Media Ecology & Learning Case

• Hanging Out: How did your young person's use of computers reflect friendship driven practices and  facilitate social interaction between their peers? Give concrete examples.

Dominator uses electronics primarily for playing games, one of which is Minecraft and it is inherently social in nature. When he has friends over, they all bring their iPads and play the game together in a group(each with their individual electronic). While his electronic and technology practices are indeed private, they do facilitate social interaction via online communication.

• Messing Around: How did your young person's use of computers provide them with informal learning opportunities to develop tech savvy skill sets? Give concrete examples.

One of Dominator's favorite things to do online is to simply search all kinds of things. He does online searches for pie recipes, various magic spells, and can successfully navigate YouTube at only 8 years old. He understands YouTube's channels system, search engine, and ability to create videos. (Which I'm sure will happen in a matter of time.) These are skills that have resulted simply from recreational time with an electronic, which are quite remarkable given his young age.

• Geeking Out: Has your young person developed a particular interest or highly specialized skill sets  as a result of their use of computers at home and school? Describe?

I would say for certain that the young person I interviewed has further developed interests that wouldn't have been possible without the use of computers at home. He is very interested in magic spells and potions--which I believe initially stemmed from the Harry Potter series. 

He is also very adept at navigating the game of Minecraft, and this is not something you automatically understand after watching for 5 minutes. (I still do not completely grasp it.) Given the fact he has been playing electronic games on iPads and Leapsters since he could talk, he has excellent fine motor skills that have resulted from an increasing amount of technology usage. 

As I observe him, I also see that he can successfully navigate a keyboard and a computer monitor/screen. He fully understands what the space bar, shift keys, and other computer keys mean. When you really think deeply about these skills, you realize that it is pretty remarkable that he has learned all of this at such a young age. There are some children (probably the same age) that do not possess these computer skills, either because they do not have computers at home or these skills are not focused on in the classroom environment. 

• Schooling: Does your young person talk about use of traditional literacy practices like using correct spelling vs text messaging lingo? Reading books over use of the computer? Writing in traditional genres like poetry or essays?  Conducting research for personal or school related purposes? 

Dominator is an avid reader of traditional print books, partly due to the fact that his parents largely support this. During the summer, he and his brother must also write in their journals for 30 minutes once a day, and read a chapter book for 40 minutes every day. 

However, he would much rather be using the computer. In fact, there are many times when he insists that his 40 minutes of reading time can be done on the Kindle (e-reader), because he would rather use it versus a traditional book. 

Quotes to inlcude from course texts

"So great is this threat of destabilization that a number of new technologies are currently excluded from educational settings and we continually attempt to police the online activity of our pupils."

"I believe that current classroom practices which focus mainly on individualized learning need to learn from what I and others (Gee, 2004; Williamson and Facer) have noted about online learning collaboration; that each individual can achieve more by interacting with others."

"Participatory media cultures sometimes include very productive learning environments."

"Groups are an excellent way of structuring activities and, while allowing a whole range of creative responses, provide rules for participation and learning."

"Using the Internet does not automatically guarantee participation in the information society, hence assistance is required in order to engage them in relevant activities."

"The essential nature of traditional skill development for students further indicates that today's students are not so different from previous generation: they still need to learn the same basic skills."

"The criticism centers around the idea that this term overemphasizes differences between generations and undermines diversity within the generation in question."

"In some ways, students today are ahead of their elders. Technology is second nature to them and they accept it without question. Schools lag behind."

Changing Literacies; Changing Pedagogies

    


'Computer literacy' seemed to be associated with detailed knowledge of equipment rather than the uses to which that equipment is put.

This quote was taken from the excerpt on a study that assessed pre-service teacher's digital literacy skills. And I found this particular quote to be extremely provocative, because oftentimes we(and our students) are misunderstood about what computer literacy actually entails.

I think it's fairly common to assume that we are talking about hardware rather than the functions we use. I also feel that this needs to be addressed in the classroom, because misconceptions lead to mixed emotions about a particular subject or issue. Students lack confidence in their computer literacy skills because they aren't familiar with the basic concept of computer literacy.



