Noisy Libraries Embrace Blabbermouth Bias In Modern Education – More Evidence

The Problem

Three earlier EzineArticles introduce and discuss my analysis of the noise problem in modern libraries:

(August 4, 2011) Library Standards Have Crumbled-Time To Reclaim Quiet introduces the problem and makes the call for a return to traditional quiet as the proper foundation of courtesy and concentration in true learning.

(August 9, 2011) Library Noise Now The Golden Standard – New Values Corrupt Silence pins the blame for the problem of noisy libraries largely on the dominant cultural values of Western society that reject silence.

(August 17, 2011) Modern Education Experts Profess Value Of Silence – Why Librarians Ignore locates the source of the noisy library problem in current pedagogies (i.e., teaching philosophies) that privilege speech, as documented by five, peer-reviewed expert sources in the field of education.
The present EzineArticle lists four additional, peer-reviewed, expert sources that further document troubling cultural forces in today’s educational system that are degrading the quality of these once-quiet public spaces.

The following paragraphs list citations of my latest sources, along with my interpretations of each source’s main points:

Huey-li Li (2001). Silences And Silencing Silences. THE PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATION SOCIETY YEARBOOK 2001:157-165.

Educational discussions about silence seem to be erroneous and one-dimensional, treating the absence of talk as the consequence of a disciplinary act only.

In modern discussions about multi-cultural education, educators should re-think the simple dichotomy of silence versus speech and challenge the primacy of speech.

Technological advancements in modern industrial society are especially powerful lures that cause people of developed nations to avoid silence and to justify intolerance of silence.

Mass media and computer-mediated communication systems constantly erode and destroy silent spaces at the public level, thus making it nearly impossible for individuals to learn how to appreciate silence, either by themselves or in the presence of others.

Americans are a nation of “space pluggers” and “gap fillers”, both in education and in life, as we obsessively fill what we think are empty spaces and empty sound gaps with the perpetual flux of objects and decibels.

The idea of “cooperative learning” has become the dominant idea in mainstream teacher education.

When teachers, in classroom settings, use the idea of “participation” as a measure of student participation, they inevitably condition students in the belief that silent, active listening is not a legitimate form of “participating.”

Speech can be systematically distorted, consciously or unconsciously, to give some groups or individuals more importance than others.

“… the dichotomization of silence and speech misleads us to devalue silence and privilege speech…. I call for recognition of the need to dismantle this false dichotomy and to develop a pedagogical understanding of silences.” (p. 162)
Megan Boler (2001). The Challenge Of Interpreting Silence In Public Spaces. THE PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATION SOCIETY YEARBOOK 2001:166-169.

Emphasizing speaking is a method of enforcing the “silencing of silence”, which perpetuates the false idea that talking automatically represents democratic participation.

Favoring speech ignores reflective practice.

Systematic education in the art of listening does not exist in elementary schools, in secondary schools, in higher learning, or in the public sphere.

Silence has deeply personal and spiritual aspects, regarded as evils in education and politics.

Educators need to be extremely cautious about emphasizing speech and de-emphasizing quiet.

By cultivating the practice of quiet mindfulness, teachers can greatly enhance the quality of interaction and the quality of thought that takes place in education.

In political and educational contexts, silence is automatically feared, “pathologized”, and assigned no currency, yet, ironically, we must speak of this problem in order to avoid it.
Cathleen Haskins (2010). Integrating Silence Practices Into The Classroom: The Value of Quiet. ENCOUNTER: EDUCATION FOR MEANING AND SOCIAL JUSTICE 23 (3):1-6.

The current disregard for silence in modern educational philosophy begins to take hold early in a child’s life, where the once slow, easy freedoms of childhood barely exist today.

In modern civilization, we live in a storm of noise that robs children of their abilities to know the beauty of silence.

Most children in today’s developed world know silence only as discipline or as punishment from controlling adults, and these children are further denied positive, quiet experiences by adults who have lost their own ways in a noisy world.

Today’s adolescents grow up with technological innovations that disable their desires to know fulfilling quiet and creative solitude.

Nonstop, incessant noise has become the norm that disconnects people of all ages from their inner resources.

