FINDINGS

Both the instructor and the students' responses to the Beats were extremely positive. Both believed that the program and its response-based tools offered a unique and interesting environment in which to explore literature. In addition, data collected from the pilot study suggest that students' on-line response were both quantitatively and qualitatively different from their regular classroom responses.

These were, interestingly, consistent in approach. We found a distinct pattern in which students moved from initially responding to the forms of the poems to very personal responses relating the perceived meanings of the verses to their own lives. For the assignment, the instructor orally modeled the linking of form and meaning, something he also did regularly over the course of the semester. In their on-line responses, students not only followed his model, but went further in personalizing the links between form and meaning.

I like the use of repetition in the "I am waiting". It holds the poem together, on the one hand, and on the other, creates a kind of monotony that speaks to his point. [form to . . .] I think we are all waiting for the time when the world is as described in this poem. All this stuff that has happened in the past that we are supposed to believe in is kind of confusing. I would like to see all of it happen again. And for the stuff that needs to happen for peace, it would be great if we could wake up one day to a peaceful world. [. . . meaning]

I get the point that this person is waiting for things that may or may not happen. Although I found the line breaks and repetition useful in understanding the poem, I also found it boring. [form to . . .] I think the author should stop "waiting" and start doing. [. . . meaning]

I really like the line "America I have given you all and now I am nothing". [form to . . .] It reminds me of us paying taxes. [. . . meaning]

And they carried that practice into their commenting of each others' poems.

Very vivid imagery. I like the use of repetition [form to . . .] I do admit that the maggot part did displace me slightly. [. . . meaning]

Your description was very vivid. [form to . . .] It leaves me imagining that place, that feeling [. . . meaning]

I like the way you related the schoolbus to aspects of the whole school day. [form to . . .] It is easy to relate to and I thought it was strong in that it uncovered the almost forgotten emotions of every bus rider. [. . . meaning]

In our initial pilot study of Kidspace , we found that the potential of multimedia to support response-based pedagogies does not guarantee it will be so used. In our initial pilot study of the Beats , the program was thoughtfully integrated into an existing curricular stream by a talented instructor. Although the pilot was limited in scope by the availability of computers, good evidence for the capability of response-based programs like the Beats to support similar pedagogies was obtained.

Supporting the Voices of Reticent Students

While in class discussion affords opportunity for the growth of ideas through immediate interchange, on-line discourse allows expanded opportunity to make one's views public. It gives all students, not just those who are more aggressive or verbally talented, the chance to participate. Whereas during regular class discussions of the selections only eight of the twenty-six students ever actively participated, every student wrote on-line responses to each of the selections. Similarly, only one student's poem was discussed during the regular class period whereas all students had the opportunity to give and receive comments on each others' poems on-line.

The instructor was especially enthusiastic about this aspect of the software program, stating that those who were less inclined to make what he described as "intelligent contributions" to class discussions wrote more freely than they would have otherwise. He described this "free" aspect of the quieter students' on-line responses as tending to "spice things up" in the on-line exchange of ideas:

The way he puts you inside the mind of a person on the edge of a nervous breakdown is pretty far out -- but he always seems like the "baby Beat" to me, sort of a tagalong.

He undressed America and in her nakedness he said, "Put some clothes on before someone sees you.

This particular poem reads as if it should be narrated by a wino -- pointless points with occasional interruptions by some cognitive perspective about "the real world."

Too cool, I think it's really cool that someone that bright and streetwise manages to keep a sense of humor and a sense of joy about this whole mess.

The instructor continually told students how delighted he was with the quality and quantity of their responses as well as with the variety of opinions expressed. Having a written record of responses also served a valuable function in that the instructor skillfully used the printouts of these as the basis for a more focused classroom discussion of the ideas they contained.
Most students were equally enthusiastic about this feature of the Beats . Indeed, students who stated that they never participated in regular class discussions said they would rather work only on-line, indicating their appreciation for the tools that helped them express themselves, and a majority of the students interviewed stated that they found the on-line experience a "freeing" one. Several students believed they were more honest in expressing their thoughts and ideas in this way. Only one student stated that he would prefer only in class discussion. Most students said they would like classes to consist of both on-line and in class work.

Encouraging More Reflective Conversations

In response to questions concerning their thoughts and experiences using the Beats , and in their actual on-line responses, it was clear that this group of students was equipped with the conceptual and linguistic skills needed to articulate their reactions to literary works. On-line responses reflect a mode of discourse that is personal, reflective, and far more focused and extensive than would be conceivable in fast-paced, multiparticipant conversation, indicating that on-line work gave many students an opportunity for reflective self expression not available in the literature classroom.

