Weekly Reading #10

What is the main argument being made by the speaker?

The main argument is that educational reform in the United States needs to have a direction to be effective, and its not through test scores. Test scores don't lead to real education.

Do you agree or disagree with his argument?

Personally, I believe that most educators would agree with his argument, which is why there was a current push for implementing PBLs within the classroom. We want students to be able to learn without the constant aide of a teacher, which is why project-oriented learning is emphasized. It relates classroom learning to real-world situations. This also, assess knowledge and understanding that is gained from the students. PBLs are authentic assessments.

Make connections between the ideas presented in this Keynote and concepts explored in this course. Be specific, use quotes from at least 5 course readings, your response should be around 500-800 words. 

In this course we have often discussed how education needs a new system of assessment within the classroom. Digital and Multimodal literacies is a great way to change the paradigm of testing in education.

Moreover, knowledge is made accessible to all learners via distinct portals, such as connections between students’ linguistic and cultural knowledge and classroom literacy practices, small group lessons in which more advanced students can scaffold participation, a variety of strategically employed pedagogical and discourse practices, use of a wide range of texts, and explicit instruction by ‘experts’ such as the teacher (Black, 2007).

This is a point made in the Keynote speaker’s lecture. He believes that the new god in education is test scores. People need proof of their child’s learning, even though they know that the students are learning something useful and powerful. This is true in education. Teachers are forced to “teach the test”. Therefore, there is no extra time to use technology and multimodal projects to encourage and promote learning. The learning is forced to the questions that the test focuses on for each grade level. “Classrooms that privilege alphabetic, print‐based, hard copy texts over electronic, multimedia and online texts are failing to capitalize on their students’ expertise and creating dissonance, as well as perpetuating disadvantage for those teens, who are not engaging with new texts outside of school” (Adlington & Hansford, 2008).

The Keynote speaker mentioned the fact that technology is used to produce better test scores, not liberate them. Technology is a powerful supplement to learning, and it should not be used as the only means of learning or as a way to help test scores.

In today’s world, a literate person must be able to read and create a range of paper-based and online texts (newspapers, pamphlets, websites, books, Kindle, and so on), participate in and create virtual settings (classrooms, Second Life, Facebook, Elluminate, blogs, wikis) that use interactive and dynamic Web 2.0 tools, and critically analyze multimodal texts that integrate visual, musical, dramatic, digital, and new literacies (Sanders & Albers).

Learning has to take place on a global campus with students. Taking cultural texts and creating meaning within the classroom makes learning relevant to students’ lives. It is important to realize that students’ ability to use technology and gather meaning from multimodal/multimedia literacies in various situations both in and out of school is what makes them successful as learners. “Yet, the quality of what someone puts down on paper, posts online or types into a Blackberry cannot necessarily be held to a single standard of good versus bad writing. Instead, it depends on an old concept: audience” (Karp, 2010). This concept is relevant to new and old literacies. Writing can’t be limited to a specific type of text, nor the limitations of a rubric. What might be an acceptable form of language on Instant Messaging may be different than appropriate speeches in a formal report. Literature and assignments should focus on the basics, such as the audience and point of the text. The way we can incorporate relevant authentic learning is by having students involved in their learning. One way is through rubrics.

It is now a relatively common practice, for example, for composition teachers to work with students to compile a list of criteria for students to use as they compose (Figure 1) and then to use these criteria in creating a related grading rubric for a particular writing assignment—one that takes into account purpose, audience, and the forms that rhetorically effective texts might take (Borton & Huot).

Rubrics are just an example of the way students can be incorporated into their learning. This promotes student autonomy because they will be fully aware of what is expected of them and the goal they need to accomplish. This is why the Keynote speaker suggests project-oriented learning that involve relevant issues to the students. This course and the video discusses the different types of educational testing—the new reform and traditional methods of assessment. The United States needs to shift away from the traditional paper tests and learn from the knowledge our students already have, and expand upon that.

