I am most definitely a "digital immigrant", though my mom would not agree with this statement.
I print things to read them better. I rented a hard copy of the textbook for this course because reading an e-book is not my cup of tea, although I have recently joined the "Kindle Readers Club". The convenience to read books easily at night while holding my daughters when they were babies and needed frequent nap and bedtime snuggles was hard to beat. I prefer typing final works but am an avid pencil and paper notetaker. I have notebooks full from professional developments while my coworker has everything on a single document in the Notes app on her iPad.
I have fully embraced some parts of this new era, but still hang on (tightly) to old literacies.
Right now my third graders are just starting a unit in reading and writing called "Reading/Writing to Research"; the way the unit was originally designed and how we have been teaching it, is to mostly use books as research texts. We read informational texts to pull out details, synthesize, and discuss ideas, then write an informational chapter about one subtopic on their animal. It is a favorite unit for many but also incredibly challenging. Many lessons are added in to help them successfully navigate informational texts, learn how to take notes without copying every single word written by the author, and add in their own thinking to the research they have done. The literacies touched on most are information, traditional, and visual.
I wonder if we should make the decision to focus on integrating more media, digital, and computer literacy within this specific Animal Research Unit. Perhaps start with the digital and teach into the skills of researching and writing informational with them. Towards the end of the unit, back up the learning by reinforcing knowledge gained with library books.
This is something to consider and talk about with my team!
How often do people go to the library or Barnes and Noble to check out a book when trying to learn something new? When I am trying to learn more about gardening, preserving, and drying produce, I instantly go to Google and Instagram to watch videos of others partaking in the same skills.
The biggest struggle about integrating the new literacies?
Time and support.
This is always the number one challenge when trying to integrate any new learning or brand new curriculum. While these new literacies can be integrated within current ELA, math, science, and social studies lessons, in elementary more time is needed to teach the skills that are needed to succeed as well as the content. I also need technology that always works or readily available support when things glitch, as they did today when I tried sending videos about the animals each group was studying and none of the videos worked on student iPads. I had a wonderful lesson modeling a new skill, the class was engaged, focused, and ready to go...... until technology once again failed.
I'll gladly teach what my students need to succeed in our changing society, but I need to have all the tools in place to do.
Header Image from Education Weekly
https://www.edweek.org/technology/opinion-how-many-educators-are-really-literate/2016/07
The point you made, that as adults we usually turn to our own personal devices to find the answers to our questions, really made me think. I have always been so convinced that my students need to know how to find the answer to their questions in a book, and although I still firmly believe books are the answer to many of our questions, how can I hold my students to a standard that I don't hold myself? When I wanted to know the germination period for my chamomile seeds, I didn't drive to the library and check out a book on flowers. I pulled out my phone and googled it! It's so important that we teach students where to find trust worthy sources for their questions, because sometimes asking Siri is the best option!
ReplyDeleteI agree with you about the way we gather information. If I just want something fast and quick I go to google. If I have a deeper interest then I go to books that I have googled. This way I get the information that I want how I want it. When we are teaching students we are able to teach them the same way. How deep of the information are you looking for? What kind of sources do you need? This is something that we can add to a unit about research.
ReplyDeleteI believe that I would be classified as a "digital native" (I was born in 1993), but, like you, I would say that I am a "digital immigrant". I don't consider myself to be tech savvy, so there I times that I shy away from using technology in my classroom, beyond just using Google Classroom. I strongly believe that it is our job as educators to prepare students for the future, and "new literacies" are most certainly a part of this! As you pointed out, most students will be finding information online, rather than looking in a book. We must equip students with the skills to evaluate the information that they find online and critically read /analyze the information that is being presented.
ReplyDeleteYou brought up two great points when discussing the biggest struggle about integrating "new literacies". I agree with what you said about never having enough time! I also teach third grade and it's hard for me to think of trying to add in one more thing, even though I know it would be beneficial!
Ewa, I do the same thing as you do with hard copies of texts to read them better, I also like writing notes throughout especially for classes. I am also a hard copy notes person, at least for my own personal use.
ReplyDeleteI think that this new unit you are on could be a good segway into integrating new literacies into your class. Teaching your students how to research on the computer, but you could also teach them how to use both online research and book research at the same time, and how both are beneficial.
I also agree that time is one of the biggest obstacles to new literacies in education it is hard to add something else to a teachers already filled plate.