Edinburgh especially has a large concentration of tourists and visitors from other countries, particularly, so I discovered, France. Despite this, I was, with relatively little trouble, able to complete the surveys. After returning home, we each had to write up our own analyses of what we had discovered and submit them with our surveys to Professor Grace. Some of the results were surprising.
This assignment was...interesting. Upon arrival at the airport to leave (March 14th, 2014), we were given a folder with various papers in it. The majority were survey papers, ten in total. By the end of our stay in Scotland, we had to have interviewed ten people (no one from the United States) using the questions on the survey. The survey asked questions about the use of social media to obtain news, the future of reading, and other topics exploring how people read and perceive reading. In all honesty, the Scottish accent was not troubling or difficult to understand. However, Edinburgh especially has a large concentration of tourists and visitors from other countries, particularly, so I discovered, France. Despite this, I was, with relatively little trouble, able to complete the surveys. After returning home, we each had to write up our own analyses of what we had discovered and submit them with our surveys to Professor Grace. Some of the results were surprising.
Social Media/E-Books Reading Survey Analysis | |
File Size: | 16 kb |
File Type: | docx |
Assignment Six: Ghost Story Contribution
This was perhaps the most exciting assignment I have ever had! While in Scotland, we each had to contribute a page or so to a story. Robin Selzer, a pre-professional adviser for pre-pharmacy students and the other faculty leader on the trip, wrote down the beginning of a story given to her by Professor Grace. When we arrived at the airport in Edinburgh, she passed this on to me. I read her part, added my own contribution, and passed the story on to another student. In this way, the story grew and expanded and was influenced both by each individual and the events we each experienced as the week progressed. At times, the story grows convoluted and intriguing, and at other times it is downright ridiculous. When we returned home, Professor Grace transcribed the story (with minor editing for things like tense and spelling) into typed form. Below is the link to the library site where the story and information about it (and the trip) were uploaded, including the original pages we all wrote on.
http://www.libraries.uc.edu/exhibits/ghoststory/
This was perhaps the most exciting assignment I have ever had! While in Scotland, we each had to contribute a page or so to a story. Robin Selzer, a pre-professional adviser for pre-pharmacy students and the other faculty leader on the trip, wrote down the beginning of a story given to her by Professor Grace. When we arrived at the airport in Edinburgh, she passed this on to me. I read her part, added my own contribution, and passed the story on to another student. In this way, the story grew and expanded and was influenced both by each individual and the events we each experienced as the week progressed. At times, the story grows convoluted and intriguing, and at other times it is downright ridiculous. When we returned home, Professor Grace transcribed the story (with minor editing for things like tense and spelling) into typed form. Below is the link to the library site where the story and information about it (and the trip) were uploaded, including the original pages we all wrote on.
http://www.libraries.uc.edu/exhibits/ghoststory/
Assignment Seven: Constructed Book #2
As before, we were to construct our own book and fill it with whatever content we wished. This time, however, we constructed the book in class using a coptic style binding. It wasn't easy, and many of us ended up using our own innovation, but they all turned out fairly decent. I chose to place within mine one of my favorite poems, which is below. It is a poem written by J.R.R. Tolkien for use within the Lord of the Rings novels, but I feel that there is a much broader and more dynamic application.
As before, we were to construct our own book and fill it with whatever content we wished. This time, however, we constructed the book in class using a coptic style binding. It wasn't easy, and many of us ended up using our own innovation, but they all turned out fairly decent. I chose to place within mine one of my favorite poems, which is below. It is a poem written by J.R.R. Tolkien for use within the Lord of the Rings novels, but I feel that there is a much broader and more dynamic application.
All that is gold does not glitter
J.R.R. Tolkien
All that is gold does not glitter,
Not all those who wander are lost;
The old that is strong does not whither,
Deep roots are not reached by the frost.
From the ashes a fire shall be woken,
A light from the shadows shall spring;
Renewed shall be blade that was broken,
The crownless again shall be king.
J.R.R. Tolkien
All that is gold does not glitter,
Not all those who wander are lost;
The old that is strong does not whither,
Deep roots are not reached by the frost.
From the ashes a fire shall be woken,
A light from the shadows shall spring;
Renewed shall be blade that was broken,
The crownless again shall be king.