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Chosen fandom artwork

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WA1 - Literacy

Crystal H ENG 1302.01W 9/27/15 Literacy By definition, literacy means the ability to read and write. So if you are reading this paper, you are literate, right? I wish it was that simple. Literacy has many levels, starting with the ability to read and write, but also in the understanding of both.  I have always enjoyed reading and writing, but I didn’t realize until I was in my teens that if I didn’t love what I was reading, I didn’t always comprehend it. There are many factors involved when children are learning to read and write, and these will provide a foundation for the rest of their lives. But what about the adults that are just learning to read and write?  I do believe that literacy is extremely important as it builds confidence, sets the groundwork for social status, and allows us to be more successful in life. Really anything involving language and speech is literacy. Many believe that the learning to read and write starts at the beginning of life. When children are exposed to different languages, extensive vocabulary, and are read to, they do better in school. I have always believed this to be the case, but there are many people that have taught themselves to read and write and are successful. So who am I to say that they are not just as educated and knowledgeable as the next person? Individuals that understand a conversation would join in and give their input, versus just observing and trying to figure out what the message is. If you take a look at successful people, they are educated and have a secure knowledge of what they are doing.  This also builds confidence and drive.  I am not just referring to those that are college graduates, I am including any person that strives to do more and be at their best. This is largely in part to literacy including reading street signs, baking or cooking, reading a novel, reading or writing music, or watching movies. All of these are using language and understanding.  Each requires different degrees of difficulty and practice.  Literacy is seen in all walks of life. Where literacy is used in variety of ways, there is a literacy event. Literacy events include anything in which literacy is involved.  A literacy event can be as common as reading and discussing your town newsletter, watching and discussing a movie, or following a blog. By some standards these are not all literacy events, but if the individuals are using some form of literacy and then discussing it in some form or fashion, then it qualifies. These events are quite common and most are part of our everyday lives.  Since literacy events can be anything that involves literacy there are no limits. I think we take for granted how often we are involved in these events. I also think that one might not consider a modern take on language and communication to be viewed as a form of literacy.  This might include television, radio stations, or blogs. Everything from discussing makeup, to reading and interpreting a map, to editing a child’s homework can be considered a literacy event. I really thought that looking for literacy in its “natural habitat” would be a difficult task, but it seems quite simple now. One can find literacy in every home, in the forms of books, television, children’s homework, computers, and magazines. You might be asking yourself, does television qualify as literacy? Yes, since the person watching it has to be able to interpret the names of the people on the screen, the words used on the news, and even the message that a commercial is trying to convey. Without the ability to interpret those words, a person would miss vital parts of the message, and the ability to interpret words is a part of literacy. So all a person needs to do to find literacy in the home is to look around, find it, and speak to the people in that home. According to our textbook, “in theory, at least, there is a form of reading specific to every room: books are sold for kitchens, coffee tables, desks, bedrooms (The Bedside X) or bathrooms”. (Akins, 9) School is another place where literacy is common in its natural habitat.  Every classroom in a school has literacy inside, whether it be on the walls, in a text book, in the notes, or homework.  All of those things are considered literacy and the class room would be its natural habitat.  Literacy can also be found in its natural habitat when we talk to others. When one talks to a person about their opinions and experiences with literacy, they are finding literacy in its natural habitat. This can also be found by looking at a piece of literacy itself.  If you look at a piece of literacy and analyze it, you are letting another person see its natural habitat even if we have no other source to reference that information. Literacy is ever changing. It can change in an area several times over a short period of time. It might be a cultural change or an economical change that affects it.  It will vary in a classroom depending on the teacher, the amount of time spent learning something that they have never seen, or an event that causes a change. Literacy skills are taught to students by their teachers and the level is determined by what the teacher feels is important.  Each generation is taught new skills and techniques. So it is only natural that with each generational change, literacy will change too.  No two people will learn the same way, just like no two teachers will teach the same way. But one fact still remains, literacy is of the most importance, because without it one cannot communicate properly, engage in conversations, or perform simple tasks like writing a grocery list. Unfortunately if we really examine what the future might be like with the decline in literacy, it does not look so good for humanity.ity is in trouble. If society continues to travel in the direction that it has been for quite some time now, the Social Self, along with many other aspects of humanity, will greatly suffer.

Works Citied Adkins, Tabetha. Ethnographic Inquiries in Writing, Texas A&M Commerce, 2010.

