I try to be clear in everything I do. I don't like confusion or jargon, so whether I'm talking to graduate level students, doctors, mega-geniuses or five-year old children, my language is usually easy to understand, and if it's not I'll pantomime, dance, or anything else to make things clear. For example, I once drew random circles on the board - hundreds of them like bubbles with multiple shapes, sizes, colors and patters - to show the kids what intelligence is really like (which is vastly different than the 1-100 scenario most people think). So...clarity is very important to me, and I believe it's very important to proponents of New Media and New Literacies in the digital age, because it's a complex subject with a very rich history that needs to be analyzed, evaluated and understood.
In my current graduate class, New Media and New Literacies, there are some interesting ideas to absorb. For example, in the book Reading Images by Kress & van Leeuwen, I've already learned quite a lot about symbols and symbolic language - why it exists, how to interpret it, and cool facts to know like how symbols were once language (in Ancient Mesopotamia) and how they're becoming language again (think emoji's for texting). (P. 21) In their third chapter, I learned even more facts about how images are laid-out to denote completely different meanings, which I found fascinating. We also watched a Ted Talk by Henry Jenkins on Youtube, which was all about how, throughout history, there are always new and revolutionary concepts which propel society forward and given a voice to a new, young age (like radio, Zines and now the Internet). Last but not least, we were given a symbolic diagram by a man named Green, to try and make easier the many complexities of literacy as it relates to technology.
What's fascinating about all this is that I can now look at something like Green's graphical representation of literacy and technology (for example) and make some really cool inferences. For those unfamiliar, his representation uses three interconnected circles, with a rectangle placed in the middle of them, obscuring some of the circles' perfect forms. Because I've read chapter 2 in Reading Images, I can infer that Green used circles because they represent "an organic and natural order." (P. 55). Circles denote something old and overriding, grand and endless. Rectangles, on the other hand "dominate the shape of our cities, buildings and roads," (P. 54) so they are like man-made building blocks. From this I can infer Green might have cut the rectangle through the circles because rectangles are human ideas looming in a world of natural communication. However, what Green is trying to say in his diagram confuses me. After reading chapter 3 of Reading Images, I began to realize that Green could have done so much more to get his meaning across (adding pictures to aid his meaning, maybe having smaller and larger circles to denote varying importance - anything), and yet that never happened. Do his three circles represent: (1) Literacy Practices (reading, writing, etc.), (2) Literacy Techniques (how we teach literacy) and (3) Evolution of Literacy (how it evolves through time and critique)? Does the rectangle portion of his diagram denote the Process of Communication (how we - as humans - learn and analyze information)? I just don't know. It was very frustrating because I'm sure Green created a diagram to be clear, but without any context - annotations, a paper, symbols or a video, his point was lost on me. (I even looked-up a video called '3-Dimensions of Literacy' to figure it out. It didn't help, but such a cool clip on the 3-Dimensions of Reading and Writing Skills in the Common Core came up, on Youtube by Paul France, 2014. And it relates to B. Green because I think Green's diagram was published in the Australian Journal of Education in 1988, with an article titled 'Subject specific literacy and school learning: A focus on Writing').*
On the opposite end of the spectrum, Henry Jenkins did a Ted Talk that I loved: it was all about how technology throughout the ages has mobilized citizenship, but today, "our schools are locking out many of these practices…our schools are turning down Wikipedia, shutting off Youtube, blocking social network sites…" (TEDxNYED, Jenkins, 2010). Jenkins had a very clear message. He talked about changing culture in the Internet Age and ended with a very compelling question: "shouldn't we bring it [technology] into our classrooms?" My one issue with Jenkins is that although his discussion was powerful and clear, he ended with a big challenge to schools that he never even tried to address in his video. I love Internet - especially in my public school. My kids hacked my computer so I can always get on Youtube and find great videos or images to aid in my lesson, but of course I don't want the kids to be going on Youtue without guidance, or on Wikipedia or any social networking sites, alone. There's a very good reason schools have blocked these sites. Wikipedia is too complicated for 6th grade students who don't even know how to cross-check other sites for accuracy. If I let them go on Youtube, they'd be watching celebrity videos instead of movies on Ancient Egypt or Rome, and if I allowed them to go on any social networking sites they'd be sending Instagrams and talking to friends all day without any oversight.
