Final Posting - Week 16

This should be interesting as I have never thought of how I would teach kids as I have always just went about talking to them and helping them deal with problems as they arise.  Essentialism explains that the purpose of school is to train the intellect and teach kids the culture and traditions of the past while providing skills and knowledge to help children function in our society.  I believe that is what school should be as well.  When looking at Digital Media Literacy it takes this to the next step in that it is preparing children for the future.  Avila states, “Technology [ushers] in new learning challenges for the first "always-connected generation”, and thus becoming literate in all forms of digital media will be an essential tool for children.  However, when looking at the nature of children, I lean more toward behaviorism, I truly believe that children can change or alter behavior based on what goes on around them.  Again our text states, “The ability to render one's world as changeable and oneself as an agent able to direct that change is integrally linked to acts of self-representation through writing.” (Hull)  I have worked with behavior issues for the majority of my career and writing and journaling feelings and behaviors has always been an outlet we have asked children to use.  If using a digital media outlet could help children make changes or find people who could help them make changes then this could be a wonderful teaching tool.  When thinking about curriculum this has now become less difficult for me to identify as I believe you have to be flexible in this area as all children will have strengths and weaknesses that may require you to change something. Again our text states, “There is both subtle and overt pressure to focus on teaching technologies as tools, without incorporating an understanding of their uses within the participatory culture, and without integrating technology instruction fully into the pre-service curriculum in ways that result in critical analysis of content or alignment with pedagogy” (Avila) and because of this I know that I have to focus on how children learn best and what will motivate them to be successful.  This means not only using technology, but teaching them how they can use the technology in ways that will make their lives and the lives of others better.  I believe teachers should teach to the child not to the standard or test score needed.  This course has shown and given me so many ideas that I will be able to incorporate into my curriculum, from the blogging and deconstructing advertisements alone I think I could have such a great time getting kids excited about coming to class.  

http://webquest.org/

http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/lesson-plans/critical-media-

http://www.ikeepsafe.org/educators/more/google/

http://classroom-aid.com/educational-resources/digital-literacy/

http://kidblog.org/home/

References:
Hull, G. (2003). At last: Youth culture and digital media. 229-233. Retrieved fromhttp://search.proquest.com.ezproxy.fairmontstate.edu/docview/215345891

Ávila, J. (2013). Critical digital literacies as social praxis: Intersections and challenges. New York: Peter Lang

Reading and Discussion Week 14

"The ability to render one's world as changeable and oneself as an agent able to direct that change is integrally linked to acts of self-representation through writing"

I chose this quote simply for the idea.  I have been trying to teach children for a long time that just because they live where they live, that they grew up in poor conditions, or bad environments that this does not meant that they are doomed to stay in those situations.  You can change not only yourself but the world is such an amazing idea to teach children.  If someone can share their story or their idea and that idea then affects others in a positive way then how wonderful is that?  Many children feel trapped in just being the idea they believe they have in their heads.  As teachers it is our job to give them new ideas to replace the negatives with positives.

1. How does digital storytelling support academic literacies?
This depends on the actual area in which you are focusing.  Reading and Language Arts or English is simple to see as you are asking the children to examine and write about a topic of interest.  Children are asked to do this everyday in these classes, so by using the digital storytelling  you can have them do this in a new and interesting way.  If you are working with history or science being able to find facts at the push of a button is much more interesting than wading through facts.  It allows for so much more creativity by allowing them to decide how they will complete the project.

2. Now that you have created your own digital story, do you think that using images, words and music to create a message is simplistic compared to traditional alphabetic print based argumentation?

I find merit in both, but do feel that the digital story allows for more creativity.  I believe that even though children can create these images and stories if they only do this they could lose the ability to write creatively as well.  Many times with these stories very little writing is involved.  I want children to be as well versed about technology as possible but sometimes I want children to use the greatest gift they have and that is their minds.

3. After creating your own digital story, do you see how digital storytelling can help develop a stronger sense of agency in their own lives? Do you think this might have a positive impact on students academic lives? How? Why?

Yes. I feel that after creating my digital story, I can now see how impactful it can be.  You don't only have to learn how to use the computer program, it can actually be a fun assignment that you have the ability to use your creativity.  I think if you can use this type of assignment to build a students confidence which will help them academically.  If they can create something like this that they have to incorporate so many parts then it will help them see how successful they can be.

