Thursday, February 23, 2006
And now for something different......
In an attempt to bridge the digital divide, the 'No Child Left Behind' policy also turned into a campaign for back to basics literacy and standardised testing.
From the Jamie Mckenzie website, with help from Jerry King
http://www.jerryking.com/ and http://fno.org
Saturday, February 18, 2006
Supporting Literacy with Technology
In 1995 Nicholas Negroponte (founder and director of Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Media Lab) wrote 'Being Digital', in which he said:
In 2006 we are continuing to struggle with what being digital means in terms of education and literacy. Our classrooms have not changed fundamentally for decades but our students and the potential to radically alter our educational approach has. All we need to do is realise this and become aware of the potential of educational technology to support learning.
In an international school such as ours (International School Dhaka, Bangladesh) we also struggle with cultural issues to do with literacy and understanding. We 'deliver' instruction in English to second language learners and search for better and improved ways to integrate digital tools to help us do this.
Here are some tools and online resources that are worth investigating with the purpose of exploring the topic of 21st century literacies and of finding resources to help educators in the classroom.
By the way, you must read what David Warlick has to say in his Act Like a Native post this week. He concludes with:
Comments?
Computing is not about computers. It is about life....... We are discussing a fundamental cultural change: Being digital is not just being a geek or Internet surfer or mathematically savvy child. It is actually a way of living and is going to impact absolutely everything. The way you work, the way you study, the way you amuse yourself, the way you communicate among your friends, with your kids......Personal computers will make our future adult population simultaneously more mathematically able and more visually literate. Ten years from now, teenagers are likely to enjoy a much richer panorama of options because the pursuit of intellectual achievement will not be tilted so much in favor of the bookworm, but instead cater to a wider range of cognitive styles, learning patterns, and expressive behaviors.
In 2006 we are continuing to struggle with what being digital means in terms of education and literacy. Our classrooms have not changed fundamentally for decades but our students and the potential to radically alter our educational approach has. All we need to do is realise this and become aware of the potential of educational technology to support learning.
In an international school such as ours (International School Dhaka, Bangladesh) we also struggle with cultural issues to do with literacy and understanding. We 'deliver' instruction in English to second language learners and search for better and improved ways to integrate digital tools to help us do this.
Here are some tools and online resources that are worth investigating with the purpose of exploring the topic of 21st century literacies and of finding resources to help educators in the classroom.
- Read, Write, Think: Sponsored by the National Council for Teachers of English, The International Reading Association and Marco Polo is a resource for language arts instruction. This website provides literacy learning for the k-12 classroom and supplies lesson plans that engage and provide interactivity from prewriting to publishing
- Annette Lamb provides a series of websites at eduscapes.com including: The evolving definition of literacy, The 8W model for information literacy, Information literacy standards, Theory to practice: Literacy for today and tomorrow, Approaches to information and communication literacy, and Technology and digital literacy
- Kids Who Read: Full of resources for online learning and classroom ideas
- Using technology to enhance literacy instruction: Although 5 years old this is a valuable resource from North Central Regional Educational Laboratory
- Smart library on Literacy and Technology: What will literacy instruction look like in the future?, Answering questions about digital literacy
By the way, you must read what David Warlick has to say in his Act Like a Native post this week. He concludes with:
You may say, “but who’s going to teach me to do that?” That’s an immigrant question. Natives teach themselves. They work with each other to grow their knowledge and skills. We’ve got to figure this out!
Comments?
Wednesday, February 15, 2006
Digital Literacy: The discussion continues
At our Secondary School teaching staff meeting this week discussion became lively concerning the topic of Prensky's notion of Digital Natives and Digital Immigrants. We started to look at the implications for educators, the responsibility we have to adjust, as necessary, our content and methodology to cater for the digital literacy needs of the 21st century. We listened to a podcast between myself and Sam about teaching and what teachers could be aiming for.
We considered the need to not overlook basic literacies and to develop awareness and integration of information literacies using digital technologies in the teaching and learning process. We do not have the answers to all of the questions posed at this meeting, we are already struggling with time constraints and other daily issues in a school that are not conducive to exploring new territories and ideas in education, particularly if they threaten our comfort zone. Despite the words 'digital' and 'technology' still continuing to be alien to many educators in terms of how to create a curriculum focused but integrated program that enhances learning outcomes for all, as a teaching faculty it is encouraging that we do set aside time to explore and develop our 21st century approach.
The following resources provide further reading and exploration on this topic. I challenge all educators to keep exploring, pondering and discussing this vital topic as it is not going to go away and we will see major changes in education as the digital natives start to become more powerful as adults.
The enGauge website states:
The following skill clusters, when considered within the context of rigorous academic standards, are intended to provide the public, business and industry, and educators with a common understanding of—and language for discussing—what is needed by students, citizens, and workers in the Digital Age.
Digital-Age Literacy
I look forward, as usual, to your comments on this eLearning blog.
We considered the need to not overlook basic literacies and to develop awareness and integration of information literacies using digital technologies in the teaching and learning process. We do not have the answers to all of the questions posed at this meeting, we are already struggling with time constraints and other daily issues in a school that are not conducive to exploring new territories and ideas in education, particularly if they threaten our comfort zone. Despite the words 'digital' and 'technology' still continuing to be alien to many educators in terms of how to create a curriculum focused but integrated program that enhances learning outcomes for all, as a teaching faculty it is encouraging that we do set aside time to explore and develop our 21st century approach.
The following resources provide further reading and exploration on this topic. I challenge all educators to keep exploring, pondering and discussing this vital topic as it is not going to go away and we will see major changes in education as the digital natives start to become more powerful as adults.
- enGauge 21st Century Skills
- It's not about technology, it's about information
- Fearless learners, fearless schools
- Connecting Curriculum and Technology (ISTE NETS)
The enGauge website states:
The following skill clusters, when considered within the context of rigorous academic standards, are intended to provide the public, business and industry, and educators with a common understanding of—and language for discussing—what is needed by students, citizens, and workers in the Digital Age.
Digital-Age Literacy
- Basic, scientific, economic, and technological literacies
- Visual and information literacies
- Multicultural literacy and global awareness
Inventive Thinking
- Adaptability and managing complexity
- Self-direction
- Curiosity, creativity, and risk taking
- Higher-order thinking and sound reasoning
Effective Communication
- Teaming, collaboration, and interpersonal skills
- Personal, social, and civic responsibility
- Interactive communication
High Productivity
- Prioritizing, planning, and managing for results
- Effective use of real-world tools
- Ability to produce relevant, high-quality product
I look forward, as usual, to your comments on this eLearning blog.
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