Can be found here:
Media Ecology Case Study - Avery
Sunday, June 30, 2013
EDUC 6816 - Weekly Reading #6
Reading #1: Writing as an exploration: Rethinking the research paper.
"Exploration #24 in the book, called “Combinations,” calls for taking two different objects and creating as many connections between them as possible."I picked this quote because it's a fun activity and I loved this article because of the fun activities. I've seen the book this article refers to: How to Be an Explorer of the World, by Keri Smith before and have always been curious about it. I think this does it - I'm ordering it (It's actually up on Amazon.com right now in a different tab!).
Alright, I'm going to get a bit personal here - I'm off for the next two months and my son created a schedule for the day based on his daycare center, which means I'm in charge of finding at least 3 hours a day of activities for them. Yikes! I work with adults, so the idea of finding activities for an 8 & 4 is daunting! This book, I think, could be awesome for that! And then, bonus - I'll get to use it with my adults too. I've noticed there are a lot of things that transfer between elementary kids and adults - we all just want to have fun!
Okay, so back to academia.... Encouraging curiosity is my favorite teaching method and curiosity is a great way to develop guiding questions.This book reminded me of one I read in high school called "A Whack on the Side of the Head."
It was very influential to me, although I don't think I would have ever called it that before right now. It has great ideas of how to use creativity to think about problems in different ways. Although I haven't used it in a while, I used to often open it up and find an activity when I was stuck on a problem. It was always a great resource for helping me get through.
Reading #2: Students As Authentic Researchers: A New Prescription for the High School Research Assignment
1. What is the difference between writing a report and "doing research"?
Doing research means taking an active role in data collection to find meaning in a subject. Writing a report is taking others research and writing a paper to present their findings. Unintentionally, this can also mean presenting the researcher's conclusions as the author's own. I know I've always struggled with that part of a research paper - presenting my conclusions because it always just mirrors what the researcher's is. It always felt inauthentic to me.
2. How might doing authentic research better prepare students for the 21st century work place? Give specific examples from the "Between a Rock and a Hard Place" reading.
Conducting their own research, particularly interviews with people about their subject makes them have to weigh the differences between what a person might say and what formal research might say. This is similar to what the nurses had to do in their jobs, in the reading "Between a Rock and a Hard Place."
3.Why might Constructivist type learning better prepare students for the 21st century work place than Behavioral approaches?
Constructivist learning is more helpful in the 21st Century workplace where problem solving, critical thinking and creativity are highly valued skills. The Behavioral approach emphasizes step-by-step processes, and rote memorization that devalues those skills. I might be going out on a limb here, but I think the behavioral approach worked for the industrial age because the majority of workers were asked to show up on time, work hard, exhibit good behavior and do their part on the assembly line - creativity, critical thinking, and questioning the status quo were actively discouraged. In the 21st century workplace, workers are encouraged to challenge assumptions and ask tough questions in order to develop new creative products (or services) for customers. Teamwork and self-managed teams are also more prevalent.
4. How does authentic research support new media literacies? Make connections to the reading What Wikipedia Can Teach Us About New Media Literacies Part 1What Wikipedia Can Teach Us About New Media Literacies Part 2
According to Henry Jenkins, new media literacies "are almost all social skills which have to do with collaboration and networking" (Jenkins). Students who do authentic research - via blogs, forums, interviews, and other digital texts - are learning how to navigate these social, digital landscapes. They are also learning to analyze, dissect, critique, create meaning and draw conclusions from each source.
Sources:
Gordon, C. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.ala.org/aasl/aaslpubsandjournals/slmrb/slmrcontents/volume21999/vol2gordon
Herrmann, B. (2012). Writing as an exploration: Rethinking the research paper. Wisconsin English Journal, 54(2), 49-51. Retrieved from http://journals.library.wisc.edu/index.php/wej/article/viewFile/538/579
Lloyd, A. (2011). Trapped between a Rock and a Hard Place: What Counts as Information Literacy in the Workplace and How Is It Conceptualized? Library Trends,60 (2) pp. 277-296.
Jenkins , H. What wikipedia can teach us about the new media literacies (part one) [Web log message]. Retrieved from http://henryjenkins.org/2007/06/what_wikipedia_can_teach_us_ab.html
EDUC 6809 - Weekly Reading #6
This week we read:
Instant Messaging: A Literacy Event by Jennifer Carey at California State University - Northridge
After ten minutes I had given up and picked up the phone to continue the conversation in a way that I was comfortable. For me, the technology did not seem invisible, but rather a hurdle to my own means of authentic dialogue.I picked this quote because it is completely opposite of how I felt the first time I Instant Messaged. It was with my best friend in college and I felt so free! I discovered through IM that I could talk to my friends without having to navigate awkward pauses, and I loved it!
I have never been a phone person. In middle school the In-Thing was to get a phone in your room (bonus if you got your own line!). I asked for one and my parents obliged. I think I used it twice within the first few months... and only if a friend called me. I wasn't very social as a teenager, and I wish that Facebook and IMing had existed then.... I might have gotten out more (with phones the primary method of making plans, I just didn't make any plans!).
It has taken me a long time to learn that written communication is just as valuable as phone communication. For a long time, as a professional, I would beat myself up because I would put off making phone calls. I would convince myself that the phone call was the only "proper" way of communicating and I felt like a failure because I always unable to properly, verbally convey my message to the recipient. Although it depends on who I wish to talk to, I have found email to be equally valued among my professional peers today and I'm glad for it.
I will say though, I worry that this is not the case among many K-12 teachers. Although each year it gets easier, I still find it somewhat intimidating to talk to my kids teachers (and especially the administrators). I find it it particularly difficult to communicate effectively with them on a regular basis because, my experience, is that teachers are not usually very communicative via email. I have never called the school to talk to my son's teachers because I am unsure of what to expect. I realize that I might be a unique case but I wish more teachers would seek out varying ways to communicate with their student's parents (and understand that a lot of parents are intimidated by the school system).
Okay, back to the task at hand. Here's my additional source this week:
Tapping Instant Messaging
I choose this article because it gives some better specifics about ways Instant Messaging has been used in the classroom. It also give practical advice about what works and doesn't work.
1. How can instant messaging support reading and writing in school?
Reading and writing is at the center of instant messaging, because of its very nature it lends itself to instruction in school. I think I responded most to the idea of using IM as a mode of discussion about a subject and as an assessment tool. This form of online communication is a way for students to also practice online participation and social skills, while giving them new ways of engaging with the class. They will also be writing for purpose - which is to engage in conversation with their peer group, a purpose they readily understand.
2. How did your attitudes and beliefs about the value of instant message as a result of reading the research on Instant messaging as a literacy practice?
I have never thought about using IM in my classroom. I have used blogging and have thought about using forums, but IM is a different form of discussion all together. It is instant and requires quick, engaged responses. It makes me think about different ways I could expand the GED classes. We have the option of offering online studying, and several students are interested in it, but I've never figured out quite how to make it work effectively. IM could give the opportunity for me to assign work and have discussion at set times with students online... I know this is a bit off topic.... to get back on it: right now, writing is not a large part of the GED test. It's one essay (and a good organizational strategy will tackle it) and that's it. However, the new test starting in 2014 will require more short answers and writing in every subject area will become a focus. I could see IMing definitely helping on several fronts:
1.) simply writing practice
2.) Reading and response practice
3.) speed.... reading and responding immediately because being able to answer questions and move on quickly is a key component of the High School Equivalency test!
Sources:
Carey, J. (n.d.). Instant messaging: A literacy event. California State University Northridge.
EDUC 6816 - Citizen Journalism Project beginnings
My Citizen Journalism Project Lesson Plan beginnings can be found here:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1MsPjBolA4qjsZo87QBoLJmyL7mAZbH28BAYtYsFxrAs/edit?usp=sharing
(I tried to copy it into this blog, but the format didn't keep, so I thought it was best to just share it via Google Drive).
