https://docs.google.com/document/d/1g88MCptW38u0yUTXGvjapZfrZE0zzYc-JYX912ryClM/edit
Wednesday, July 29, 2015
Monday, July 27, 2015
Changing Literacies; Changing Pedagogies
Chapter 7
"Robinson and Mackey caution against assuming that pre-service teachers are "insiders" to the full range of digital technology; the pre-service teachers they surveyed rarely used certain technologies, such as computer games" (Carrington).
I selected this quote because I felt it restated that one should not assume that younger people are digital natives, only this time, it was discussing young teachers. I wonder how many times new teachers are asked to do certain things using technology, with the assumption that they should know what they are doing. Just as we cannot assume all children are digital natives, we also cannot assume all teachers are, either.
Chapter 8
"The advent of digital technologies has also precipitated a move from consumer to producer dispositions with recognition of the 'participatory potential of new technologies' constituting a challenge in educational contexts which have traditionally constructed students as readers and synthesizers rather than creators or designers of knowledge or ideas" (Carrington; quoted from Buckingham 2003).
I chose this quote because I think this highlights the changing of standards to Common Core and the switch from standardized assessments to assessments like the Smarter Balanced Assessment that ask students to create. This shift will continue to occur as long as new technologies continue to be created and applicable for our students.
Chapter 9
"When it comes to popular social practices with visual texts among youth, including video gaming, web surfing, and now, uploading short films and television shows to video iPods, it is often unclear to educators what stance we might take"(Carrington; quoted from Bruce 1997).
I selected this quote mostly to answer the question that followed: "Are such practices a distraction to literacy education, or are they a part of literacy itself?" I am sort of torn because I do think, in some cases, if they are not implemented in an effective way, these can be more of distractions than tools. I also feel like they are a form of literacy, though, especially if we truly take a look at the skills and abilities our students have outside of school. I think the answer is that they can be part of literacy instruction, if they are implemented the correct way. They should be balanced with regular instruction, there should be constant teacher guidance, and they should be collaborative.
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"Robinson and Mackey caution against assuming that pre-service teachers are "insiders" to the full range of digital technology; the pre-service teachers they surveyed rarely used certain technologies, such as computer games" (Carrington).
I selected this quote because I felt it restated that one should not assume that younger people are digital natives, only this time, it was discussing young teachers. I wonder how many times new teachers are asked to do certain things using technology, with the assumption that they should know what they are doing. Just as we cannot assume all children are digital natives, we also cannot assume all teachers are, either.
Chapter 8
"The advent of digital technologies has also precipitated a move from consumer to producer dispositions with recognition of the 'participatory potential of new technologies' constituting a challenge in educational contexts which have traditionally constructed students as readers and synthesizers rather than creators or designers of knowledge or ideas" (Carrington; quoted from Buckingham 2003).
I chose this quote because I think this highlights the changing of standards to Common Core and the switch from standardized assessments to assessments like the Smarter Balanced Assessment that ask students to create. This shift will continue to occur as long as new technologies continue to be created and applicable for our students.
Chapter 9
"When it comes to popular social practices with visual texts among youth, including video gaming, web surfing, and now, uploading short films and television shows to video iPods, it is often unclear to educators what stance we might take"(Carrington; quoted from Bruce 1997).
I selected this quote mostly to answer the question that followed: "Are such practices a distraction to literacy education, or are they a part of literacy itself?" I am sort of torn because I do think, in some cases, if they are not implemented in an effective way, these can be more of distractions than tools. I also feel like they are a form of literacy, though, especially if we truly take a look at the skills and abilities our students have outside of school. I think the answer is that they can be part of literacy instruction, if they are implemented the correct way. They should be balanced with regular instruction, there should be constant teacher guidance, and they should be collaborative.
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Changing Literacies
Chapter 4
"The lengthy apprenticeship in learning to read and write in order to access information is linked, in this view, to maturation and the path to adulthood. In the 1980s, Postman and others expressed deep concern that television's undifferentiated content and broadcast media was eroding the division between adulthood and childhood" (Carrington).
First off, I am not the type of person that believes violence on television causes violent acts in the world. With or without television, there will be darkness and evil and hatred. With that being said, though, I can see what the author means with this quote. I teach middle school, but it has also been just a little over ten years since I have been in middle school myself, and I can definitely say that it is a different world. I overhear my middle schoolers say things and act certain ways that I never would have dreamed of saying or doing. As a matter of fact, some things that I see or overhear I probably did not even hear or see when I was in middle school. Students mature, not in the sense of becoming well-adjusted adults, but in the sense of their knowledge of the good and evil of the world, much earlier these days than they used to.
Chapter 5
"In this most basic sense, a blog can provide an analytical record of learning, or an online learning journal" (Carrington; quoted from Boud 2001).
After reading the multiple sections on blogs, and realizing that this is exactly how our blog is used in this course (as an online learning journal), I instantly had an Aha! moment. Why could I not adapt this exercise into my Library classes? It would be very easy to set up, and it would be a great way for me to measure the understanding of concepts while implementing digital technology. This WILL be on my list of new things to do for next school year.
Chapter 6
"The idea that digital technology might help to motivate reluctant learners and provide more meaningful contexts for literacy has captured the attention of an increasing number of educators" (Carrington; quoted from Merchant 2007b).
Observe any classroom, today, that implements digital technology and this idea becomes pretty clear, at least it does in my classroom. We had something in my classes last year called Wonder Wednesday, where students would be going to Wonderopolis.org, choosing a wonder to read, watching a related video, and answering questions. I had such an easier time getting students excited for Wonder Wednesdays than I did Independent Reading Days. Something about reading on the computers made even the most reluctant students eager to participate.