On the other hand, an advantage of classroom discourse is that the instructor can guide students to a greater depth of inquiry -- keeping students on track while moving through what he or she deems critical considerations in understanding literary works. The observer noted that the level of discourse on the computer was not as critical nor as deep as it was in class for those (a small minority) who consistently participated in regular class discussions. The instructor's questions, responses, and leadership in classroom discussions explored at greater depth the poets' techniques and made more connections between the Beat authors and other contemporary writers. However, the observer also thought that had the entire class (including the instructor) had more time to use the program, it might have been.
The instructor himself thought that student exchanges were, for the most part, reflective, and believed they would have been even more so had there been more time for them to work on the computers. Most of the students interviewed felt that the program helped them to write more reflexively, stating that they could "write our first thoughts, read the poem again, and go back and see things we didn't see before." They also thought that being directly privy to a fuller range of viewpoints and perspectives encouraged a more reflective attitude.

Freeing Discourse from Time Constraints

Because, in this pilot, students had very limited access to the Beats , the program did not free discourse from time constraints at all. Instead, it changed the nature of the class and the kinds of constraints students felt. In the regular classroom, students were allowed to be passive and a limited number of students dominated discussions. On computers, all students were forced to be active, and all students were "heard". Due to the nature of the assignments and students' limited access to the program, however, they appeared rushed when working on-line. When interviewed, students lamented the limited amount of time they had been able to work with the Beats , stating over and over again that they would have liked to have had the time to develop extended on-line conversations about the poems. The instructor likewise lamented time limitations and felt strongly that the program could have opened up opportunities for extended discourse never available in regular classroom formats.


Encouraging Discourse by Providing Concrete Representations of Conversations

There is good evidence that students began to use the tools in the Beats conversationally, for example:

I like how Ginsberg wrote as if he were having a conversation with America. The repeating of "America" at the beginning of the lines gave the poem interesting rhyme. I like how he continuously changed his feelings yet stayed within the same thought and mood. I also thought listening to him read his poem on the CD made it easier to understand his feelings.

I agree with the liking of the repeating of "America". I feel it adds to the poem. I also feel that Ginsberg is very angry with America and our way of life. The poem also had an air of intoxication, like someone who had been drinking and their anger was coming out. Maybe hearing it made me feel that it was meant to be felt that the person was drinking.

I agree with you on a lot of the points you bring up. I think that this is an angry poem, and that he is just speaking to someone. I liked it overall.

and:
I felt the continuous use of "I am waiting" within the lines became too repetitious and I felt myself becoming annoyed with reading it over and over.

I disagree with your feeling on the repeating the "I am waiting". I liked it. I felt he was trying to convey that he is waiting for all the things that are supposed to make this country a "dream".

and:
I can see that this poem has a lot of religious undertones. I like that. In today's society, it is a real risk. I feel that this poem is a very brave and hopeful way to express what he is feeling.

I see the religious undertones, but I do not think that is the focus. I see it more as a contrast type of vehicle.

Indeed, the students interviewed stated that it was helpful to "see" what other students were thinking and that this opportunity opened up whole new perspectives for them. The instructor capitalized on this process by printing out and distributing student comments to be reviewed and expanded on in class. This integration of modes seems perhaps the best use that can be made of response-based tools such as those in the Beats , in that it maximizes the advantages of both on-line and regular classroom discourse.


Encouraging the Linking of Ideas to Texts by Providing Concrete Representations for Them

Having comments immediately linked to the poems appeared to make the connection more concrete and tangible to the students:

Ginsberg uses a lot of rhetorical questions in this poem. He asks America when this is going to happen or that is going to happen, and sometimes the questions are ridiculous but have truth: "America, when can I go to the store and buy what I need with my good looks?" We laugh but it is true, in a sense.

The line "I am waiting for the last supper to be served again" has great pull as well as the line "I am waiting for my number to be called". It's kind of morbid but in a different sense.

I like how Ginsberg uses repeating lines. I also like his use of surrealistic details like when he said " America when will you be angelic?"

Indeed, the instructor felt that the juxtaposing of responses to text resulted in important connections between the two "in their [the students']heads." Students interviewed stated that they liked being able to write "in the margins" because it made their thoughts seem "right there," and "fresh."

Because of the limited time available for using the Beats in this pilot, students were neither given assignments using the Links and/or Media tools, nor time to use them on their own. It is therefore difficult to assess what the use of such tools might have added to student experiences. Students were particularly interested in the visual and aural aspects of the program. The instructor was interested in exploring all aspects of the tools, and stated that he would like to readjust his assignments in the future to take advantage of them.

Nonetheless, many students used the discourse pages to connect their responses to multiple poems in the Beats :

Like Ginsberg in America, Ferlinghetti uses repetition as his favorite tool for this poem. Over and over, he repeats "I am waiting, I am waiting" and then he goes on, at the end of his idea to tell what he is waiting for -- "the rebirth of wonder." There is no punctuation in his poem. His images run together, in a vivid mass, from the American eagle spreading its wings and flying right to the final withering away of all governments.

I really liked this poem more than any of the others. It was very easy to follow and understand. Although some of the things that he was or is waiting for seem very unrealistic, still it makes you think. I also like the chanting. Like in that of America by Ginsberg, it really makes the poem flow and kept me wanting to read more to find out what else he could be waiting for.

The unsolicited development of such connections suggests that the Links tool might be very well utilized. It remains to be seen, however, whether or not the Links and Media tools might encourage even greater and more in depth explorations of commonalties and differences in the texts.

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