[Literacy Initiative Lit Sts @ OSU]

 

LITERACY STUDIES @ THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY

An initiative 2004- 

 

 

 

Interdisciplinary Studies of Literacy

 

 

Outreach

 

 

Public programming

(cross-campus outreach)

 

 

Literacy Event

 

 

Literacy Seminar (more formal, polished)

 

 

Literacy Forum (less formal)

 

 

Faculty literacy learning communities

 

 

Literacy Studies Working Group

 

 

Graduate student workshop

Student literacy research—grad & ugrad

 

 

Formal classroom teaching & learning

 

Minors/Interdisciplinary Specialization

 

Undergraduate

 

graduate

 

Suite of courses

 

Working notes]

 

Literacy Studies @ OSU

parts & wholes

 

Integrated initiative

Explicit model of interdisciplinary studies

Distinctive, unique, original

Pressing contemporary issues reexamined in a perspective shaped by

an approach to literacy that is

critical, comparative, historical

Focus on multiple literacies

Cross campus connections

(literacies across the campus/curricululm [sic]}

Promoting teaching and research at all levels including student research

Internal External

Theory             Practice

 

Interdisicplinary Studies of Literacy

An explicit model for interdisciplinary studies—research and teaching

Problem, question, conceptual emphasis

Founded in critique; aimed at revising expectations, theoretical frames,

and practices of reading & writing

 

 

Outreach

Cross campus and beyond campus

School-based, broadly defined, K-12, general and focus on specific groups

New initiatives, e.,g, adaption of Teen Chicago project

Adult literacy

OSU student, faculty, staff participation

 

 

Public programming

(cross-campus outreach)

Ongoing series of programs open to OSU and interesting persons from the community

Faculty and guest speaker forums, panels

Variety of approaches—2-3 per quarter

 

 

Literacy Event

Major speakers, panels, activities, mini-conferences with tight focus

Wide-range of interests & formats

1-2 per year

 

 

Literacy Seminar (more formal, polished)

Faculty & advanced graduate student presentations of research in progress

or just completed work

Regular scheduled meetings

 

 

Literacy Forum (less formal)

Faculty & students new projects, ideas, proposals, more give-and-take in

a (carefully maintained) mutually supportive constructive environment

 

 

Faculty literacy learning communities/discussion groups

Ongoing series of interest-based reading, discussion, and more targeted

action based groups, from very informal to well-defined

(the latter in conjunction with the Center for Teaching and Learning)

 

 

Literacy Studies Working Group

Core executive or steering group to provide stimulus,

agenda and planning, oversight

focus jointly on intellectual, planning, & administrative matters

 

 

Graduate student workshop

 

Student literacy research—graduate & undergraduate

Cross-campus and interdisicplinary

Support for student and joint faculty-student research

 

 

Formal classroom teaching & learning

 

Minors/Interdisciplinary Specialization

 

Undergraduate minor

 

graduate interdisciplinary specialization

 

Suite of courses

Cross-campus, interdisciplinary, informally connected

(separate from formal designation)

 

 

 

 

Summary of Goals

  • Making OSU distinctive and advanced with respect to institutionalized but also more                  diffused interests and activities relating to literacy studies
  • Changing the conversation; changing dissemination; changing practice and  challenging                theory, expectations, policies

·        Distinguishing OSU by cross campus efforts, by reciprocal concern to advance both                  theory and practice

  • Rethinking and reconceptualizing literacy historically, comparatively, theoretically,                       differentially, critically—advances in both theory and practice mutually reshaping        each other
  • Fostering, promoting, and institutionalizing a different, historically grounded but also        expansive and interdisciplinary approach to literacy studies--that is, to the study,          understanding, teaching, and practice of literacy
  • beginning in the humanities, Literacy Studies a@ OSU aims to foster a critical, cross-     campus conversation and investigation into the nature of literacy and literacies
  • bringing historical, contextual, and critical perspective and modes of understanding         together to stimulate new relationships institutionally and intellectually
  • stimulating new intellectual and curricular links across disciplines and disciplinary            clusters across the University
  • making Ohio State University a leader in the development and practice of critical            literacy(ies)

 

Literacy and OSU 2004-05

  • OSU university-wide interest and support of literacy studies and literacy promotion, strengthened by President’s and Provost’s emphasis in expanding interdisciplinary research and teaching
  • Rising interest across OSU in interdisciplinary studies of literacy
  • Expansion of faculty with teaching and research expertise/interests in literacy, including the history of literacy
  • Increasing student interest in literacy studies
  • Renaming of Rhetoric and Composition to Rhetoric, Composition, and Literacy
  • Cross-campus literacy inititiative: “Literacy Studies @ OSU”

·        Likely development of undergraduate minor in Literacy Studies with one of its bases in English

  • Possible development of graduate minor in Literacy Studies with one of its bases in English
  • Cross listing of literacy courses with History, Comparative Studies, Education, and perhaps Social Sciences
  • Importance of advanced training in literacy also benefits OSU’s important outreach activities.