Instructors of technical communication are uniquely positioned to engagestudents with concrete problems in local workplaces and community settings.
This engagement of concrete problems is done by asking thought provoking question, which make the student provide a deeper analysis of the problem. It's not enough to provide a "yes" or "no"answer for a solution to a problem
2010 Gulf oil spill are noteworthy in thisregard: that is, because they are so complex in their causes and effects, theycannot necessarily be “solved” in any simple sense of the term
The complexity of this problem causes a chain reaction which effects the whole world not only the gulf. Gas prices start to increase and oil miners have to find new resources of oil
we are reinforcing practical wisdom that ideally translates intoprudent social action
Wisdom= Spark in taking action.Once you understand the savarity of the problem it becomes harder to ignore.
“If we hope to instill in our students a sense of responsibilityto be active citizens and advocates for social change,” she suggests, “we mustshow them that their civic engagement can be applied beyond the classroom”
Wow this is so true. Now I understand why we are going to have real life clients in this class! https://alexandragetsreal.files.wordpress.com/2012/07/shitgotreal.jpg
The structure of this article is as follows. First, I briefly review scholarshipthat has theorized the concept of wicked problems in social theory anddesign studies; second, I show how I applied a wicked problems frameworkin a technical writing course I taught during Fall 2010; and finally, I offer somesuggestions for developing this approach and applying it toward other topicsand social issues.
Overall skeleton of this article. Pretty much enough said
hemorrhaging of oil into the Gulf ofMexico can be traced to faulty technologies
Interesting. In the medical sense hemorrhaging is a term used to described mass amounts of blood loss but here it's used to describe the catastrophic oil spill
Overall this article is about how real life problems affect everyone else indirectly or directly. Wickman used the example of the Gulf oil spill to cover many avenues of wickedness. It was explained that the ruptured well of the Gulf was unpredictable and unpreventable means of other problems that arise from offshore drilling. Part of the article that caught my attention was when Wickman made clear that in class learning and experience can be used in the real world. It's true that as a student we're taught to study for a grade and not understanding. This article allowed me to realize that sometimes a solution to a problem doesn't necessarily fix the greater issue but temporarily corrects an unintended accident.
the deathsof 11 rig workers; millions of gallons of oil being released into the Gulf of Mexico;an untold amount of toxic chemicals being used to disperse the oil
Just a few of the consequences reported to the media. I wonder if there was more than 11 deaths????
Trail of Life and Path of the Sun design patterns, the box embodies the continuity of Mohegan cultural traditions and identity in a time of tremendous change.
According to the Mohegan tribe's vision statement, they "walk as a single spirit on the Trail of Life" and they are "guided by thirteen generations past." This not only exemplifies the continuity of their traditions, but it also explains their intense sense of community--the tribe views itself as a single entity.
("Our Vision." The Mohegan Tribe. Web. 05 Sept. 2016.)
weft
I wasn't sure what this term meant, so I looked up the definition. "Weft" is defined by Merriam-Webster as "the threads that run from side to side on a loom or in a woven fabric." ( "Weft." Merriam-Webster's Learner's Dictionary. Merriam-Webster, 2016. Merriam-Webster.com. Web. 06 Sept. 2016.)
Finally, as a text, the basket assumes primacy over its newspaper lining, reducing it to a utilitarian function devoid of communicative practice.
This is a bit ironic, considering that newspaper, a widely recognized form of communication, does not function as expected. The basket does the talking, so to speak, while the newspaper becomes mundane and insignificant.
four-domed medallions
One of the four-domed medallions described by the author. It also as the symbol for the Mohegan tribe.
(Mohegan Tribe Logo. Digital image. The Mohegan Tribe. N.p., n.d. Web. 5 Sept. 2016.)
Most scholarship on Native decorated artifacts has focused on material aspects.
The lack of depth of the study of these and the decision to focus on the material aspects of the artifacts seems to reflect Western culture in that it is preoccupied with the outward beauty or immediate value of an item rather than its cultural significance or the messages that it could convey.
Any text is open to multiple readings, but this particular analysis reflects a non-Native bias
This makes me wonder how accurate a single translation or interpretation of a basket can be. How were the meanings of the symbols initially determined? I can only assume that the translations were passed on orally, but the article does not discuss how the author knows what the symbols represent, nor does she explore the history behind them.
Authorship, then, is communal rather than individual, and the resulting narrative belongs to the community as a whole.
This sense of community identity can be seen in western culture as well, in some areas more than in others. For example, urban areas that have large populations and a high density of people are generally more community oriented, as they lack personal space. This sense of community may no influence the creation of artifacts, but it can shape politics and even the built environment of the area.
Baskets, which were and still are ceremonial and utilitarian objects used for transportation and storage of items, prayer ceremonies, and traditional games, function as com
Much like the dollhouses that Cooley describes in her article, these artifacts have a use that has been lost to time. While in the past dollhouses were used to teach young girls how to set up and manage a household, the baskets were used to communicate.
In sum, by touching every aspect of daily Native life, both past and present, basketry is imbued with cultural and spiritual power.
It seems fitting that these items, which initially seem mundane in nature, should be used to communicate and convey messages. The history and culture is literally woven into the basket this item of practical use, which I find very impressive.
