Traditionally literacy instruction referred to the teaching of basic literacy skills-reading, writing, listening and speaking. However, in the 21st century it has become a digital world. Thus, students also need technology skills for communicating, investigating, accessing and using information as well as being able to think critically about messages inherent in new media.
As an educator in this digital world one has to consider what it means to be literate in a digital society. Does this mean teaching the children how to use word processors and spreadsheets and the sort, as we would have done to become computer literate and ready for the digital world? In my research and readings I have found such a broader view as technology can influence how people read, write and communicate.
Although technology promises new ways to promote literacy, educators have mixed reactions as some holds it at arms length and some embraces it and some in their enthusiasm have a some what wrong interpretation of how it should be used.
What side do you think you would support and how do you think we can encourage our colleagues to embrace the use of technology to promote literacy?
In the future posts, I would like to explore what research has to offer, best practices and resources that support integration of new technologies into literacy instruction.
Hi Sabrina,
ReplyDeleteI too, think that we are especially challenged by the literacy needs of our diverse and divergent learners. As professionals we have to be ever so mindful of this, in addition to the requirements of the curriculum and the expectations of stakeholders. I think that the expansion of the term ’text’ to include all forms of communication media is an important part of the ‘’new literacies”. I believe that as educators we have to be proactive with technology and embrace our new realities which unfortunately can be very daunting at times.
Sabrina in answer to your question
ReplyDeleteWhat side do you think you would support and how do you think we can encourage our colleagues to embrace the use of technology to promote literacy?
The following would give an indication of why I support the use of technology to promote literacy.
Today’s children have grown up in an environment where things are expected to happen almost instantaneously. They have grown up as “native speakers “ of the digital language of computers, video games, internet, mobile phones, instant Messaging and a host of other communication methods supported by Information Communication Technology (ICT). These students are referred to as ‘Digital Natives’, a term coined by Prensky (2001). The single biggest problem facing education today is that our curriculum practitioner’s e.g. teachers are digital immigrant instructors who speak an outdated language and are struggling to teach a population that speaks an entirely new language.
The learning styles of the digital native are graphics before text, parallel process and multitask, random access, instant gratification, networked situations and games preferred to serious work. Digital natives are used to receiving information really fast. The learning styles are influenced by their experiences. The digital immigrants (curriculum practitioners) learnt and choose to teach using a step by step approach, slowly, one thing at a time and emphasizes that learning is serious business and not fun and games. Children today have short attention spans for the old ways of learning. Attention spans however are not short for video games or anything that holds their interest. Students today crave interactivity. The traditional ways of schooling especially the chalk and talk in Trinidad and Tobago cannot satisfy their thirst for graphic interactive work.
In order to help our teachers make the transition from new to old literacies, proper planning is essential. According to Sindoni (2009), planning would include creation and implementation of policies which make the technologies available to all students so that equity is ensured. On the macro level, developed and developing nations have to come up with appropriate policies and implementation strategies based on their educational needs.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Larson (2008) that at the school level, teachers should be trained in the use of technology. They should also be able to inform their pedagogical philosophies based on the changes occurring within education (due to technology). As our schools become more and more equipped with laptops, computers and other devices, we as teachers need to become motivated in order to be ‘present ‘ for our students who will need our guidance.
Hi Genevive, Zandra and ABC Carew,
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with all of you and it was very interesting to read your replies. Thanks for the new term Zandra. As our course ends I really hope that we can be butterflies that cause technology storms in our schools. There really is an urgent need for change as we need to catch those children that have been turned off from learning and those that have fallen through the cracks.