Resources

Adlington, R., & Hansford, D. (2008, July 6). Digital spaces and young people’s online authoring: Challenges for teachers. Retrieved June 10, 2013, from National Conference for Teachers of English and Literacy: http://www.englishliteracyconference.com.au/files/documents/AdlingtonHansford-Digital%20spaces.pdf

Black, R. W. (2007, November 4). Fanfiction Writing and the Construction of Space. E-Learning, 4, 384-397. doi:10.2304/384

Borton, S. C., & Huot, B. (n.d.). Chapter 8: Responding and Assessing. Retrieved July 16, 2013, from Google Docs: https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B6DFAmexYq7veC02bzZxTGVZT1k/edit

Karp, J. (2010, January 26). Does Digital Media Make Us Bad Learners? Spotlight on Digital Media and Learning. Retrieved May 20, 2013, from http://spotlight.macfound.org/featured-stories/entry/does-digital-media-make-us-bad-writershttp://spotlight.macfound.org/featured-stories/entry/does-digital-media-make-us-bad-writers

Sanders, J., & Albers, P. (n.d.). Multimodal Literacies: An Introduction. Retrieved June 4, 2013, from NCTE: https://secure.ncte.org/library/NCTEFiles/Resources/Books/Sample/32142Intro_x.pdf

Week Ten: Rubric for Multimodal Learning Adventure

Rubric

Rubric for Math Song

Weekly Reading #9

Quote

“It is now a relatively common practice, for example, for composition teachers to work with students to compile a list of criteria for students to use as they compose (Figure 1) and then to use these criteria in creating a related grading rubric for a particular writing assignment—one that takes into account purpose, audience, and the forms that rhetorically effective texts might take” (Borton & Huot).

I chose this quote because I think it’s a great idea to get students involved in developing the rubric for projects (with some guidance). This would encourage students to follow the rubric and analyze what are important/ key features and characteristics in projects and products. This would set precedence for their projects and products throughout the school year. Students will understand what is required and expected of them by creating their own rubric for assignments. This is a great way to get students involved in school, as well as a teachable moment on the subject of audience.

Borton, S. C., & Huot, B. (n.d.). Chapter 8: Responding and Assessing. Retrieved July 16, 2013, from Google Docs: https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B6DFAmexYq7veC02bzZxTGVZT1k/edit

Resource

Involving Students in Learning

I chose this article because it discusses how to involve students when creating rubrics. For example, it gives the role of students and teachers in the process of creating rubrics, as well as guidelines to enable student questions and critical thinking abilities. This article describes more in depth what I had touched upon with the quote I picked.

Questions

What should the assessments of multimodal text provide for students?

The assessments of multimodal text should provide students with the ability to use rhetorical principles appropriately and effectively.  They should be aimed at producing effective texts appropriate for a specific purpose and audience.

What are the benefits to using formative assessment when asking students to compose multimodal texts?

The benefits to using formative assessment when asking students to compose multimodal texts are the various skills and reminders that it gives students. For example, it can remind students of the rhetorical constraints and possibilities involved in any of the composing task, as well as give them the tools to create rhetorically effective compositions in any medium.

How do you feel about collaboratively constructing rubrics or assessment criteria with students?

I think there are challenges to involving students with any part of the teaching process; however, if they are not involved or engaged in the process, how are students expected to be motivated to learn. I think it is a wonderful idea to incorporate students’ ideas into rubrics and lesson plans. Then students will feel empowered in the classroom and with their learning.

Rubric

Rubric for Math Song

Week Nine: Multimodal Product

Multimodal Product

Through this project, my students will learn the mathematical concepts of solving systems of equations. They will use the power of song to create their own lyrical parody using math topics that we have already covered in class. They will have to create, edit, and share their videos with the class. Moreover, this project allows the students to work at their own pace by taking quizzes and practice problems online. Students will learn how to analyze and create multi-modal projects.

Weekly Reading #8

Quote

“Youth can know more or less what they like about such texts; they frequently know and can articulate why they like what they like; however, as we contend in this article, it is quite another thing for us as adults to claim to know what they like does in terms of our understanding of how they make meaning of popular culture texts” (Alvermann, Hagood, & Williams, 2001).

I chose this quote because this summarizes the article. The first statement of this quote explains that youth often know what they like about popular culture texts, or they could be clueless about their preference for popular culture texts. However, when they know what they like, they are fully capable of articulating the reasoning for why they like such texts. The problem is that adults assume that they know what youth gather from popular culture texts, either cognitively or socially. Adults take a hands-off approach to popular culture and assume its “youth” culture. They believe that this culture is to be of little interest to their adult minds, as well as not believing that youth would want to participate with adults in these popular culture texts. Assumptions are dangerous, and luckily taking these classes have allowed me to keep up with younger generations. 