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WA2 ENG1302

Crystal HENG1302-01W (Dr. Melinda Bobbitt) October 13, 2015 Research Proposal – The Mortal Instruments Overview Fan culture continues to play a critical role in the development and expanse of the urban fantasy genre. Through social media, fans can stay connected at all times.  Our young adults and teenagers are the biggest contributors and followers of fandom.  Online fanfiction communities provide adolescent English-language learners (ELLs) with a forum for engaging in an array of sophisticated literacy practices. (Black 2005)  Fandom is formed when a group of fans form social networks with one another based on their common interest in reading or movies, then write about, or produce materials like art, in order to support or promote a particular medium.  These fans are associated with various fan cultures and many have developed their own language, called fanspeak, dress or costume codes, literature (fanfiction), art (fanart), and conventions. For example, in the series the Mortal Instruments, not only do fans use the fansites, but so does the author, Cassandra Clare. She likes to keep in touch with her fans and answer questions regarding the Shadowhunters.  In this series, the Shadowhunters are superior to Mundanes, that is us regular humans, and they dress in fighting gear, special weapons, and runes to protect us from evil.  They were created by the angels to help fight the battle with the demons and evildoers.   Author Background My name is Crystal Holm and I am a student at Texas A&M Commerce.  I am a 36 year old mom of 5 children and an avid reader. I have always loved reading romance books and science fiction, but in my early twenties I stared reading more urban fantasy.  I love all the ideas and creativity. I remember when I first read City of Bones, the first book in the Mortal Instruments book series in 2007; I just could not put it down.  I instantly feel in love with the characters and I love the author Cassandra Clare (Judith Rumelt).  I am not in her target audience, but something about the story drew me in.  I could almost picture myself there fighting beside Clary, Jace, and the Lightwoods. I also enjoy reading other fan reviews.  While I do not consider myself a ‘Shadowhunter’, I do follow the author and I have read all but the last book in the series of 6.  I also had the opportunity to watch the movie in 2013 and loved it, but I know that without having read the books first, it would have had too many holes to fully understand and appreciate the script. So what does this say for us followers?  Luckily, ABC Family has decided to film a TV Series called “Shadowhunters”, which airs in January 2016, so even though the books are completed, it does not end there.  So with that being said, I am hoping that my love for literacy will continue to rub off on my kids.  I am fairly new to the fandom stuff, but with my kids being on social media and fansites, I feel it is my job to educate them on what is proper and acceptable.  “In June 2004, the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) released a report entitled Reading at Risk: A Survey of Literary Reading in America that warned of a marked decline in the American public’s engagement with ‘literary’ texts and claimed that the young adult population showed the steepest decline for reading in recent years (Bradshaw and Nichols, 2004). “ (Christenbury, Bomer, and Smagorinsky 2011) So, I am also hoping to encourage and inspire my technology students to read and write and communicate with other fans.   Competion Fandoms are extremely popular with urban fantasy in both the literature works and other mediums. Fans are extremely loyal and protective, which is very true when it comes to the Mortal Instruments or TMI.  Fandom’s call themselves ‘Shadowhunters’ and refer to us ‘normal humans’ as Mundanes.  These fans create fanfiction and fan art, and they follow others fansites as well.  Cassandra Clare even blogs and tweets herself about her books and answers questions from fans.  Many times followers of her are hoping for a ‘spoiler’! Research Plan My research will be a mixture of offline and online. My online research will consist of several social media sites, like Twitter, Tumblr, Facebook, and Shadowhunters.com.  I already follow author, Cassandra Clare, in order to keep up with book release dates and trailers, but recently I started reading other Fandom posts.  I like that I am talking to a bigger audience and other fans.  Unfortunately many of the fansites associated with the Mortal Instruments are blogs and tweets by immature teenagers, considering the target audience is young adult.  I did however find some fandom sites that share the same passion of literature that I do. These sites have the proper content, relevance, and creativity to motive me and others to follow them.  I will also use books and movies from the series to aide in my work.  I am hoping to have qualitive research when I am done.

