Hi all,
Here is the link for the meeting place tonight. See all of you there!
http://www.eganandsons.com/
Wednesday, August 1, 2007
Sunday, July 29, 2007
Just a reminder
We will have class face to face tomorrow evening. All you need to bring is your philosophy statement, which is due at the beginning of class, and your books. I think they will be useful for you in what we do during class.
Looking forward to it!
Looking forward to it!
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
Technology and Literacy
After reading and watching the podcast Robert says "The reading material and video clip on new technologies impacting literacy is very accurate and makes me think of my own education and teaching experiences as it relates to literacy. Admittedly, I always thought of literacy as reading and writing, now however I am aware that literacy is much, much more. I now know that literacy is reading, writing, and communicating through various other meduims such as pictures, videos, hand signals, gestures, etc.". I agree with Robert as far as thinking of literacy as reading and writing. Currently technology is being infused into this subject.
I think that being able to access millions of websites can encourage us to think more about what we see, but it can also encourage us not to think. There are many websites found on the internet that have already done the work that we are being asked to do or ask our students to do. There are many times that students just copy what they see and see this as an easy way out. However, if used appropriately it can allow us to research and find out answers to questions we might have.
The internet is an incalculable source of available information that makes knowledge and data on virtually any topic accessible for student use. Current and ever advancing technology in word processing and assistive technology make reading, writing, and communicating easier and possible to students that were having difficulties or unable in the past. Video games and text messaging are thought to increase dexterity and give students practice writing in a fun context. Video photo technology and video story-telling, blogs, on-line chat rooms, and even "myspace", all provide students with multiple ways to communicate, learn, and share information. With these things in mind, I definitely believe the world has become more "literate".
If we base how literate one can be we have to be specific in the content area. One can have difficulty reading text in a book, but might find it easier to communicate with technology. This brings me to the point that being literate does not only mean being able to read and write. It encompasses much more.
I think that being able to access millions of websites can encourage us to think more about what we see, but it can also encourage us not to think. There are many websites found on the internet that have already done the work that we are being asked to do or ask our students to do. There are many times that students just copy what they see and see this as an easy way out. However, if used appropriately it can allow us to research and find out answers to questions we might have.
The internet is an incalculable source of available information that makes knowledge and data on virtually any topic accessible for student use. Current and ever advancing technology in word processing and assistive technology make reading, writing, and communicating easier and possible to students that were having difficulties or unable in the past. Video games and text messaging are thought to increase dexterity and give students practice writing in a fun context. Video photo technology and video story-telling, blogs, on-line chat rooms, and even "myspace", all provide students with multiple ways to communicate, learn, and share information. With these things in mind, I definitely believe the world has become more "literate".
If we base how literate one can be we have to be specific in the content area. One can have difficulty reading text in a book, but might find it easier to communicate with technology. This brings me to the point that being literate does not only mean being able to read and write. It encompasses much more.
Well done!
Really nice summaries, everyone. As you can tell (yes, I was a co-author on the long piece, but that probably means you should be more critical of it if anything), this is a subject that is near and dear to my heart. New technologies have given us lots of tools and opportunities, but they also raise the concerns some of you mention -- about interpersonal communication, for example.
The funny thing is that these technologies can also facilitate that kind of communication. I know more about each of you and your learning by doing this class as a hybrid than I would in a traditional format, for example. You each tell me so much through your blogs, and you spend time reading each others' writing, which you might not have been exposed to ordinarily. I see a deeper level of interaction with the ideas, in many ways, as well as a trail that I can go back to throughout the course of the semester and draw on. But it's more work, no doubt about it, and it's taken time for everyone to get used to these kinds of media and all their quirks.
I think the key is not to think of technology as entirely positive or negative -- it just isn't that simple. Like literacy, the ways in which we use technology depend on access and context, expertise and possibly age : ). There's so much to think about -- and computers are no magic bullet for education.
The funny thing is that these technologies can also facilitate that kind of communication. I know more about each of you and your learning by doing this class as a hybrid than I would in a traditional format, for example. You each tell me so much through your blogs, and you spend time reading each others' writing, which you might not have been exposed to ordinarily. I see a deeper level of interaction with the ideas, in many ways, as well as a trail that I can go back to throughout the course of the semester and draw on. But it's more work, no doubt about it, and it's taken time for everyone to get used to these kinds of media and all their quirks.
I think the key is not to think of technology as entirely positive or negative -- it just isn't that simple. Like literacy, the ways in which we use technology depend on access and context, expertise and possibly age : ). There's so much to think about -- and computers are no magic bullet for education.
Tecnology (Sheila, Lauren, Marcie & Samantha)
The main point I had to make was that technology has changed the world around us at an expotential rate. Education needs to progress with the way the world communicates in order to prepare the next generation.
Lauren said "I embrace these new literacy’s. They still teach children to speak and sound out letters. It puts a creative twist on the English language. Its creative and children still learn the correct ways to speak and write in school. It’s more like children are learning a language for themselves.