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"The lengthy apprenticeship in learning to read and write in order to access information is linked, in this view, to maturation and the path to adulthood. In the 1980s, Postman and others expressed deep concern that television's undifferentiated content and broadcast media was eroding the division between adulthood and childhood" (Carrington).
First off, I am not the type of person that believes violence on television causes violent acts in the world. With or without television, there will be darkness and evil and hatred. With that being said, though, I can see what the author means with this quote. I teach middle school, but it has also been just a little over ten years since I have been in middle school myself, and I can definitely say that it is a different world. I overhear my middle schoolers say things and act certain ways that I never would have dreamed of saying or doing. As a matter of fact, some things that I see or overhear I probably did not even hear or see when I was in middle school. Students mature, not in the sense of becoming well-adjusted adults, but in the sense of their knowledge of the good and evil of the world, much earlier these days than they used to.
Chapter 5
"In this most basic sense, a blog can provide an analytical record of learning, or an online learning journal" (Carrington; quoted from Boud 2001).
After reading the multiple sections on blogs, and realizing that this is exactly how our blog is used in this course (as an online learning journal), I instantly had an Aha! moment. Why could I not adapt this exercise into my Library classes? It would be very easy to set up, and it would be a great way for me to measure the understanding of concepts while implementing digital technology. This WILL be on my list of new things to do for next school year.
Chapter 6
"The idea that digital technology might help to motivate reluctant learners and provide more meaningful contexts for literacy has captured the attention of an increasing number of educators" (Carrington; quoted from Merchant 2007b).
Observe any classroom, today, that implements digital technology and this idea becomes pretty clear, at least it does in my classroom. We had something in my classes last year called Wonder Wednesday, where students would be going to Wonderopolis.org, choosing a wonder to read, watching a related video, and answering questions. I had such an easier time getting students excited for Wonder Wednesdays than I did Independent Reading Days. Something about reading on the computers made even the most reluctant students eager to participate.
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Analyzing My Previous Interview
Hanging Out
She only mentioned friends once in the interview, and that was when I asked her about knowing people who did this [used technology the same way she did]. She said that all of her friends play Minecraft and Candy Crush, too. She also mentioned that she thinks everyone does. I think this shows how little kids sometimes think the world truly is. In her mind, because her and her friends all played these two games, everyone must. It also shows that she, like most kids, partakes in activities using technology that she feels others her age are participating in.
Messing Around
When examining her responses, it seems that Minecraft and CoolMath could both serve as possible informal learning opportunities. I also feel like her using YouTube is an experience for her to learn tech savvy skills, such as using a search engine.
Geeking Out
It is clear that her interests fall around music. She mentioned several times that she plays games that deal with music, she listens to music a lot, and she searches for music videos.
Schooling
My student did not mention using technology in any of these forms, but she did mention that she has used her home computer for research before for school projects or homework.
She only mentioned friends once in the interview, and that was when I asked her about knowing people who did this [used technology the same way she did]. She said that all of her friends play Minecraft and Candy Crush, too. She also mentioned that she thinks everyone does. I think this shows how little kids sometimes think the world truly is. In her mind, because her and her friends all played these two games, everyone must. It also shows that she, like most kids, partakes in activities using technology that she feels others her age are participating in.
Messing Around
When examining her responses, it seems that Minecraft and CoolMath could both serve as possible informal learning opportunities. I also feel like her using YouTube is an experience for her to learn tech savvy skills, such as using a search engine.
Geeking Out
It is clear that her interests fall around music. She mentioned several times that she plays games that deal with music, she listens to music a lot, and she searches for music videos.
Schooling
My student did not mention using technology in any of these forms, but she did mention that she has used her home computer for research before for school projects or homework.
Digital Texts In and Out of School
Chapter 1
"Media education, therefore, needs to draw on the cultural experiences of young people, recognize the barriers to participation, and provide students with skills to analyse and produce media in ways which extend and build on their existing knowledge" (Carrington).
Being a Library Media teacher, I could not agree more with this statement. I am always trying new forms of tech tools in order to appeal to my ever changing middle schoolers. I also have to understand that not all of my students are able to participate in the same way as others because not everyone in my classes has the same opportunities outside of school with technology. Analyzing is definitely the hardest concept to get students to grasp. They are very much like the State Farm commercial that pokes fun at everything being true if it is on the Internet. As for producing media, I am always trying to build on the skills my students already have, but I also allow a lot of choice when it comes to producing. Some students choose to use tools they already know how to use, and some try new tools.
Chapter 2
"Fourthly, with digital texts becoming increasingly multimodal, we now need to broaden our notion of what it means to be literate and include image production and analysis as part of normal procedure in the literacy classroom" (Carrington).
Again, this statement speaks to me as a Library Media Specialist. I understand that the term literacy must be adapted to fit the changing times and the changing technologies, which is why I provide graphic novels to my students because some would prefer to read them as opposed to traditional books. I also give my students opportunities to read using technology. One way I do this is with the website Wonderopolis. This site is full of thousands of nonfiction articles that are all about things kids might wonder about. I give students free choice sometimes as to what they read about.
Chapter 3
"Digital Literacy is the awareness, attitude and ability of individuals to appropriately use digital tools and facilities to identify, access, manage, integrate, evaluate, analyse, and synthesize digital resources, construct new knowledge, create media expressions, and communicate with others, in the context of specific life situations, in order to enable constructive social action; and to reflect upon this process" (Carrington; quoted from Martin 2006).
