Report 1: Close Reading, Writing and Culture
McCaw, N. (2008, Jan 02). Close Reading, Writing and Culture. Retrieved October 13, 2013
http://ehis.ebscohost.com.libproxy.udayton.edu/eds/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=4023b08f-61f3-4eea-a37f-a87634540d68%40sessionmgr110&vid=1&hid=109
Summary
In this article, Neil McCaw examines the impact and status of close reading practice. The author argues his viewpoint based on the Discipline of Creative Writing. He claims that extremely narrow, practice based kinds of textual interpretations dominate writing workshops. Because of the narrow scope of the textual interpretations, the context of a broader sense of student learning and writing skills becomes limited. He reiterates in his article that reading culture needs to broaden in order to take into account a wider sense of knowledge and culture. He also notes that bringing many subject domains into the Creative Writing classroom helps bring life to learning. Learners get experiences beyond the words encrypted on pages.
McCaw explores the theories of reading proposed in the 20th Century. The most fundamental and widely used of these theories is the need to take writing as a craft. He points out the symbiotic relationship between cultural and close reading methods. Texts and literature that students read in class are only useful with some knowledge of the culture of the writer and context of writing. The author attests that a reading with a focus on culture encourages students to write with sharper awareness of ideological and cultural implications of text and language. The article appreciates that the world is at a stage where writing has the widest role as communication praxis. Additionally, the text gives a clear and concise way of avoiding leaving readers in contemplation of exactly what the author meant. He reiterates that some authors leave gaps in their literature either intentionally or otherwise to make the readers imagine of something unknown and mysterious that could make the work more comprehensive. He successfully creates an understanding of the difference between insufficient writing and suspense. The author triumphantly manages to correct literary gurus who have misled their audience to think of them as philosophers by missing important links in their works. The suspicion of the missing clue can be paralyzing to the reader.
Weaknesses
This article, however, fails its readers in an assortment of ways. The author does a tremendous job to note the aspects of readership and writing that could be detrimental to the reader of any literary work. He, however, fails to give explicit ways of eliminating the problems associated with authorship. In a way, the author tells of gaps in other people’s writings as he leaves bigger gaps than they do. He does not provide amicable solutions to the problems he notes in the contemporary writing, which makes his efforts void.
Personal Perception
Explanation of how this Information would be Useful
Close Reading, Writing and Culture would be helpful in shaping contemporary readership and authorship. In the current age, writing has become the most commonly used mode of communication. Given the spread of electronic media, writing is the cheapest means of communication presently. Instant messaging, phone messaging via SMS, blogging, information sharing via wikis and chatting via the social media have changed the face of communication. Writing is, therefore, the most significant tool to ensure that corporate, individuals and organizations stay in touch with their dreams and inspirations. The article would help people discern community cultures and help them choose the right words in particular scenarios. This avoids misunderstandings and adverse effects of miscommunication.
Report 2: Encouraging Recreational Reading Among College Students
Gauder, H., Giglierano, J., & Schrram, H. C. (2002, August 28). Encouraging Recreational Reading Among College Students. Retrieved October 13, 2013 http://ehis.ebscohost.com.libproxy.udayton.edu/eds/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=a25b2500-4c82-4556-b287-3dcd53fcf932%40sessionmgr198&vid=1&hid=109
Summary
The report reveals results that could contradict expectations of many contemporary thinkers. According to the authors, there is formidable evidence that children who undergo counseling exhibit more deviant behavior than those not in any counseling program. In this case, defiance in not following assignment instructions given by teachers is the most prevalent. Deviant children do not have the urge and motivation to complete reading assignments. As such, they often fail their examinations due to lack of preparedness. Further, the authors of the report attest that parents tended to realize maladjustments in children than teachers. For the in-treatment group, the researchers found out that teachers interacted more and perceived a more social delinquency and psychotic signs than parents. This contrasted the not-in-treatment group of children.
The researchers also found out that correlations between teachers and parents were lower than the relations between the parents concerning their children’s maladjustments. Mother-father coefficients were higher than mother-teacher and father-teacher coefficients. Affiliations to either parents or teachers had varying effects on the child’s ability to read and write. The compilers of the report further noted that the results could have been much more accurate with a larger sample size. They, however, observed the fact that there was no difference in the parents and teachers’ perceptions concerning the behavior exhibited by teenagers.