Provision of clear expectations and models, coupled with explicit teaching and one-on-one support, are as necessary with digital literacies as with traditional print assignment, and this demands that teacher educators develop their own skills and capacities as designers and producers of digital texts.

This is perhaps one of the most important aspects of teaching in the digital age. It is imperative that teachers take workshops and attend professional development seminars in order to learn how to create their own digital texts. Only when we have had the opportunity to be a learner, will we be able to effectively guide our students in their own literacy development.


The novel, the academic argument, the poem and the research paper are dead genres, and should be substituted with genres more likely to be found in the native, everyday practices of youth.

The aforementioned quote is taken from the "replacement" stance in the final chapter of our text, and I do not completely agree with the quote. While I do agree that we need to incorporate more texts into the classroom that are found in the everyday practice of youth, I do not necessarily think that we should toss out timeless novels and poetry like yesterday's garbage.

I side with the 'parallel pedagogy' stance which supports the use of old and new literacy practices side by side. Maybe I'm nostalgic for old literacy practices, but I find value in being able to sit down a ready a novel from cover to cover. I think that certain works will stand the test of time (regardless of technology) because they were a revolutionary work of art for their time. This isn't to say that The Great Gatsby cannot be read on an e-reader, because there are many useful functions on these devices (dictionary and thesaurus, highlighting capabilities, etc.).

My beliefs on literacy lie with accepting the new and yet still maintaining an appreciation for the past.

Digital Literacies: Social Learning & Classroom Practices

     

"The printing press heralded an information revolution that drew from and enabled other social, cultural and political change."

Just as the printing press became the catalyst for an information revolution, so too has the internet and availability of digital technologies. Technology, whether it is a rock and a chisel, or a laptop computer continues to redefine the very concept of literacy as we know it.

When literacy practices are made available to larger groups of people, we see marked changes in society, culture, and even the political process. Everybody has become an active participant in what was commonly reserved for the elite.

But in terms of education, it has become necessary to educate learners to distinguish opinion from fact and critically evaluate for credibility. If we fail to properly educate with various digital texts, then we risk losing the same disenfranchised group of people as before.

"It is not enough to know how to set up a blog and how to read and write; there is a need to understand what blogging is, what it can do and how blogs work as a part of meaning-making."

As I have experimented with classrooms, I have had an overwhelmingly positive response to blogging for educational purposes. The very act of blogging is a way for students to connect with one another, and also gives parents the opportunity to view their child's work without even stepping foot in the school.

Our text mentions that blogging gives teachers a way to view a student's learning over a period of time, given its chronological nature. This is highly valuable to teachers, as we continually strive to implement various methods of formative and portfolio assessment. Blogging can serve as the platform for student created work that is most commonly seen in a portfolio.


"So great is this threat of destabilization that a number of new technologies are currently excluded from educational settings and we continually attempt to police the online activity of our pupils."

When I read this quote, I think of the many sites that are blocked in WV public schools, most notably YouTube. I'm consistently taken aback when a student retorts, "We can't do that. We don't have YouTube."

Why, may I ask? In the course of my graduate studies, I continue to revisit the idea that multi modal learning has the potential to make the biggest impact in the learning context. In fact, of all the videos that are on YouTube, I seek tutorials and how-tos the most often.

I am the eternal optimist when it comes to education, and I believe that if people are simply educated in the proper way to utilize a digital technology like YouTube, there will be no need for abuse of it.

Dominator's first Interview

Ask your young person to choose a pseudonym for you to use in the writing of your case. Dominator, 9 years old

Do you have a computer /iPod/MPC playerWii/ ect....?

Wii, iPad, computer, Nintendo DS, Leapster Explorer, iPhone 5

What kinds of things do you use the computer/phone/iPad ect for?

Playing video games, searching stuff on the internet.

What is your favorite thing to do on the computer?

Play video games--Plazma Burst 1-4

How did you learn to do that?

I just watched one of my friends do it.

What are some other things you use the computer for?