Computer access in schools is a very complex issue with no easy answers. Let me offer a symbolic representation: I would probably start with a tiny little circle at the bottom of my page with two people talking inside. On top of the circle, and connected to it, would be a slightly larger circle. Inside would be a picture of an early civilization. Above that - again in ever-widening circles - would be an early language, then a printing press, a magazine, a radio, television, all in larger and larger circles until we get to the internet, the largest of all and dominating the entire page. Shown in that way, I think it would be very clear that the internet is a massive and unwieldy beast that has taken over all other forms of communication. Jenkins is right - this new and amazing technology should be allowed in schools - but I'd want some parameters…
All my griping aside, let me say this: the new skills I'm learning from this class are many - how to view the world differently (through symbols and signs), how to navigate the complex technological world of the Internet (I created my first blog!), and the many different perspectives on these topics which come in the form of books, articles, videos and diagrams. Through it all, however, I just want to be clear - because knowledge is a prize I covet. A man named Richard Lanham once claimed: "literacy has extended its semantic reach from meaning 'the ability to read and write' to now meaning 'the ability to understand information however presented.'" (Academia.edu, Digital Literacy and Digital Literacies). This is a very powerful statement - and a very scary one - but it's also extremely clear, and from it, I was able to visualize the mammoth sway that digital technology has over our planet, and the problems we're all currently facing as we try to figure out what it means.
Resources
*"The Three Diagrams of Literacy: A Diagram," downloaded 1/30/15 at: http://read6350secondaryreading.wikispaces.com/file/view/READ+6350+chart.pdf
Kress, Gunther & van Leeuwen, Theo (2006). Reading Images: The Grammar of Visual Design. New York: Routledge.
Green, B. "Graphical representation of GREEN's approach to literacy." Moodle room Image. Downloaded from https://moodle.esc.edu/mod/page/view.php?id=821667
Jenkins, Henry. "TEDxNYED - Henry Jenkins - 03/06/10." Online video clip.
Youtube. Uploaded on April 13th, 2010. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AFCLKa0XRlw. January 29th, 2015.
Lankshear, Colin & Knobel, Michele. "Digital Literacy and Digital Literacies: Policy, Pedagogy and Research Considerations for Education." Academia.edu (italicize!).
http://www.academia.edu/3011377/Digital_literacy_and_digital_literacies
Web. 31, January, 2015.
Hi Josh – I am really glad that you brought up that point (or challenge) that Henry Jenkins made at the end of the Ted Talk video. I am incorporating that into my post as well. As you stated, "our schools are locking out many of these practices…our schools are turning down Wikipedia, shutting off Youtube, blocking social network sites…" (TEDxNYED, Jenkins, 2010). Jenkins had a very clear message. He talked about changing culture in the Internet Age and ended with a very compelling question: "shouldn't we bring it [technology] into our classrooms?"
ReplyDeleteI feel that his message was clear throughout the video; and extremely thought provoking. I was surprised that he ended with that topic. The video actually left me wanting to hear more on his thoughts related to technology in the classroom. Although he didn’t address it head on, I think it was left for us to consider all angles. This is a topic that has so many pros and cons; there are distinct benefits but also strong concerns. Coming from a training and development background, I see this even in my workplace. I have YouTube videos incorporated into some on my eLearning courses. Our Support/ IT Department has recently blocked YouTube so these videos are no longer available to employees. I understand a company’s need to increase productivity, enforce business ethics, and block harmful or malicious sites, but at what cost and to what extent? YouTube can be a valuable training tool. Yes, an employee MAY choose to watch the last play from this past SuperBowl while they are there, but is that so terrible? Again, as adults, there should be some personal accountability. This is just one example that I face on a regular basis. If the concerns are this great in a workplace with adults, I can only imagine the concerns related to technology in schools.
I have had many conversations with my son’s teachers as well as other parents on this topic. I struggle with where my concerns end and the benefits begin. I know how helpful it is for kids to have access to the internet – I see firsthand how beneficial it is to have a world of information available to you immediately following a few clicks. I do worry about the validity of the information and whether kids can determine what is considered accurate and valuable and what is not. You are correct that sites are blocked for a reason – it is easy to get lost and distracted and limiting these distractions by blocking certain sites is necessary. I think there is also a liability issue as well. Parents may take precautions at home to block certain sites – they would not want their child to have complete access to any site while at school. I understand that this may limit a child’s creativity in some ways but I think it is a necessary evil. You summed it up perfectly in your post, “Jenkins is right - this new and amazing technology should be allowed in schools - but I'd want some parameters.” I absolutely feel there is a place for the internet and other forms of emerging technology in our schools – with certain necessary controls - as long as it supports the learning that is taking place.
References
Kress, Gunther & van Leeuwen, Theo (2006). Reading Images: The Grammar of Visual Design. New York: Routledge.
Jenkins, Henry. "TEDxNYED - Henry Jenkins - 03/06/10." Online video clip. Youtube. Uploaded on April 13th, 2010. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AFCLKa0XRlw. January 29th, 2015.
Hi Josh,
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed Henry Jenkins video on participatory culture. I found it easy to understand in comparison to the reading this week. I think being able to connect the classrooms to the internet could be a great idea if there are precautions, restrictions, and age appropriate material being utilized. There is access to so many educational websites that I think could enhance learning and spark a newfound interest in learning especially with the Common Core standards taking precedent these days. Learning has become a struggle, so why not utilized the web to make it fun at the same time – again with certain guidelines. We are seeing students in our local schools in Pennsylvania having access to computer labs, and they have been fundraising since the beginning of the school year to provide iPad mini’s to the students to use in the classrooms. You mentioned you have a computer in your classroom, but do the students have their own tablets or iPads? Has the school where you teach, discussed the possibility of utilizing them in the classroom?