I believe this quote is important because it just continues to build on what we have already learned about digital literacy and what it means to be a digital native.
"Media education, therefore, needs to draw on the cultural experiences of young people, recognize the barriers to participation, and provide students with skills to analyse and produce media in ways which extend and build on their existing knowledge" (Carrington).
Being a Library Media teacher, I could not agree more with this statement. I am always trying new forms of tech tools in order to appeal to my ever changing middle schoolers. I also have to understand that not all of my students are able to participate in the same way as others because not everyone in my classes has the same opportunities outside of school with technology. Analyzing is definitely the hardest concept to get students to grasp. They are very much like the State Farm commercial that pokes fun at everything being true if it is on the Internet. As for producing media, I am always trying to build on the skills my students already have, but I also allow a lot of choice when it comes to producing. Some students choose to use tools they already know how to use, and some try new tools.
Chapter 2
"Fourthly, with digital texts becoming increasingly multimodal, we now need to broaden our notion of what it means to be literate and include image production and analysis as part of normal procedure in the literacy classroom" (Carrington).
Again, this statement speaks to me as a Library Media Specialist. I understand that the term literacy must be adapted to fit the changing times and the changing technologies, which is why I provide graphic novels to my students because some would prefer to read them as opposed to traditional books. I also give my students opportunities to read using technology. One way I do this is with the website Wonderopolis. This site is full of thousands of nonfiction articles that are all about things kids might wonder about. I give students free choice sometimes as to what they read about.
Chapter 3
"Digital Literacy is the awareness, attitude and ability of individuals to appropriately use digital tools and facilities to identify, access, manage, integrate, evaluate, analyse, and synthesize digital resources, construct new knowledge, create media expressions, and communicate with others, in the context of specific life situations, in order to enable constructive social action; and to reflect upon this process" (Carrington; quoted from Martin 2006).
I believe this quote is important because it just continues to build on what we have already learned about digital literacy and what it means to be a digital native.
Interview Transcript
I sat down with a child, age 10/female, to discuss her technology use. The following is the transcript of the interview:
Ask your young person to choose a pseudonym for you to use in the writing of your case.
My interviewee decided she wanted to be known as Princess Tinker Tot. (I have no idea where she came up with this, but I loved that she was that creative.
Me: Do you have a computer /iPod/MPC player/Wii/ etc....?
Princess Tinker Tot: I have an iPod Touch and a Nintendo DS. My parents have a computer, and my dad has an Xbox 360. I am sometimes allowed to use the computer.
Me: What kinds of things do you use the computer/phone/iPad etc for?
Princess Tinker Tot: I use my iPod to listen to Bruno Mars, mostly. I have a whole bunch of games downloaded, too, but I mostly just listen to music. Sometimes I watch funny movies on YouTube or music videos. I do the same thing on the computer.
Me: What is your favorite thing to do on the computer?
Princess Tinker Tot: Watch movies on YouTube or music videos.
Me: How did you learn to do that?
Princess Tinker Tot: Ummm...I don't really know. I think I just heard about YouTube, and then once you get on there, it is pretty easy to find things.
Me: What are some other things you use the computer for?
Princess Tinker Tot: I have used it to do homework, before. Like, when I needed to something up or I needed to type a story or something. I have found pictures to use for a book report before.
Me: What is your favorite game? Why?
Princess Tinker Tot: That is hard. I really like Tap Studio because it goes to music. I also play Fruit Ninja and Candy Crush on my iPod. I like to play Minecraft, sometimes, on the computer.
Me: Do you know other people who do this?
Princess Tinker Tot: A lot of my friends play Minecraft and Candy Crush. I am pretty sure everyone does.
Me: How do you use the computer at school?
Princess Tinker Tot: We go to the computer lab to do Tech Steps (I think that's what they call them.) We also have to take tests on the computer. Sometimes they let us on a site called Cool Math. I like to play the Pancakeria game on there.
Me: How would you like to use the computer at school?
Princess Tinker Tot: I wish we could play Minecraft or do other fun things like games or listen to music. We can't get on YouTube at school, but I always try.
Me: Do you think teachers would let you use the computer to do those things? Why? Why not?
Princess Tinker Tot: Probably not because I always ask if we can get on YouTube in the Library but the teacher always says it's blocked. I don't get it, though, because YouTube has a lot of funny videos so they should not block it. Maybe they would let us get on Minecraft because it is sort of a learning thing.
Me: Anything else you would like to tell me?
Princess Tinker Tot: It would be cool if my school gave us iPods or iPads or something like that instead of a bunch of heavy books. My grandma has an iPad that I can sometimes play. She even has a pottery game that is really cool, and it lets you make pottery.
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Quotes from this week's reading:
"for example, he [Gee] says that learning through game play is active, meaningful, multimodal, scaffolded, entails participation in social networks, encourages learners to take risks and allows for self-reflection" (Carrington; quoted from Gee].
"there needs to be a shift away from the concept of an individual learner and that notions of mastery and pedagogy must be decenterd" (Carrington; quoted from Lave and Wenger 1991).
"Rather than focusing on technological skills, newmedia literacy involved a set of cultural competencies and social skills" (Carrington; quoted from Jenkins 2007).
Ask your young person to choose a pseudonym for you to use in the writing of your case.
My interviewee decided she wanted to be known as Princess Tinker Tot. (I have no idea where she came up with this, but I loved that she was that creative.
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Quotes from this week's reading:
"for example, he [Gee] says that learning through game play is active, meaningful, multimodal, scaffolded, entails participation in social networks, encourages learners to take risks and allows for self-reflection" (Carrington; quoted from Gee].