D.E. Alvermann, M.C. Hagood, & K.B. Williams (2001, June). Image, language, and sound: Making meaning with popular culture texts. Reading Online, 4(11). Available: http://www.readingonline.org/newliteracies/lit_index.asp?HREF=/newliteracies/action/alvermann/index.html

Resource

I chose this video because it talks about the difference between Generation Y and the previous generations. It talks about the culture of Generation Y and the problems they face with older generations, especially in the workplace. This is what the article was talking about when discussing the assumptions adults make about popular culture texts of youth.

CultureCoachInt. (2012, June 15). How to Better Understand Gen-Y. Retrieved July 10, 2013, from Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y6FHJr2ky7k

Questions

What is your stance on using popular culture texts in school?

Using popular culture texts in school will motivate and engage students in classroom activities. Most of them already know how to gather meaning from popular culture texts, thus minimizing frustration, which in return decreases the need to give up before completing a task.

What are your concerns about using popular culture texts in school?

My only concern about using popular culture texts in school is the fact that it may be used as a substitution to school-based materials and resources. In other words, I’m afraid that students won’t learn what they need to learn at their grade level if popular culture texts are used to frequently. They should be supporting materials, rather than primary resources for lessons. Unfortunately, students still have to take standardized tests, and need some of those traditional resources to teach the content. With that being said, I still believe that popular culture texts should be used to support lessons and engage students.

How can popular culture texts support school-based writing?

Popular culture texts support school-based writing through its relevance to students’ lives. This will allow students to see the interconnection between popular culture texts and the information learned in school. Moreover, popular culture texts will engage and motivate students to learn the materials presented to them in class.

Find and link to a web-based popular culture text you might use to support writing in your teaching context.

The Function Song 

The aforementioned link is an interactive Google Site, where students are given a problem and then lead through a series of information to get to an answer. There are supplemental worksheets that go along with this site, as well as a video. The Google Site stemmed from a video recording about functions, and as the students go through the lyrics of the song, they learn definitions and topics needed to fully understand mathematical functions.

Week Eight: Activity Two

Learning Adventure: Numbers and Songs Lesson Plan

The best way to learn a subject is to teach it. This lesson allows students to create lyrics and songs that incorporate mathematical concepts. Then they have to put the lyrics to melodies and record it. Finally, the videos are displayed for the whole class.

In order for this lesson to meet the needs in my classroom, I would use this as a review at the beginning of the school year of concepts that students are supposed to know before coming to my class. The students would share their videos and their peers would have to rate the accuracy and sense of the lyrics of each video. I believe I'll have students post their finish projects/videos to a class website or blog, where students can go on and provide feedback to their classmates' posts before the final day of showing and grading. Then, we would review as a whole class before a quiz. This would be a fun activity that would break the ice with students as well as get them interested in math with a review of concepts they should know.

This lesson supports multimodal learning and the development of digital literacies, because students are working in groups to come up with a mathematical music video. They will have to collaborate through various methods at home and at school, and then incorporate their created lyrics into a song to be recorded. They will have to know how to use computers, edit music, lyrics, and video clips, and compile all the information and skills of the group to complete this project. The blogging and posting will allow students to provide feedback for each other's projects. Thus, being able to create, provide feedback, and edit (according to the feedback given) are the basic skills necessary for digital literacies.

Week Eight: Activity One

The majority of young people who live in the Appalachian region mainly use digital technologies outside of school for gaming, social media, and sharing. Young people collaborate outside the walls of education and learn through games, friends, and social networks, such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. These findings lead to implications that students like to collaborate with one another. They seek socialization, which is why it is important to incorporate group work into the school. Also, school needs technology that encourages and motivates students to learn. For example, my brother just started playing Civilizaiton and I'm amazed at the vocabulary and historical concepts that you learn from the game. Students learn about history as well as how countries grow and develop. It's intoxicating. I watched my brother continue to build his armies as his major activity in the game. This protected his city from invaders and allowed him to develop other aspects of his kingdom, such as technology or science. It's games like these that will help students learn without information being shoved into their brains. My brother hated school and dropped out of college after one semester; however, he loves video games and stays up until the wee hours of the morning playing games like Civilization. It is dumbfounding that he wouldn't learn history in school, but he'll play games for hours. Education has to change. It has to fit students' interests or else they won't be motivated or engaged to learn about the topics in school. Relevance is key to student education.