Mohegan Wood-splint Basket
Nicole Cooley's "Dollshouses Weren't Invented for Play" details the history of doll houses and their unexpected origins. The original purpose of dollhouses differs greatly from the understood use of the modern doll dollhouse--play. The first dollhouses served a purpose that was precisely opposite: show. Called "miniature houses," they were symbols of wealth and social status, or otherwise served as tools to teach young girls how to manage a household. After the industrial revolution, however, when dollhouses and miniatures were mass-produced, they became common toys and their image shifted dramatically. No longer were these structures and their contents viewed as indicators of wealth. They were simply playtoys.
With the advent of social media, dollhouses and miniatures have again begun to take on a new identity. Rather than being locked away in the parlors of large houses or the bedrooms of little girls, digital images shared across dozens of social media platforms have given these objects new life. Dollhouses and miniatures have come to represent a cultural era and can be enjoyed by millions worldwide. They are reflective of a maker movement that fosters a cultural identity and sense of community that was simply not present in the past.
Cooley, Nicole. "Dollhouses Weren't Invented for Play." The Atlantic. Atlantic Media Company, 22 July 2016. Web. 05 Sept. 2016.
"To the Mohegan, designs and life are more than simple representations of nature. There is a spiritual force that flows through all things, and if these symbols are true representations of that force, this spirit should be expressed in the designs.”
It's interesting that the Mohegans so valued material possessions, but not in the same way that we do in the current day. The Mohegans believed in a life force that flows through everything, whether it be animate or inanimate. Today, we don't generally believe that but we still highly value our material possessions. Why is this? Maybe because, as we discussed in Dr. Fernandez's class, our material possessions represent our class standing.
Because they do not conform to Western conceptions of writing, they have been dismissed, ignored, and largely excluded from the historical record, thus obscuring the long history of Native texts and textualities
What could the reason for this be? Possibly because when we think of how we teach history here in the U.S. its obviously easiest to refer people to written texts. But that doesn't mean other historical artifacts are excluded from the record or aren't studied with the same degree of scrutiny.
— Roger W illiam sA Key into the Language of America
A Key into the Language of America was a book written by Roger Williams in 1643 describing the Native American languages in New England in the 17th century. Williams seems to have not taken the cultural aspect of these baskets into account from this quote. Initially I assumed from the quote that he was in the majority of early American colonists who antagonized Native Americans. From a bibliographical website I found however, Williams was actually known for peacekeeping between colonists and Native Americans.
“Roger Williams Biography.” Accessed September 6, 2016. http://www.rogerwilliams.org/biography.htm.
t is 12 inches wide, 17 inches long, and 11 inches high. It is rectangular in shape, with sides that curve slightly inward. The rim is double reinforced and single wrapped, creating a sturdy durable frame.
After reading the essay, this intro seems lacking in comparison to how Fitzgerald describes the Mohagens' baskets. Perhaps she wrote the intro in this way to play on our expectations of what something as simple as a basket can be.
The Cultural Work of a Mohegan Painted Baske
Christopher Schaberg’s Gender in Flight discusses how modern day gender issues may be less “pressing and more profuse” than some would have you believe through the example of the commercial airplane. He notes how airplane bathrooms have been gender neutral for years without incident, how gender doesn’t determine who flies the plane or who passes out the pretzels. He asserts that the reason for this might be abundant “pragmatism” in airplanes where people are mostly focused on getting from one point to another. This isn’t to say we are all one big happy family when stuck in those flying “metal tubes”, but rather we are looking out for signs of a fellow passenger’s character; will this person be obnoxious, friendly, possibly dangerous? Airplanes are a very public space where we try our best to remain intact in our own private world.
“Mini Object Lesson: Gender in Flight - The Atlantic.” Accessed September 6, 2016. http://www.theatlantic.com/notes/2016/06/mini-object-lesson-gender-in-flight/486620/.
Finally, as a text, the basket assumes primacy over its newspaper lining, reducing it to a utilitarian function devoid of communicative practice.
A Mohegan Basket lined with newspaper
Ulrich, Laurel Thatcher. “A Woodsplint Basket.” Harvard Magazine, March 1, 2002. http://harvardmagazine.com/2002/03/a-woodsplint-basket.html.
Thus, this basket bears witness to the particular cultural and historical moment that it inhabits.
This makes me wonder, what other methods did the Mohegans use for storytelling aside from written text?
The narrative that unfolds in the textual surface of a basket is not an individual creation; it belongs to the tribal community.
The Mohegans likely had a strong sense of collective identity. They saw themselves as part of a unit tied together through culture. The fact that we don't see much of this now could be related to the emphasis of "private space" we discussed in Dr. Fernandez's class.
The trail design that encloses the central medallion may symbolize the Trail of Life or the Path of the Sun. Together, the symbols and designs of the basket text create a narrative for the reader to decode.
I can't find anything on The Trail of Life or The Path of the Sun. What were these, were they similar to the infamous Trail of Tears?
6 The weaving of Mohegan baskets was generally a communal winter activity.
We don't see the same community fueled projects as often anymore, possibly because we are so culturally diverse here in Atlanta that we don't have any one cultural project to center on.
What would a history of Native print culture look like if it included three-dimensional texts such as baskets or tipis
This essay really broadens my understanding of what can be studied as a historical "text". When we include non-textual sources such as sculpture and painting, we see the full picture with regards to a nation's culture and history.
On his return, Roger Williams started a trading post at Cocumscussoc (now North Kingstown) where he traded with the Indians and was known for his peacemaking between the neighboring colonists and the Indians.
This is the quote I referred to in a previous annotation.