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1MsPjBolA4qjsZo87QBoLJmyL7mAZbH28BAYtYsFxrAs/edit?usp=sharing
(I tried to copy it into this blog, but the format didn't keep, so I thought it was best to just share it via Google Drive).
Sunday, June 23, 2013
EDUC 6809 - Weekly Reading #5
This week my class read:
I choose several quotes that I thought intertwined together to tell a larger story - that of Peter's brilliance!
"What Peter loves most.... are the layers in the plot.""Peter proceeds to discuss the nuances of each character at length"
"When Peter reads..., it is the mystical and otherworldly quality that speaks to him."
"He demonstrated a deep understanding of characterization and sense of story"
(Rowsell & Burke, 2009)
I
purposely left out any reference to what Peter was referring to..... Re-reading this, I could insert any number of literature masterpieces highly valued in language arts classes. If
Peter was talking about Shakespeare, he would
be considered a star student. Being flexible with the texts used to teach certain concepts could help student's understanding.
I try to do this with my adult students whenever possible and I think this helps my students "get it". For example, I use commercials and popular country songs to teach my students figurative language. The Geico "Happy as" (I know it's Happier Than - but I just change it for them :) and Allstate Mayhem commercials are a great way to teach the difference between a metaphor and a simile (it really makes them go "ohhh...."). As far as the songs go - be careful about that one! My students love to point out the figurative language in those but its usually not appropriate! I then go into a Poetry unit and we see if we can identify the figurative language and meaning within a written text. I think starting students in a mode they are interested/familiar with helps them understand the concept so then they can apply it to an academic based reading.
I try to do this with my adult students whenever possible and I think this helps my students "get it". For example, I use commercials and popular country songs to teach my students figurative language. The Geico "Happy as" (I know it's Happier Than - but I just change it for them :) and Allstate Mayhem commercials are a great way to teach the difference between a metaphor and a simile (it really makes them go "ohhh...."). As far as the songs go - be careful about that one! My students love to point out the figurative language in those but its usually not appropriate! I then go into a Poetry unit and we see if we can identify the figurative language and meaning within a written text. I think starting students in a mode they are interested/familiar with helps them understand the concept so then they can apply it to an academic based reading.
1. What did you learn about how reading of digital texts differs from the reading of print texts?
Reading digital text requires juggling multiple modes of information which can include design elements, symbol representations, spatial relationships, audio, video and still images (photographs, graphs, drawing etc.) and text to understand meaning. This is what is referred to as multimodal and the author of this paper has a great description:
Reading of print text relies on only one mode (written text) to understand meaning."by multimodal, we mean the use of different modes of communication to create an effect, the point being that each mode offers certain potential meanings that another might not offer."
2. Do agree the the reading of digital texts are complex?
Yes. There is a lot of complexity involved in decoding meaning from multiple modes. The ability to design the way the modes interact with each other is a powerful way to explain subtle complexities. Here's an example of a digital text that is pretty complex:
3. Do you think that reading digital texts has value for reading in school?
Yes - absolutely! Digital texts by design are more capable of conveying complexities and subtleties in thought. I think they belong in schools and should be used to help students decode meaning from text.
4.
How might a teacher connect Peter's online reading skills with academic
reading? How might this improve Peter's academic reading?
A teacher could introduce characterization by allowing Peter to create character studies of Naruto. That teacher could have him re-write a scene from an academic-reading (like Shakespeare) using the Naruto characters in place of the similar character archetypes in the other reading.
References:
References:
Rowsell, J., & Burke, A. (2009). Reading by design: Two case studies of digital reading practices. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy , 53(2), 106-118. doi: 10.1598
EDUC 6809 - Interview Transcript & Categories
This week I interviewed my son for the Media Ecology Case Study assignment.
Read the transcript here.
I identified statements and categories for the paper. Here they are:
V: Do you know other people who do this (play Monkeyquest.com)?
A: Yes.
V: Can you elaborate?
A:I only remember one, which is Kyle.... Kyle... and Isaac play.
V: Does Aiden play?
A: Aiden's only seen it but he hasn't played it.
V: Do you know other people that do this (play Minecraft)?
A: My best friend Aiden, Tucker, Isaac and that's it.
V: Okay, well… you were the one that taught me how to craft things, because I didn't know… do you remember that?
A: yey.
V: So, How did you learn to craft?
My best friend Aiden taught me.
V: Okay, well Thanks.
A: There's one more thing I want to tell you
V: Okay.
A: The creator of Minecraft is Nach.
V: It's who?
A:Nach.
V:How do you know that?
A: Aiden.
V: Aiden?
A: (looking over at my notes) NACH is spelled N-A-C-H by the way.
Messing Around:
V:What is your favorite thing to do on the computer?
A: Play video games.
I learned Lego.com from my lego club magazine which I got from my neighbors. And I probably got MonkeyQuest from a Commercial - don't you think?
A: Believe or not, You know what's funny though: Lego.com is educated (educational)...Because it has some learning games in it....There's a lego thing called lego bricks and more and its for kids that are really young who can play this and they can learn things from that site. Like they can learn how to build.
V: Um, your favorite thing to do on the computer is to play video games. You like Monkeyquest and Lego.com
A:…And minecraft. Add that in there.
V: oh, and Mine craft. But you play mine craft on the iPad.
A: But it counts as a computer.
V: Do you usually play on survival mode or creative mode? What's your favorite one to play
A: Creative
Why is it your favorite game?
A: Because the object is to create.
Tell me about what you like about them.
A: All the action.
V: Okay. What do you mean by Action? Can you describe the action? What is it you like about the action?
A: Because you have to run from enemies sometimes That's for Monkeyquest. For Minecraft, here's what I call some action: you are chopping down a tree and a Creeper comes and blows you up.
V: Oh really, what do you mean by Spawn?
A: Make them appear in world.
How do you do that?
By Going to a place with the three dots - well, in your inventory. - go all the way down to the bottom and the last four things tap them all with your finger and then they'll show up on your bottom line then take the X button to get out of inventory then tap on the one you want to spawn and then wherever you touch the animal spawns.
V: How'd you learn to do that?
Right after I got the update, I was, I wanted to try out the new things. and then I went to the bottom and tapped them all.
V:Well why is Minecraft your favorite
A: Because its pixelly and 3D all at the same time
(I also think the N-A-C-H quote could go here too - completely geeky that he cared so much that I spelled the creator of minecraft's name right!)
V: How would you like to use the computer at school?
A: Anything you want, anytime you want. And, It'd be cool, like, if you were able to download games and stuff.
V: Do you think teachers would let you use the computer to do those things?
A: No.
V: Why? or Why not?
Because most things we would probably do (on the computer) are uneducated, right Mom?
A: we use it for video games at school, believe it or not.
V: What kinds of video games do you use at school?
A: Aquity, cool math, and on free play - anything educated related. Or if you ask you are able to go on anything you want to. (laugh)
It was pretty fun to interview my son for this project - he loved getting to help me with my homework!
Read the transcript here.
I identified statements and categories for the paper. Here they are:
Hanging Out:
V: Do you know other people who do this (play Monkeyquest.com)?
A: Yes.
V: Can you elaborate?
A:I only remember one, which is Kyle.... Kyle... and Isaac play.
V: Does Aiden play?
A: Aiden's only seen it but he hasn't played it.
V: Do you know other people that do this (play Minecraft)?
A: My best friend Aiden, Tucker, Isaac and that's it.
V: Okay, well… you were the one that taught me how to craft things, because I didn't know… do you remember that?
A: yey.
V: So, How did you learn to craft?
My best friend Aiden taught me.
V: Okay, well Thanks.
A: There's one more thing I want to tell you
V: Okay.
A: The creator of Minecraft is Nach.
V: It's who?
A:Nach.
V:How do you know that?
A: Aiden.
V: Aiden?
A: (looking over at my notes) NACH is spelled N-A-C-H by the way.