Works Cited Black, R. W. (2005), Access and Affiliation: The Literacy and Composition Practices of English-Language Learners in an Online Fanfiction Community. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 49: 118–128. doi: 10.1598/JAAL.49.2.4 Christenbury, Leila; Bomer, Randy; Smagorinsky, Peter. “Handbook of Adolescent Literacy Research.”  Guilford Press, 2011. Pages 271, 274-275. October 11, 2015.

loveshinyfirestudent Trailers!!! I just watched 2 trailers for the new TV series, Shadowhunters, and while it does not appear to be following the book exactly, it is promising.  These casted characters actually fit the characters descriptions pretty well.  I think I was hoping for a more attractive Jace with longer hair, but this one should work. #Shadowhunters

1. loveshinyfirestudent TV Casting All I have been hearing about since getting on the different fan sites is who is being cast, when are official trailers being released, and when is the TV series being premiered. I have always been a fan of the written work, and then a movie or tv series release, but after the movie “City of Bones” did not do so well, I had accepted that after Cassandra Clare’s last book release, it was done.  So much to my surprise, we are getting a second chance to see the written work in action on ABC Family on January 12, 2016! So TMI fans, do you think that the TV series will live up to our expectations? What did you think of the last mortal instruments book? Unfortunately, I have been crazy busy with moving and raising five kiddos, that I have not had a chance to read it yet…even though I pre-ordered the Kindle release.

• Tweets • Tweets & replies

• Crystal Holm ‏@holm_crystal  22h22 hours ago @ShadowhuntersTV Loving the clips, but so ready for January 12th to get here! #Shadowhunters #claryfray View conversation 0 retweets0 favorites Crystal Holm ‏@holm_crystal  22h22 hours ago @cassieclare I am excited too! I loved the books and I didn't think that the movie was bad...hoping the series does well. View conversation 0 retweets0 favorites Crystal Holm ‏@holm_crystal  22h22 hours ago @ShadowhuntersTV I am hoping it's a trailer too!! View conversation 0 retweets0 favorites

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WA3 Research Ethnography

Crystal H ENG 1302 – Dr. Melinda Bobbitt Code of Ethics and Informed Consent WA3

As a student and researcher in English 1302 for Texas A & M University, Commerce, my research will ultimately broaden my understanding and knowledge which will promote learning and research. I understand the responsibilities that come with conducting online research and I will do my best to be professional and courteous to all participants and give credit where credit is due.  For this project I have chosen The Mortal Instruments as my fandom of choice. In following the Code of Ethics according to the Association of Internet Researchers, I will adhere to the following practices: • View my participants as human beings and not data suppliers • I will inform all participants of the expectations of this research. • I will treat participants as equivalent partners. • I will not betray or mislead the participants about objectives and use of research data. • My goal is to keep neutral and to refrain from influencing the participants as I don’t want them to alter their behaviors or norms. • I will also keep the participants names and contact information as anonymous unless I receive written consent from the participant to do otherwise. 1. Purpose: • I am working with the following site because they follow my chosen fandom and the blogs and postings are informative and understandable. • I hope to learn more about  TMI, the Shadowhunters, supporting books and characters, and how people feel overall about the movie and TV series that is being aired in January 2016. • I will be using AOIR (Association of Internet Researchers) for my code of ethics. • I will be conducting this research on my own, but I will be working with someone at your site who has given me permission to conduct your research and from my instructor. 2. Methodology: • I will visit my site several times during the week, usually in the evenings. • I will access my site through Google Chrome while using search terms like TMI, the mortal instruments, and tags like #shadowhunters, and #tmi. • Do you have the appropriate permission to use information gathered from fandom participants? (Signed consent form) • I will be researching this site until December 10, 2015, but I plan to keep following the site to keep informed as a fan. 3. Interviewing/Collecting Materials and Research: • I will check in on my site regularly to see what’s new and currently going on with my chosen fandom. I have chosen to receive notifications when my site has a posting. • I am an outsider.  While I have read the books and seen the movie, I do not have any connections or insider tips that would help me. I will have to rely on what I see and hear from my chosen fandom site in order to get updated information. • I believe that others should participate in my research because it gives other fans a chance to stay connected and get the most updated information regarding our common fandom.  Others like myself also like to have peer reviews and inside knowledge about our chosen fandom. 4. Data Usage and Risks: • I will present my research project with the information that I gather ethically.  I will not alter or manipulate the information to better suit my opinion. I will follow the ethically guidelines and respect others. • I do not forsee any risks to my participants during my research. If a risk should arise, I will personally handle any questions or concerns as quickly as possible. • I will be storing my data in Google Drive, the cloud. I will keep all contact information private and secure.  I will be using only secure data networks with password protections and I will avoid ‘free’ wifi access areas. Conclusion This paper provides the participants as well as my peers and professor my promise to uphold the code of ethics that I have clearly stated.  I will treat all parties with respect and as human beings. I have also included my consent form in order to receive permission to use information collected during my research.