"there needs to be a shift away from the concept of an individual learner and that notions of mastery and pedagogy must be decenterd" (Carrington; quoted from Lave and Wenger 1991).
"Rather than focusing on technological skills, newmedia literacy involved a set of cultural competencies and social skills" (Carrington; quoted from Jenkins 2007).
Monday, July 6, 2015
Digital Natives: A Stand Alone Presentation
I used the assigned text to pull important points out in order to give a visual representation of Digital Natives. My presentation answers the following questions: What is a Digital Native, Who falls under this label, and What characteristics define a Digital Native. The main point that I hope others gain from my presentation is that we should not assume that all young people are considered Digital Natives because there are various factors, such as access to technology, that effect their interests and abilities when it comes to technology. This is so important for educators to realize because we have a responsibility to our students to help them become twenty-first century learners, and this means we must implement new technologies that they may need to know how to use in their futures. By us doing this, we will ultimately help them become more successful.
Digital Natives by Jessie Long
More presentations from Jessie Long
Beyond Digital Natives
Chapter 10
"young children are immersed in practices relating to popular culture, media and new technologies from birth" (Thomas; quoted from Marsh 2005, p.5).
I feel like anyone who interacts with anyone from the ages of 4 to 17 can plainly see that what they are stating in this quote is 100% accurate. I do not mean that as a stereotype that all young people are tech savvy because, after all, this is the stereotype we have been learning about. I do mean, though, that almost all young people are savvy in some sort of popular culture/media. For example, some students can master a new video game within days, some are social networking moguls, some know everything there is to know about the happenings of the rich and famous, and some simply download and master every new app to hit the app stores. At least one of these things consume young people's thoughts a majority of the time.
Chapter 11
"from Prensky's (2001) articles in which he describes young people as "Digital Natives" who are immersed in the world of digital technology and compares them to older "Digital Immigrants" who struggle to adapt to this brave new world" (Thomas; quoted from Prensky 2001).
So, over the course of all of our readings, we have learned what makes some a Digital Native and what makes someone a Digital Immigrant, as Prensky so eloquently described again for us. I found myself thinking, though, while reading this quote that basically restated the same premise that we have been reading, that there is no term for someone in the middle. Someone who is not necessarily eager to jump on every new technological bandwagon or is maybe not extremely tech-savvy, but someone who is also not unwilling to try new technologies that serve a relevant purpose.
Chapter 12
"Many-though not all-young people are using digital media in ways that are changing how they learn and how they relate to one another, to information, and to institutions." (Thomas)
I feel like this quote just reiterates a point that has been pretty consistent throughout the text, but I think it so important for us, as educators, to grasp. If we are unwilling to accept that technology, has an important impact on the lives of our students, than we are never going to aide them in becoming 21st-Century learners. It is our responsibility to teach them to use these new technologies appropriately and effectively.
"young children are immersed in practices relating to popular culture, media and new technologies from birth" (Thomas; quoted from Marsh 2005, p.5).
I feel like anyone who interacts with anyone from the ages of 4 to 17 can plainly see that what they are stating in this quote is 100% accurate. I do not mean that as a stereotype that all young people are tech savvy because, after all, this is the stereotype we have been learning about. I do mean, though, that almost all young people are savvy in some sort of popular culture/media. For example, some students can master a new video game within days, some are social networking moguls, some know everything there is to know about the happenings of the rich and famous, and some simply download and master every new app to hit the app stores. At least one of these things consume young people's thoughts a majority of the time.
Chapter 11
"from Prensky's (2001) articles in which he describes young people as "Digital Natives" who are immersed in the world of digital technology and compares them to older "Digital Immigrants" who struggle to adapt to this brave new world" (Thomas; quoted from Prensky 2001).
So, over the course of all of our readings, we have learned what makes some a Digital Native and what makes someone a Digital Immigrant, as Prensky so eloquently described again for us. I found myself thinking, though, while reading this quote that basically restated the same premise that we have been reading, that there is no term for someone in the middle. Someone who is not necessarily eager to jump on every new technological bandwagon or is maybe not extremely tech-savvy, but someone who is also not unwilling to try new technologies that serve a relevant purpose.
Chapter 12
"Many-though not all-young people are using digital media in ways that are changing how they learn and how they relate to one another, to information, and to institutions." (Thomas)
I feel like this quote just reiterates a point that has been pretty consistent throughout the text, but I think it so important for us, as educators, to grasp. If we are unwilling to accept that technology, has an important impact on the lives of our students, than we are never going to aide them in becoming 21st-Century learners. It is our responsibility to teach them to use these new technologies appropriately and effectively.
Monday, June 29, 2015
Digital Natives: Navigating Literate Worlds
Chapter 7
"Not all young people are digitally competent, nor are they interested in every aspect of the new media." (Thomas quoted from Livingstone, 2009).
I related to this quote because I found this out in my own teaching. Not only were some of my students not masters of new digital media, but I also had students that were not interested in the new types of media I tried to use, no matter how much fun I thought they would be. Sometimes, it was disheartening that I put effort into using new technology in my class, but the students would rather do the same old things when it came to technology.
Chapter 8
"How students, who are so clearly familiar and apparently adept with Internet tools, are at times so poor at using the Internet academically." (Thomas)
As a Library Media Specialist, this is the hardest concept to get students to grasp when doing research. Students want to type whole questions into Google, but when they can't find appropriate results, they get upset. I do an entire section of my research unit on things like Boolean Operators, the use of quotation marks and parentheses, but they have a hard time adapting these lessons to their own searching. I think technology like Siri on the iPhone has not helped this problem. This is a major responsibility of teachers, teaching appropriate research skills.