References:
Hull, G. (2003). At last: Youth culture and digital media. 229-233. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.ezproxy.fairmontstate.edu/docview/215345891

Image:
http://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&frm=1&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&docid=Q8JQbWx5rt_QCM&tbnid=v3yqlqCw6TpdYM:&ved=0CAUQjRw&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpics4.this-pic.com%2Fkey%2Fchildren%2520dreaming%2520clip%2520art&ei=DHGbUsXHHozkoASx54DwDg&psig=AFQjCNFexjw7yZ-Ttsb-g4heio__TPyC3w&ust=1386004890097131

Reading and Discussion Module 13

“There is both subtle and overt pressure to focus on teaching technologies as tools, without incorporating an understanding of their uses within the participatory culture, and without integrating technology instruction fully into the pre-service curriculum in ways that result in critical analysis of content or alignment with pedagogy”

I believe someone else found this quote to be the most interesting.  I think that this has made the most sense to me of everything I have read so far this semester.  I know that every day we are pushed to use the technology and to have kids use it, however it is is often just used as a way to keep the kids busy and not as a way to help them gain knowledge that will help them in the future.  However, in many cases, and in my case I don't have access to computers for my kids with the exception of about once a week for them to incorporate technology or media into my lesson planning.  I feel the pressure we get to use these tools would make more sense if you actually had it to use.

 

 

 

Chapter 7 Discussion Questions:

1. Why do the authors of this chapter chose to use the term "critical digital literacies" rather than just "digital literacies"?

I would simply say it is due to the fact that the future of teaching, learning and modern culture using these types of technology and digital medias will be imperative from this day forward.  Technology is not slowing down and it is not backing up so for anyone looking to work or go to college or almost any area technology is taking over.  I fully predict that paper money will be come a thing of the past at some point.  I go months and months without ever having a single dollar in my hands. 

2. How well did our own teacher education program prepare you to use technology in your teaching practices? Was it more tools based or literacy based?

I did not go the traditional route in teaching.  I have an undergraduate degree in business and an MBA so I can't really comment.  I know that for me everything was more tools based, I learned how to use SQL and how to write Java and HTML script in some classes but we never really focused on practical application of it or how to use it in a way to teach others with it.

3. What should teachers be thinking about when they engage in critical thinking as it relates to technology use in school?

How do I get my students to ask the questions and to keep questioning.  What will make them look at this in a way that they can look at this in a different way.  What skills do they already have that I can use to help them examine this from different angles and perspectives. 

4. On page 149, it is stated that students have certain rights with respect to "critical digital literacies." Do students in your teaching context have these rights? Give an example or non-example of at least one of these rights.

 “The right to explore or experiment with one’s own digital space” (Avila & Pandaya, 2013).  This right is one that will probably never be able to be fulfilled in a public school setting due to the fact that so many people have to agree to allow students to access this information at school.  The other issue of course becomes that these types of things are forbidden to be seen at school.  In many cases allowing students to access this information opens up children to be bullied, or draws them completely off task from the actual task of learning as they are more concerned with the appearance of what they are doing with their space.

Reference

Ávila, J. (2013). Critical digital literacies as social praxis: Intersections and challenges. New York: Peter Lang

Picture:

http://learningedgeadventures.wordpress.com/presentations/reduce_information_overload/

Discussion Module 12

"Technology [ushers] in new learning challenges for the first "always-connected generation."

This for me is actually a scary comment.  I watch parents ignore their children at meals, watch children ignore their parents directions and watch people ignore people altogether.  I can hear someone saying yes but they are connecting to people on social media, that is not the same as a true face to face interaction with someone where you can read sarcasm, or joy or excitement and I don't need an ! to show it.  I think children especially need to be unplugged the majority of the time and given set rules as to when they should be allowed to use technology.  Children under the age of 10 with cell phones drive me crazy. Why aren't these kids below playing with each other?



I found this picture on: http://ag143.wordpress.com/

#1. The  game supported critical literacy by asking students to answer riddles and problems.  They would then give responses by "reading" into the Anansi responses; which required the students to read between the lines so to speak.  They what was around them as well as images to play the game.

#2. The game required students create a good stories or "Anansi", write daily field notes, and write narratives that counter what they have been reading.

