University of Delaware
Department of Educational Studies

EDST 867

Literacy in Historical Perspective

Fall Semester 1995

Location: Willard Hall, Room 311
Time: Thursdays 4:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Instructor Richard L. Venezky
Office: 211 WHL x8126
Office Hrs: 2:30 - 3:30 Wednesday & Thursday


This seminar will cover a series of issues in the history of literacy, including:

1. What drove the spread of literacy in the Western World over the last 1,000 years?

2. What are the cognitive consequences of literacy?

3. How have methods of teaching reading related to concepts of childhood?

4. How have nations and organizations controlled the extent of literacy and the content of what people read?

5. How has literacy been used over time by individuals and by commercial organizations?

6 Do people read differently now from how they read in the past and will reading in the future be markedly altered by electronic technologies?

A reading list and course outline is attached. Students will be assigned responsibility for leading class discussions on each of the course readings. In addition, two short papers (8 - 12 pp.) and one major paper will be assigned. Grading will be based on class participation (20%), short papers (20% each), and the term paper (40%).


EDST 867

Literacy in Historical Perspective

Schedule

August 31 Introduction; Issues; Methods; Background

September 7 General Trends

September 14 Agents of Change - Printing Press

September 21 Agents of Change - Religion and Social Control

September 28 Consequences of Literacy

October 5 Teaching to Read - I

October 12 Teaching to Read - II

October 19 Control of Literacy Access

October 26 Control of Print

November 2 Textbooks as a Form of Control

November 9 Uses of Literacy - Consumerism

November 16 Personal Uses of Literacy

November 23 Thanksgiving

December 7 Reading Habits - Past

December 14 Project Reports due


EDST 867-010

Fall 1995

Topics and Readings

I. The Growth and Spread of Literacy

II. Consequences of literacy

III. Teaching to Read

IV. Control of Literacy

V. Uses of Literacy

VI. Reading Habits



email venezky@udel.edu