Holistic education reform requires that teachers create learning environments that offer exercises in stillness and silence, where silence is NOT treated as the negative force of adult authority, but as the positive space of inner peace, creativity, and renewal.
Kathryn Byrnes (2011). Review of RETHINKING CLASSROOM PARTICIPATION: LISTENING TO SILENT VOICES By Katherine Schultz.. EDUCATION REVIEW, 14.

Relying on verbal participation to assess learning often rewards compliance (i.e. talking that the teacher expects) instead of thoughtfulness and comprehension.

Speech becomes more powerful and insightful through a norm of silence.

American schools traditionally do not value silence.

Talk does not necessarily equal learning.

Schools and communities need to return to a wise understanding of silence, inspired by the saying, “You have two ears and one mouth for a reason. You should listen twice as much as you speak.” (p. 4)
RECAP

I attribute the relatively recent problem of excessive noise in libraries to four main causes:

Modern, Western civilization has always treated speech in primarily positive terms, while treating silence in primarily negative terms of authoritative control and punishment.

Runaway developments in technology (e.g., computers and mobile communication devices) have enacted and enforced Western cultural values that privilege speech in epic proportions.

Parallel developments in education have mirrored popular culture’s information-exchange mania, thus solidifying Western values that favor speech and fear silence.

Seller/consumer relationships have surpassed student/teacher relationships in importance, as institutions struggle to survive in an economy that supports primarily goods and services “aimed to please.”

Comedy’s Modification Within Silent Film – Buster Keaton and Charlie Chaplin

During the 1910s, popular comedy shorts preceded more esteemed features. By the 1920s, however, comedy developed into a mass-observed genre of feature lengths with stars like Buster Keaton and Charles Chaplin. Silent film, by just referring to its title, suggested a dependence on physical action-slapstick-for comedians. But this alone did not distinguish silent film comedy’s capabilities. Similar action, albeit with sound, had been performed on vaudeville stages and circus arenas. To this end, silent film needed to offer comedians something more to explain its durability with an abounding audience; although the aspect of mass-exhibition is a crucial one when considering the various medium-specific strategies offered to comedians.

A focus on the aforementioned performers’ careers offers an explanation as to how this relationship with not only the medium, but also the audience, affected their approach to silent film comedy. Through the analysis of Sherlock Jr. (1924), The Saphead (1920), and The Immigrant (1917), film evidently offered itself as a representational art form of time and space that could be manipulated to convey a complicated gag and a more sophisticated story. This was accomplished through the comedians’ use of medium-exclusive techniques as well as the development of a filmic persona that worked both for and against audience expectation.

Before any examination of what silent film specifically offered comedians occurs, one must first acknowledge cinema’s general contribution to performers as well as audiences. Before cinema, live performances such as circuses and music halls were the major venues for inexpensive entertainment (Bordwell 3). Yet because these performances were live, the constriction of time and space limited certain exhibition possibilities. For a specific performance, there was only one time and space to see it; there would evidently be a smaller crowd than that of a performance shown in various locations at multiple times.

Likewise, transporting whole theater productions to various locations was expensive (Bordwell 3). The distinguishing aspect of cinema then was the ability of mass-exhibition at an inexpensive rate. Furthermore, the medium of silent film freed comedy from spatial and temporal boundaries associated with performances of the stage. No longer would a comedian have only one chance to successfully execute a gag or express concern over the limitations of a single locale. In fact, they had the ability to capture more complex scenes, particularly through the use of filmic devices.

Such an idea is found in Keaton’s Sherlock Junior. As Keaton’s character, Sherlock Jr., falls asleep at the projection booth he becomes duplicated through the effect of super imposition. This is to let the audience know that the real Sherlock Jr. is asleep; his dream body becomes the main character and proceeds to be the subject of an elaborate gag involving the cinema itself. This overtly suggests that the audience realize the inanimate quality of the comedian. By presenting the character as this lifeless dream body, the spectator is given more reason to laugh at the body rather than worry. In the subsequent scene, Sherlock Jr. (not yet fully absorbed within the film he is trying to enter) is transported between several areas at the whim of an already-edited film. As he dives off a rock surrounded by the ocean, for example, a cut causes him to disappear into a snow bank, legs sticking straight up. Not only is this sequence impossible to reproduce outside film, but it additionally comments on the medium itself. The scene tampers with film cutting techniques applied to audience expectations. To this end, the filmic technique itself becomes the prop for the joke.