Week Seven: Media Ecology Case Study

Media Ecology Case Study

Here is my final draft of my case study.

Weekly Reading #7

Summary of Fanfiction Writing and the Construction of Space

This article is about FanFiction.net, which is a website where people post writings that involve characters from their favorite texts. In this study, ELLs’ were observed in their posts and interaction with peers and their feedback to determine if there is any benefit to learning English through this website for the participants of the study. The researchers analyzed the effects of collaboration and interaction with peers on the Fanfiction site and their results on the ELLs’ skills in literacy.

“Classrooms themselves are designed learning spaces, comprised of unique configurations of teachers, students, institutions, interactions, activities, tools, and technologies that change from day to day and year to year. Language and literacy researchers have used spatial lenses to conceptualize effective classroom design, in which the teacher is responsible for organizing the context for learning and interaction, much like website designers are” (Black, 2007).

I chose this quote because it discusses the ever-changing and fast-paced technological advancement of our society. Teachers have to adapt to the changes in our society and economy in order to prepare students for success in the world as they collaborate and research within their specific fields. This article I never thought that using Wikipedia would be a good digital literacy practice, as well as websites such as Fanfiction that requires students to research and collaborate to produce texts. This is the type of research done in real-world situations. I often find that in school, I have to have several people in my field to collaborate with to fulfill my full potential in a subject. I feel this is the best way to brainstorm and think critically.

“Moreover, knowledge is made accessible to all learners via distinct portals, such as connections between students’ linguistic and cultural knowledge and classroom literacy practices, small group lessons in which more advanced students can scaffold participation, a variety of strategically employed pedagogical and discourse practices, use of a wide range of texts, and explicit instruction by ‘experts’ such as the teacher” (Black, 2007).

I chose this quote because it shows the importance of a diversified groups for collaborating. Different cultures, values, and literacies are what creates ideas and knowledge. If everyone thought the same way, there would be no new inventions or discoveries. This is why collaboration on projects and research is essential for expanding and growing one’s concepts and ideas. Group work mimics real-world collaboration where a problem is presented and students have to use various resources to find the answer, including each other’s knowledge and background. 

Summary of Hanging Out, Messing Around, and Geeking Out

This article is about findings on why youth find practices, such as texting, wasting time online, or playing video games, compelling and important. In their efforts to seek autonomy and identity, it’s these activities that provide avenues for extending social worlds, self-directed learning, and independence. Moreover, this articles discusses educational changes that must be made in order to adapt to these digital practices, such as how adults should facilitate young people’s engagement with digital media. This article is a synthesis of the findings across 22 different case studies. 

“Media literacy involves not only ways of understanding, interpreting, and critiquing media, but also the means for creative and social expression, online search and navigation, and a host of new technical skills” (Ito, et al., 2010).

I chose this quote because during our studies in this class, we have focused on the first part of this definition of media literacy; however, the second part is the meat of new media literacy skills. It’s what draws students’ participation as well as engages their innate questioning that enables learning and research. This practice needs to be incorporated in lessons instituted by educators, such as the use of blogs for collaboration and peer feedback. 

“Girls tend to be stigmatized more if they identify with geeked out practices. While we may recognize that geeked out participation has valuable learning properties, if these activities translate to downward social mobility in friendship-driven networks of status and popularity, many kids are likely to opt out even if they have the technical and social resources at their disposal” (Ito, et al., 2010).

I chose this quote because I can familiarize with this issue found on social networks and in physical social groups. I am one of the few girls in a pre-determined masculine field of mathematics. In high school, the “cool” kids happened to be the smart students; however, when I got to college and shift-work, this was not the case. I would be looked down upon because of my intelligence and my area of study whether they knew I was successful at it or not. I was lucky in high school to gain a strong identity in my intelligence that when I hit college and a part-time job, that it didn’t affect me. However, I have seen many girls “dumb-down” in their quest for social acceptance, especially being a high school math teacher, as well as a friend to some of these girls. This is why we need strong role models in these stigmatized fields of study.