Works Cited " Ethical decision-making and Internet research." Read the Statement Online. Association of Internet Researchers n.d. Web. Nov 1, 2015.

Crystal Holm Code of Ethics Consent Form

Consent Form needed for Ethnographic Research Project

I understand that I am assisting in an ethnographic research project conducted by Crystal H for English 1302 at Texas A&M University-Commerce, taught by Dr. Melinda B. I agree to him her use the interview or any other materials agreed upon to write a paper for the class which will later be presented in an online portfolio. It will not be used for any other purpose. I have been informed that if I become uncomfortable at any time during the interview, I do not have to answer questions. I am aware that I can request that a pseudonym be used. I understand that by signing this form, I give permission for the interview to be used for the purposes stated above. •  Yes, I understand and agree to the above terms. •  No, I do not understand or agree to the above terms. If I have any questions about this project and/or the research data I have been given, I can contact Dr. Melinda Bobbitt at Melinda.Bobbitt@tamuc.edu

Code of Ethics In following the Code of Ethics according to the Association of Internet Researchers, I will adhere to the following practices: • View my participants as human beings and not data suppliers • I will inform all participants of the expectations of this research. • I will treat participants as equivalent partners. • I will not betray or mislead the participants about objectives and use of research data. • My goal is to keep neutral and to refrain from influencing the participants as I don’t want them to alter their behaviors or norms. • I will also keep the participants names and contact information as anonymous unless I receive written consent from the participant to do otherwise. Untitled Section After reading the code of ethics, I do agree to participate in the interview.*Required •  Yes •  No Can the interview be recorded (audio and/or video)? •  Yes •  No Should a pseudonym be used? •  Yes •  No

Signed _______________________________      Date ____________________ Online Progress Portfolio

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WA4 - Fandom Photo Essay

file:///C:/Users/mikka/OneDrive/Documents/College/Photo%20Essay%20-%20TMI%20Fandom%20(1)%20(1).pdf

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Ethnographic Research: The Mortal Instruments Fandom and literacy with the digital generation.

Ethnographic Research: The Mortal Instruments Fandom and literacy with the digital generation. Crystal H English 1302 Dr. Melinda Bobbitt Fall 2015

