What texts are important to our lives? On the surface, this question seems relatively straight forward. For example, I am known for being rather "low-tech", I prefer to spend the minimal amount of time in front of a screen as possible. One may predict that the amount of literacy skills used in digital media venues would be minimal. However, reflecting on the last 24 hours, I recounted the various texts I encountered through both digital and traditional media.
Digital Media (35) :
pdf journal articles
e-book
classmates blogs
university portal
knitting pattern pdf
etsy.com shop management
google search
e-journal search
e-dictionary
text messages
email (social, formal, informal, professional, business)
Pinterest
instruction search
library catalog
banking
Youtube
math skills site
Spanish skills site
grade school student portal
calendar
music
book review/discussion
audio book
evite
newsletter
bulletin
image search
meditation guide
doctor appointment
insurance application
haircut appointment
photo sharing
store hours
maps
schedules
Traditional Media (21):
novel
dictionary
notes
history books
schedule
white boards
receipts
lists
recipes
newspaper
newsletter
reflection paper
signs/advertisements
product labels/descriptions
owner's manual
story books
mail/letters
post its
contract
knitting patterns
grade school homework
My brief personal assessment is in line with the trend of increased screen time and use of image based communication (Gillen and Barton, 2010, Huffaker, 2005, Wilber, 2010). Of the 56 medias, I noted, 35 were digital. I understand why Gillen and Barton (2010), see the need to make school relevant to society's norms. However, I am hesitant to jump on board with the ideas of replacing traditional media in school with electronic versions. First of all, very few of the medias I use were "taught" through formal instruction. Overt instructions rarely seem necessary for children exploring technology. Second, most of the technology I use, didn't exist when I was in school, and will unlikely persist. Exposure to current technology allows exploration and monitoring but most will become irrelevant. Third, the majority of technology in Gillen and Barton (2010) presented a different form of traditional methods but were not necessarily an innovative tool or a necessary improvement. In my opinion, the focus should be on general competency, critical thinking, and safety. Children get ample technology exposure outside school and could benefit from a break in their exposure to virtual reality. Gillen and Barton (2010) touched on this when comparing the reflective inward focus of reading a physical text as opposed to the attention management necessary for readers of screens (p7).
Gillen, J. & Barton, D. (2010). Digital Literacies. Research briefing for the TLRP-TEL (Teaching and Learning Research Programme-Technology Enhanced Learning). London: London Knowledge Lab, Institute of Education.
Huffaker, D. (2005). The Educated Blogger: Using Weblogs to Promote Literacy in the Classroom. AACE Journal, 13(2), 91–98.
Wilber, D.J. (2010). Special themed issue: Beyond 'new' literacies. Digital Culture &
Gillen, J. & Barton, D. (2010). Digital Literacies. Research briefing for the TLRP-TEL (Teaching and Learning Research Programme-Technology Enhanced Learning). London: London Knowledge Lab, Institute of Education.
Huffaker, D. (2005). The Educated Blogger: Using Weblogs to Promote Literacy in the Classroom. AACE Journal, 13(2), 91–98.
Wilber, D.J. (2010). Special themed issue: Beyond 'new' literacies. Digital Culture &
Education, 2:1, 1-6.
I can relate to the statement you made about the medias you said you utilize. We were not formally instructed on how to use these medias, it seems like it was just something we acquired. Which is so strange when you actually stop to think about it. And often times, we forget how literate we are in these types of medias especially when we are trying to instruct some one to use these medias for their own learning purposes. That can be a unique challenge for teachers too, you need to know what medias your students are literate in to know what and how you need to instruct your students. I also agree with how you reflected on the idea of increasing critical thinking and safety, as that is frequently overlooked until it is an afterthought. I have trouble, however, agreeing to the statement about children getting ample technology exposure outside of school. There are so many situations that we are unaware of, as teachers, that we often forget there are a good number of students unable to access the internet at home, or don't have a computer at home. I know from experience that I still have students with flip phones and aren't capable of scrolling through Facebook or reading news articles. This isn't to say that they aren't proficient with technology, but they may cherish it differently than those students who have access any where they may be. It can definitely be strange for us to think about a younger population not having access to these technologies that many of us take for granted. All in all, your viewpoints were easy for me to relate to. I look forward to reading more of your posts and contributing to discussions.
ReplyDeleteI think you are right. Many people do overlook the fact that not everyone has these resources at their disposal.
DeleteTo clarify, I think regardless of students outside exposure to technology. Most tech-skills are able to be quickly picked up by grade school children.
You make a good point that the technology may be cherished more by the children who don't have home access. I have also seen it ostracize children who discover what other children have access to. (Regardless of similar skill level demonstrated in school.)
These are definitely things to think about when trying to create a level playing field!
Hi Carmen!
ReplyDeleteI really like how you set up categories of digital media versus traditional media. While some of it may always remain traditional, it's really interesting to me when the two overlap. Recently, when I was cashing out a at a department store, the cashier asked me if I wanted a printed receipt or an emailed receipt. As much as I love the idea of going paperless for certain things, I always opt for the printed receipt to make sure everything rang up correctly without checking the email account on my phone. Digital media today is so extremely fast paced, that I also wonder if a third category will soon be required. Lankshear and Knobel state that "under the fast-paced conditions of contemporary life, what appears new at a given point in time may be superseded and become "old" very quickly." (Lankshear and Knobel, pg.184) What will happen when what we currently know as digital media is replaced with a newer more updated format? Will there be classic offline media, outdated digital media, and new age digital media? It's really interesting to consider where literacy started and how far it has come.
Citation:
Lankshear, Colin, and Michele Knobel. Literacies: Social, Cultural and Historical Perspectives. New York: Peter Lang, 2011. Print.