Black, R. W. (2007, November 4). Fanfiction Writing and the Construction of Space. E-Learning, 4, 384-397. doi:10.2304/384

Ito, M., Baumer, S., Bittani, M., boyd, d., Cody, R., Herr-Stephenson, B., . . . Tripp, L. (2010). Hanging Out, Messing Around, and Geeking Out. Retrieved July 1, 2013, from http://mitpress.mit.edu/sites/default/files/titles/free_download/9780262013369%20_Hanging_Out.pdf

Weekly Reading #6

Quote

“I can recall my first IM experience.  I felt anxious and rushed, unable to keep up with the lightening fast keyboard skills of my sister-in-law. The fast paced dialogue would flash upon the screen instantly.  I would compose one answer mentally and then the next question would be staring at me waiting for a reply” (Carey).

I chose this quote because I remember my first experience with IM and chat rooms. I didn't understand all the abbreviations and lingo of my chatting companion. I was overwhelmed and frustrated because it seemed like everything was abbreviated and I didn't have a dictionary. This was also the time when Google wasn't big and I never thought to research the text; however, I’m not sure that the key would be able to be found. 

Resource
I chose the following picture because this is what I felt like when I was first trying to learn how to Instant Message. This is also how a lot of older people, who are not familiar with the new technology of today, feel when the younger generation write or talk. For example, I know younger people who often say "ROFL" when they think something is funny (ROFL mean "rolling on the floor laughing"). However, they don't pronounce each letter, they say it like it is pronounced "roffle".


Art done by Chris Madden; Found through Google Search on Jeanne Meister's post on the New Learning Playbook blog.

Questions

How can instant messaging support reading and writing in school?

It prepares students for a wide-range of reading and writing purposes in the world, such as professional, community, and household purposes. In order for students to be fully literate, they need to be proficient in communication and information technologies (ICT). “Instant Messaging motivates young people to engage in: decoding, encoding, interpretation, analysis, multi modalities (for example: visual and audio), intertextual reading and writing (across texts, genres, and modes), lateral reading (skimming), collaborative discourse, and multitasking” (Carey).

2.       How did you attitudes and beliefs about the value of instant message change as a result of reading the research on instant messaging as a literacy practice?

I never thought about Instant Messaging as a way to motivate students to do the list previously mentioned. What they do through Instant Messaging is a large portion of what they are taught to do in English and mathematics courses. I didn’t think Instant Messaging could be so complex in its structure and learning capabilities.

Carey, J. (n.d.). Instant Messaging: A Literacy Event. Retrieved June 25, 2013, from Google Docs: https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B6DFAmexYq7vYWdXV2RacF9EVXc/edit

Week Six: Categories

Social Outlet: 
"social networks, file share, games, videos, pictures"
Knows other people who plays the game, Dishonored
Brother taught her how to use the computer for videos and pictures.

Keeping Up-to-Date:
"News, research, videos, pictures"
"research and projects"

Creative Outlet:
"graphic design, photo design"
Videos and pictures are her favorite things to do on a computer.
"Dishonored, it works your brain; critical thinking."

Schooling:
"research and projects"
"they are bettering my knowledge"
"Also, computer use in school helps me. So, it's something I enjoy."

Week Five: Interview Transcript

Interview with Breanna

Do you have a computer/Ipod/MP3 player/Wii....etc?

Yes, Xbox, Wii, computer, Ipod, phone, Playstation, TV, Nook

What kinds of things do you use the computer for?

Social networks, research, Pictures, file share, news, games, videos

What is your favorite thing to do on the computer?

videos/pictures

How did you learn to do that?

My brother taught me.

What are some other things you use the computer for?

Graphic design, photo design

What is your favorite game? Why?

Dishonored, it works your brain. Critical thinking.

Do you know other people who do this?

Yes.

How would you like to use the computer at school?

research and projects

Do you think teachers would let you use the computer to do those things? Why? Why not?

Yes, they are bettering my knowledge.

Anything else you would like to tell me?

Also, computer use in school helps me. So, it's something I enjoy.

