Eng. 658 - Week 5 Blog 1

In her essay “Toward New Media Texts” (2004), Cynthia Self contends that in order not to “run the risk of making composition studies increasingly irrelevant to students engaging in contemporary practices of communication” (72), contemporary instructors raised and trained on alphabetic texts must embrace and be open to the advantageous possibilities brought about by new media. Self develops her ideas through a fervent argument that shows the benefits of bringing technology into the classroom, markedly so through visual assignments designed for even the most novice of instructors (new to media) to administer. Selfe’s purpose is clearly to educate instructors on the inherent benefits of introducing technology into the classroom in order for us not to lose touch with students raised on and with technology. Selfe creates an informal relationship with her audience of scholars, college, high school, and elementary teachers who are concerned about how to incorporate new media into the classroom.