Messing Around:
V:What is your favorite thing to do on the computer?
A: Play video games.
I learned Lego.com from my lego club magazine which I got from my neighbors. And I probably got MonkeyQuest from a Commercial - don't you think?
A: Believe or not, You know what's funny though: Lego.com is educated (educational)...Because it has some learning games in it....There's a lego thing called lego bricks and more and its for kids that are really young who can play this and they can learn things from that site. Like they can learn how to build.
V: Um, your favorite thing to do on the computer is to play video games. You like Monkeyquest and Lego.com
A:…And minecraft. Add that in there.
V: oh, and Mine craft. But you play mine craft on the iPad.
A: But it counts as a computer.
V: Do you usually play on survival mode or creative mode? What's your favorite one to play
A: Creative
Why is it your favorite game?
A: Because the object is to create.
Geeking Out
Tell me about what you like about them.
A: All the action.
V: Okay. What do you mean by Action? Can you describe the action? What is it you like about the action?
A: Because you have to run from enemies sometimes That's for Monkeyquest. For Minecraft, here's what I call some action: you are chopping down a tree and a Creeper comes and blows you up.
V: Oh really, what do you mean by Spawn?
A: Make them appear in world.
How do you do that?
By Going to a place with the three dots - well, in your inventory. - go all the way down to the bottom and the last four things tap them all with your finger and then they'll show up on your bottom line then take the X button to get out of inventory then tap on the one you want to spawn and then wherever you touch the animal spawns.
V: How'd you learn to do that?
Right after I got the update, I was, I wanted to try out the new things. and then I went to the bottom and tapped them all.
V:Well why is Minecraft your favorite
A: Because its pixelly and 3D all at the same time
(I also think the N-A-C-H quote could go here too - completely geeky that he cared so much that I spelled the creator of minecraft's name right!)
Schooling
V: How would you like to use the computer at school?
A: Anything you want, anytime you want. And, It'd be cool, like, if you were able to download games and stuff.
V: Do you think teachers would let you use the computer to do those things?
A: No.
V: Why? or Why not?
Because most things we would probably do (on the computer) are uneducated, right Mom?
A: we use it for video games at school, believe it or not.
V: What kinds of video games do you use at school?
A: Aquity, cool math, and on free play - anything educated related. Or if you ask you are able to go on anything you want to. (laugh)
It was pretty fun to interview my son for this project - he loved getting to help me with my homework!
EDUC 6816 - TrackStar Final
What are the strengths of your TrackStar in terms of promoting content learning and information literacy?
Because I teach such a large range of subjects, I am always trying to find ways to double-dip (in a good way!). In this TrackStar I am promoting job searching skills, while teaching a major component of a computer certification my students can receive. Getting a job is a MAJOR goal of my SPOKES class and this Trackstar addresses how my student's Facebook/Social Media profiles can help or hurt that. One of the computer certifications my students' can earn is called "Living Online." One whole section is called "Qualifying the Information" and student's must know how to evaluate information online in order to pass the certification test.
How does your TrackStar differ from typical classroom research projects and how does it better prepare students for research in the workplace.
I really tried to address the relevance and validity of each website. I think this will better prepare students for the workplace because they will have more experience being able to identify how to find information that will get them to their goal in a more efficient manner.
EDUC 6816 - Weekly Reading #5
This is a response to the article:
Trapped between a Rock and a Hard Place: What Counts as Informational Literacy in the Workplace and How Is It Conceptualized?
What does the term "discursive practices" mean?
The culture of conversation in different settings.
What does "discourse" mean?
Conversation that is connected to a group.
What is the "rock" and what is the "hard place"?
The rock refers to the way information literacy is taught as a skill “confined to information access and use,” which is primarily the way it is taught in schools. The hard place refers to how information literacy is used in the workplace.
What are the differences between the skills prescribed for information searching in academic and workplace settings?
In schools information is “systematically organized and enshrined bodies of knowledge” that are accessed by a particular set of rules. Individuals are expected to acquire information literacy skills independent of each other. In the workplace, information is a shared resource that is as much related to the social setting and discourse of the profession as it is individual, independent skills.
How do academic notions of information literacy undermine workplace notions information literacy?
Academic information literacy does not allow for, nor legitimize, the collective knowledge of “non-canonical” expertise. This undermines workplace notions of information literacy, because in the workplace knowledge is shared among members of a profession, or a setting. This collective knowledge is important to the culture of the profession.
How are information needs identified in work place setting like nursing and emergency workers?
Doctors define the informational needs of nurses and emergency workers. Furthermore, Nurses tend to value social discourse among others in their profession and their informational literacy needs are related more to the “ability to map out information landscapes and.... make judgments about the veracity of information.”
Why do issues of plagiarism not resonate in workplace settings?
Because knowledge is a “collective possession” that is shared among members of a team, and then to a workplace and into the larger profession through professional networks.
Are information literacy skills transferable across contexts and settings? Why or Why not?
This sounds like a trick question! According to this article, more research is needed to answer this question but current research seems to suggest No: “Explorations of transfer require an understanding of the setting and the way the setting functions.”
What is "practice theory"?
Practice theory is a holistic approach that allows for a framework based on “human activity, subjectivity, inter subjectivity, embodiment, language and power relationships.”
How does the author of this article define information literacy?
Information literacy is a practice (not a skill) that requires understanding the information landscape of a social situation. By this, I think the author is saying that information literacy is more than just understanding why we need information,or how to go about getting information.
How do educators need to change their understanding of information literacy in order to prepare student for the information literacy practices they will encounter in workplace settings?
Educators need to focus less on research-gathering techniques and start using questions of audience as a focal point of information.
What do the terms "ontological" and "epistemological" mean?
I think it refers to the culture of knowledge in a setting.
After reading this article, how useful is the traditional research paper we expect students to produce in school in preparing them for workplace settings? What are traditional research papers useful for? Should we still assign traditional research papers?
Traditional research papers are useful for preparing students for college and academic, scientific-based careers. It’s tough to say whether I think a traditional research paper should still be assigned. I think it’s important because student’s will encounter this in college and need to know how to research and write this kind of paper. So, yes, I think it should still be assigned, because it is a valued text in some circles, but as an explicit instruction in formal research methods.
What is one of the biggest challenges to changing the way information literacy is conceptualized in school settings?
School settings are academic-based workplaces. In this occupation, traditional forms of information research are more highly valued. To challenge that notion is a challenge to the occupational/situational, “informational landscape” of that workplace. (This makes total sense in my head, but I’m not sure I’ve fully conveyed my meaning here... what I want to say is that the teaching profession relies on hard data for assessment - testing, grades, attendance etc... this hard data is part of the profession’s “informational landscape” and, as a result, highly valued.)
What attributes of the 21st century make it essential that educators change their approaches toward information literacy?
The question of “Who is the audience” seems to be an essential question for information in the 21st Century. Understanding what the social implications of the information are is crucial to understanding the reliability and validity of information.
What changes can teachers make to their classroom activities to engage students in the information literacy practices they will encounter in 21st century workplace settings?
To address the question of audience: assignments that are created for actual groups of diverse audiences would help. I also think teachers could utilize their students in developing lesson plans and teaching subject matter that the students are “fluent” in (whatever that might be)... this would help recognize students as “experts” and legitimize the collective knowledge that the student’s have (while also forcing them to evaluate that knowledge to determine what is valuable).
References:
Lloyd, A. (2011). Trapped between a Rock and a Hard Place: What Counts as Information
Trapped between a Rock and a Hard Place: What Counts as Informational Literacy in the Workplace and How Is It Conceptualized?
What does the term "discursive practices" mean?
The culture of conversation in different settings.
What does "discourse" mean?
Conversation that is connected to a group.
What is the "rock" and what is the "hard place"?
The rock refers to the way information literacy is taught as a skill “confined to information access and use,” which is primarily the way it is taught in schools. The hard place refers to how information literacy is used in the workplace.
