As someone who was introduced to social media and
communication technology in her adolescence, I still have attempted to resist
this gradual increase in using technology for literacy. I resisted participating in Facebook and Instagram
for quite some time and have yet to indulge in twitter. Until now, I thought of technology and social
media to be more detrimental than beneficial in the classroom, but this week’s
readings really have allowed me to shift my perspective on the idea.
Through the Internet, students are able to express themselves and even adopt a whole another persona that they don’t reveal in the classroom. Because of this, it is important to hone in on these talents and interests that students have with technology. As educators, we can explore technological avenues to allow students to not only grow with their reading and writing skills, but connect with literacy as well. We can help students’ build “digital literacy citizenship” through exercises, such as Webquests, Skype, creating fictional Facebook profiles, Wordles and blogging. Although information and media literacy are still very valuable, digital literacy provides an additional benefit of allowing students to network with other people and ideas from around the world. For example, Brozo and Simpson reference a classroom that collaborating with classrooms across the country to monitor the migration of the Whooping Crane. Just as the "Using Information, Media and Digital Literacy" diagram shows, digital literacy provides a two way street with additional side roads for gathering and understanding information.
In addition, this also can be considered differential instruction, since it's allows students who do not typically foster with traditional learning methods be able to engage and connect with literacy. Thus, rather than just having students complete repetitive exercises on the computer, educators can expand their access to literacy and allow students to claim ownership of literacy.
In addition, this also can be considered differential instruction, since it's allows students who do not typically foster with traditional learning methods be able to engage and connect with literacy. Thus, rather than just having students complete repetitive exercises on the computer, educators can expand their access to literacy and allow students to claim ownership of literacy.
I am right there with you in that I have always looked at social media and using digital technology for literacy as detrimental. That is, up until this class, where I was able to look at it at a different light.
ReplyDeleteAs an adult who grew up without many of the technologies students have today, I have associated these advances with students' lack of interest in playing outside, with their semi-addition of playing video games all day long, and with their constant hours on Facebook and Instagram. However, after our class brainstormed creative ways of using these technologies in the classroom, I can look at technology in a different light.
After all, our students are a generation that have been born into this time of technology and digital advances. In a way, this is there language, the one they learned first. Assigning projects and homework in a media that comes second nature to them may be a great way to get them engaged in the lesson and to practice their literacy skills.
Technology is there domain, just about every adolescent and child younger than the age of 16 knows everything there is to know about social media, the newest app, the newest game, the newest device. Us teachers can probably even learn a little about digital literacy from our students.
I really like that you mentioned digital literacy's ability to give students to claim ownership over literacy. By giving students the opportunity to post blogs, create webpages, and publish their ideas in public domain, it allows them to see how lessons in the classroom can exist outside of school, and more importantly, how their participation can make an impact on the learning of others. Digital literacy also adds a layer of accountability because students' names are attached to ideas that are accessible to the public, giving them all the more reason to make sure that they are creating something meaningful.
ReplyDeleteAdding to Caitlin's comment, I definitely agree that teachers could learn a thing or two about technology from students. In the ever changing world of social media, it is difficult to keep up with all the latest trends, so asking students about their views on the subject would be beneficial in increasing awareness.
I too find myself resisting certain trends on the social internet as I age. I tried managing a twitter account and signed up for an Instagram. I found those websites to be purposeless for me. However, after reading and lecture this past week, I can understand how important these websites and applications are to adolescents and how imperative that I have a knowledge of these resources. While it may not be necessary for me to make a twitter assignment, knowledge of the website and how students immerse with it will give me a glimpse of the social world they live in. If nothing else, this will allow me to understand my students better and allow me to interact with them in a more appropriate way.
ReplyDeleteI will continue to do my own research of how these types of social websites work, as well as newer emerging ones. This is what teachers need to remember. It is not enough to know what you are required to teach them. You have to extend your own knowledge to overlap with what they are learning on their own.
My favorite part about your blog post is that you emphasize how the internet has created a new facet in which students can express themselves through. Our generation, and those after us, are getting the opportunity to create in a way generations never got to before. It is really changing the way we learn and grow. With the proper classroom management, the internet and its many resources can be extremely beneficial to our students. As educators for adolescents, it is our duty to stay on top of the trends and social media, so that we can remain relevant to our students. For example, many of us still think of Facebook and Twitter being hip, but in reality they are to current teenagers what Myspace is to us. It's really difficult keeping up with the new types, but I think the core traits tend to stay the same.
ReplyDeleteOne of the most important things I've learned at my time at UIC is that it is extremely important to make sure students feel a sense of ownership over their classroom and school work. I never thought about online literacy as being a form of ownership, but now that you've brought it up, I believe it is an excellent way! Students can be proud of their work, display it for the public, and share it with many people.
Good afternoon, Anna -
ReplyDeleteThanks for your post. I was able to relate to it quite a bit. As a member of the Baby Boomer generation (just barely, having been born in 1963), I didn't grow up with the internet or the myriad devices that we all take for granted today. I was an early adopter though, begging and pleading for a first generation Mac when they came out in in 1984 (I was a college sophomore, and remember manual typewriters and Liquid Paper very well). I live on the internet as much as any kid, but I was not an early adopter of Facebook, and have an antipathy towards Twitter. Although Facebook sounded perfectly young and hip in The Social Network, I found the reality to be far more middle-aged. Once I created my profile and added friends, all of a sudden I started to received "Mafia Cocktails", and invitations to play "Farmville" from various neighborhood ladies, as well as my ex-wife's mother. My current (and last) Mother-in-law's only interaction with her computer involves dusting, and that's just fine.
Today's kids grew up with the internet, iPhones, Galaxy tablets - you name it. Janna Anderson, the report co-author and director of Elon University’s Imagining the Internet Center, refers to the teens-to-20s age group born since the turn of the century as Generation AO, for “always-on." I know of 2 and 3 year olds who have an iPod Touch but have never seen a "See and Say." I think the best advice is that if you can't beat them, join them. Although Twitter turned me off because of all the snarky tweets from celebrities and politicians, I need to get past that and use it as a tool to spark their creativity with a medium they already gravitate towards. Instead of fretting about the 140 character limit, leverage it! We all learned haiku in school, and how to say a lot with a little. I think the idea of creating fictional Facebook profiles is very clever. I think it would be fun to have Robespierre or Ivan the Terrible send out friend requests. Now I need to think of what to do with Instagram other than documenting what I'm eating when out of town or on vacation.