Have you ever thought about what “literacy” means in your everyday life? When I first started attending this class, I thought that I had a firm grasp of what the definition of literacy meant, but in reality I had only scratched the surface.  As I stated previously in writing assignment one, literacy by definition is the ability to read and write.  I knew that literacy had many levels and you have to comprehend what you are reading, but I never considered all the factors. There are many factors involved when children are learning to read and write, and these will provide a foundation for the rest of their lives.  I do believe that literacy is extremely important as it builds confidence, sets the groundwork for social status, and allows us to be more successful in life.  When children are exposed to different languages, extensive vocabulary, and are read to, they do better in school. I have always believed this to be the case, but there are many people that have taught themselves to read and write and are successful. So who am I to say that they are not just as educated and knowledgeable as the next person? The differences in literacy are affected by economic groups, family life, and beliefs. But one fact remains, literate individuals are more confident, ambitious, and overall more successful. As far as presenting my findings regarding literacy and my chosen fandom, The Mortal Instruments, I planned to observe the activity through Twitter, Tumblr, Facebook, and shadowhunters.com.  Because of my lack of research volunteers, I ended up asking my teenage daughter to answer the research questions and then I observed some of my students during library and reading time as my research site.  Due to the fact that all my research subjects are minors, when I refer to them I will simply state boy 1, boy 2, girl 1, girl 2, and daughter 1. I learned pretty quickly how different a pre-teen and teenagers’ literacy differed from my own.  Many of the students used broken or fragmented sentences. They preferred audio books or movies in lew of reading the written word.  As for their own written word, it was also fragmented and abbreviated.  I had to remind several of them when working on a Microsoft document to capitalize the first letter of a sentence and to spell out the words, as we are not texting.  I also noticed that several students lacked the ability to communicate verbally face to face.  Is this due to our generations dependency on electronics?  Literacy is vital to communication.   Literacy is very subjective. It has multiple definitions and meanings as they evolve and develop in this rapidly changing world.  For me, literacy has always been the ability to read, write, and comprehend it, whether it’s in the written form, verbally, or audible. But it’s so much more than that, since it involves critical thinking, understanding and picking up context clues, and understanding underlying principles.  Then we have to consider body language, inflection, and tone.  But the bigger concern with this kind of communication is the language itself.  Since English is the primary language of the United States one might think that communication is easier, but that is far from the truth.  One factor that we have living here in Texas is the growing number of the Hispanic population, and since many are Spanish speaking, the burden to communicate is on the educator or the employer.  The same can be said about other countries, as some of them are quite diverse, but even the most uneducated simple person can communicate, which is a form of literacy.  Literacy is seen in all walks of life, every culture, and social order.  Anywhere literacy is used in a variety of ways, is a literacy event.  It might be something so regular like reading a book and then having a discussion about what was just read, watching a movie and then reviewing it with another person, listening to the radio and then signing along to the music.  By some standards these are not considered a literacy event, but I my opinion when an individual or group are using some form of literacy and then they discuss it in some form, then it qualifies.  The options are limitless. I think too often we take for granted that it’s not just a daily task.  One only needs to look around as it is found everywhere.  According to our textbook, “in theory; at least, there is a form of reading specific to every room: books are sold for kitchens, coffee tables, desks, bedrooms (Bedroom X), and bathrooms.”  (Akins, 9) So literacy is of the most importance, because without it one cannot communicate properly, engage in conversations, perform simple tasks like writing a grocery list, or hold down a job. Now picture yourself walking down the sidewalk, soaking up the last day of sunshine before entering the coffee bar. When you enter the door, what is the first thing you see, hear, and smell?  The first thing you see if table and chairs and lounging furntiture spread around the room, then you hear the gentlemen on stage doing open mic reading his version of love poem, and then you smell the sweet smell of java.  This is what my main character Clary from my chosen fandom, The Mortal Instruments, is experiencing when she enters the coffee shop like she does many times with her friend Simon.  She is greeted at the bar and orders her coffee, when she is joined by Simon.  Just another normal boring human day right?  Well that is what Clary thought too, but she is quickly thrown into a world that she only thought existed in fairtales. She discovers that her mom is missing, a demon dog has destroyed her home and attempts to attack her, but she is saved by the most beautiful creature.  He appears to be completely normal, except the looks, but she quickly discovers that Jace is Nephilim. So now we are thrust into a fantasy romance and I could not put the books down.  Then as soon as I put the book down, I want to share it with someone who appreciates it as much as I do, so I log into a fansite and start talking.  There are so many options out there to connect with other fans, like blogging, tweeting, snapchat, etc., which all are forms of literacy.  See long before they come out with the first movie, I am already building images of my characters in my head and playing out a movie as I read.  So needless to say, I was extremely excited when they came out with the first movie.  I was able to really see Clary develop and realize that she too is not human but Nephilim.  Clary jumps right into her new life, learning at lightning speed what it’s like to be a Shadowhunter.  One of the coolest things that Shadowhunters get to do is draw runes on their bodies.  This ends up being a huge thing for Clary as she discovers that she is special and can create new runes not found in the grey book.  I am so drawn to these symbols that I have actually considered getting one or two tattooed onto my own body.  So powerful and meaningful are these runes.  So with that being said I have read all the books in this series and I was looking forward to the second movie, but that was not going to happen.  Apparently there were too many holes in the story for the movie to be a true success.  So fans like myself thought that when the last book was published that it would be the end of the road. Well surprise, ABC Family or Freeform, has decided to take on the TV series of Shadowhunters starting in January 2016.  This is all happening because followers like myself have voiced it enough that they are willing to take on the show.  Fan culture continues to play a critical role in the development and expanse of the urban fantasy genre. Through social media, fans can stay connected at all times. Online fanfiction communities provide adolescent English-language learners (ELLs) with a forum for engaging in an array of sophisticated literacy practices. (Black 2005) Fandom is formed when a group of fans form social networks with one another based on their common interest in reading or movies, then write about, or produce materials like art, in order to support or promote a particular medium.  