Looking up pies (I just like pie), and magic spells, watching YouTube videos.

What is your favorite game? Why?

Minecraft; because I can build anything. Building is my favorite and I like watching all the people type curse words. (laughs)

Do you know other people who do this?

The whole world? Basically everybody I know.

How do you use the computer at school?

We just play games, at specials. It’s kind of like gym and computer.

How would you like to use the computer at school?

I would do anything when the teacher isn’t looking, like play games, search YouTube, watch videos.

(Me): “For learning purposes?”

I would take a picture of something and study that way. I could get an app to write stories, I could look up the answer or information to math problems.

(Me): “Do you think learning would be easier that way?”

Anything is easier when you use electronics.

Do you think teachers would let you use the computer to do those things? Why? Why not?

Maybe. Because the teacher is pretty much going to say no. She might say yes about the writing, because it could correct our spelling and we would get all the writing right.

(Me): “Anything else you’d like to tell me about technology and why you like electronics?”

They are awesome, great, fun, spectacular!

Supporting quotes from text:

"I believe that current classroom practices which focus mainly on individualized learning need to learn from what I and others (Gee, 2004; Williamson and Facer) have noted about online learning collaboration; that each individual can achieve more by interacting with others."

Digital Texts In & Out of School

       

Illumination Text

"Participatory media cultures sometimes include very productive learning environments."


Online media sites are biased toward the social and tend to be inherently collaborative in nature. When people get together and discuss certain concepts regarding their works, learning is taking place. There is healthy criticism and analysis taking place, which often times leads to the fine-tuning of one's skills.


"I believe that current classroom practices which focus mainly on individualized learning need to learn from what I and others (Gee, 2004; Williamson and Facer) have noted about online learning collaboration; that each individual can achieve more by interacting with others."


Whether you're scrolling through Twitter or online forums, you can't help but notice that there is actual learning making place in an online environment. And it's not one person doing all the work--but rather it is a collective effort.

In order to truly analyze genuine learning taking place, I look outside of the school. Learning is all around us, and it is increasingly becoming a collective effort.

We need to take this collective learning style and directly apply it to the classroom setting. Students of today are created for this, and we owe it to them to design our curriculum around 21st century style learning.



"Groups are an excellent way of structuring activities and, while allowing a whole range of creative responses, provide rules for participation and learning."

I find groups to be an ideal atmosphere for learning. Good and consistent learning does require a bit of structure, and groups can offer that by providing general social rules for participation. By engaging in group learning, students have the potential to develop good learning habits that primary come from working with a group like cooperation and persistence.

Beyond Digital Natives

"This suggests that schooled constructions of literacy, and perhaps reading literacy in particular, caused considerable disruption for Caitlyn, as her own strategies to make sense of texts were perceived to be without value in the school system."

Whereas the other two boys participating in the study found their digital literacy skills to be transferrable, Caitlyn did not. This suggests that not all digital natives are able to acquire digital skills in the home and transfer them to the classroom setting.

I believe that this is characteristic of many students today whom find their amazing and innovative skills to be severely undervalued in the classroom setting. From a self-sesteem standpoint, this creates negative feelings that are directly tied to school. So, it is wrong to assume that all children will be able to seamlessly apply these digital skills that were acquired in the home to the school environment.

The portion of the study on Caitlyn goes on to suggest that there are apparent gender differences in this field of study. However, Caitlyn serves as a representation of male and female students across the board that see the lack of digital technology in the school, and subsequently become discouraged against using these literacy skills in paper format.

It is imperative that we as educators implement digital literacy skills within the curriculum in order to bridge the gap between home and school.

"The consequences of not developing a better understanding are far greater, because with this comes the risk that we will ignore subtle digital divides that do threaten the quality of our education systems."


This was the last sentence in Chapter 11, which summed up the chapter beautifully. The alternative to not continuing research and integrating digital literacy skills is that our education systems will further suffer. Change is a natural part of the life cycle, but the major difference here is that the change is not a top-down approach--we are not the ones initiating it--our students are.