Now on the other hand, Green’s graphical representation of literacy might make sense to those that truly understand the correlation between operational, cultural and crucial concepts, but I must say I had no clue exactly what he was trying to portray in his diagram. It was not a clear diagram, whereas the pictures Jenkins made use of helped me to better understand what he was trying to portray in his lecture. Did you find that to be true as well? I personally thought the way Jenkins conducted his lectures were really great. I could relate to examples he used such as Peter Parker and how he “once needed to be deeply embedded into the newspaper” and when he lost his job at the paper – he no longer needed it because he had access to the internet. The internet makes it possible to communicate in ways we never could before.
Green, B. (1996). "Graphical representation of GREEN's approach to literacy."
Retrieved from https://moodle.esc.edu/mod/page/view.php?id=821667
Jenkins, H. (2010 March 6). TEDxNYED [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AFCLKa0XRlw.
Hi Mandy,
DeleteThanks for your post. My school currently only provides iPads for certain classes, for students that need special aids (ones that have IEP's or are in ICT classes). To be honest, I think it would be a waste of money and time! Most of my students would be playing games on the iPad before they did HW on it. I think, right now, they are Way more focused just using a pen and paper. Too many distractions on iPads. However…I have an iPad, and my school has provided one for every teacher and it has become a very valuable resource. I take videos of debates, photograph important events, and it's way easier to check HW.
We do have 2 computer labs and LOTS of computers in the library, so there are many ways students can receive this resource, but in a controlled setting where I can monitor How they're using it.
Regarding Green vs. Jenkins, I totally agree. That Green diagram is archaic compared to the graph Jenkins used in his video. For the most part, I loved the video of Jenkins, his passion, his outlook and how easily he made me feel his point. As I said in my post, the only thing that bothered me is his quip at the end about schools and technology, because it felt like an unnecessary jab at public education after what was a really good lecture.
Best,
Josh
Hi Josh, In your post I noted that you appreciated Jenkins’ TED Talk, but as a teacher disagreed with Jenkins. You stated “my one issue with Jenkins is that although his discussion was powerful and clear, he ended with a big challenge to schools that he never even tried to address in his video. I love Internet - especially in my public school. … but of course I don't want the kids to be going on Youtube without guidance, or on Wikipedia or any social networking sites, alone. There's a very good reason schools have blocked these sites. Wikipedia is too complicated for 6th grade students who don't even know how to cross-check other sites for accuracy.” How would you draw the line of access to certain internet sites for students of all ages/grades and around the world. For example, there is another TED Talk by Sugata Mitra (2013) called “Build a School in the Cloud” where he concludes with his idea of self organized learning environments where learning becomes a combination of three components - broadband + collaboration + encouragement. (see at the 17 minute mark in the video)
ReplyDeletehttp://www.ted.com/talks/sugata_mitra_build_a_school_in_the_cloud?language=en
Your comments on Mitra’s proposal for SOLE I would appreciate as it would appear to channel the role of the teacher and allow broad access to the internet for the learners.
Thanks, Marian
HI Marian,
DeleteThanks for your post!
I think the line of access to the Internet needs to be drawn once we define the actual purpose of 'Education'. For me, education means helping students analyze and evaluate the world around them for the purpose of both bettering themselves, and the world around them (and by 'bettering' I mean enhancing or elevating that world not just for the individual, but for everyone already on it).
Therefore, 'Education' is all about interaction, understanding, and a balance between knowing how to act in society (social etiquette, community outreach, etc.) and how to develop the self (who are you, what do you want, and how do you Get what you want in this life?).
Taken in this context, using the Internet would be keenly focused on projects that help students relate to society (both in the past and current society) and relate to themselves (with Web articles on 'Brain Function,' 'Depression,' or 'Stress.'
My only point is that at school, there must be a focus. I'm an educator, so I use the internet to Educate, not to watch movies or see the latest Web sensation and laugh about it with the class. Specifically, I wouldn't block access to any sites, but I would insist on oversight of some kind (just having a teacher circulating) and a goal, to insure that it's used for the right purposes in an education setting.
I love the ideas presented in the Sugata Mitra video, because like you say in a slightly different way, it allows access but for a purpose of active learning, not just passive viewing.
Best,
Josh
Hi Josh...I think many of us were at a loss with Greens representation. I read Jenkins's "Confronting the Challenge of Participatory Culture"(week 4) and BLAM! it all made sense. Hope it helps. JoAnna
ReplyDeleteThanks JoAnna.
DeleteI can't wait!!!!