What are the differences between the skills prescribed for information searching in academic and workplace settings?
In schools information is “systematically organized and enshrined bodies of knowledge” that are accessed by a particular set of rules. Individuals are expected to acquire information literacy skills independent of each other. In the workplace, information is a shared resource that is as much related to the social setting and discourse of the profession as it is individual, independent skills.
How do academic notions of information literacy undermine workplace notions information literacy?
Academic information literacy does not allow for, nor legitimize, the collective knowledge of “non-canonical” expertise. This undermines workplace notions of information literacy, because in the workplace knowledge is shared among members of a profession, or a setting. This collective knowledge is important to the culture of the profession.
How are information needs identified in work place setting like nursing and emergency workers?
Doctors define the informational needs of nurses and emergency workers. Furthermore, Nurses tend to value social discourse among others in their profession and their informational literacy needs are related more to the “ability to map out information landscapes and.... make judgments about the veracity of information.”
Why do issues of plagiarism not resonate in workplace settings?
Because knowledge is a “collective possession” that is shared among members of a team, and then to a workplace and into the larger profession through professional networks.
Are information literacy skills transferable across contexts and settings? Why or Why not?
This sounds like a trick question! According to this article, more research is needed to answer this question but current research seems to suggest No: “Explorations of transfer require an understanding of the setting and the way the setting functions.”
What is "practice theory"?
Practice theory is a holistic approach that allows for a framework based on “human activity, subjectivity, inter subjectivity, embodiment, language and power relationships.”
How does the author of this article define information literacy?
Information literacy is a practice (not a skill) that requires understanding the information landscape of a social situation. By this, I think the author is saying that information literacy is more than just understanding why we need information,or how to go about getting information.
How do educators need to change their understanding of information literacy in order to prepare student for the information literacy practices they will encounter in workplace settings?
Educators need to focus less on research-gathering techniques and start using questions of audience as a focal point of information.
What do the terms "ontological" and "epistemological" mean?
I think it refers to the culture of knowledge in a setting.
After reading this article, how useful is the traditional research paper we expect students to produce in school in preparing them for workplace settings? What are traditional research papers useful for? Should we still assign traditional research papers?
Traditional research papers are useful for preparing students for college and academic, scientific-based careers. It’s tough to say whether I think a traditional research paper should still be assigned. I think it’s important because student’s will encounter this in college and need to know how to research and write this kind of paper. So, yes, I think it should still be assigned, because it is a valued text in some circles, but as an explicit instruction in formal research methods.
What is one of the biggest challenges to changing the way information literacy is conceptualized in school settings?
School settings are academic-based workplaces. In this occupation, traditional forms of information research are more highly valued. To challenge that notion is a challenge to the occupational/situational, “informational landscape” of that workplace. (This makes total sense in my head, but I’m not sure I’ve fully conveyed my meaning here... what I want to say is that the teaching profession relies on hard data for assessment - testing, grades, attendance etc... this hard data is part of the profession’s “informational landscape” and, as a result, highly valued.)
What attributes of the 21st century make it essential that educators change their approaches toward information literacy?
The question of “Who is the audience” seems to be an essential question for information in the 21st Century. Understanding what the social implications of the information are is crucial to understanding the reliability and validity of information.
What changes can teachers make to their classroom activities to engage students in the information literacy practices they will encounter in 21st century workplace settings?
To address the question of audience: assignments that are created for actual groups of diverse audiences would help. I also think teachers could utilize their students in developing lesson plans and teaching subject matter that the students are “fluent” in (whatever that might be)... this would help recognize students as “experts” and legitimize the collective knowledge that the student’s have (while also forcing them to evaluate that knowledge to determine what is valuable).
References:
Lloyd, A. (2011). Trapped between a Rock and a Hard Place: What Counts as Information
Literacy in the Workplace and How Is It Conceptualized?
Library Trends, 60 (2) pp. 277-296. Sunday, June 16, 2013
EDUC 6816 - Trackstar (rough draft)
Here's the link to the Trackstar I'm creating:
How does my Facebook profile affect my job search?
I've identified my three sources, and have left notes to myself on how to flesh out the assignment more.
How does my Facebook profile affect my job search?
I've identified my three sources, and have left notes to myself on how to flesh out the assignment more.
EDUC 6809 - Illuminated Text Final Draft
Credits:
This little poem/ditty was written by my husband. It sat on a sticky note on the fridge for months before I realized he wrote it! Inspired by the true story of our beloved Apple Tree... although he took some poetic license because the tree is still fighting for its life. No buds this year, but new growth and green leaves (we're keeping our fingers crossed!).
Music and sound effects were taken from Microsoft Powerpoint ClipArt Resources.
EDUC 6816 - Weekly Reading #4
1. What surprises you about the strategies digital age students use as they conduct research for course assignments?
I wasn't really surprised by this study. One thing that did strike me as interesting was the change in reasoning for procrastination among college students. I thought it was telling that students procrastinate because of other work they have to complete. My initial thought was that this had to do with the "fervor" of pundits and, as a result, the pressure placed on Instructors, to challenge students to do "more, more, more." I'm not sure if this would hold true under scrutnity but I wonder if this reaction is attributed to growing pains associated with teaching more efficiently and explicitly in the types of skills students need.
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| created by Jerry King, Used with permission: From Now On. |
2. How accurately do the findings from this study reflect your own research strategies?
I'm (sorry to say) it reflected my own research strategies to a "T." I found this to ring true particularly true in the "resources prioritization" section.
I find myself most overwhelmed by the amount of information I find about a subject. I had never connected that this feeling might be tempered if I changed my research methods.
3. This study provides a detailed description of the parameters of research assignments typical required for academia. How does it differ from the kinds of research people do in the workplace?
Every workplace is different, but it differs greatly. As an educator, the principle research I do is related to finding teaching resources, for example: lesson planning.The other ways I research are usually in troubleshooting products (computers, smartboards etc.). When I worked in the non-profit world, research I would conduct related to writing grants for funding. This typically required demographic information about the population we would serve, and we would usually "recycle" that information from grant to grant.
4. Do you think the recommendations to improve research process for college students will better prepare students for the world outside of school?
Research needed in the workplace relies on knowing the validity and relevance of the information. It requires a knowledge of information literacy. I think this recommendation will better prepare students for the world:
Instead, we recommend that students be given course-related research assignments that encourage the collection, analysis, and synthesis of multiple viewpoints from a variety of sources, so the transfer of information literacy and critical thinking competencies may be more actively called up, practiced, and learned by students. (Hand & Eisenberg, 2009)
Resources:
Hand, A., & Eisenberg, M. (2009). How college students seek information in the digital age. Project information literacy progress report.
EDUC 6809 - Weekly Reading #4
Why is it important for teachers to use digital media to support writing instruction in school?
Students encounter text in a variety of forms, print is no longer the dominant form of text, and text is not encountered in just a school setting. Teachers need to use digital media to support writing instruction because that is the primary form of text students encounter today, particularly outside of school. Students must be literate in these new forms - "As young children grow into adolescents, the interactive webspaces they encounter require much higher degrees of user input and content creation."
What are the differences between writing online and writing in school?
One major difference in writing online vs. writing in school is the social interaction and sharing that takes place in writing online. "In stark contrast to digital immigrants, digital natives readily report and share their ideas"(Adlington & Hansford, 2008). Writing in school is primarily writing for an audience of one - the teacher. However, students write online for many audiences - primarily their peers - and are adept at communicating for this purpose. I wonder if students who write in schools just don't understand the reason for their writing - and I wonder if this is because the it doesn't have any resonance in their real world experience.
Another difference is the level of control a teenager has over online writing vs. in school writing. Online the teenager has complete control of the writing, in school the writing is focused on what Adlington and Hansford call "endorsement of linguistic and cultural masteries."
How should teachers use digital spaces to support writing instruction in school?