The scene of the driverless motorcycle chase which covers the film’s climax is a specific kind of elaborate gag offered by silent cinema. It is both a spectacle and humorous scene to see Keaton perform his own stunts. During one moment, the safe passage of the motorcycle across a missing part of a bridge is possible only through the support of two passing trucks. This shot was achieved with the help of a horizontally split screen. Just like the movie theater scene, the motorcycle chase illustrates how filmic devices were utilized to both complicate and execute various gags.

While silent film offered comedians medium-specific devices, the option of mass-exhibition allowed the development of a more expansive consideration of identity-on and off the screen. The massive attention given to Keaton’s performance in The Saphead reflected the presence of not only a budding star, but also a specific style of acting which shaped a cinematic identity. Since 1909, dramatic films sought a form of “legitimate acting” in which actors “restrained their movements so as to focus attention on subtle gestures and facial expressions” (Krämer 281). Yet comedians frequently directed their heightened performances to the camera; the point was for an immediate audience reaction, either laughter (the theater scene in Sherlock Jr.) or amazement (the motorcycle chase).

In The Saphead, Keaton turns a straight characterization of the character Bertie into an “excessively restrained” piece of acting as a comedic strategy. One should acknowledge Keaton’s theatrical past in order to posit this as a strategy rather than a weakness; Keaton’s “definitely and subtly expressive acting” was the result of his wide-ranging skills from the live stage (Krämer 281). As he was juxtaposed against the legitimate acting of William H. Crane, his restrained performance became a comedic spectacle that often undermined as well as commented on the dramatic style of Crane (285). For example, the film’s conclusion shows Bertie hearing the news about the birth of his twins. Crane’s character, Nick, expresses joy through a dance but Bertie shows no emotional response. Keaton’s performance became a central focus of the film because of this. Some critics described it as a reflection of poor acting but others found it as an ironic statement of Bertie’s character as the only unintelligent hero in cinema to that point (286). The latter would assume the performance as a product of his professional fun. For the retrained acting style would become a trademark to Keaton; as he developed this persona through a line of films, he would become known as “the Great Stone Face” (Bordwell 140). His persona, due to the fame offered from the medium, was often confusingly overlapped with his personal life. Gossip, because he never smiled, often assumed a melancholy love life (Krämer 287).

Turning the focus to Chaplin, his initial films also reflected a character connected to the traditions of a live performance milieu. As Mack Sennett’s employee at Keystone, Chaplin was initially less mindful of his cinematic persona. His presence in the Keystone films illustrated a rather flat character typified by violence and vulgarity. He can be seen hitting a man in the mouth with a brick in Laughing Gas (1914) and thumbing his nose at a cop in A Film Johnnie (1914) (Maland 199). Although he found great success through this coarse slapstick, various critics detested this primitive character favoring one who could positively influence the masses as well as further develop silent film’s artistry (204). Chaplin responded to the criticism of vulgarity through a reflection of his past:

It is because of my music-hall training and experiences that…work into my acting little threads of vulgarisms…this crude form of farce and slapstick comedy…was due solely to my early environment, and I am now trying to steer clear from this sort of humor and adapt myself to a more subtle and finer shade of acting. (Maland 204)
It is evident then that there is a certain level of sophistication desired by the medium of silent film. Just as Keaton tampered with performance strategy, comedians bound by a vaudevillian past needed to now rework their persona and humor to satisfy the expectations of a new medium.

It is important to acknowledge the significance of how this criticism and Chaplin’s response illustrates a precise product of silent film’s contribution to comedians. The existence of the criticism itself proves the mass attention to not only the comedian as a substantial figure, but a cinematic performer whose influence should be directed toward didacticism and artistic development. As Chaplin noted, these particular concerns were nonexistent as a live performer. The attention to the comedian in the silent film medium brought with it demands and expectations for a wider level of appeal. Likewise, the medium offered comedians a tangible record of their comedic transformations, leading not only to a sturdy cinematic identity, but also a developing star image outside the medium.

