Paul Fyfe’s article about unplugging digital humanities made me consider what he was saying about taking the technology out of digital pedagogy. I’m not sure how much I believe or understand about this article. I see where he is coming from when he says that technology can be something that teachers or students depend on when they want to teach materials in a digital class. I have had multiple classes where PowerPoint or Prezi is used too often, mainly keeping the materials neat and bullet pointed, while keeping all of the materials on the screen. I think that using these methods can become a bit of a crutch when teaching, it has all of the material there for the students to see, but often discussion doesn’t move beyond what is typed out. I understand that these flashy tools can take over actual teaching in the classroom, but it also is an effective teaching tool when used correctly.

I understand that unplugging the classroom encourages students to look deeper into a text and makes it less “easy” but overall I disagree with the idea that digital texts take away from close reading. I honestly think that reading my digital texts are more beneficial to me than reading a codex version. An example is that there is a built in dictionary on my Kindle, so if there is a term or word that I am unfamiliar with, then I can simply highlight it and find out the meaning. It’s very rare for me to physically get out a dictionary while I’m reading to figure out a word before I continue on, instead I’ll just move on without fully understanding the text. I think that the digital aspect helps more than hinders my approach to reading a text. There is more availability and access that allows a student to go deeper into the text and further their understanding during the reading process. I see what Fyfe means when he wants to unplug the digital humanities, but I think that the pros of using technology and the tools are stronger than the cons.

I think that there are many differences that come with hypertexts and codex ones. Each version of text comes with their own advantages and disadvantages, and depending on why each one is being used or the purpose of the text, I believe that the pros and cons can constantly be changing. While I love my kindle, I always prefer to have a codex book over an ebook. There is something familiar and comforting about having the physical book in my hands and being about to flip through it when I want. The disadvantages of course is that a kindle allows me to have an entire library on me at all times, as well as internet access, and lighting. A codex book means that I have to be in a lit area to read, and what I can carry is all that I can have with me.
Another advantage that ebooks have is cost. It can be much cheaper to have a digital text than codex, often you can find the text for free online. While I prefer to have codex editions of my texts, I chose not to get the physical copies of our books for this course mainly because of the price. I couldn’t afford to purchase these books when all of the content was online for me at no cost. I am also able to print out the articles if I wanted to, in a way making my own codex edition of the text. A problem that I have with my kindle books is highlighting and bookmarking. While it is possible to highlight and bookmark on the digital texts, it’s hard for me to find my notes and place. I know that if I highlight important notes or passages in my codex edition, then I can just skim through the pages until I find my familiar bright pink highlighter marks or bent pages. I also find that I have trouble staring at a lit screen for too long and I lose focus when all I read are digital texts.
All kinds of texts have their own pros and cons lists when it comes to their uses. I think that I mainly chose what kind of text to use with what is readily available to me and what I can afford. There may be some texts that are better to use in codex form, but the convenience and accessibility can hold me back from using it. This week’s readings made me understand that this is changing, and there is a possibility that hypertext will be expanding and become more interactive. I’m excited for this idea from an academic point of view, but no matter what, I think that I will always prefer to have a physical, solid book in my hands over a lit up screen.

There is a room with a single book on a table and a single candle for light. There is a calligraphy pen lying next to the book with an ink well.

You can Look, Touch, Smell, Listen, Tell, Write, and Ask.

If you look at the book: The book is an old leather journal with nothing written on the pages.

If you touch the book: The book is sturdy, but a bit worn from old age. The pages are frayed and yellowed by age, but also softer to the touch.

If you smell the air, book or ink: The air smells musky but still pleasant. Almost like an old library, even though there are no other books in sight. There is a faint smell of cigars and brandy. The ink smells just as ink should smell, and the book smells of time.

If you tell or write in the book: When you write in the book, the ink stays on the page, but certain responses based on what you write appears after what you wrote.

If you ask a question in the book: The question will be answered but vague. The owner never reveals itself.

This Interactive Fiction can become quite complex because there is no specific writer for the journal. It can sometimes be a little girl with her diary, an upset/depressed housewife, an angry teenager, etc. It also has no sense of time, the responder in the book can be from 2015, 1812, 1920, etc. The goal is to ask the correct questions in order to complete each person’s story.

This is the first time that I have used interactive fiction.  The first thing that I had to get use to was not being able to point and click on anything.  It was first difficult to get use to having to type all of my questions and to get to the next section of the story.  I enjoyed that I was in charge of how the story would move along and how I acted or what I asked determined what would happen next.  I think that this is really interesting in how the interactive fiction could have so many responses prepared.  It makes me wonder how much data and information is stored.  Is there a limit that a person can go in order to no longer have new information and responses available in the system?  I’m curious about how long a person stuck with the fiction and how detailed everything got.  I think that Galatea would be a useful tool to use in a literary classroom.  This allows students to be able to form questions that explains what they want to discuss and have enough information to get the response that they are looking for.  Interactive fiction allows the the students to explain themselves clearly and create dialogue that gets to the point but also gets them to be creative and inventive.

I think that blogging is an extremely useful tool to use in the classroom.  Making a blog allows students to share their thoughts and ideas amongst their classmates and also allows them to comment and give feedback.  Blogging is a way for students to have conversations about the materials outside of the classroom.  I think that I will be using blogs in my future classes.  Having the students make a blog means that they are held accountable in class because they have a responsibility to make a post for each class, this makes sure that they do their assigned work in order to have material to write about.  Using blogs is also a way for me as a teacher to understand what my students are thinking or what they might be struggling with to understand.  It is also a good chance to grade a student’s participation in class and to get them more comfortable with using technology and interacting outside of the classroom.

I think that using blogs can also have some problems.  Technology is always a risky tool to use in the classroom.  You can never know if it will always work or if the internet connection with work.  Students also might not have materials needed at home to make their blog posts when they are needed.  Overall, I still think that blogging in the classroom is more useful than problematic.  It allows students to be held accountable and gives them an opportunity to discuss the materials amongst themselves both in and out of the classroom.

Digital English means accessibility to me.   At this point of time literature and information is more available to a wider range of people when it is digital.  I think that digital English is the ability for a single text or piece of literature to reach a wider range of readers and audiences.  The expansion of literary discussions and sources allows a wider range of readers.  Texts no longer need to be codex. instead it can be an ebooks, online, with PDFs, etc, that can be carried around on a small device.  Digital English means that anyone can have an entire library available to them with a small light-up screen wherever they go.

Digital English is proof that literature and English studies are constantly developing and changing in today’s world.  What seems modern and up to date today can be extremely behind the times even a year from now.   A new iPhone coming out every six months or so is proof on how much digital technology can change and develop.  I think that digital English is exactly the same way, there will always be changes, advancements, and discoveries that will make what we have today seem irrelevant or lacking in some way.  Digital English to me, means change and the evolution of literature availability and interaction.