6IMON FRASER UNIVERSITY

S

Fall Semester 2000

EDUC 341 - 3.

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Dr. Suzanne deCastell

Literacy, Education and Culture

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Office: EDB 8545

Phone:

291-3627

E01.00

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E-mail: decaste@sfu.ca

Tuesday

16:30-19:20

in EDB

7600

PREREQUISITE

60 credit hours

COURSE DESCRIPTION

Since the beginning of recorded history, literacy has been our most basic tool for the formation,

preservation and transformation of culture, and it has been, and continues to be, the main vehicle

of education. This course examines the origins, development and consequences of literacy for

society and for individuals, from the earliest days of writing to the present.

With new forms of mediation and tools of representation now contesting the authority of written

language, traditional cultural and educational forms and functions are called to account. So this

course is also about what happens when literate and post-literate technologies collide.

EVALUATION

1.

Course reading response logs - 20%

2.

Final Essay/Project - 50%

3.

Participation in class activities, discussions, presentation - 30%

Response logs will be peer-reviewed, essays/projects will be evaluated by the instructor, and

participation will be self-evaluated. Students are invited to contribute to class activities by

suggesting or supplying relevant articles, video or audio material, etc. Projects may involve forms

other than traditional written essays (e.g., video, hypertext), and the uses of computer-based tools

is encouraged.

REQUIRED READING

Manguel, A. (1996). A History of Reading. Toronto, ON: A. A. Knopf Canada.

Lankshear, C. (1997). Changing Literacies. Open University Press.

RECOMMENDED READING

Baker, D., Clay, J. & Fox, C. (eds). (1996). Challenging Ways of Knowing. London &

Washington, The Falmer Press.

THIS COURSE MAY BE APPLIED TOWARD THE CERTIFICATE OF LIBERAL ARTS