They are giving us subtle yet major hints that indicate change in the school is not only beneficial, but necessary.

"Despite this reality of legal practice, we almost always teach young people to learn on their own in the quiet of the library carrel and then demand that they take an exam on their own."


This quotes proves the disconnect that taking place between legal schooling and true legal work. Whereas legal work is inherently collaborative in nature and thrives on working in a team, law school teaches the polar opposite.

So we obviously have legal professionals that despite their formal schooling have learned by trial and error that collaborative discussion with legal partners and technological methods work best. We must ask ourselves why legal education hasn't evolved to support this.

I realize that not all students like to work collaboratively in a group atmosphere--I don't prefer it. However, that doesn't mean that you don't learn by working in a group. We have students with all types of learning styles to accommodate and I believe that by having a curriculum that incorporates private learning, group work, and digital literacy skills; students can take comfort in working how they prefer while simultaneously being challenged to learn by other methods. By keeping a balanced and challenging curriculum, students will inevitably be more motivated and engaged.

Digital Natives: Navigating Literate Worlds

So, my meme is pretty broad--but just imagine a world where students are instructed by the best and brightest on digital literacy skills! They would learn how to best utilize the digital realm and participate in this global culture. 

The same can be said about different digital media and software packages that are introduced in different subjects. How does it change the knowledge structures within the subject itself?

Core bodies of knowledge across disciplines are currently shifting because of the technological resources that are available at our disposal. Just as the calculator in mathematics is giving rise to more complex problems and patterns, other disciplines are experiencing a similar effect.

How is your discipline changing in the information age?

More and more frequently, I see students that prefer to read the condensed "Cliff Notes" version of a book for literature class. What do we do in this instance--do teachers work tirelessly to combat this, or do we accept this as an additional analysis to enhance our overall comprehension of a novel?

There are so many notions to consider in situations like these For my discipline, it is no longer sufficient to require students to access a singular textbook in order to learn about nutrition. I prefer to align my curriculum with current articles and studies throughout the web.

As we continue to pick up an even faster pace in our quest for knowledge, I think there will come a time when textbooks are obsolete--and I think that will happen very soon. A textbook format is finding it difficult to keep up with our ever-expanding sources of information--it becomes outdated in a matter of 2-3 years now.

There is evidence, particularly based on the work of Head and Eisenberg (2009, 2010), that students are simply using resources such as Wikipedia to "scope" the academic "problem" they are researching.

The research presented in this chapter was particularly eye-opening, and caused me to reflect on my own experiences with academic research. I confess, I have always used Google and Wikipedia to "scope" the problem, and gain some sort of understanding before delving deeper into academic studies.

Sometimes, that happens to be as far as I go unless I am required to cite reputable sources. (In those cases, Wikipedia does not qualify as a reputable source.)

In my opinion, the bulk of this problem stems from the fact that we are not instructed on how to properly conduct academic searches within a database. Oftentimes, as an undergraduate, a librarian will come to one or two of your undergrad classes and give a short session on how to use the databases that are provided with your tuition money. And, this is usually where it ends.

In regards to K12 education, many students are not formally educated on how to properly search, synthesize, and eloquently summarize information from reputable sources.

Their attitudes and values appear to be more closely aligned with expediency and familiarity that with precision and effort. 

From a behavioral standpoint, I understand why students choose familiarity over something more complex, even though it will yield much more valuable resources. It is simply easier to navigate the familiar when you do not understand its counterpart. Once again, these behaviors prove the need to teach digital literacy skills within K12 education.


Using the Internet does not automatically guarantee participation in the information society, hence assistance is required in order to engage them in relevant activities.

Yet again, this is another example of why it is crucial to not engage in overgeneralizing of the "digital native." Too often, we overestimate the extent to which people engage in civic, political, and social activities. However, the study of youth in Sweden proved that young people most commonly use the internet for social and communicative purposes.

In order to guarantee participation, education must focus on technology as a participatory medium. And in order to accomplish this, it's imperative to focus on digital 2.0 technologies that merit the feeling of participation (such as blogs and peer-to-peer communication mediums.