As our society changes and becomes more
technologically advanced, we as educators are forced to adapt and implement
these new technologies into our classrooms. These sources and means of which we
were once familiar and literate with are now ever changing. As we become a more
digitally literate society we find that this social practice has become a norm
in our everyday lives. It is a means of escaping reality and exploring
creativity in a world that we are not all that familiar with quite yet. This week’s
assignment asks us to look at the following quote:
"The distinctive contribution of the approach to literacy as social practice lies in the ways in which it involves careful and sensitive attention to what people do with texts, how they make sense of them and use them to further their own purposes in their own learning lives"(Gillen and Barton, 2010, p. 9).
"The distinctive contribution of the approach to literacy as social practice lies in the ways in which it involves careful and sensitive attention to what people do with texts, how they make sense of them and use them to further their own purposes in their own learning lives"(Gillen and Barton, 2010, p. 9).
Having been raised in a technologically sound
generation, I too find myself engrossed in technology in a virtual reality that
lures me away from the norm- the world is at my fingertips only a click, a
tweet, a post away. As an educator, I face the constant struggle of captivating
my students on days when I choose to stray away from the incorporation of
technology into my classroom, whether that be by iPad, Apple TV, Reminder apps,
projectors, etc. I find that students are digitally literate but, lack the
essential skills to be paper literate. They are constantly in need of a digital
fix and through that fix, it enables them to find a purpose to their own lives
or should I say, a means of escaping a reality only to be stuck in a realm of
disconnect.
If we approach digital literacy as a social
practice, we find that when teaching students to become digitally literate we
are also teaching them a means of digital fluency. Working in a rural school
district, I’ve found that many of my students own cell phones and iPads that
they bring to school with them but, many of them do not have Internet
connection or a computer at home. I find it increasingly important to promote digital
literacy within my own classroom setting because it is essential to the overall
success of the student both in and outside of the classroom. Gillen &
Barton (2010) state that “Each learner is an amalgam of diverse experiences,
capabilities and understandings affected by the entirety of their personal
history including experiences of physical strength and weaknesses” (p. 17). The
article discusses how learning opportunities can be made through personal
experiences and history and because of that, it provides the students with a
sense of comfort and ownership because they are familiar with these
technologies and feel a sense of pride with the work they are completing.
Bibliography
Gillen, J., &
Barton, D. (2010). Digital Literacies: A Research Briefing by the Technology
Enhanced Learning phase of the Teaching and Learning Research Programme.
London.
You make an interesting point about finding your students to be digitally literate but, lacking the essential skills to be paper literate. Children these days seems to have a natural inclination or gravitation towards high-tech gadgets. They are exposed to digital equipment from such early age that they are in some ways wired differently in their approach to using gadgets. I see your point that while students these days are able to use digital modes of communication easily, their foundational literacy skills are not strong. For instance, I see students and (my own children) writing texts and writing reports on the computer with fluency, but when I see their writing on paper, it is full of spelling and grammatical mistakes. They don't bother editing and checking on things that the computer can check for them. I am not sure if the students themselves see the need for proper spelling skills. As a teacher and parent, I believe that strong, foundational literacy has to be in place first before digital literacy should be in practice.
ReplyDeleteBriana,
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed reading your post and agree with what you've said about the importance of digital literacy in the classroom.
I was thinking about your statement referring to the digital world, "It is a means of escaping reality and exploring creativity in a world that we are not all that familiar with quite yet." I think this can be true, but also wonder if digital literacies have become the reality, and thus not a place for escape, but a place for complete immersion. For example, for me the digital world is a reality of essays, grading, financial management, communication with family, etc., and my escape from this is non-digital (nature, playing the guitar).
I'm not a luddite, and value the importance of digital literacies, and their use in the creative field (photography, music production, graphic arts, blogging),but wonder if our students value them in the same way, or if they view them merely as a very integral part of reality, rather than an escape from it.
Shawn,
DeleteI am interested in the ending of your reply as you wonder if students value digital literacy as we as teachers do. It seems to me, from my own observations, that many do not which is upsetting. Although, we can create an appreciation for digital literacy in a way that our students become less of passive participants in technology to knowledgeable participants.
Briana,
ReplyDeleteIt was interesting that I too used the quote from Gillen and Barton about how students each have their own individual experiences and how the use of technology in our classrooms can bring in that individuality into the classroom.
My feelings is that sometimes students don't see the technology as an opportunity for creation but often use it in passive ways. You spoke to using, "digital literacy within my own classroom setting because it is essential to the overall success of the student both in and outside of the classroom." I hope all teachers have the same thought process and can teach our students to be positive participants in the technological age which we live.