These fans are associated with various fan cultures and many have developed their own language, called fanspeak, dress or costume codes, literature (fanfiction), art (fanart), and conventions. For example, in the series the Mortal Instruments, not only do fans use the fan sites, but so does the author, Cassandra Clare. “In June 2004, the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) released a report entitled Reading at Risk: A Survey of Literary Reading in America that warned of a marked decline in the American public’s engagement with ‘literary’ texts and claimed that the young adult population showed the steepest decline for reading in recent years (Bradshaw and Nichols, 2004). “(Christenbury, Bomer, and Smagorinsky 2011) So, I am also hoping to encourage and inspire my own kids to read and write and communicate with other fans. For the research portion, I had to do some modifications from my original plan since I didn’t have a willing participant through my online blog or twitter account.  I maintained a professional and courteous attitude at all times during my interview. I explained to the participant what I was researching and why.  I treated her equally and as a fellow human, not just a data supplier.  I tried to remain neutral as I didn’t want to skew or alter her decision or behavior. I also kept the participants name and contact information as anonymous unless I receive written consent from the participant to do otherwise, which since she is a minor that will not happen.  I am an outsider.  While I have read the books and seen the movie, I do not have any connections or insider tips that would help me. I will have to rely on what I see and hear from my chosen fandom site in order to get updated information. I do feel like she was a good fit for the research portion since she is in the target age group for the author and she loved the movie.  I did observe other pre-teens during library and reading time, but I did not interview them.  I completed my interview with my oldest daughter, which for this project we will call her Sis.  She is very familiar with fandom and fan sites, and loves social media.  She is also aware of the risks that she takes when she accesses social media and what precautions to take. I advised her that I would ask her a series of questions regarding her personal life as well as my chosen fandom and that at any time she felt uncomfortable, I would stop the interview.  Neither myself or my daughter will have negative mental effects from this interview.  We just talked about The Mortal Instruments and social media as a whole.  I reassured her that her identity and private information were completely safe and I would only use the portions of the interview that I felt where most relevant to my research.   Interview with Sis (daughter) Me: Do you know what literacy is? Sis: No, not really. Me: Okay. Well it’s many things, but basically it’s reading, writing, communicating, listening, etc. Sis: Oh, then yes I do know what that is then since we are doing that right now, right? Me: Yes.  So how do you use literacy throughout your day? Sis:  So while I am at school, I can use hangouts on my Chromebook to communicate with others and when I am home, other than face to face, I use Snapchat and Instagram on my iPhone. Me: Who taught you how to use those devices and applications? Sis: No one, I taught myself. Me: Do you find communicating easier face to face or online? Why? Sis: I actually prefer face to face, because I can see facial expressions, hear the tone in the voice, and pick up on body language. Me: Do you feel you have an open line of communication with your friends and family? Sis: Yes, if I need to say something I say it or text it.  I have always been taught it’s better to ask then assume or be too afraid of the answer to ask in the first place. Me: What is a typical day like for you? Sis: I wake up at 6:30 am and get ready for the day.  I go to school Monday through Friday at 7:40 a.m.  I have athletics first period, so I have to be dressed out for softball and on the field by 7:50 a.m. ready to practice with the team until 9:20 a.m.  From there I attend seven more classes in forty-five minute increments until I am released at 3:45 p.m.  At this point I am picked up and once home I work on schoolwork or I work on catching and batting until dinner time. After dinner I talk with some of my friends and teammates, shower, and go to bed around 9:45 p.m. Me: Do you ever read books? Do you ever watch movies? Sis:  I don’t read books unless I am required to read and even then I do not enjoy it.  As far as movies go, I love watching them when I have time. Me: Since you don’t read, have you watched the Mortal Instruments movie, “City of Bones”, which is based off the first book in the series. Sis: Yes, and I loved it.  I like the fantasy love stories. Me: Have you seen any of the fan sites for TMI? Sis: Yes, but I don’t blog so I didn’t really go onto their sites.  I actually saw some on Pinterest. After the interview, I was actually shocked by some of her responses.  I think the one that really stands out is that she prefers face to face communication.  There are studies being done that our youth are losing that part of socialization and communication and that is rather discouraging.  I like that she understands the need for social queues and body language.  I feel like she understands the importance of balance and practices safety when online.  I like social media when it is used for the positive, but like all good things there is a bad side and we have to be prepared.   After all, this new generation is very dependent on the internet and social media.  She has access to literacy anytime, since School is another place where literacy is common in its natural habitat.  Every classroom in a school has literacy inside, whether it be on the walls, in a text book, in the notes, or homework.  All of those things are considered literacy and the class room would be its natural habitat.  Literacy can also be found in its natural habitat when we talk to others. When one talks to a person about their opinions and experiences with literacy, they are finding literacy in its natural habitat. This can also be found by looking at a piece of literacy itself.  If you look at a piece of literacy and analyze it, you are letting another person see its natural habitat even if we have no other source to reference that information. Literacy is a part of our everyday lives and it literally exists everywhere.  Literacy is ever changing. It can change in an area several times over a short period of time. It might be a cultural change or an economical change that affects it.  It will vary in a classroom depending on the teacher, the amount of time spent learning something that they have never seen, or an event that causes a change.  Since literacy events can be anything that involves literacy there are no limits.  Eisner makes an important point when he states that “Every form of representation neglects some aspect of the world…Not everything can be said through anything.” (Eisner, p. 41) Our youth have to find a balance and utilize that part of their brain that is used for all types of communication.  “In the NEA report, the group with the largest decline in reading is 18-24 year olds. Would a likely conclusion be that this age group has grown up with technology as part of their lives, hence, they are utilizing it each and every day habitually?” (Bradshaw 2004) “Despite the stability in the world of publishing, it seems as though reading as a whole is in decline. The lack of time factor may play a role; however, some claim that people today have more free time than ever. In “Literacy Beyond Books”, Kaplan mentions that print literacy will lose dominance (Kaplan, 2000).”  Literacy is learning to communicate with others with different mediums. We should not let barriers be put up, we just need to find a way to communicate since every person learns differently.  The differences in literacy are affected by economic groups, family life, and beliefs. Unfortunately, if we really examine what the future might be like with the decline in literacy, it does not look so good for humanity.  We are losing the Social Self and so our job is to encourage our children and ourselves to communicate and educate ourselves.  Because, one fact remains, literate individuals are more confident, ambitious, and overall more successful.

