by Christopher Dean, Will Hochman, Carra Hood, and Robert McEachern

The Many Colored Coat of the Emperor: Multi-layered, Literate, and Physical: Node IV
By Chris Dean

The First Frontier of Space
or, Resist the Borg, and He Shall Know Thee:
From Initial Resistance to Critical Engagement with Real-time Chat

Section Two

I now know that my resistance is in some ways justified, and the principle way in which I justify it is based on the work of Cynthia Selfe, particularly her piece "Redefining Literacy: The Multilayered Grammars of Computers." This piece claims that multilayered literacy is a literacy in which people "function literately within computer-supported communication environments" by layering "conventions of the page and conventions of the screen" (7-8). As Selfe argues, writers inhabit this space--a space in which the hum of electronic discourse is accompanied by the scratching of the pen (7-8). Selfe seems to think that this is a transitional stage, but I would argue that teachers should continue to think about student reading, writing, and academic achievement in relation to the intersection of computer and page for many years to come.

I base this belief not just on my gut, nor on the way the hyper-spirit moves me. No, I base this belief on a god in the world of education: multiple intelligences. (In the field of English education, Howard Gardner's use of multiple intelligences has become a "god term," according to Richard Weaver.)

Node Five of "The Many Colored Coat of the Emperor"