An Activity System

Now that this unit is nearing its end, reflect on your understanding, throughout the term so far, of the term "activity system" and its related concepts. Provide your revised definition/understanding of the term "activity system" and its elements. How does writing "get stuff done" in activity systems? Be specific where possible, including references to the course readings, examples, or other information to support your ideas.


I still consider an activity system to be a group of people who work together to complete one goal. I would however, revise the definition and say an activity system is, " a group of people work together using genres and tools to complete one goal. Writing "gets stuff done" within an activity system in multiple ways. Writing can serve as a genre and be an effective method of communication amongst the members of the system. As seen in the first Activity Analysis Sample, nurses and doctors use writing to document things that happen with their patients. This is an effective means of communication because it helps one nurse or doctor know what has already been done. Writing is also helpful as a tool. Within my activity system, there is a booklet that served as a written foundation for the system. Writing helps get things done in both of these scenarios and which proves that it is beneficial within activity systems.

https://www.interaction-design.org/literature/book/the-encyclopedia
-of-human-computer-interaction-2nd-ed/activity-theory

Identity, Authority, and Learning to Write in New Workplaces

1. Drawing on Wardle, what are the three ways that newcomers try to belong in a new community? Give a specific example to illustrate each 'mode of belonging.' Then consider why a newcomer might chose not to participate in some aspect of a new community.

The three ways that newcomers try to belong in a new community are engagement, imagination, and alignment. An example of engagement is having a newcomer interact with someone who "knows the ropes".  An example of imagination is when a newcomer thinks of all the wonderful things a new community can provide for them. An example of alignment is having newcomers and older members of the community negotiate things. A newcomer might not participate in a new aspect of the community if they feel intimidated or excluded.

2. Think of all the people you know who have some sort of institutionally ascribed authority. Can you think of a time when one or more of them lost their authority in your eyes or someone else's through their linguistic actions or behaviours? If so, what happened?

I can think of a time where someone lost authority in many peoples eyes. The person who was in authority one day made an announcement that they did not care what the community thought, they would run things the way that they wanted to. Because of this, the person lost their authority amongst most of the members of the community.


3. Towards the end of the article, Wardle quotes Thompson as saying that the choices we make with language are very often unconscious; that is, we might be using language in resistant ways unintentionally. Do you agree that this is possible, or do you think that people are usually making conscious choices when they use language? (question #4)

I do agree with Wardle, the choices that we make with language are often unconscious. I think that once we become encultured and surrounded by a community that has the same language we no longer focus on the language that we are using. It becomes almost natural.


4. Think about your own experiences enculturing into a role or system. What kinds of language did you have to learn to use as you grew into this new community? What tensions existed between your identity and the demands of your new role/community? How did you adapt to the new community?

Enculturing into my workplace, there were many different things that I needed to learn. There are different buttons, different phrases that we have to know, and even abbreviations that I do not always remember to this day. There was a lot of pressure when I first began working because of the fast-pace of my job. I was able to adapt to the community by learning from more experienced coworkers.


5. Name one concept from this lesson that you most struggled to understand. What about this concept, term, or idea is troublesome? What do you currently think it means, whether you feel certain or not?

I originally had a hard time with the concept alignment in this article. I simpl
y had a hard time understanding what it meant by "defining broad visions and aspirations". I now realize that this means  that the newcomer and the experienced community member may have to come to an agreement through discussing their differences and explaining them to each other.

The Discourse Community

http://theshakespeareblog.com/2013/10/state-of-play-
audiences-and-actors-in-the-uk-theatre/

1. How does Mirabelli begin his article? What can you infer from it about his intended audience and purpose from the way he begins? What are the effects for his audience of the way he begins?

Mirabelli begins his article by introducing an experience that he had seen on bitterwaitress.com. This introduction implies that he is reaching out to a few audiences: people who use the internet, possibly waiters and waitresses, and people who are interersted in reading about the work industry. They way that Mirabelli introduces his article is actually intriguing to the audience and aids in the likelihood of interest throughout the article.

2. Do you know or have you ever participated in a discourse community that is strongly stereotyped in ways that restaurant work is stereotyped? What are the stereotypes? Using Mirabelli, consider the various 'multiliteracies' of this discourse community.

I have been part of a discourse community that is strongly stereotyped. Ironically it is the restaurant industry particularly fast-food. I believe that the stereotype is that the fast-food industry is just a bunch of kids who do not know how to do their jobs. This is not true. We do not just read texts, we read people and situations. We are actually able to identify which customers we will struggle with based on their tone or body language, and which situations to let our managers handle.

3. Klass describes entering the hospital as a medical student 'in a state of primeval innocence' but quickly learning all the 'endless jargon and abbreviations'. What she is describing is the process of enculturating into a discourse community. How does this kind of enculturation happen in general?

Learning these special languages result from being submerged in a new culture. Klass was not able to understand these abbreviations and phrases until she was a part of her work culture. She learned how to become a part of her discourse community.

https://www.discoverwalks.com/blog/top
-5-award-winning-restaurants-in-paris/

4. Mirabelli chooses to focus on participation in a restaurant Discourse. Why? What is he contributing to the conversation on Discourses by doing so? (question 2 page 317).

I think that Mirabelli focuses on participation in a restaurant discourse because, as seen in the introduction, there are many negative stereotypes about the capability of those that wok there. In a way, Mirabelli is challlegning the stereotypes that exist about the restaurant discourse while also explaining discourse. He is opening the door for a conversations about the actual capabilities that are overlooked in those who work in this discourse.

5. Name one concept from this lesson that you most struggle(d) to understand. What about this concept, term, or idea is troublesome? What do you currently think it means, whether you feel certain or not?

One concept that I struggled to understand was lexis. I just did not understand what it meant and how it could mediate activities. Through reading, I realized that it is another way of saying a specialized language.

What is Literacy Sponsorship?

http://worldartsme.com/teacher-to-student-talking
-clipart.html#gal_post_98524_teacher-to
-student-talking-clipart-1.jpg

Reflect on the term "literacy sponsorship" and its related concepts. Provide your revised definition/understanding of the term "literacy sponsor" and its elements. How does literacy sponsorship apply to you? 


Literacy sponsorships was a relatively new concept for me. From what I know through reading the unit and completing various assignments, literacy sponsors can be defined as, people, programs, or institutions that play a role in ones literacy in either a negative or positive way or even both.

I originally had a hard time understanding how literacy sponsorship applied to me, but through Barbara Strandt's definition of Literacy Sponsor, I learned that I had many literacy sponsors that I could list. She explains that, sponsorships are a, "... range of human relationships and ideological pressures..." and range "from benign sharing between adults and youth, to euphenized coercions in schools and workplaces..." (Brandt, 74). This means that many people that I interact with influence me in ways that I might not even realize immediately. What I learned in this unit will be helpful in my future. I will know how to reflect on my influencers or "sponsors" and am aware that I can influence other individuals and form sponsorships for them.