As seen through Chaplin’s response to the criticism of his persona, a broader level of responsibility was necessary to maintain comedic fame within silent film. There was urgency to explain his artistic choice, while at the same time, being careful so as to not reduce his popularity (Maland 204). As Chaplin announced his comedic ambitions in the same breadth, a level of attention-outside the films-formed. While the comedian gained the ability to influence via film (as the criticism noted), he was just as well guided by the appeal of his audience; while silent film was working towards a certain level of artistry, it was ultimately a commercial product. Without profit, the comedian no longer continued to work in film. Therefore the star image associated with film offered comedians a source of advertisement essential for their sustainability. Throughout 1915, the image of Chaplin was exploited through the Motion Picture Magazine, various cartoons, and attire (203). This offered him a level of fame beyond the medium as well as the responsibility to solidify profit.

Maintaining popularity and profits were crucial elements for performers in the silent film medium. Comedians needed to carefully follow the desires of their audience in order to remain in film; through this, they were forced into a greater consciousness regarding their personas as well as style of humor. Silent film offered comedians the ability to develop a story which complimented their gags. Through the examination of Chaplin’s The Immigrant, one will see how the aforementioned criticism motivated Chaplin to regard silent cinema with a keener eye. The film no longer contains a persona grounded on vulgarity and violence, but a humorous character illustrating romance and kindness (Maland 205). This “subtle and finer shade of acting” is complimented through his ingenuity with humor (204).

The initial reception of silent film, as seen through Chaplin’s earlier years and the movie theater scene in Sherlock Jr., was that because characters lacked voice, they were closer to inanimate objects. The Immigrant, however, transcended this conception. While people can still be seen tossing around like fish on a boat or being knocked into like punching bags, Chaplin’s delicate treatment of character and story prevented a completely superficial depiction of comedy. The most evident transformation of silent film comedy could be seen through the change in Chaplin’s filmic persona. In The Immigrant, he is a gentleman guided by his love for a woman. In the beginning of the film, he offers his lover a seat as the boat violently rocks and secretly gives away his money to her. The point is that Chaplin developed humanness in his persona, allowing people to see something more than a funny, inanimate object but still finding room to laugh. There is a kindness to his character, but at the same time he makes use of silent film devices for comedy-particularly through the execution of causal gags.

In terms of The Immigrant’s humor, the use of the causal gag illustrated a significant aspect of silent film comedy. In the beginning of the film, the use of the intertitle interrupts the rocking of the boat with the words, “More rolling”. This assumes a causal connection to the rolling of the people on the boat when it in fact refers to the rolling of dice during a gambling game. In addition to using a filmic device-the intertitle-as a tool for a joke, the causal gag was a substantial mode of humor in Chaplin’s films. Another form of this cinematic joke is also employed in the shot introducing Chaplin. Appearing to be sickly heaving over the boat, he is in fact pulling for a freshly caught fish. The stationary, frontal camera view toys with the notion of audience expectations just as Keaton did with the editing devices in Sherlock Jr.

One can now see that the inception of silent cinema underscored a previously untapped output for humor-a medium free from the boundaries of space and time. This evidently attracted comedians as they were now able to perform elaborate gags, like in Sherlock Jr., unworkable in the live arena. The silent nature of the medium naturally encouraged the use of physical actions to convey humor. Yet comedians such as Keaton in

The Saphead utilized the medium to accentuate comedic acting strategies. These strategies, equally present with Chaplin, were identified through the comedians’ ability to imprint an identity-their comedic persona-through a line of films. This persona, often extrapolated beyond the medium, became the subject of advertisement and celebrity gossip. Further with comedians’ role in silent film, a focus on Chaplin showed the development of the comedy genre into one beyond superficial humor. The Immigrant, for example, showed Chaplin’s growth as not only a comedic performer, but a filmmaker who treated his characters and story with a previously nonexistent sentimentality.