Chapter 9
"The importance of believing that one's opinions will be heard is one of the points defining participatory culture." (Thomas, quoted from Jenkins, 2009).
I think this quote rings true, not only online, but also in the classroom. Students will only participate in class, especially discussions, when they think their opinions are heard and taken seriously. It is important to give each student the opportunity to participate in class because participation is a skill that they will need for the rest of their lives.
"Not all young people are digitally competent, nor are they interested in every aspect of the new media." (Thomas quoted from Livingstone, 2009).
I related to this quote because I found this out in my own teaching. Not only were some of my students not masters of new digital media, but I also had students that were not interested in the new types of media I tried to use, no matter how much fun I thought they would be. Sometimes, it was disheartening that I put effort into using new technology in my class, but the students would rather do the same old things when it came to technology.
Chapter 8
"How students, who are so clearly familiar and apparently adept with Internet tools, are at times so poor at using the Internet academically." (Thomas)
As a Library Media Specialist, this is the hardest concept to get students to grasp when doing research. Students want to type whole questions into Google, but when they can't find appropriate results, they get upset. I do an entire section of my research unit on things like Boolean Operators, the use of quotation marks and parentheses, but they have a hard time adapting these lessons to their own searching. I think technology like Siri on the iPhone has not helped this problem. This is a major responsibility of teachers, teaching appropriate research skills.
Chapter 9
"The importance of believing that one's opinions will be heard is one of the points defining participatory culture." (Thomas, quoted from Jenkins, 2009).
I think this quote rings true, not only online, but also in the classroom. Students will only participate in class, especially discussions, when they think their opinions are heard and taken seriously. It is important to give each student the opportunity to participate in class because participation is a skill that they will need for the rest of their lives.
- The role of schooling takes a definite charge in enhancing digital literacy. First, we must reorient what we think "being literate" means, according to chapter 7. This is necessary because, to summarize the text, students move between worlds both on and offline, and they are finding new ways of accessing, or reading, information, as well as new ways of producing, or writing, information. Another step we as educators must take to enhance digital literacy is implement different frameworks to enhance digital competence. Another responsibility we have is to teach our students how to correctly search for information digitally so they have the best chance of getting the best results.
Monday, June 22, 2015
The Civic, Social and Multi Modal Lives of Digital Natives
Chapter 4
"Digital Natives are used to receiving information really fast. They like to parallel process and multi-task. They prefer their graphics before their text rather than the opposite. They prefer random access (like hypertext). They function best when networked. They thrive on instant gratification and frequent rewards. They prefer games to "serious" work." (Thomas; quoted form Prensky 2001a, p.2)
As I was reading this, I instantly connected it to my students from last year. I frequently had them use the site, WONDEROPOLIS, which is an informational site where students can read articles about thousands of wonders, or questions. I always gave the students a series of questions to answer after reading the article, and they almost always tried to answer them without reading. Each article includes a video, and this is what the students instantly flock to, but usually this video was more for fun than information. Having students do an assignment like this would cause the usual grumbles, but as soon as I would mention COOLMATH, their reward when their assignment was completed correctly, their tunes changed.
Chapter 5
"Digital media are becoming increasingly embedded in young people's everyday lives, producing new time-sapces for their self-expression, connectivity, and self-creation" (Thomas; quoted from Takahashi, 2003, 2009, 2010).
This quote by Takahashi could not be more correct. Digital Media is such a force in young people's lives, today. Whether they are texting, snap chatting, or "liking something" with their peers, posting their newest selfie, or posting their newest meme, digital media consumes their thoughts.
Chapter 6
"However, we need to be careful with terms such as "Digital Natives" that lead to an understanding of a whole generation as a homogeneous group."
This quote just affirms the idea that we cannot assume that all young people born in the digital age have the same set of digital skills. It is exactly the same concept we all apply in our teaching, not every student has the same set of skills or knowledge or even abilities. We must do what we can to let students create with the skills they do have.
I used this meme because it is a very popular one that I see shared around all over Facebook. Using a popular image like this, one that students would be familiar with, shows how we can implement the technologies our students know into our teaching.
"Digital Natives are used to receiving information really fast. They like to parallel process and multi-task. They prefer their graphics before their text rather than the opposite. They prefer random access (like hypertext). They function best when networked. They thrive on instant gratification and frequent rewards. They prefer games to "serious" work." (Thomas; quoted form Prensky 2001a, p.2)
As I was reading this, I instantly connected it to my students from last year. I frequently had them use the site, WONDEROPOLIS, which is an informational site where students can read articles about thousands of wonders, or questions. I always gave the students a series of questions to answer after reading the article, and they almost always tried to answer them without reading. Each article includes a video, and this is what the students instantly flock to, but usually this video was more for fun than information. Having students do an assignment like this would cause the usual grumbles, but as soon as I would mention COOLMATH, their reward when their assignment was completed correctly, their tunes changed.
Chapter 5
"Digital media are becoming increasingly embedded in young people's everyday lives, producing new time-sapces for their self-expression, connectivity, and self-creation" (Thomas; quoted from Takahashi, 2003, 2009, 2010).
This quote by Takahashi could not be more correct. Digital Media is such a force in young people's lives, today. Whether they are texting, snap chatting, or "liking something" with their peers, posting their newest selfie, or posting their newest meme, digital media consumes their thoughts.
Chapter 6
"However, we need to be careful with terms such as "Digital Natives" that lead to an understanding of a whole generation as a homogeneous group."