Works Cited Black, R. W. (2005), Access and Affiliation: The Literacy and Composition Practices of English-Language Learners in an Online Fanfiction Community. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 49: 118–128. doi: 10.1598/JAAL.49.2.4 Christenbury, Leila; Bomer, Randy; Smagorinsky, Peter. “Handbook of Adolescent Literacy Research.”  Guilford Press, 2011. Pages 271, 274-275. October 11, 2015. " Ethical decision-making and Internet research." Read the Statement Online. Association of Internet Researchers n.d. Web. Nov 1, 2015. Black, R. W. (2005), Access and Affiliation: The Literacy and Composition Practices of English-Language Learners in an Online Fanfiction Community. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 49: 118–128. doi: 10.1598/JAAL.49.2.4 Adkins, Tabetha. Ethnographic Inquiries in Writing, Texas A&M Commerce, 2010. Eisner, Elliot W., Cognition and Curriculum Reconsidered, SAGE Publications Ltd; 2nd edition (November 27, 1996), December 12, 2015. Robert P. Yagelski. Literacy Matters: Writing and Reading the Social Self. 2000. Teachers College Press. New York. December 11, 2015 Bradshaw, Tom and Nichols, Bonnie (Producers). "Reading At Risk." National Endowment for the Arts, Research Division. June 2004. <http:// www.arts.gov:591/pub/index.html>.

