Wednesday, March 20, 2013

14

          Computers have not been around forever and are more of a newer technological advance.  Many adults from the older generations may not be familiar with computers because they were not invented until their midlife.  Returning adult learners may feel major apprehension towards learning about computers because it is out of their comfort zone.  However, if adults find a great teacher, learning how to use computers can be very effective for them.  To provide a useful example of how and why returning adult learners may feel uncomfortable using computers I have analyzed a transcript of an interview between a returning adult learner and an interviewer.  By using different characteristics (ie. length and uncertainty of answers, mental verbs, verb tenses, and deintensifiers) I can determine that returning adult learners feel uncomfortable learning a new technology.  The interview between "Ch" and "M" demonstrates just that.  In the first excerpt "M" seems to feel uncomfortable discussing his use of computers when "Ch" is asking him questions regarding them.  "M" is an adult and has never used a computer before.  In the second excerpt "M" seems to feel a bit more comfortable talking about computers with "Ch" because he has taken a class teaching him how to use the device.  From the first excerpt to the second excerpt there are different language patterns that allow me to read how "M" is feeling towards "Ch" and the topic at hand, computers.  I will use textual analysis in the this transcript to demonstrate why returning adult learners may feel apprehension towards learning how to use a computer and how an effective teacher can ease that weariness. 
           In both excerpts "Ch" is posing all of the questions and "M" is answering them.  Right off the bat in excerpt one "M" shows apprehension towards the conversation about computers.  "Ch" asks "So in 2002, you were word processing, typing papers.  But in that math class you didn't want to use that math program?"  "M"s immediate response is "No."  "M"s short and quick answer of a "No" demonstrates that major apprehension towards the topic of technology.  Then, "M" proceeds to respond to "Ch" with mental verbs whenever asked a question regarding technology.  These mental verbs, such as "I thought," "I understood," "I noticed," "I guess," are indicative that the speakers experience is still in consciousness and that they are still undergoing mental processes.  The two mental verbs that "M" uses the most are "I guess" and "I think."  For example, in excerpt one, "Ch" asks what his feelings towards technology are.  "M" responds, "I guess thought that I couldn't do it, I didn't trust myself, I didn't trust the computer, I was afraid."  This uncertainty continues.  Then, "Ch" asks what about himself that he could not trust.  "M" responds, "I guess I didn't think that I needed to use a computer in that way."  Also, "Ch" asks what about the computers that "M" did not trust.  "M" responds, "I guess that putting all of my information in there, and trusting the computer to, you know, analyze it, the way that I could have done it myself."  "M" feels that the work he can perform is equivalent to the work a computer can do.  Once again when "Ch" asks "M" about why he could not relate computers to education, "M" responds with, "I guess I thought I could go through without - without having to do this."  There, "M" uses two forms of mental verbs, proving major uneasiness towards education on computers.  Lastly, in excerpt one, when "Ch" asks about why it seemed like something extra, "M" responds, "Yeah, and even though I guess I wasn't you know comprehending that this was supposed to make my life easier, it made it more difficult."  These mental verbs that "M" continues to use, "I guess" and "I thought," are indicative to which "M" is still processing his thoughts while answering the questions.  "M" feels that learning about computes will be more difficult than continuing to do work by hand.
          In excerpt one there are also de-intensifiers that "M" uses that provide evidence that he is not comfortable using technology.  These de-intensifiers always appear in conjunction with expressions of helplessness and inability.  "Ch" asks "M" why he did not want to learn how to use the programs on the computer.  "M" responds, "Maybe I didn't relate the computer to education in the right way, that I didn't think it was necessary."  "M" seemed to use the word "maybe," which made him seem helpless to the fact that he did not want to learn.  Also in excerpt one, "M" indicates that he is not comfortable discussing technology when he keeps jumping around from present tense to past tense.  Jumping around from different tenses indicates a split between the speaking self and experiencing self due to the difficulty of reencountering a difficult experience.  For example, "M" says, "That I could do it, I guess I didn't think that I needed to use a computer in that way."  "M" says that he could do it then in the same sentence says that he does not think that he needed computers.  A second example of "M"s insecurity towards questions about technology is when he says, "Yeah, and even though I guess I wasn't you know comprehending that this was supposed to make my life easier, it made it more difficult."  The fact that "M" continues to not keep one tense shows that he is apprehensive towards the subject at hand.  "M"s uneasiness with computers is mostly demonstrated in excerpt one when he repeats "I guess" multiple times.  "I guess," shows that "M" does not have a straight forward answer to "Ch"s questions.
          In excerpt two "M" seems to feel more comfortable discussing technology and computers with "Ch."  This is because of the computer class that was effective for him.  Right off the bat, "M"s response to how he felt about taking a computer class is much longer than any of his responses in excerpt one.  In excerpt two, "M" continues to use many mental verbs, such as, I think and I guess.  "Ch" asks "M" what he thinks it was that got him over his fear of technology.  "M" responds, "Ahm, I guess what could happen, you know? You know, what could happen, you put your work in you press a button, and you just - what's going to happen?"  "M" finally became comfortable with the thought of putting his work on a computer.  Also, "Ch" asks if they helped him get help on the internet.  "M" replies, "I think so."  This proves that "M" is still processing the question while beginning to answer it.  "M" seems to be unsure of whether he remembers how to use the internet.  A major example of "M" changing tenses continuously is when he responds to the question, "How did things change when you bought a computer?"  Throughout "M"s answer he continues to change from the present tense to the past tense and visa versa.  As well as constantly changing tenses, "M" used the mental verb "I guess" in his response.  These two factors together give excellent evidence that "M" is not fully comfortable discussing computers and technology, but is definitely more relaxed than the first excerpt.
          Lastly, in excerpt two, "M" uses many intensifiers that provide evidence that he is unsure of certain things or is very sure of certain things.  "It was different, and ah, it was a fun experience because the teacher was very good, very willing to work with us."  "M" stating that the teacher was "very" good and was "very" willing to work shows that he enjoyed the class.  This teacher and her methods eased "M"s tension when it comes to the topic of computers.  "Ah, well like where us word.  I would type in Notepad, you know, and then maybe somebody showed me"  "M" using the word "maybe" shows that he is not positive of what he learned when he used word.  Excerpt two proves that "M" still feels awkward discussing the topic of computers, but his teacher definitely eased his mind of the worries. 
          From excerpt one to excerpt two, "M" demonstrates a consistent hesitancy when it comes to the topic of computers.  Even though "M" seems a bit more comfortable in excerpt two than he did in excerpt one, the uneasiness is still evident.  "M"s repetition of the lines "I guess" and "I think" regarding every question about computers and technology proves that he is afraid of it.  However, excerpt two proves that the computer teacher helped "M" have a better understanding as to why computers are used.  After carefully analyzing the transcript of the interview I can conclude that returning adult learners may feel apprehension towards computers but with the help of a teacher, that weariness can be eased. 

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