#3. The game included e-mails, texting, and phone calls. The students had to understand how to use these media to communicate in an accurate way to be able to complete the game in real world situations. The game requires that students see both sides of a problem to solve it either in the real world or a media driven world.

#4.  I think what this means is that you should always be reading to learn more about the world around you.  When you can do that you can read more into the world as you are a part of it and then write about the experiences and moments in your life that will help others in the world. 

Addressing the seven Elements of Digital Storytelling

Point of View: First person. The targeted audience will be people who have big families and have have battled with infertility. The story’s message will simply convey the feelings and emotions that come with being a parent or someone who has grown up in a huge family.

 

Dramatic Question: Would she be different, would we be different, would things have been different would be the dramatic question.  In regards to having twins, if we both would have been born would my second daughter be different, would our lives have been different.

Emotional Content: The life of having a huge family, the struggle of going through infertility and the loss of a child to a miscarriage would all be items that others can relate too. 

Voice/pacing: paced in accordance with pictures, informal tone.

Soundtrack: "We Laughed Until we Cried" by Jason Aldean

Economy: The story will give a background about my family, then it will cover getting married and attempting to have children, finally having children and the emotions that come from loss.  It will show how my daughters have grown to this point in their lives and how happy my family is.

Reading and Discussion Module 11

“Technology plays an important role, not alone but as a constantly changing set of socially situated tools for literacy, for making sense of the world and ourselves”  (p. 104)

I chose this simply because it is exactly as I feel.  I have always said that technology has its place in teaching, but I think that when we rely solely on it children lose some of the skills that they need.  For example children are not asked to learn their multiplication tables anymore.  They simply pull out a calculator or “Google it” to find the answer to a problem.  I know children love technology and they love to spend as much time as possible trying to play games or chatting on social media, that many of them don’t realize how much they can learn from technology.  Mostly, it is just something to have fun with.

 

 

 

When talking about technology and literacy I think you have to look at it as an evolution, this is sort of a cool representation of social medial evolution and fits in really well with our text.

1.      What is the difference between an "essentialist," "traditionalist" or "autonomous" "perspective of technology and literacy and a New Literacy Studies of "ideological"perspective on technology and literacy? Which perspective do you adhere to? Why?

Essentialist means to focus only on the abilities of technology, not in the way it’s used. Ideological means to focus on the attributes and abilities of the technology in social communities and how all of the different social areas are affected when using technology. Autonomous means that it will continue to build on itself in dynamic and self augmenting ways.   I adhere to the essentialist view of technology. I think without society and without people driving it then technology doesn’t have a purpose.

2. Give three concrete examples of how the teacher in the chapter supported "new literacy" or "critical digital literacies" practices with blogging.

The teacher used blogging and had her students post pictures to receive feedback from the people who could see them.  She asked that the students be aware of the messages they were presenting. The students know that the best work from the class will be placed on the  teacher's blog, so they will be competing with each other.   She required that the students be organized, be able to exhibit their knowledge and opinions in a way  that was interesting to the most amount of people.

References:

 

Avila, J., & Pandya, J. (2013). Critical digital literacies as social praxis. (pp. 95). New York, NY: Peter Lang Publishing.

The image was found on:  http://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&frm=1&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&docid=wu9bIVXr3xoSPM&tbnid=aa9EUUlyE9F2XM:&ved=0CAQQjB0&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.briansolis.com%2F2012%2F04%2Fdisruptive-technology-and-how-to-compete-for-the-future%2F&ei=YIZ2Ut23O83C4APAo4DYDw&bvm=bv.55819444,d.cWc&psig=AFQjCNFGIdB55SWBRr793kilJ2VIBuiX1A&ust=1383585728008928

Brainstorming my Digital Story

My family has always been very large.  My father had 7 brothers and 3 sisters, my mother had 4 sisters and 4 brothers.  My father is a twin, my mother is a twin, my grandmother is a twin.  All told 14 sets of twins in my family.  But the story I want to tell is about family, my family.  I got married in my late twenties.  My wife was also in her late twenties and we both wanted children in the worst way.  After two years of fertility treatments our first daughter was born.  Life was amazing.  We were told the second child would be easier to conceive after having the first.  They were right as my wife became pregnant with twins.  This is where the story takes a turn.  This is where we realize how lucky we are. 

I think this project could be fun however, I am apprehensive due to sharing personal information of this nature.  As a private, very reserved person, sharing any personal information is tough.