Blogs (if used the right way) are one way students can integrate many forms of digital text (written words, images, video, hyperlinks, animations, interactive elements) to provide a more complex, nuanced thinking about a subject. Teachers can also use digital spaces to compare/contrast the differences between online writing and other types of writing (such as academic and business), which further develops critical thinking skills.
What are some of the challenges to using digital spaces for writing instruction in school?
Three criteria are identified in this paper for effective blogs in schools:
In my experience teaching students digital media, it has been crucial to ask students the "why did you make this choice" question. If a student can't answer that in a meaningful way then I ask them to change it or dig deeper for the why. I think this is an example of the challenge of online writing spaces too - and can be overcome by explicit instruction. For example, if a student chooses to use SMS-based language in their writing, I want to know what the purpose for it is... if they tell me its the way their friends talk, then I'm okay with that, as long as the audience is their peer group.
The authors of the reading provided some excellent examples of how teachers used the social purposes of new texts to support learning in school. Please find another example (Lesson plan or student created product) that provides a good example of how a teacher kept true to the social purpose of a new digital text to support learning in the classroom. Please provide explanation for you example.
Exploring The Prologue to The Canterbury Tales using Wikis
Why: This lesson plan uses a collaborative wiki to introduce the prologue and characters of the Canterbury Tales. The students work together in small groups, each taking a character. They are encouraged to add images, hyperlinks and other multimodal elements to the wiki. At the end of the lesson, the class has collaboratively created a wikipage about Canterbury tales for their reference.
Resources:
Students encounter text in a variety of forms, print is no longer the dominant form of text, and text is not encountered in just a school setting. Teachers need to use digital media to support writing instruction because that is the primary form of text students encounter today, particularly outside of school. Students must be literate in these new forms - "As young children grow into adolescents, the interactive webspaces they encounter require much higher degrees of user input and content creation."
What are the differences between writing online and writing in school?
One major difference in writing online vs. writing in school is the social interaction and sharing that takes place in writing online. "In stark contrast to digital immigrants, digital natives readily report and share their ideas"(Adlington & Hansford, 2008). Writing in school is primarily writing for an audience of one - the teacher. However, students write online for many audiences - primarily their peers - and are adept at communicating for this purpose. I wonder if students who write in schools just don't understand the reason for their writing - and I wonder if this is because the it doesn't have any resonance in their real world experience.
Another difference is the level of control a teenager has over online writing vs. in school writing. Online the teenager has complete control of the writing, in school the writing is focused on what Adlington and Hansford call "endorsement of linguistic and cultural masteries."
How should teachers use digital spaces to support writing instruction in school?
Blogs (if used the right way) are one way students can integrate many forms of digital text (written words, images, video, hyperlinks, animations, interactive elements) to provide a more complex, nuanced thinking about a subject. Teachers can also use digital spaces to compare/contrast the differences between online writing and other types of writing (such as academic and business), which further develops critical thinking skills.
What are some of the challenges to using digital spaces for writing instruction in school?
Three criteria are identified in this paper for effective blogs in schools:
- strong, clear sense of purpose
- well-informed point of view
- quality of presentation
In my experience teaching students digital media, it has been crucial to ask students the "why did you make this choice" question. If a student can't answer that in a meaningful way then I ask them to change it or dig deeper for the why. I think this is an example of the challenge of online writing spaces too - and can be overcome by explicit instruction. For example, if a student chooses to use SMS-based language in their writing, I want to know what the purpose for it is... if they tell me its the way their friends talk, then I'm okay with that, as long as the audience is their peer group.
The authors of the reading provided some excellent examples of how teachers used the social purposes of new texts to support learning in school. Please find another example (Lesson plan or student created product) that provides a good example of how a teacher kept true to the social purpose of a new digital text to support learning in the classroom. Please provide explanation for you example.
Exploring The Prologue to The Canterbury Tales using Wikis
Why: This lesson plan uses a collaborative wiki to introduce the prologue and characters of the Canterbury Tales. The students work together in small groups, each taking a character. They are encouraged to add images, hyperlinks and other multimodal elements to the wiki. At the end of the lesson, the class has collaboratively created a wikipage about Canterbury tales for their reference.
Resources:
Adlington, R., & Hansford, D. (2008, July). Digital spaces and young people’s online authoring: Challenges for teachers. Refereed Conference Paper National conference for teachers of english and literacy, Adelaide, AU. Retrieved from http://www.englishliteracyconference.com.au/files/documents/AdlingtonHansford-Digital%20spaces.pdf
Tuesday, June 11, 2013
EDUC 6816 Week 4 - Activity #1
I looked at these three TrackStar activities:
Is No Child Left Behind Working?
Drawing Conclusion on Bilingual Education
Is Time Travel Possible?
I think they could be useful to students to help lead them through the process of validating information and triangulating information from various sources. I liked (and learned) more from the interactive elements of each... I think this activity could be useful. I do think for most of my students, the trackstar will need to be fleshed out more... less steps within one frame (which I was even getting confused on what to do when). I really geeked out on the Time Travel one!
Sunday, June 9, 2013
EDUC 6809 - Weekly Reading #3 Multimodal Literacy
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| Multiverse by Kevin Dooley (This image has an interactive element to it - follow the link to activate it!). CC BY 2.0 |
1. What is the main argument presented in this article?
Multimodal learning will create more engagement with students, create more relevance to students' literacy lives, will expand students ability to communicate with the world, and will "impact....the social, emotional,
and academic lives of many children."
2.
Why is it imperative that teachers and educational policy
makers recognize the role multimodality plays in redefining literacy in
the 21st century?
Teachers and policy makers are responsible for becoming familiar with the entangled nature of literacy, media and technology in the 21st century and they are responsible for understanding the importance and need for knowing multiple ways of communicating.
3. What is the fundamental philosophical orientation of educators who engage in multimodal literacy instruction?
Educators involved in multimodal instruction believe that "children (and adults) learn best when engaged in complex, socially constructed, personally relevant, creative composition
and interpretation of texts that incorporate a variety of meaningful communicative modes or symbol systems."
4.
What is the rational for engaging children in learning through the arts
promoted by educational philosophers like Maine Green and Elliot
Eisner?
Do you share this philosophical orientation? Why? Why not?
Maxine Greene and Elliot Eisner both believe that learning through the arts promotes critical thinking and "deeper perception of the everyday world", requires recognizing complex relationships between texts, an understanding that "form and content are inextricably linked," and that writing alone is not sufficient to all expression.
Yes, I share this view, primarily because I have often found my best thinking to happen when it relates to artwork. I believe that writing is sometimes not sufficient enough to fully express yourself.
5.
Name three benefits of multimodal reading and writing for students? Be
specific and use quotes from the text to support your claims.
- Encourages complex thinking about relationships between text and images
- "Olshansky’s (2006) conclusion is supported by the children’s own words: “pictures paint the words on paper for you so your words are much better. The words are more descriptive. Sometimes you can’t describe the pictures because they are so beautiful” (p. 531)."
- New ways of communicating with the world
-
"Consider how two social
networking sites, Facebook and Twitter, have changed the face
of social and global communication. Young children through
adults access these sites multiple times a day, writing, talking in
real time, and sharing a range of texts from photos to videos,
drawings to audiocasts, and so on."
- Recognition and legitimizing multiple ways of "showing what you know."
- "We know that when people are actively engaged with inquiry, have a desire to learn new things, and try out different digital, visual, musical, spatial, dramatic (and so on) tools and techniques, they have the potential to say and do things that we have never before imagined."
6. Give an example of how blogging supports the four aspects of multimodal theory proposed by Kress and Jewitt.
- Materiality
- blogging requires specific word choice because of its short-format, it also uses images and hyperlinks to convey meaning.
- Framing
- Blogs with images require choosing the best image to represent meaning. It is also a form that requires text be organized and categorized into meaningful sections. Blocks of text is discouraged, while bullets, lists and headings are encouraged.