"Marcie felt "the main idea here is to keep in mind that these advancements are not here to replace the older ways of literacy, they are here to keep up with the times and advance the knowledge of those today. Without our prior knowledge to read and write all of these new technologies would be obsolete. I think it is important to expose students at a young age to the technologies in literacy so it does not get misused."
Samantha wrote "Everything is happening so fast that it will be hard to stay current on every single thing. However, if teachers try to keep up with the changing world, then they can best serve their students. I feel the concept of literacy will remain the same: being able to function in society. It is the society that is changing…"
Lauren said "I embrace these new literacy’s. They still teach children to speak and sound out letters. It puts a creative twist on the English language. Its creative and children still learn the correct ways to speak and write in school. It’s more like children are learning a language for themselves.
"Marcie felt "the main idea here is to keep in mind that these advancements are not here to replace the older ways of literacy, they are here to keep up with the times and advance the knowledge of those today. Without our prior knowledge to read and write all of these new technologies would be obsolete. I think it is important to expose students at a young age to the technologies in literacy so it does not get misused."
Samantha wrote "Everything is happening so fast that it will be hard to stay current on every single thing. However, if teachers try to keep up with the changing world, then they can best serve their students. I feel the concept of literacy will remain the same: being able to function in society. It is the society that is changing…"
New Literacy Summary- Alexandra, Rachel D., Kelly K, and Amanda
After reading the article on new literacies (co-authored by our very own Dr. Dana), we all saw the increase in technology a danger for interpersonal communication in the classroom and in the world.
While Alexandra wonders how the decrease in face-to-face, verbal communication will impact collaboration in the classroom, she also observes that kids are more prolific than ever, even though most of their writing is over the internet. She also wonders if traditional, paper-based skills will become obsolete in the wake of technology.
Kelly K. thinks that because technology is omnipresent, literacy has become that much more vital. Also, because kids are so enthusiastic about new technologies, they are reading that much more over the internet and reading to find out more about video games. Additionally, Kelly observes that kids have developed a new language for quick text messaging, however at the risk of it compromising their writing skills. Like all of us, Kelly thinks that human contact suffers at the hands of technology.
Like Kelly, Rachel thinks the internet is great for kids that are reading online while unaware of it. She worries, however, that students' spelling, careful editing, and reading of books will suffer because of programs on computers and text on the internet. She also fears that students won't challenge their online resources and will buy into everything they are reading as fact.
I found a huge discrepancy for how the state assesses students in the old linear, read, question, answer format of reading comprehension, while the very nature of thinking has changed because the information-age. This brought to mind a student of mine who struggles very much in language arts, but whole goes home and writes prolifically on his My Space page. I struggle with the fact that while he doesn't meet my (the state's) standards for being completely literate in the classroom, he's more literate than I am on the internet. Therefore, who am I to assess him? I also appreciated the definition of literacy in the article and found it to be very Darwinian. If you can't adapt to the changing technology, you won't be technologically literate. (period)
One more thing- I find it humorous that as fast as technology changes and adapts, language changes faster. On my attempt to spell check, "literacies" is not recognized by this program. Also, Mr. Spellcheck is telling me that "internet" is a proper noun, which I'm pretty sure at this point it is not. Food for thought:)
While Alexandra wonders how the decrease in face-to-face, verbal communication will impact collaboration in the classroom, she also observes that kids are more prolific than ever, even though most of their writing is over the internet. She also wonders if traditional, paper-based skills will become obsolete in the wake of technology.
Kelly K. thinks that because technology is omnipresent, literacy has become that much more vital. Also, because kids are so enthusiastic about new technologies, they are reading that much more over the internet and reading to find out more about video games. Additionally, Kelly observes that kids have developed a new language for quick text messaging, however at the risk of it compromising their writing skills. Like all of us, Kelly thinks that human contact suffers at the hands of technology.
Like Kelly, Rachel thinks the internet is great for kids that are reading online while unaware of it. She worries, however, that students' spelling, careful editing, and reading of books will suffer because of programs on computers and text on the internet. She also fears that students won't challenge their online resources and will buy into everything they are reading as fact.
I found a huge discrepancy for how the state assesses students in the old linear, read, question, answer format of reading comprehension, while the very nature of thinking has changed because the information-age. This brought to mind a student of mine who struggles very much in language arts, but whole goes home and writes prolifically on his My Space page. I struggle with the fact that while he doesn't meet my (the state's) standards for being completely literate in the classroom, he's more literate than I am on the internet. Therefore, who am I to assess him? I also appreciated the definition of literacy in the article and found it to be very Darwinian. If you can't adapt to the changing technology, you won't be technologically literate. (period)
One more thing- I find it humorous that as fast as technology changes and adapts, language changes faster. On my attempt to spell check, "literacies" is not recognized by this program. Also, Mr. Spellcheck is telling me that "internet" is a proper noun, which I'm pretty sure at this point it is not. Food for thought:)
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