Saturday, June 26, 2010
New Literacies
The use of the Internet via computers in the ' Information Age' has transformed the way students learn and are instructed. This transformation requires new literacies in order to adapt to the fast changing world. The traditional role of teacher changes to one of facilitator with an emphasis on student centred learning. As a reading specialist I hope to be able develop the necessary skills to teach reading in this fast changing environment and to knowledgeable about the new literacies that are accompanying this change.
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Hi Peter
ReplyDeleteI noted your comment on the traditional approaches to education that has to be changed. As reading specialist we will have the privilege and task to help both teachers and students competently approach new literacies with confidence to enhance their learning that will prepare them to function and communicate more efficiently. However, I am just imagining going back to some schools that I have visited in the last couple of weeks around the country and I tremble at the thought of the task we have before us. We all need to prepare ourselves both mentally and physically because the service oriented job we are about to embark on is sorely needed by our nationals.
Victoria Cunningham
Our students today are already using social networks such as Facebook.This is their way of expressing themselves. They connect with friends make arrangements to meet and share experiences via social networking.This space allows them to use their language as well as experiment with new forms of expression.This can be used to further develop students in terms of their literacy.Writing fluency can be incorporated into this by having students respond to the teacher and to each other in sentence form. Reading fluency will be automatically enhanced here as students must read the blog or social network page.It is their technology which will ultimately teach them the fundamentals of literacy once we as tutors capitalize on it.
ReplyDeleteThere is no doubt that technology will become part of our teaching. The question is, are we willing and prepared to use the technology. Children are no longer interested in just the traditional methods of teaching and we have to realize that there are many external influences that can distract our pupils if we do not make a concerted effort to show them how to use the technology wisely.
ReplyDeleteThere are 3D movies now and many children are attracted to them because of the fact that they feel that they are in the movie. Many kids are also attracted to technological toys or they want one because they hear their friends talking about.
What concerns me is the fact that children can access so much information on the Internet that they may not have to read a text to know what a book is about. All they have to do is ‘google it.’ So our work as reading specialists is challenging and this is why I am so grateful for this course because I have gained some insight on how I can incorporate some technology in the reading classroom.
As you rightly pointed out, new technologies call for new literacies.
What you said peter is quite intersting and true. The use of the internent via the computer do take educators to a different level. What students can do and learn on various web site and technological tools available to them is priceless.
ReplyDeleteWe have been introduce to a lot of these tools, that are free of charge, such as blogs wiki, e story and photo story. We need to use these toold in the classroom to enhance our delivery of the subject matter.
Hi Peter,
ReplyDeleteI want to add as reading specialists we also need to encourage our peers to get on board with integrating technology in content area pedagogy in our schools. We must ensure we move forward collectively to ensure we meet the needs of our struggling and disengaged readers. Most schools are equipped with multi-media equipment that are underutilized or not used at all. Our vision 2020 has to begin immediately, because our students are already far ahead of us in their out of school digital technology practices
'New literacies' is the most appropriate name for twenty-first century communication, which we, as educators, have to teach in the classroom. Most teachers do not have a clue as to its meaning nor future implications for education. As future Reading Specialists, we have been afforded the opportunity to learn about the new literacies that exist, but we are now faced with the formidable task of transmitting that knowledge to our colleagues in the field of education. How prepared will we ourselves be for this journey? Are we going to be supplied with the tools to do the job effectively?
ReplyDeleteHowever, what is really needed is a collective effort in preparing teachers to weave technology into their daily instructional practice. They must know what, when and how to use the various technologies if they are to achieve the desired learning outcomes. Interpretation of the new literacies must be taught to students so teachers must acquire that knowledge first. Strategies have to change in order to achieve a smooth transition from industrial age to digital age. We must all rise to the challenge.
Peter,
ReplyDeleteI hear all the talk about student interest in technology but the real question is, how interested are teachers in using technology in the classrooms? I know that this batch of reading specialists will endeavour to put all that we have learnt into practice but we must also remember to share what we have learnt with our colleagues as much as possible. Knowledge shared is knowledge used best.
I fully endorse everything that was said.As Lyn rightly said we must rise to the challenge. However, my concern is -- in order to rise to the challenge we as educators must be able to use the toos available in the challenge.How amany of our teachers can use the web 2.0 effectively in our classrooms?
ReplyDeleteTeachers need to use learn hoe to use these tools before they expose students to same.Once teachers are able to understand how these technologies could be used to facilitate global connections,and create powerful learning network and communications -- we can rise to the challenge of new 'literacies.'
Hi Peter,
ReplyDeleteI like the last question you posed. My response is that, we have to learn to step outside of the box. I notice that the younger teachers are more willing to use the technology because they are growing up in the age of technology. This does not mean that more mature teachers cannot use it but, sadly at my school, some of the older teachers are not excited about technology in the least.
I care about children and I want them to experience the best teaching and learning that I can possibly give them and this is the force that drives me to learn about the technology even if I consider myself to be among the 'mature' teachers.