- Design
- Blogs require a design aspect. Blog authors must create a website, choose a template that best represents content being displayed, adding gadgets and relevant links to the blog.
- Production
- The blog itself and the technical skills needed to update the blog is the production.
7. What can teachers learn about their students from their image productions? Why is this important?
They can learn what interests a student, which is important because students learn better when they are engaging with texts and assignments that deal with subject matter that interests them.
They can learn what interests a student, which is important because students learn better when they are engaging with texts and assignments that deal with subject matter that interests them.
8. According to this article, why should teachers use technology in their teaching?
Technology should be used in teaching because technology dictates the way students interact with the world. "it allows for greater participation, collaboration, and distribution of knowledge that has not been possible with our previous uses of technology."
Technology should be used in teaching because technology dictates the way students interact with the world. "it allows for greater participation, collaboration, and distribution of knowledge that has not been possible with our previous uses of technology."
9. How does multimodal literacy relate to 21st century literacy?
It is easier for me to think about what 21st century literacy is not: "It is not that we use technology to reorganize old practices (look up informa- tion online, use PowerPoint as colorful overhead transparencies, or write documents using word processing), but that we develop new ways of being when working with new technologies: sharing, experimenting, innovating, and creative rule-breaking."21st Century literacy is about using new literacy and technology to interact with the world in multimodal ways. Multimodality allows people to communicate with each other in simultaneous, multi-format ways in order to convey meaning in more complex ways.
It is easier for me to think about what 21st century literacy is not: "It is not that we use technology to reorganize old practices (look up informa- tion online, use PowerPoint as colorful overhead transparencies, or write documents using word processing), but that we develop new ways of being when working with new technologies: sharing, experimenting, innovating, and creative rule-breaking."21st Century literacy is about using new literacy and technology to interact with the world in multimodal ways. Multimodality allows people to communicate with each other in simultaneous, multi-format ways in order to convey meaning in more complex ways.
10. What project described intrigued you the most?
Even though this wasn't described at all, the Sixth Chapter entitled “Seeing, Writing, and Drawing the Intangible: Teaching with Multiple Literacies”intrigued me. I think because I am drawn to visual images and symbols because they can be used to express intangible ideas and feelings. Feelings that are hard to describe in writing (at least for me) - I can express better in images.
Even though this wasn't described at all, the Sixth Chapter entitled “Seeing, Writing, and Drawing the Intangible: Teaching with Multiple Literacies”intrigued me. I think because I am drawn to visual images and symbols because they can be used to express intangible ideas and feelings. Feelings that are hard to describe in writing (at least for me) - I can express better in images.
11. What challenges to integrating multimodal reading and writing into schools do you most identify with?
Collaborating with other teachers/professionals and achieving "buy-in." I find it hard to overcome "anti-technology" bias, particularly as it relates to the language arts.
Collaborating with other teachers/professionals and achieving "buy-in." I find it hard to overcome "anti-technology" bias, particularly as it relates to the language arts.
12. Why is multimodal literacy essential in preparing students for work, play and democratic participation in the 21st century?
The 21st century requires people to be fluent in multiple forms of communication, often times concurrently. Multimodal literacy supports the development of the critical, complex, and entangled thinking skills that are required in the 21st Century world of work, play and democratic participation.
The 21st century requires people to be fluent in multiple forms of communication, often times concurrently. Multimodal literacy supports the development of the critical, complex, and entangled thinking skills that are required in the 21st Century world of work, play and democratic participation.
EDUC 6809 - Illuminated Text Rough Draft
Ode to an apple tree
More PowerPoint presentations from Vanessa Clay
This is definitely a rough draft. I feel further along on the actual powerpoint, but I'm having issues as it uploads to Author Stream. In either case, any feedback will be appreciated!
This is definitely a rough draft. I feel further along on the actual powerpoint, but I'm having issues as it uploads to Author Stream. In either case, any feedback will be appreciated!
EDUC 6816 Weekly Reading #3 - Textbooks, Wikipedia and Schooling
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| Credit: Jeff Peterson CC BY 2.0 |
How do you feel about using web-based resources instead of textbooks in school?
I think using web based resources instead of textbooks is a really good idea, especially in light of the concerns around the textbook “authoring” process outlined in the first article. However I think the author of the second article made great points about replacing the textbook slowly, and the How To: Toss the Textbook tips were even more helpful to think about that process. In GED classes, we have lots of resources, but not one “master” textbook, or one curriculum to follow. I like this because it gives me a lot more freedom to tailor lessons towards individual needs but it is a double-edged sword. I use a lot of web-based resources, but it is very easy to get lost in the ocean that is the internet. I have tried several methods to organize my resources and come up with a plan, but I definitely need more support on that front.
What opportunities for the development of information literacy skills for students if they began to learn without textbooks?
I think there would be a lot more opportunities for students to learn information literacy skills without textbooks. Students would have to learn how to navigate and use the web to find the information they are looking for.
How does these articles change or support your stance on using Wikipedia as a learning resources in the classroom?
I think these articles support my stance that Wikipedia is a great learning resource for the classroom. Wikipedia, for one, is not designed to appease a small group of powerful people making decisions on what information a textbook will include for the majority of school children. Wikipedia is more reflective of the way the world works - information is constantly being debated, discussed, updated, reworded and created in everyday life. It only takes a moment for this new information to become part of the collective knowledge that is Wikipedia. And, secondly, Wikipedia is a great resource for teachers to use to create their own curriculum around.... especially when it comes to teaching kids about information literacy.
Resources:
Ansary, T. (2004). Retrieved from http://www.edutopia.org/muddle-machine
Ruth , G. (2005). Retrieved from http://www.edutopia.org/teaching-without-text
EDUC 6816 Think Aloud
The website I choose to use in my Think Aloud was one half of a debate about arming teachers in schools. The author argued against arming teachers in schools due to her belief that carrying weapons and reacting in a serious situation requires constant training of the type a police officer receives. She clearly stated she was not against armed safety officers in schools. I detected bias mostly based on the website this appeared on. It was called policeone.com and claimed to be "the most comprehensive and trusted online destination for law enforcement agencies and police departments worldwide."
Explain why it is important to provide students with information literacy skills in the digital age:
Just as students were once taught how to properly use and leverage the library for information, students must now be taught how to properly use and leverage the internet for information. The Internet is much bigger than the local library, and therefore learning those skills is a much bigger task. Information Literacy creates a framework for teaching "internet skills" that go beyond just "this is how you use Booleans to find information on Google."
Explain why projects like the ThinkAloud might provide students with a more meaningful information literacy experience than reading textbooks. Use this week's reading to support your explanation.
Textbooks are distilled and edited to be a particular way, express a particular educational philosophy or be void of any (often times important and culturally relevant) controversy. They do not allow for multiple points of view on any given subject and therefore limits complex thinking patterns to occur. A project like the ThinkAloud allows for those complex thinking patterns while also bringing it to a conscious level which strengthens complex and critical thinking skills in students
Resources:
Brocklin,
V. V. . Retrieved from
http://www.policeone.com/active-shooter/articles/6126130-Arming-teachers-in-schools-An-argument-against/
Kent, D. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://blog.al.com/spotnews/2012/12/arming_our_schools_cost_of_off.html
Sunday, June 2, 2013
EDUC 6809 - Multigenre and Mulitmodal Textual Lineage
This was fun to make, but after I watched it a couple times, I realized that the three things that were memorable to me were all a bit on the geeky side! Oh well. I also used a video clip, and music that are both copyrighted... I wasn't sure that was allowable, but I felt it was necessary to get across the vision and meaning I wanted to convey. So, I used it, and cited all media sources. If I need to revise, I will do so.
It is embedded below... and this is the direct link, just in case:
It is embedded below... and this is the direct link, just in case:
EDUC 6816 - Wikipedia Analysis
Guiding Question: Does the Wikipedia article appear to be biased in any way or does it maintain neutrality?