Weekly Reading #5

Quote:

“To complete the stimulated recall, we asked participants our research questions as they read through a website and audiotaped the dialogue” (Rowsell & Burke, 2009).

I was surprised that they used stimulated recall by asking questions while the students navigated the website. I’m not sure why they would do that. My impression was that they asked the survey questions, which were listed previously, during students interaction with the websites. I don’t know how those questions would last 40-minutes during an interview with the students. My brother gives very short answers whenever he’s online. However, I’m still unsure how this way of conducting the research would help in the study.

Resource:

By MermieOriginals at Youtube [CC (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9q69zFQ_8a0)]

I chose this resource, because it is a good example of digital text. It's a video made to teach kids the alphabet. The song, visual, and written texts are all incorporated to make learning the alphabet fun. This relates to the article because in the study the results showed the effects of how digital media improves reading skills in students, as well as engages and motivates them to learn. This video is a great way to show that in kids trying to learn their alphabet.

Questions:

1.       What did you learn about how reading of digital texts differs from the reading of print texts?

With digital texts, the reader has to construct meaning from visual and sound cues, as well as written text. With print texts, the reader just has to construct meaning from the written words. Digital texts have different representations of meaning, while print texts are only one dimensional in its ability to produce meaning.

2.      Do you agree the reading of digital texts are complex?

I do agree that digital texts are complex because they are multi-faceted. Readers need to use the majority of their senses to decipher all the possible meanings from the digital text. The combination of visual, sound, and written representation of meanings—when combined into one cohesive meaning—are what makes digital texts complex.

3.      Do you think that reading digital texts has value for reading in school?

I think that digital texts has value for reading in school. The complexity of various representations of meanings calls for a higher order of thinking than the traditional written texts. There are several meanings that they have to decipher in order to understand the digital text. This higher-order, critical thinking skills are what we strive for in education.

4.      How might a teacher connect Peter's online reading skills with academic reading? How might this improve Peter's academic reading?

Peter was able to articulate the plot and storyline of Naruto, which extended to his interest in the card game. This is important because students are often required in academia to produce the plot and meaning of written texts that are given to them in class. Also, his interest in the game extended to another media type to which the effect was the same. Being able to gather information from one source and use and transfer that knowledge to other forms is an important concept in mathematics. Therefore, this one study has produced skills in both English and Mathematics that teachers strive to instill in their students within the classroom.

This digital texts will improve Peter’s academic reading because it has different layers of reading involved. These skills would involve interpreting visual clues, mastering the nuances of subtext, following ideas in a non-linear way, and decoding simple reading. The multi-facets of digital texts are what improve thinking and learning. These skills aren’t covered with a single printed text like it is in digital texts. 

Rowsell, J., & Burke, A. (2009, October). Reading by Design: Two Case Studies of Digital Reading Practices. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 53(2), pp. 106-118. doi:10.1598/JAAL.53.2.2

Weekly Reading #4

“Classrooms that privilege alphabetic, print‐based, hard copy texts over electronic, multimedia and online texts are failing to capitalize on their students’ expertise and creating dissonance, as well as perpetuating disadvantage for those teens, who are not engaging with new texts outside of school” (Adlington & Hansford, 2008).

This statement reminds me of the movie Kate and Leopold. Leopold is a misplaced man when he travels to New York City from a different era. He is completely lost in all modes of communication, transportation, and entertainment. I feel that this is what our students will feel if we, as teachers, don’t incorporate new digital media into the classroom for our students to experience and skillfully use—lost. When they graduate high school they will be lost in a growing sea of technology, if teachers don’t help them assimilate to such changes and become critical consumers of information and technology.

By Ron Mader at Flickr [CC (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/deed.en)], from Flickr Commons.

I chose this image because I believe it is our responsibility as teachers to provide students the best education, which would involve the new technologies that improve collaboration, critical thinking, and problem solving skills. These skills are important in the job market, which is ever-expanding. There is always going to be some new digital experience that students should use or implement in their working knowledge, which is why this image is a perfect description of the growing knowledge that teachers must have. Teachers must be continual learners and leaders. It is unfair to students whose teachers refuse to change and are stuck in the "old school" ways. I believe this is the most important information I gathered from this week's article, Digital Spaces and Young People's Online Authoring: Challenges for Teachers.