This quote just affirms the idea that we cannot assume that all young people born in the digital age have the same set of digital skills. It is exactly the same concept we all apply in our teaching, not every student has the same set of skills or knowledge or even abilities. We must do what we can to let students create with the skills they do have.
I used this meme because it is a very popular one that I see shared around all over Facebook. Using a popular image like this, one that students would be familiar with, shows how we can implement the technologies our students know into our teaching.Tuesday, June 16, 2015
Digital Natives: Reflecting on the Myth
Forward
"The problem here is not with the natives themselves, but rather with the rest of us, the "Digital Immigrants" who remain obstinately tied to older media, and who are failing to catch up with the times." (Buckingham)
You would think, at twenty-six years old, that I am extremely savvy with new technologies, but, alas, I am not. I grew up in the Xanga and Myspace age. When I got to high school, I began using Facebook. Now, I continue to use Facebook, today, and some other technologies I use on a daily basis are Instagram, Pinterest, Goodreads, and Words With Friends. The reason this quote struck a reaction in me is because I have a hard time following my MIDDLE SCHOOL students when they start talking about Snapchat, Tumblr, and whatever else they are using. I cling to my Facebook and Pinterest, and I refuse to go further into these new social medias than Instagram.
Chapter 1
"The current generation of young people will reinvent the workplace, and the society they live in. They will do it along the progressive lines that are built into the technology they use everyday--of networds, collaboration, co-production and participation." (Thomas; quoted from Green & Hannon, 2007, n.p.)
I agree strongly with this quote. I feel that our future will be filled with new technologies and leaders that will implement these new technologies in careers and other aspects of life. Technology is a nonstop train, and the only people that are going to be successful using and implementing technology are the ones that grow along with it. Older generations are beginning to realize the importance of new technologies, which is why you see ads for Computer Basics classes, introduction classes to social networking, etc., and the majority of people who attend these courses are your older generations of people who grew up in a time period when these technologies did not exist.
Chapter 2
"But the worst part, in my view, were those who thought I was making the absurd claim (or who themselves made the patently absurd assumption) that if someone was born after a certain date, and was therefore included as a Digital Native, that person automatically knew everything there was to know about digital technology." (Thomas)
I myself am proof that this is an absurd assumption, considering as I mentioned before, I am very behind the times with a lot of new technologies. Also, what I have found teaching middle school is that some students are incredibly up to date and knowledgeable of new digital technologies, while some students barely know how to run on a computer.
Chapter 3
"Universities are losing their grip on higher learning as the Internet is, inexorably, becoming the dominant infrastructure for knowledge--both as a container and as a global platform for knowledge exchange between people--and as a new generation of students requires a very different model of higher education." (Thomas; quoted from Tapscott & Williams, 2010, p.18)
I am sort of torn on how I feel about this quote because, on one hand, it is clearly evident that more people are getting their information and knowledge on particular topics from the Internet. On the other hand, though, I do not feel that this could ever completely replace learning from a University. Obviously, employers do not care what you learned from your independent research online, but they do care about the degree you received from such and such university. With that being said, though, I do believe that universities need to take charge in the ever evolving technology. Policies are going to have to reflect new technologies, as well as courses offered, means of taking courses, and even assignment requirements.
"The problem here is not with the natives themselves, but rather with the rest of us, the "Digital Immigrants" who remain obstinately tied to older media, and who are failing to catch up with the times." (Buckingham)
You would think, at twenty-six years old, that I am extremely savvy with new technologies, but, alas, I am not. I grew up in the Xanga and Myspace age. When I got to high school, I began using Facebook. Now, I continue to use Facebook, today, and some other technologies I use on a daily basis are Instagram, Pinterest, Goodreads, and Words With Friends. The reason this quote struck a reaction in me is because I have a hard time following my MIDDLE SCHOOL students when they start talking about Snapchat, Tumblr, and whatever else they are using. I cling to my Facebook and Pinterest, and I refuse to go further into these new social medias than Instagram.
Chapter 1
"The current generation of young people will reinvent the workplace, and the society they live in. They will do it along the progressive lines that are built into the technology they use everyday--of networds, collaboration, co-production and participation." (Thomas; quoted from Green & Hannon, 2007, n.p.)
I agree strongly with this quote. I feel that our future will be filled with new technologies and leaders that will implement these new technologies in careers and other aspects of life. Technology is a nonstop train, and the only people that are going to be successful using and implementing technology are the ones that grow along with it. Older generations are beginning to realize the importance of new technologies, which is why you see ads for Computer Basics classes, introduction classes to social networking, etc., and the majority of people who attend these courses are your older generations of people who grew up in a time period when these technologies did not exist.
Chapter 2
"But the worst part, in my view, were those who thought I was making the absurd claim (or who themselves made the patently absurd assumption) that if someone was born after a certain date, and was therefore included as a Digital Native, that person automatically knew everything there was to know about digital technology." (Thomas)
I myself am proof that this is an absurd assumption, considering as I mentioned before, I am very behind the times with a lot of new technologies. Also, what I have found teaching middle school is that some students are incredibly up to date and knowledgeable of new digital technologies, while some students barely know how to run on a computer.