Step One: If you find some information that seems to reflect a partiality, preference, or prejudice for or against a person, object, or idea copy and paste that information to your blog:
In general - this article was very scientific, with a lot of information and sources to back up the numbers it presented. I didn't many examples of bias, but I did find some word choices that made me think bias might be present:
This word choice seemed very strong to me, and meant to persuade.... although when I checked the reference, the word was taken straight from an IPCC report.
Step Two: choose a claim to verify. Using Google find two websites. One that supports the claim and one that disputes it.Use this Website Evaluation checklist to validate the sources.
The claim:
Web Page Evaluation Checklist - 1
Web Page Evaluation Checklist - 2
Step Three: Click on the "Talk link" at the top of the Wikipedia Page. What does it mean that this article and its editors are subject to General Sanctions?
Editors can be sanctioned by administrators for disruptive edits including personal attacks and incivility. Sanctions can includes blocks to edit pages related to Climate Change for up to a year. Administrators are to be "uninvolved" The user can appeal the sanction. Uninvolved administrators means users who are not directly involved in current conflict on the topic.
Wow - I followed the links into the section with more detail about specific user... That is interesting. I had a general notion that there were rules that governed the use of wikipedia entries, but I had no idea to what extent the rules ran for both editors and administrators. Nor, did I have any idea how the "governing body" and process worked. I definitely didn't understand everything on that page, but I understood that General Sanctions meant the article was tagged for intense review and scrutiny.
Step Four: Scroll down to the frequently asked questions section. Choose one of the questions and read the answer. Verify the answer using another online source.
Does methane cause more warming than CO2?
(Wikipedia)
Web Page Evaluation Checklist - 3 (The Role of Methane)
Step Five: Below the FAQ section read the section titled Section on natural systems. This is where Wikipedia editors discuss edits and concerns about accuracy and neutrality with articles in Wikipedia. What did you learn about issues related to global warming? How does Does reading this section influence you perception of Wikipedia as a resource for learning in school? Justify your stance using concrete examples.
This section focused too much on one study. This user felt that it also didn't include enough "caveats" to the extreme weather predictions. Reading this section (and the section I read further that outlines sanctions and the governing process), convinced me to a greater degree that Wikipedia could be a source used in schools. It is clear to me that controversial subjects (and, I'm assuming, non-controversial ones) are exposed to higher scrutiny that many creditable sources allowed within schools (newspaper articles, for example).
Step Six: NewsAndEventsGuy (talk) and Enescot (talk) are heavily involved in editing the Wikipedia article on Global Warming. Click on their names to see their profiles. Then read their pages. Again. how does this information make you feel about the credibility and validity of information on Wikipedia.Justify your stance using concrete examples.
Looking at the User pages of NewsAndEventsGuy (talk) and Enescot (talk) further confirms my stance that Wikipedia is a source that should be used in schools. There is open dialogue among users. A record of User edits are available to look for patterns. And a casual visitor can clearly see open discussion that happens behind the scenes- which is not available in print forms (and most digital forms ) from school-worthy sources.
Step Seven: How do think Wikipedia could be integrated into classroom activities? What do you think about using Wikipedia as a source of information instead of textbooks? Has your opinion changed? How? Why?
This has been an interesting, eye-opening, activity. I think the best way to integrate Wikipedia into a classroom activity is to use it as an excersise in information literacy. I think after students went through some sort of "Wikipedia: Behind the Scenes" Curriculum, they could then be "cleared" to use it as a source... maybe even if some checklist was involved that included looking at the user edits. Actually, using the checklist for verifiable sites could also be a good activity for any online source a student wanted to use. This checklist could be adapted based on grade level.
Sources:
Step One: If you find some information that seems to reflect a partiality, preference, or prejudice for or against a person, object, or idea copy and paste that information to your blog:
In general - this article was very scientific, with a lot of information and sources to back up the numbers it presented. I didn't many examples of bias, but I did find some word choices that made me think bias might be present:
Warming of the climate system is unequivocal. (Wikipedia)
This word choice seemed very strong to me, and meant to persuade.... although when I checked the reference, the word was taken straight from an IPCC report.
The probability that these changes could have occurred by chance is virtually zero.[29] (Wikipedia)This stuck out to me as well, but on further examination, I think it's an example of neutrality.... If it omitted the word virtual, it would have been more biased.
From 1990–1997 in the United States, conservative think tanks mobilized to undermine the legitimacy of global warming as a social problem. They challenged the scientific evidence; argued that global warming will have benefits; and asserted that proposed solutions would do more harm than good. (Wikipedia)This just struck me as out of place. It was expanded on, and seemed somewhat irrelevant. I felt this needed a separate Wikipedia article. I felt the authors were biased against conservative think tanks and included this as a "jab."
Some people question aspects of climate-change science,[208][213][214] see: list of scientists opposing global warming consensus. (Wikipedia)I'm not sure this is an example of bias or not, but I questioned the reason behind having this list. Is it to show how few scientists question global warming consensus? Is it to lend legitimacy to opposition of climate-change? (I don't necessarily need to know the answer to these question, but these questions make me think Bias is involved).
Step Two: choose a claim to verify. Using Google find two websites. One that supports the claim and one that disputes it.Use this Website Evaluation checklist to validate the sources.
The claim:
Since 1978, output from the Sun has been precisely measured by satellites.[98] These measurements indicate that the Sun's output has not increased since 1978, so the warming during the past 30 years cannot be attributed to an increase in solar energy reaching the Earth. (Wikipedia)
Web Page Evaluation Checklist - 1
Web Page Evaluation Checklist - 2
Step Three: Click on the "Talk link" at the top of the Wikipedia Page. What does it mean that this article and its editors are subject to General Sanctions?
Editors can be sanctioned by administrators for disruptive edits including personal attacks and incivility. Sanctions can includes blocks to edit pages related to Climate Change for up to a year. Administrators are to be "uninvolved" The user can appeal the sanction. Uninvolved administrators means users who are not directly involved in current conflict on the topic.
Wow - I followed the links into the section with more detail about specific user... That is interesting. I had a general notion that there were rules that governed the use of wikipedia entries, but I had no idea to what extent the rules ran for both editors and administrators. Nor, did I have any idea how the "governing body" and process worked. I definitely didn't understand everything on that page, but I understood that General Sanctions meant the article was tagged for intense review and scrutiny.
Step Four: Scroll down to the frequently asked questions section. Choose one of the questions and read the answer. Verify the answer using another online source.
Does methane cause more warming than CO2?
(Wikipedia)
Web Page Evaluation Checklist - 3 (The Role of Methane)
Step Five: Below the FAQ section read the section titled Section on natural systems. This is where Wikipedia editors discuss edits and concerns about accuracy and neutrality with articles in Wikipedia. What did you learn about issues related to global warming? How does Does reading this section influence you perception of Wikipedia as a resource for learning in school? Justify your stance using concrete examples.
This section focused too much on one study. This user felt that it also didn't include enough "caveats" to the extreme weather predictions. Reading this section (and the section I read further that outlines sanctions and the governing process), convinced me to a greater degree that Wikipedia could be a source used in schools. It is clear to me that controversial subjects (and, I'm assuming, non-controversial ones) are exposed to higher scrutiny that many creditable sources allowed within schools (newspaper articles, for example).
Step Six: NewsAndEventsGuy (talk) and Enescot (talk) are heavily involved in editing the Wikipedia article on Global Warming. Click on their names to see their profiles. Then read their pages. Again. how does this information make you feel about the credibility and validity of information on Wikipedia.Justify your stance using concrete examples.
Looking at the User pages of NewsAndEventsGuy (talk) and Enescot (talk) further confirms my stance that Wikipedia is a source that should be used in schools. There is open dialogue among users. A record of User edits are available to look for patterns. And a casual visitor can clearly see open discussion that happens behind the scenes- which is not available in print forms (and most digital forms ) from school-worthy sources.