Questions

• Why is it important for teachers to use digital media to support writing instruction in school?

Like I said previously, it is our responsibility to help transition students into new digital media so that they have a chance to succeed in the job market. School is a safe and easy way to be introduced to and experiment with new technologies that students wouldn’t have a chance to use otherwise. Moreover, if teachers use digital media to support writing instruction in school, the technology and digital media that students are familiar with will become a tool for motivation and engagement. Digital media allows for more learning than traditional texts because it is vast in its all-encompassing curriculum.

• What are the differences between writing online and writing in school?

The differences between writing online and writing in school is that there is a bigger audience for your work online, than there ever could be in school writing.  There are so many tools and various communication presentations that could be used when writing online versus writing in school. Text can come alive with online writing.

• How should teachers use digital spaces to support writing instruction in school?

Teachers should use digital spaces, such as Wikis or blogs, to support writing instruction in school. It’s creative sites like these that can cause growth in writings from students by the feedback and collaboration that can occur online. Peer and teacher feedback is what encourages corrections to text, because no student wants to look ignorant when they attach their name to something that will last forever and be seen by many.

• What are some of the challenges to using digital spaces for writing instruction in school?

Some of the challenges to using digital spaces for writing instruction in school is the lack of funding for technology in school. Technology is expensive and most schools can’t find the funding to do 1-to-1 technology—meaning, one technology per one child. I would love to teach in a technology/digital media driven school. I feel that the students would be better prepared for the real world and may even have an advantage over other prospective employees.

Please find another example (Lesson plan or student created product) that provides a good example of how a teacher kept true to the social purpose of a new digital text to support learning in the classroom. Please provide explanation for you example.

Understanding Stereotypes

I chose this lesson plan because it can be adapted and expanded upon within the digital environment. Students can create a digital story or a public service announcement on the effects of stereotypes have had in their lives or their friends' lives. This ending project can be placed on the Internet on websites, such as Youtube. I liked this lesson because stereotypes are harmful assumptions about other people. Just as students need to be critical consumers of information, they need to be critical consumers of people. In other words, "you can't judge a book by its cover".  The collaboration and input from various classmates with different backgrounds will be beneficial in the learning experience involved in this project. Having the students find stereotypes in newspapers, magazines, and other media is a great way to relate what they've learned and the effect of stereotypes in their world.

Adlington, R., & Hansford, D. (2008, July 6). Digital spaces and young people’s online authoring: Challenges for teachers. Retrieved June 10, 2013, from National Conference for Teachers of English and Literacy: http://www.englishliteracyconference.com.au/files/documents/AdlingtonHansford-Digital%20spaces.pdf

Week Four: Illuminated Text (Final Draft)

Weekly Reading #3

As you read this article consider the following questions and post your responses to them in a posting on your blog:

1.      What is the main argument presented in this article?

a.       A literate person must be able to read and write via paper-based and online texts, participate in and create virtual settings that use Web 2.0 tools, and critically analyze multimodal texts that integrate visual, musical, dramatic, digital, and new literacies.

2.      Why is it imperative that teachers and educational policy makers recognize the role multimodality plays in redefining literacy in the 21st century?

a.       Literacy has already moved forward into multimodal, multidimensional, and hyper linked texts. Teachers not only have to think about what students need to learn, but also, what literacies the students bring with them into the classroom and how they can be integrated into the course to engage, motivate, and captivate students’ learning.

3.      What is the fundamental philosophical orientation of educators who engage in multimodal literacy instruction?

a.       It is the teacher’s responsibility to provide his/her students with a wide range of opportunities that allow them to expand their ways of communicating what and how they know. No one particular mode of communication carries the entire message. Literacy is entangled and inseparable from the other modes, media, and language systems that make up the messages that are sent, red, and/or interpreted.

4.      What is the rational for engaging children in learning through the arts promoted by educational philosophers like Maine Green and Elliot Eisner?

a.       According to Eisner, the arts develop different forms of thinking, such as the ability to discern qualitative relationships, within and among texts, and knowing that whatever is expressed is only part of what is meant. He goes on to say that not everything knowable can be written. For example, tone and body language cannot be written but produce meaning.

b.      According to Green, students become more informed and critical thinkers/speakers, because they are active viewers and perceivers.

