Let me start this week by saying that I absolutely loved the ideas that were offered in the "Digital Literacy Can't Wait" because it was so insightful! I want to take every one of the ideas and use them in my classroom, all the time.
I know that personally my high school was just like the first fictional school mentioned in the article, Access Academy. We had tons of technology available to us, and yet it seemed as though we never had opportunities to use it. My classrooms had Smart Boards, laptop carts, projectors, and probably plenty of other things I can't think of right now. Why wasn't the technology given to us on a daily basis? Usually the teacher was in complete control of how we used it, if we ever did.
I never learned about digital sources for research papers, or other ways to make presentations other than Microsoft office. Now, here at RIC, and in some of the articles we have read, I have started to learn all sorts of things that are available, that students would absolutely without a doubt be able to connect with far easier than just pen and paper.
I just recently learned about Google Forms and I think that is like, the greatest thing since sliced bread. I created an Interest Inventory that I can even use in my actual class, you know, if I ever get a job after college that is. Anyways, things like this should be used all the time, and encouraged!
So about this whole podcast thing... I must admit... I'm apprehensive. I know that tons of people listen to them, and enjoy them, but I find it SO DIFFICULT to listen to because there is no sort of visual. In the same sense I can't really listen to audio-books either... Must be some sort of curse.
Danah Boyd is interesting. She is easy to listen to, and I'm sure that people do, but I had never really her before. The first few minutes of the podcast makes sense, having little use of technology in the 90's for her. I feel like she is a little to old for me to relate to though, personally. I feel like she didn't really say anything that I didn't already know. Obviously racism and prejudice is bad.
I did find the part about how kids don't really have time to go outside and play with each other. It's true, we do give them far too much to do. And we do worry way too much about safety. 20 years ago this was obviously not the issue. Parents should come together and try and give them the space to actually get out there and enjoy themselves, rather than have them communicate through nothing but the internet.
Internet bullying is interesting to me. I never experienced this growing up. I wonder if this is something of my mothers doing, though. She always had a handle on what I was doing online as well. I know that I never looked for attention online, because I had a good support system at home, and I didn't really need it. I guess I find some of the things that Boyd is saying to be a little far fetched for me. Are these things still true to today? Or is this old information?
I like the way that Hicks and Turner talk about the ideas of the digital argument. In high school the only thing I had written were in five paragraph essay format. Imagine what kind of a shock college was when I had to write a research paper! What the heck is a source?! I had no clue.
I think that the idea of creating productive citizens is also pretty important just because of the way today’s society has been going downhill. I feel like people don’t know how to do anything. No common sense. It’s ridiculous really. And when you get into an argument or disagreement people don’t know how to talk it out. They just automatically start yelling or being rude instead of speaking like adults. I go through this all the time at Applebees.
This weeks readinns and podcast had a lot of interesting stuff about technology that I hope to use in my classroom someday. I want to be the cool teacher that does all sorts of dope stuff with technology!
I like the way that Hicks and Turner talk about the ideas of the digital argument. In high school the only thing I had written were in five paragraph essay format. Imagine what kind of a shock college was when I had to write a research paper! What the heck is a source?! I had no clue.
I think that the idea of creating productive citizens is also pretty important just because of the way today’s society has been going downhill. I feel like people don’t know how to do anything. No common sense. It’s ridiculous really. And when you get into an argument or disagreement people don’t know how to talk it out. They just automatically start yelling or being rude instead of speaking like adults. I go through this all the time at Applebees.
This weeks readinns and podcast had a lot of interesting stuff about technology that I hope to use in my classroom someday. I want to be the cool teacher that does all sorts of dope stuff with technology!
I am on the same page as you concerning the podcasts and audiobooks, and was kind of relieved to not be the only one! The lack of visual and physical material throws me off. I actually ended up printing out the transcript for the danah boyd podcast this week because I knew I wouldn't be able to focus without an image for 52 minutes. Which brings me to think about how there may be students who react to this form of technology the same way, and how we might present options in class for students to interact with material.
ReplyDeleteYou reflecting about whether the information presented in that article is dated or not is also very important, showing a critical eye, which is a great thing -- and something you would want to pass along to your students. Just because an expert in the field says it doesn't mean we have to 100% accept it without question. I think it's important to offer differing viewpoints. Nice post.
First, I loved reading your post! I had a similar school experience as you did. We had all of the resources but never used much technology as we should have. Reading these articles about how classrooms are changing, I sometimes wonder if our high school education was wrong? Did we miss out on advantages that digital literacy could have given us? I am still on the fence about technology, I know its definitely not going anywhere. I hope to use it more and become better at it. I can also agree with how you feel about podcasts. The only way that I am focused while listening to them is if I preoccupy myself with something else, but then I may not be fully paying attention. Overall I loved your post, many interesting points were made!
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