Step Seven: How do think Wikipedia could be integrated into classroom activities? What do you think about using Wikipedia as a source of information instead of textbooks? Has your opinion changed? How? Why?
This has been an interesting, eye-opening, activity. I think the best way to integrate Wikipedia into a classroom activity is to use it as an excersise in information literacy. I think after students went through some sort of "Wikipedia: Behind the Scenes" Curriculum, they could then be "cleared" to use it as a source... maybe even if some checklist was involved that included looking at the user edits. Actually, using the checklist for verifiable sites could also be a good activity for any online source a student wanted to use. This checklist could be adapted based on grade level.
Sources:
Berger, P. W. H. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://earthguide.ucsd.edu/virtualmuseum/climatechange1/03_3.shtml
Felix,
R. W. (2013, February 06). [Web log message]. Retrieved from
http://iceagenow.info/2013/02/admits-solar-activity-play-significant-role-global-warming-report/
Phillips, T. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2013/08jan_sunclimate/
Wikipedia. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_warming
EDUC 6809 - Weekly Reading #2
Explain how the Multigenre & Mulitmodal assignment related to each of the readings.
We
were given what was, essentially a writing prompt that allowed us to
reflect on our understanding of three memorable texts. Research
presented in Adolescent Literacy brief suggested this in the Shifting
Literacy Focus section. It prompted us to find three texts that were (at
least in my case) texts I consumed in an out of school setting. We wrote statements about how the three texts effected us and what made them memorable. We wrote these while also adding images and quotes related to the text to further convey the influence of these texts on ourselves. This was a suggested activity in the Writing Outside of School brief and the Writing Now brief.
I also felt, for me, this assignment also allowed us to engage in "multiple identities." I felt like the three texts I choose allowed me to present myself in a "geekier" light than I normally would in an academic space. This is suggested in the Reading and Writing Differently brief.
We used technology to create our Multigenre & Multimodal textual lineage creations. We also had to manage multiple streams of information - by choosing texts that were from multiple genres. These concepts were presented in the Literacy Learning in the 21st Century brief.
Describe three ways the readings changed or reinforced your thinking about the role of digital technologies/media in teaching children to read and write.
- Holistic Writing:
The "process model" of writing is flexible: writing and rewriting happens at all stages of writing. I also responded to the idea of not separating writing and grammar instruction. Which I took to mean that the "rules of grammar" should be taught within context of audience, and not as individual instruction.
- Multiple Identities:
This concept intrigued me because I think there is a lot of societal and work-attaining value to helping students understand that multiple identities are commonplace and make us three dimensional interesting people. Many of my students are not comfortable navigating between peer interactions and professional interactions, and I believe that this is because there is an over emphasis on "being fake." I instead enjoy thinking about myself (and others) as multi-dimensional. And, depending on the place (dare I say - audience), they can present themselves in different ways, while still being true to themselves.
- Out of school Writing:
Find an example (i.e lesson plan or students work sample) of how other teachers are using digital technologies to support reading and writing in a content area like Math, Science, Social studies, Art, Music, Health, Family and Consumer Science
EDUC 6816 - Week Two: What Wikipedia Can Teach us About New Media Literacies
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| http://my.hsj.org/Portals/2/Schools/3405/Article319694_Wikipedia-%20Sean%20Hickle%20-9th%20grade.jpg |
What is Henry Jenkins main arguments about Wikipedia?
That Wikipedia can be used to teach students “social skills and cultural competencies” needed for the participatory culture that is part of the 21st century world (and 21st century workplace). He also argues Wikipedia is one source to become New Media Literate, and identified several skills that could be enhanced via student interaction with Wikipedia: Collective Intelligence, Judgement, Networking and Negotiation.
What is "participatory culture"?
A culture of few obstacles of artistic expression and civic dialogue, and srong encouragement of sharing of knowledge, ideas and creative products. Members feel their “contributions matter” and a where there is a sense of “social connection.”
What is the relationship between "old literacies" and "new media literacies".
Jenkins describes new media literacies as “a set of cultural competencies and social skills which young people need as they confront the new media landscape.” He describes “old literacies” as focusing on individual expression while new literacies focuses on the skills needed for social and community collaboration.
What are the reading and writing behaviors associated with "new media literacies".
According to Jenkins, reading and writing behaviors associated with new media literacies are “participatory, social, collaborative, constructive and conversational.” As a result, we think differently as we write and read then when we read and write individually.
According to Henry Jenkins why is it important to teach "new media literacies" in school?
New Media literacies teach skills that are used in the 21st Century Workplace, and skills that can be applied to Civic Engagement. His four key skills of Collective Intelligence, Judgement, Networking and Negotiation, are all skills necessary for student’s future success.
What can young people learn through contributing or even consuming Wikipedia?
By contributing to and using Wikipedia students learn (among others):
What is "participatory culture"?
A culture of few obstacles of artistic expression and civic dialogue, and srong encouragement of sharing of knowledge, ideas and creative products. Members feel their “contributions matter” and a where there is a sense of “social connection.”
What is the relationship between "old literacies" and "new media literacies".
Jenkins describes new media literacies as “a set of cultural competencies and social skills which young people need as they confront the new media landscape.” He describes “old literacies” as focusing on individual expression while new literacies focuses on the skills needed for social and community collaboration.
What are the reading and writing behaviors associated with "new media literacies".
According to Jenkins, reading and writing behaviors associated with new media literacies are “participatory, social, collaborative, constructive and conversational.” As a result, we think differently as we write and read then when we read and write individually.
According to Henry Jenkins why is it important to teach "new media literacies" in school?
New Media literacies teach skills that are used in the 21st Century Workplace, and skills that can be applied to Civic Engagement. His four key skills of Collective Intelligence, Judgement, Networking and Negotiation, are all skills necessary for student’s future success.
What can young people learn through contributing or even consuming Wikipedia?
By contributing to and using Wikipedia students learn (among others):
- how to become more critical consumers
- how to research for accuracy
- how to write/produce for a specific audience
- they take responsibility to be accurate in what they produce
- how to identify and the importance of citing proper sources
- how to actively engage in group dialogue
How do you feel about Wikipedia after reading or listening to Henry Jenkins? Do agree or disagree with his arguments? Why?
Although I think Jenkins oversimplifies the definition of New Media Literacy, by over emphasizing “participatory culture” and leaving out other aspects, I agree with his arguments. I think Wikipedia is great source for teaching students about the importance and significance of participatory culture. I feel more convinced that Wikipedia is an established, guided by, and closely guarded, principles for knowledge sharing and collective intelligence.
Find an online resource that supports your position on using Wikipedia as a resource for learning in school. Summarize the argument being made in the resource and explain how it supports your position.
Teachers: Please stop prohibiting the use of Wikipedia
This article is a blog written in a personal manner. The author argues that Wikipedia shouldn’t be banned outright but should be used a way to help students learn “credibility, fact checking, verification, and crowd sourcing.” He argues that Wikipedia has what the majority of other online information sites do not: citations, references, links and primary sources. He think it makes more sense for teachers to encourage students to use Wikipedia while citing it appropriately, and finding more sources. He also argues that Wikipedia definitions are easy to understand and give foundational information that will help a student with further research.
I agree with this blog author, especially using Wikipedia to give a foundational understanding of a topic that will allow students to explore more in-depth research about a subject.
This article is a blog written in a personal manner. The author argues that Wikipedia shouldn’t be banned outright but should be used a way to help students learn “credibility, fact checking, verification, and crowd sourcing.” He argues that Wikipedia has what the majority of other online information sites do not: citations, references, links and primary sources. He think it makes more sense for teachers to encourage students to use Wikipedia while citing it appropriately, and finding more sources. He also argues that Wikipedia definitions are easy to understand and give foundational information that will help a student with further research.
I agree with this blog author, especially using Wikipedia to give a foundational understanding of a topic that will allow students to explore more in-depth research about a subject.
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