Works Cited
Bordwell, David, and Kristin Thompson. Film History: An Introduction. New York, N

Silent Generation, Part Three

The Siege of Leningrad was broken in Russia after almost 900 days when the Polish Army became liberated from the Nazi’s. In Poland, Freedom Fighters tried to get Warsaw away from the Germans, unfortunately, ending with about 20,000 soldiers killed and 150,000 civilians murdered

At this time in history, Japan had United States bombs, and Tokyo had B-29 boomers. The advances made during 1944 were:

The GI Bill of Rights
CIA Development Project
Education Act
The Education Act was about lifting a ban on women being able to get married.

Roosevelt became the only United States President to be elected to a fourth term.

During this time, the Government gave back railroads to companies, but only after labor disputes were settled. The popular culture during this era was very disheartening when Anne Frank, at the age of fifteen, was kidnapped by the Germans and taken to a concentration camp.

The popular culture during this era was very disheartening when Anne Frank, at the age of fifteen, was captured by the Germans and sent her to a concentration camp.

During the Silent Generation, people lived through the Great Depression of the 1930′s and shaped the United States as an economic and military power. We were about patriotism and teamwork.

The Silent Generation believed that we could do more with less and, for the most part, had a task-orientation. They believed in and followed rules of conduct and showed respect for authority.. They were extremely loyal and held a high respect for authority and respected the rules in place.

This was a generation that did not like conflict. They did as they were told. Their work style was consistent. They looked for technological advancements, although they were still, somewhat, past-oriented.

The majority of CEO’s of Fortune 500 companies are held by the children of this generation, who lived up to their parents’ expectations.

Some of the big changes that took place were Operation Overload, code named D-Day: the landing of 155,000 Allied Troops on the beaches of Normandy in France, and Paris was liberated from Nazi Occupation.

In the UK, Germany launched the VI Rockets/Doodlebugs against London, and a V2 rocket hit London for the first time. Also, thirty-two British Lancaster bombers sunk the mighty German battleship, Tirpitz.

The Battle of the Bulge began on December 16, 1944 and was one of the deadliest battles in World War II with 19,000 US Soldiers killed. Germany was preparing for the largest force of air power used to bomb railways and other targets.

In Russia, the Siege of Leningrad was broken after 872 days and the Polish Home Army liberated Poland from Nazi occupation. In Poland, Freedom Fighters battled to liberate Warsaw from German occupation. It ended with 18,000 soldiers killed and 150,000 civilians murdered.

At this time in history, Japan had United States bombs, and Tokyo had B-29 super fortress bombers

The GI Bill of Rights and the CIA Development Project and The Education Act finally listed the ban on women being able to marry. We also had a 5.9 earthquake hit New York. The idea of “meat rationing” In San Juan, an earthquake killed between 8000-10,000 people.

The popular culture during this era was very disheartening when Anne Frank who was taken by Germans at the age of fifteen to be taken to a concentration camp. We were about patriotism and teamwork. The Silent Generation believed that we could do more with less and, for the most part, had a task-orientation.

They believed in and followed rules of conduct and showed respect for authority. They were extremely loyal and held a high respect for authority and respected the rules in place. This was a generation that did not like conflict. They looked for technological advancements, yet were past-oriented.

Generational differences can affect so many things; things such as building teams and dealing with change. So, what is the secret to motivating your family or work colleagues to get along and work together? In order to do so, we must start with understanding ourselves. This became a time when they were taught that it was unacceptable to socialize with their bosses. All medically able males were expected to serve in the military. When the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor, this civic-minded generation united.

During this time, Operation Overload, code named D-Day, the landing of 155,000 Allied Troops on the beaches of Normandy in France and and Paris was liberated from Nazi Occupation. In the UK, Germany launched the VI Rockets/Doodlebugs against London, and a V2 rocket hit London for the first time.

Also, thirty-two British Lancaster bombers sunk the German Battleship, Tripitz and The Battle of the Bulge began in 1944. 19,000 US Soldiers were killed in this battle in World War II.

The Germans had been preparing for the largest air power to use to bomb railways and other targets.

US Marines landed in Guam, located in the South Pacific, in order to get back the island from the Japanese.

During the Silent Generation, people survived the Great Depression of the 1930′s and helped to shape the US as an economic and military power. We were about patriotism and teamwork.

