Well, I was sitting this week trying to think of a topic and having a very hard time. Then I sat down to do my homework for another class, and I realized that the reading I had to do was all about topics that we were talking about in this class.
In my textbook for teaching reading, thinking and study skills, there was a whole chapter dedicated to what they dubbed "new literacy" or "multimodal literacy." This literacy is all about being literate with more than just text. This might included images, video, audio and combinations of everything. This is directly tied to technology, as these are all methods that we encourage our students to use when they are working with technology. The text encouraged teachers to work with these ideas when they are teaching literacy, as students are using video, audio, etc. more and more when they are learning.
The book also talked about how, thanks to technology, literacy is no longer a smooth linear activity. Instead online reading is now more like the winding path of the kid in the "Family Circus" comics. When reading online, you have the chance to follow links, skip sections, or only read the first page of something, without delving deeper. This changes how we understand reading entirely, and changes how reading should be taught. We need to focus on helping students navigate this technology rich world, so that they can easily and efficiently learn and grow as students.
The chapter also looked at ways to incorporate technology into literacy instruction, something I found very interesting. One of my favorite activities was writing with hyperlinks. This would serve two purposes, first it will teach students how to create and use hyperlinks, allowing them to navigate online smoothly and effectively. Second, it can also provide scaffolding and support for students who need more than just the plain text in front of them. You could have students hyperlink definitions, maps, videos of experiments, articles or fun things like music. Another activity that is suggested is one that we have put into practice in this class, creating a wiki on a topic. This is a good way to create a permanent resource, and encourage students to work collectively, without having all the time dedicated to group research and presentations. Students can be encouraged to work exclusively online, communicating through the wiki and working when they have the time.
Overall, the connections found in all topics in education amaze me. Everything from one area is relevant in all other areas, something we as teachers need to recognize and use. We are not just teaching in our little math bubble or science bubble, we are teaching in the greater world, where anything is possible.
Good lessons in this post, Liz. Our Digital Literacy wiki would benefit from some of these ideas :-)
ReplyDeleteI also liked how that chapter in our other class tied in with digital literacy. Just goes to show that technology is not just a fad or a phase but it is becoming the new norm and we are going to have to adapt with it as it grows and changes. I also really liked that hyperlinked writing activity. It's a great way to show how learning using technology is non-linear and that we have access to so much with just the click of a button.
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