Positive
As the authors and researchers reiterate in their report, it is imperative to have a sound relationship between the school and parents. Parent’s collaboration with teachers is essential in making sure that trends of students’ reading performance are tracked and closely monitored. It is not enough for parents to merely present children for schooling. Families and the school should work together in ensuring children receive the best care both in school and at home in order to develop an all-round society. Parents spend a lot of time with their children. Even though teachers seemingly spend more time with children at school, parents spend more personal and intimate time with them. This explains why the researchers noted a reasonably higher probability of parents to realize maladjustments on their children than the teachers did. The teachers may spend more hours with children in school, but lack the personal touch owing to the numbers of children they interact with.
Personal Perception
For the realization of a successful education system, it is fundamental that teachers and parents work together. Provision of viable counseling to any child is only possible if the root causes of the maladjustments are known. A complete knowledge of the factors that could lead to a child’s sudden or gradual change in behavior is only possible in the event that parents and teachers work together.
How this Information would be Useful
Sharing views on the progress of the child in different capacities not only assists in breeding children academically, but also assists in breeding children who will be helpful in society.
Report 3: Encouraging Students to Read: What Professors Are (and aren't) Doing About It
Starcher, K., & Proffitt, D. (2009, June 04). Encouraging Students to Read: What Professors Are (and aren't) Doing About It. Retrieved October 13, 2013, http://ehis.ebscohost.com.libproxy.udayton.edu/eds/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=4b39d6e1-f34c-4dbc-9ed7-b7ec7044e6ce%40sessionmgr111&vid=1&hid=109
Summary
Keith Starcher of Indiana Wesleyan University and Dennis Profit of Arizona Christian University explore the reasons why students are reluctant to complete reading assigned textbooks on time. Previously, researches showed that students do not complete reading assignments on time due to lack of motivation. The authors also cite lack of proper knowledge on viable studying habits. Additionally, there are several activities competing for and demanding students’ time. Furthermore, the authors cited lack of congruency between the professors’ objectives for students and students’ personal objectives for the reasons that lead to performance gap. Empirical analysis of existing literature revealed that both the tutor and the presentation of textbooks tutors provide for student reading could lead to lack of interest in completing reading assignments. From the research, most students preferred reading a book that is reasonably priced at about $50 and less. In addition, a majority of students in the study attested that a good textbook is loaded with graphics and short. According to the researchers, students in the study preferred a book that is easy to understand as opposed to books with complex content.
The research revealed shocking figures concerning how much reading students complete on time. According to the researchers, about 27.4% of students complete their reading before class. The remaining 69.8% do not read until exams are about to be done. The statistics showed that the phenomenon is worst at undergraduate level. High school students had better reading habits than their undergraduate counterparts as 38% read before class and the remaining 62% read on the announcement of a test.
Positive
Keith and Dennis further explore the problem of student reading culture in a way that provides helpful insights that could aid in resolving student readership challenges. The most imperative of the approaches the two take is to get the route-cause of the problem from the affected who in this case are students. Upon understanding the causes of the problem, the researchers were in a good position to find long-lasting solutions to the problems under investigation.
Personal Perception
According to the report, the researchers successfully answered the fundamental questions it set out to study. Foremost, the research successfully explored the reasons students cite for not accomplishing the reading requirements for their course. Secondly, it provided an answer to the pedagogical methods that faculty employ to encourage students to read.
Negative
Despite providing insightful information on reasons for students’ failure to do their reading assignments and providing pedagogical solutions to the quandaries, the research is shallow. The research findings are in line with empirical results. The research provides nothing new apart from quantifying facts from previous research and common knowledge.
How the Information would be Useful
Nonetheless, the results can be helpful in scenarios where concern of a stakeholder is the extent of students’ reading problem. It could be helpful for professors and other tutors to know the degree of a problem in classes they teach. Solutions provided in the report are handy in helping academicians resolve the deep-seated predicaments in making students understand class contents.
References
Gauder, H., Giglierano, J., & Schrram, H. C. (2002, August 28). Encouraging Recreational Reading Among College Students. Retrieved October 13, 2013, from http://ehis.ebscohost.com.libproxy.udayton.edu/eds/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=a25b2500-4c82-4556-b287-3dcd53fcf932%40sessionmgr198&vid=1&hid=109
McCaw, N. (2008, Jan 02). Close Reading, Writing and Culture. Retrieved October 13, 2013, from http://ehis.ebscohost.com.libproxy.udayton.edu/eds/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=4023b08f-61f3-4eea-a37f-a87634540d68%40sessionmgr110&vid=1&hid=109
Starcher, K., & Proffitt, D. (2009, June 04). Encouraging Students to Read: What Professors Are (and aren't) Doing About It. Retrieved October 13, 2013, from http://ehis.ebscohost.com.libproxy.udayton.edu/eds/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=4b39d6e1-f34c-4dbc-9ed7-b7ec7044e6ce%40sessionmgr111&vid=1&hid=109