The Silent Generation believed that we could do more with less and, for the most part, had a task-orientation. They believed in and followed rules of conduct. They held a high respect for authority and respected the rules in place. Th

Educational Trends of the Generational Workforce

From the Silent Generation to the Millennial Generation, life has moved too fast. With the Silent Generation starting in 1925 and the Millennials ending in 1981 the focus on education, business, is changing with what is required to be current in the workforce. The “what’s in it for me” has taken on new meaning, and there are many reasons for this ranging for wars, economics, ethics, life balance, loyalty, and family.

The acceleration of change and the culture of our society and the business are also changing. More and more people are saying that they feel overwhelmed: too much to do, too much information, too many responsibilities, and, above all, not enough time.

One does not need to look any farther than how each of these generations acted in the workplace. With the transition from one-on-one communication, the rotary phone, to social media, and today’s onslaught of communication devices, the art of how we educate has changed. One might even say the learning process has gone backward where others disagree. Have we as a society lost the interpersonal touch or are we just trying to keep up with the accelerated advancements.

The basic required for teaching is to create the knowledge where individuals can advance or in many situations keep pace with change. Instructors need to understand the generational differences and develop lesson plans that are versatile enough to impact a multi-generational audience consisting of the Silent Generation, Baby Boomers, Gen X, and the Millennials. As a point of reference, the Gen Z born after 1994 predominately have not joined the workforce as of now but what we know is this generation like instant gratification and independence.

The education of the Silent Generation clearly wanted a teacher. Generally speaking, this generation prefers formal education options, with a traditional teacher/student dynamic in which the teacher is a clear authority figure. This generation the children of the Korean and Vietnam wars and Great Depression affected the way the generation lived.

The Baby Boomers want the employer to be a navigator. They’re not content with a single expert provided at a lunchtime seminar; they want the employer to point them in the direction of other experts so they can track down the information themselves. It comes to reason that with the advancement of the internet and the ability to quickly research just about anything this generation wants to understand why things happen from varies viewpoints.

The Gen X group wants the employer to connect them to people. While the Baby Boomers introduced such concepts as a work-life balance to the workplace, Generation X popularized the notion of mentoring. This generation is inclined to create networks of experts. Like the boomers, Gen Xers want to track down information on their own, but they want to validate their findings with a mentor face to face. Rationalizing this thinking, with the rate of change in the industry this generation understands that to be successful continuous learning is required. However, they prefer a mentor to assist them with their learning objectives.

When it comes to learning, the Millennials also know at Gen Y want the best of the Silent Generation, Baby Boomers, and Gen X. This group wants to navigate and find information on their own. They want networks of mentors, and they want powerful, mobile technologies that keep them connected to information and people 24-7. Essentially, they want the employer to create an ecosystem in which they can learn.

The educational diversity of the workplace has placed many challenges and demands on both the companies and the employee. The methods for learning must be varied to create an experience where learning is meaningful and relevant. The requirement with developing a lesson plan is the ability to connect with trainees to improve performance. Having the talent, resources, and financial capital to train is becoming more complicated than ever before and with Gen Z knocking at the door with their desire for instant gratification and independence will only create more challenges.

The fact remains most companies have all these generations and to create a one size fits all training approach will not work. Some fundamentals to consider prior to establishing a training program;
1) when judging performance, don’t measure performance by time alone. There is the quality factor to consider.
2) Create a culture of openness and transparency, including time to discuss shared ideas to create best practices.
3) Evaluate the tools of the business and make a determination whether enhancements with the infrastructure is warranted. Some of the basics, that to observe are workflows, tools, and technology.
4) The last to consider is an investment in your employees. Creating a culture that promotes teamwork, encouragement, and appreciation for a job well done.

These are programs that need to be designed to build morale, self-worth and yes maybe a little fun. Although, these programs may be considered intangible they carry a lot of values when creating a productive culture.

Educational diversity is nothing new, however with societies fast paced lifestyle and technological advancement, new consideration needs to be developed to maintain an effective workforce. Failure to keep up with the new requirement for learning will only add expense in turnover and inefficiency.

Author’s Bio

Older posts »