Annotated Bibliography Adkins, Tabetha.” Chapter Three: Ethical Research”. Ethnographic Inquiries in Writing. Ed.      Tabetha Adkins. Southlake Texas. Fountainhead Press. 2010. 117-139. Print.     Chapter 3 in Ethnographic Inquiries in Writing reminds us to keep your research ethical.  You get a guide to help you ethically.  You are told to get consent and get signed consent forms before conducting your research. The Belmont Report has the guidelines on how to treat your participants. Comprehensive guide to what to do when researching and what not to do.

Black, R. W. (2005), Access and Affiliation: The Literacy and Composition Practices of English-Language Learners in an Online Fanfiction Community. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 49: 118–128. doi: 10.1598/JAAL.49.2.4 In this article, it talks about fanfiction and the ‘draw’ to the content being produced, like zines.  Fanfictions are original works of fiction based on forms of popular media such as television, movies, books, music, and video games.  “Black wanted to find out what was so compelling about this space that adolescent ELLs would spend hours writing and re-viewing fictions in English, when I could barely get many of my students to write a one-page essay in English class.” According to Black, “Networked computer environments offer great possibilities for developing adolescent English-language learners’ interactive writing abilities.”

Bradshaw, Tom and Nichols, Bonnie (Producers). "Reading At Risk." National Endowment for the Arts, Research Division. June 2004. <http://www.arts.gov:591/pub/index.html>. This article includes survey information from the NEA.  They don’t like this report as the data is not promising. This comprehensive survey of American literary reading presents a detailed but bleak assessment of the decline of reading’s role in the nation’s culture.  “Literary reading in America is not only declining rapidly among all groups, but the rate of decline has accelerated, especially among the young.”  Per the survey results, less than half of the adult American population now reads literature. Over the past 20 years, young adults (18-34) have declined from being those most likely to read literature to those least likely (with the exception of those age 65 and above).

Elizabeth Schmar-Dobler. “Reading on the Internet: The Link between Literacy and Technology “. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy. Vol. 47, No. 1 (Sep., 2003), pp. 80-85 This article is about two students that use the internet for research, but each one has a different take on internet dependency.  Alicia believes that everything she needs to find or research can be found online. She believes that everything is truthful and it is not necessary to fact check with a trusted site or book. Then we have Jake that also uses the internet for research but fact checks since the internet is not always correct.  He believes in books and what they can bring to you. He treats the internet site as if he were reading printed text.  He looks over the first sentence and then decides if he wants to proceed.

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Twitter Post Ethnography

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Twitter Post Ethnography

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Twitter Post Ethnography

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Twitter Post

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With literacy literally on the decline, especially for the 18-34 year olds, and technology at an all time high, I would hope that eBooks would help. I have been reading eBooks on my kindle for many years and I love it.  I try to encourage my kids to read anything and everything, magazines included. I love the flexibility of the eBook and I can read at night when its quiet and dark!

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Online Progress Blog, Unit 4 - Post 1

So one of the things that I noticed is the difference between how the casting for the tv series seemed to follow more with the book character description than what the movie did.  For example, the series casting for Luke Garroway is different than the way I read the character description in the book.  Not that I am complaining about Isaiah Mustafa getting the role, since he is easy on the eyes and seems to be a good actor.  It’s just that the moving casting was a little closer to what I expected, and the two are very different in looks and demeanor.  Then we have Jace Wayland, which the series casted Dominic Sherwood, which I think is a great match to the character description, but again it is a lot different than the movie. Plus he is easy on the eyes too!!  As for the other characters in the series, they did an amazing job.  I am a little confused by the additional characters being added, as I don’t really see how they are going to up the script, but I guess we will have to wait and see!

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While I am not wanting to rush through the holidays, I am extremely excited to start watching the ShadowHunters series!  This is the poster that was just released and it is awesome!  Starting in the center with Clary (main character) and moving to the front right is her soulmate and fellow Shadow Hunter, Jace.  I loved reading about these two characters and then watched them ‘come to life’ in the movie and again in the series.  Moving around the poster clockwise, we have Isabelle and Simon.  They are not the conventional or acceptable couple according to the Clave (council), since Isabelle is a bad*** Shadow Hunter and Simon is a vampire, a Downworlder. Then in back we have Luke, werewolf pack leader and true love to Jocelyn, Clary’s mom not shown on this poster.  Then we have Magnus Bane and Alex.  Another forbidden couple with the Clave, as homosexual relationships and the fact that Magnus is a warlock (mixed with demon) and Alex is a Shadowhunter.  I really love how they captured some of the special skills that each character has. Just like the poster states, “All the legends are true.”

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Completing the Code of Ethics

Well I finished my writing assignment three.  I think a lot of the guidelines are common sense and easy to follow.  I look forward to gathering the data that is needed to complete the ethnographic research project. I will continue looking for valid sites and trustworthy participants. 

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Preparing for TMI Research

I am currently working on my informed consent and code of ethics portion for my ethnographic research project, and I hate to admit it but I behind.  I have had a very long and emotional month after hearing the cancer diagnosis for my mother in law and then having to let her go too soon. I know that she wants me to finish with my schooling and that is what I intend to do.  I have been following several of my peeps and I am really excited about the fan art and trailers that I have been seeing.  It is an exciting time for Mortal Instrument followers. So with that being said I will be working with my professor on my informed consent form and preparing for the final paper. I hope that I am on the right path and do TMI followers proud!

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I am also reblogging this post as it is my FANDOM!

Welcome 😄❤➰