Chapter 3
"Universities are losing their grip on higher learning as the Internet is, inexorably, becoming the dominant infrastructure for knowledge--both as a container and as a global platform for knowledge exchange between people--and as a new generation of students requires a very different model of higher education." (Thomas; quoted from Tapscott & Williams, 2010, p.18)
I am sort of torn on how I feel about this quote because, on one hand, it is clearly evident that more people are getting their information and knowledge on particular topics from the Internet. On the other hand, though, I do not feel that this could ever completely replace learning from a University. Obviously, employers do not care what you learned from your independent research online, but they do care about the degree you received from such and such university. With that being said, though, I do believe that universities need to take charge in the ever evolving technology. Policies are going to have to reflect new technologies, as well as courses offered, means of taking courses, and even assignment requirements.
- If you would walk into a bus room at a school any given morning, it would clearly be evident that the concept of Digital Natives obviously exists. You would see students of almost any age, starting at middle school, with some type of technology in their hands, cell phone, handheld gaming system, tablet, etc. These are all technologies that children these ages have grown up with, therefore they are the embodiment of Digital Natives. To show the contrast, walk into a senior center on any given morning, and I would be willing to bet it would be a very different scene, especially in the terms of digital technology.
- I did not use a photo from Photos for Class because I had this image of my now 4 year old when he was just 10 months old. My husband and I always laughed at how being able to use things like a touch screen smart phone must be embedded in the DNA of children these days. Landon (my son) has known how to turn on my iPhone and swipe the screen since before he could walk on his own. If this is not a metaphor for what it means to be a Digital Native, I do not know what it.
Caption: Let me just update my status real quick before you change my diaper.
Sunday, June 7, 2015
Digital Media Effects on Conventional Reading and Writing Practices
1. Responses to readings
Quote from "Does Digital Media Make Us Bad Writers"
"According to Lunsford, the writing we produce is not getting worse. Instead, it is simply adapting to the modern world." (Karp)
I think I had a strong reaction of "Huh, I had not thought about that" when I came across this quote. I have always gone along with the groans that text-speak or digital media speak, is ruining the English language. Kids can't spell or write correctly because of text lingo. The truth is, though, that I am sure I made a lot of mistakes in my writing as a child, and I am pretty sure that I probably still do, even as an English major. Who am I to judge student writing today versus student writing before when I am only twenty-six years old, myself, and I never had to examine student writing until three years ago when I became a teacher. I had never thought of it before that writing was probably just as bad when I was a student as it is now, except that it is just bad in other ways.
Quote from "Literacy Debate: Online, R U Really Reading?"
"The simplest argument for why children should read in their leisure time is that it makes them better readers. According to federal statistics, students who say they read for fun once a day score significantly higher on reading tests than those who say they never do." (Rich)
I have a definite sense of agreement with this quote. Books are practically my life. I am an English/Library Major, a current School Librarian, I read to my children every single night, and I am always reading at least one book myself, sometimes more than one at a time. With this being said, I cannot be okay with the thought of reading books being replaced by reading online. Reading enhances so much more than some people may think. For example, my husband, who is quite intelligent but not a reader, frequently has to ask me how to spell some words or wants to know what some words mean. When he reads, he reads sports articles online, but that is the extent of his reading. Sure, there are probably some sports terms he knows the meaning of and I do not, but I would have to admit that, overall, my vocabulary, spelling, and maybe even my comprehension is better than his. I also think that reading helps me read between the lines when it comes to other things, like movies and music. He has a harder time trying to decipher hidden meanings or purpose, but I can do this easily, most of the time. these are skills that I gained from being a lifelong book reader, and they are skills I do not think one can acquire through online reading.
That is not to say that reading online is an awful thing. I read articles online all of the time. I come across all sorts of interesting articles when scrolling through Facebook, but I could never replace my book reading with just article reading.
2. Where do I stand?
I feel like I am stuck directly in the center of of Web Evangelist and Traditionalist. I feel that digital media is effecting the way we speak and write today, and I believe that, in some cases, it is effecting these negatively. I also feel that there is some stock in digital media reading. While I am an avid book advocate, I would rather see someone reading online than not reading at all. I cannot sit back and not be concerned with the decline of book reading for enjoyment. I am a firm believer, and I often stress this to my students, that there is a book out there for everyone, and I feel it is my job to find each person THAT book.
3. Evidence
Karp quotes Naomi Baron as saying, "Essentially, the huge opportunities and options for creating text (email, tweets, blogs) cause us to write (or type) more than we ordinarily would. The result is that we are less careful with our words" (Karp), and I think that this is something I agree with on the traditionalist side of my opinion because I do feel that not only kids but everyone using digital media to say something does so without thinking much about what they are saying. This is why cyber bullying is such a big issue. Children are typing hurtful things to someone, which is easier than saying them to their face, and they are putting it out there without truly thinking about the consequences of their words.
On the other hand, Rich quotes Nadia's mother Deborah Konyk as saying, "I’m just pleased that she reads something anymore" (Rich) in regards to her daughter only reading online, and I have to say, that while I have an undying love and appreciation for books, that I would rather choose for a person to simply read online than to not read anything at all, even if that means they substitute reading books for reading online articles, or something to that extent.
4. Visual Metaphor
(Photo downloaded from PhotosForClass.com)
Caption: My views are stuck in between two strong arguments that prove their points equally, and until one side falls apart, I will remain stuck.
I think the above picture could not sum up my stance between these two views any better.
Quote from "Does Digital Media Make Us Bad Writers"
"According to Lunsford, the writing we produce is not getting worse. Instead, it is simply adapting to the modern world." (Karp)
I think I had a strong reaction of "Huh, I had not thought about that" when I came across this quote. I have always gone along with the groans that text-speak or digital media speak, is ruining the English language. Kids can't spell or write correctly because of text lingo. The truth is, though, that I am sure I made a lot of mistakes in my writing as a child, and I am pretty sure that I probably still do, even as an English major. Who am I to judge student writing today versus student writing before when I am only twenty-six years old, myself, and I never had to examine student writing until three years ago when I became a teacher. I had never thought of it before that writing was probably just as bad when I was a student as it is now, except that it is just bad in other ways.
