How New Literacies are Relevant to Us
The two articles I decided to explore more were “Improving Digital Practices for Literacy, Learning, and Justice: More Than Just Tools” and “Digital Literacy”. Both of these readings challenged me to reflect on how I integrate digital literacies in my Technology classes, as I work with students who have very different levels of access and ability.
To be totally honest, I did not go to school to become a Technology teacher, my degree is actually in English. I took on this role after struggling to find a teaching job, but this unexpected position has taught me so much about the importance of new literacies. In my first year, I have come to realize how essential it is to incorporate both traditional literacy and digital skills into my classroom. In the beginning of the year I thought everything had to be computer based, but since then I have created a balance between using both. As the ILA (2018) notes, “our classrooms must move fluidly between the digital and analog worlds that we must simultaneously inhabit” (p. 3). This idea really stuck with me because I see every day how students navigate both spaces, and how they need guidance in both.
What I really liked about the AIR (2020) brief is how it broke down digital literacy into real practical skills, like communicating online, figuring out if information is trustworthy, solving problems, and using technology in ways that will actually help students in their lives beyond school. It made me think about my own students, especially the ones that do not have a lot of access to tech outside of the classroom. These are the kinds of skills that they really need, and are ones I really try to teach in my classroom. I have already created lesson plans for next year that will spend an entire unit learning how to use Google Classroom which is the platform we use for assignments. I feel as though this will help students understand better how to find their assignments as well and know how to turn things in and see announcements from all their teachers. I noticed in the beginning of this school year that my sixth graders struggled immensely with this platform because they never really used it in Elementary School.
Both of these readings really helped deepen my understanding that teaching digital tools goes beyond just knowing how to use a computer, it is about helping students feel confident and capable in a digital world that can oftentimes feel overwhelming to them. Supporting that kind of growth is something I’m really committed to improving in my own classroom.
References
American Institutes for Research. (2020). Teaching skills that matter: Digital literacy brief. https://www.air.org/sites/default/files/TSTMDigitalLiteracyBrief-508.pdf
International Literacy Association. (2018). Improving digital practices for literacy, learning, and justice: More than just tools. https://www.literacyworldwide.org/docs/default-source/where-we-stand/ila-improving-digital-practices-literacy-learning-justice.pdf
Hey Cathrine, I agree with you. I was not 100% for technology when I first started teaching, I actually hate it in real life lol. So being told to add this other element to my instructions was asking me to climb a mountain. It felt like another task added to my plate that I had to learn and perfect in order to make it effective. As the years have gone by, I have seen its relevance and effectiveness of including media as a mode for research, presentation and engagement. Synthesizing information is a skill needed outside of the classroom, so I feel like my efforts are not going to waste as we navigate the world of technology and media together.
ReplyDeleteHi Catherine,
ReplyDeleteI agree, it is so important to teach students how to navigate our analog and digital worlds, we do still toggle between both depending on the task and some people utilize one world more than the other. I can appreciate that you know your student's needs and understand that even though we live in a world with both spaces, and that they still need help navigating both areas!
I also wanted to comment about using Google Classroom, it is such a great resource and I love that you already have a plan to implement a unit dedicated to that for next year. It is important for students to be exposed to an online learning platform, you're teaching them how to use relevant technologies. Teachers should use the technologies in their instructional programing so that learners can become comfortable with them and to support learners' transition to college and careers (Digital Literacy). Providing your students with instruction on how to use Google Classroom will help them as they continue on in their learning journey. While they may encounter other learning platforms along the way, they will have a base skill set to help them. I teach kindergarten, but once a week I am posting something to our Google classroom. I am teaching my students how to open the app, find the assignment, open it up, complete it and then submit the assignment to me. I'm not grading the work they are turning in, I am monitoring how they navigate the app and helping them trouble-shoot issues they may encounter.
Digital Literacy. (n.d.) Teaching Skills That Matter
https://www.air.org/sites/default/files/TSTMDigitalLiteracyBrief-508.pdf