5.      Do you share this philosophical orientation? Why? Why not?

a.       I believe it is a great idea to incorporate literacies that students already know into the subject material in class. Also, I agree with Eisner and Green about the arts being a dynamic way of expression. I love the arts, and the way people express emotions and communicate with an audience through unwritten text is amazing. It’s these literacies that engage students. It’s what they know combined with what they have yet to learn.

6.      Name three benefits of multimodal reading and writing for students? Be specific and use quotes from the text to support your claims.

a.       Multimodal reading and writing reaches all learners within the classroom. It allows students to learn through their particular style and can help struggling students. “Multimodal literacies instruction enables more children to enter into academic thinking and literacy than uni-dimensional forms of literacy instruction” (Sanders & Albers).

b.      “If educators read such multimodal texts to uncover the child’s sedimented experiences, they may find connections between home, school, and other spaces and facilitate conversations that bridge home and school literacy practices” (Sanders & Albers). Any connections that a teacher can make between students and the curricula will engage and motivate the children to learn.

c.       “Through multimodal instruction that is engaging, challenging, and personally relevant for the students, rich learning and writing results” (Sanders & Albers). Students will want to write and talk about familiar literacies they interact with, such as past experiences or social media. Due to the fact that teachers won’t have to drag information from them, students will gain more practice with literacies and be able to communicate and share their products, as well as their knowledge and experiences.

7.      Give an example of how blogging supports the four aspects of multimodal theory proposed by Kress and Jewitt.

a.       Materiality

                                                              i.      Blogging uses various tools to communicate ideas and concepts via images, videos and texts.

b.      Framing

                                                              i.      The blogger controls the framing, such as the sidebar, image placement, and layout of the blog.

c.       Design

                                                              i.      The blogger controls the background, font, colors, and overall design of their blog. This gives them the capability of expression.

d.      Production

                                                              i.      In a blog, the text and the actual posts are what would be considered the production aspect of the multimodal theory. Moreover, the links and embedded images or videos included in the posts would also be included.

8.      What can teachers learn about their students from their image productions? Why is this important?

a.       Teachers can lean a lot about their students, such as their identity, or past experiences. Students will be able to express their various styles and teachers will better be able to see their student’s weaknesses and strengths in literacy.

9.      According to this article, why should teachers use technology in their teaching?

a.       Because it allows for greater participation, collaboration, and distribution of knowledge. Students can learn 21^st century literacies and become more interactive with the world and society through the use of technology that is available now.

10.  How does multimodal literacy relate to 21st century literacy?

a.       Multimodal literacy is the implementation in classrooms that will encourage 21^st century learning and literacy. They are a package deal. 21^st century learning encourages technological knowledge and usage, and multimodal literacy is using those 21^st century technological skills to create multimodal creations/products that can be communicated with others.

11.  What project described intrigued you the most?

a.       I would like to learn more about the “Silencing Stories” project. I like the idea of incorporating arts into the classroom. Personally, I love the arts, which is unique for a mathematics person. However, the arts, I feel, is the best way of expression, whether it’s verbal or not.

12.  What challenges to integrating multimodal reading and writing into schools do you most identify with?

a.       The cost. It’s hard to find computers/computer labs available every day for students. Also, supplies for projects can get expensive, especially with 25 students in each class for 6 periods a day.

13.  Why is multimodal literacy essential in preparing students for work, play and democratic participation in the 21st century?

a.       In the workplace especially, it is important to have multimodal literacy skills. Appearance and presentation is everything in corporate America. The better skilled our students are, the better chances they have in the job market. These skills will also allow them to be better critical consumers of information, which will make them better democratic participators. When students have better multimodal literacies this will improve their gaming, hobbies, and extracurricular activities because they will be able to better communicate their thoughts and knowledge to others.

14.  Find and embed an image in your blog posting that relates to multimodal literacy.

 

Google Image Search: "multimodal literacies"
http://rampantred.files.wordpress.com/2008/04/presentation11.jpg
 

 

Sanders, J., & Albers, P. (n.d.). Multimodal Literacies: An Introduction. Retrieved June 4, 2013, from NCTE: https://secure.ncte.org/library/NCTEFiles/Resources/Books/Sample/32142Intro_x.pdf