Quote from "Literacy Debate: Online, R U Really Reading?"
"The simplest argument for why children should read in their leisure time is that it makes them better readers. According to federal statistics, students who say they read for fun once a day score significantly higher on reading tests than those who say they never do." (Rich)
I have a definite sense of agreement with this quote. Books are practically my life. I am an English/Library Major, a current School Librarian, I read to my children every single night, and I am always reading at least one book myself, sometimes more than one at a time. With this being said, I cannot be okay with the thought of reading books being replaced by reading online. Reading enhances so much more than some people may think. For example, my husband, who is quite intelligent but not a reader, frequently has to ask me how to spell some words or wants to know what some words mean. When he reads, he reads sports articles online, but that is the extent of his reading. Sure, there are probably some sports terms he knows the meaning of and I do not, but I would have to admit that, overall, my vocabulary, spelling, and maybe even my comprehension is better than his. I also think that reading helps me read between the lines when it comes to other things, like movies and music. He has a harder time trying to decipher hidden meanings or purpose, but I can do this easily, most of the time. these are skills that I gained from being a lifelong book reader, and they are skills I do not think one can acquire through online reading.
That is not to say that reading online is an awful thing. I read articles online all of the time. I come across all sorts of interesting articles when scrolling through Facebook, but I could never replace my book reading with just article reading.
2. Where do I stand?
I feel like I am stuck directly in the center of of Web Evangelist and Traditionalist. I feel that digital media is effecting the way we speak and write today, and I believe that, in some cases, it is effecting these negatively. I also feel that there is some stock in digital media reading. While I am an avid book advocate, I would rather see someone reading online than not reading at all. I cannot sit back and not be concerned with the decline of book reading for enjoyment. I am a firm believer, and I often stress this to my students, that there is a book out there for everyone, and I feel it is my job to find each person THAT book.
3. Evidence
Karp quotes Naomi Baron as saying, "Essentially, the huge opportunities and options for creating text (email, tweets, blogs) cause us to write (or type) more than we ordinarily would. The result is that we are less careful with our words" (Karp), and I think that this is something I agree with on the traditionalist side of my opinion because I do feel that not only kids but everyone using digital media to say something does so without thinking much about what they are saying. This is why cyber bullying is such a big issue. Children are typing hurtful things to someone, which is easier than saying them to their face, and they are putting it out there without truly thinking about the consequences of their words.
On the other hand, Rich quotes Nadia's mother Deborah Konyk as saying, "I’m just pleased that she reads something anymore" (Rich) in regards to her daughter only reading online, and I have to say, that while I have an undying love and appreciation for books, that I would rather choose for a person to simply read online than to not read anything at all, even if that means they substitute reading books for reading online articles, or something to that extent.
4. Visual Metaphor
(Photo downloaded from PhotosForClass.com)
Caption: My views are stuck in between two strong arguments that prove their points equally, and until one side falls apart, I will remain stuck.
I think the above picture could not sum up my stance between these two views any better.
Blabberize: the misconceptions behind texting
The important things that I learned from the video are that language came to be long before writing, when we speak casually we are speaking in something called "word packets", and speech is more telegraphic and less reflective than writing. but the most important thing that I learned is there are many misconceptions that texting is the downfall to the English language, when it is in fact an entirely new language that young people have created.
(Actual script used for Blabberize: "Did you know that like language was like around before writing, and like when we speak casually we like speak in word packets, and speech is like more telegraphic and less reflective than like writing. And O-M-G there are like so many misconceptions about texting being like a downfall to the English language but it is like totally not!)
I could definitely use Blabberize in my teaching as a presentation option for students to use to show their understanding of a concept, similar to what this assignment asked us to do. I could also use it to introduce new concepts by listing key words that students will need to know for the new unit.
Sunday, May 31, 2015
"Disruption: The role of image in communication."
In the article "Disruptions: Social Media Images Form a New Language Online" by Nick Bilton, one quote really stuck out to me:
"Another blow for the English language where children won’t even bother to communicate in LOL-speak anymore?" (Bilton).
In this visual metaphor, I am comparing this family dinner where no members are communicating with each other, to the original blow to the English language in which everyone communicates through technology instead of face-to-face communication.
Caption: The English language continues to deteriorate as we continue to lesson face to face communication.
Introductory Post
I am from Fairmont, West Virginia, and I am teacher at a local middle school right down the road from where I live. I teach Library Skills to 5th and 6th grade. I am also the Student Council adviser, Yearbook adviser, and Girls' Basketball coach at my school.
I want to able to be an asset at my school when it comes to implementing new technologies into our curriculum. I am hoping that this class will help me succeed in this goal. I want to learn about different new media age strategies that could help my students be more productive 21st century learners.
I have already declared Digital Media, New Literacies, & Learning as my degree. So far, I have completed the following courses:
I want to able to be an asset at my school when it comes to implementing new technologies into our curriculum. I am hoping that this class will help me succeed in this goal. I want to learn about different new media age strategies that could help my students be more productive 21st century learners.
I have already declared Digital Media, New Literacies, & Learning as my degree. So far, I have completed the following courses:
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I found this video/commercial on literacy, and I absolutely fell in love with it, so I had to share.
I also wanted to share this video poking fun at literacy and digital media. As a teacher/librarian, teaching students to use digital media responsibly and ethically are extremely important.
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