Technology and Pedagogy in Literacy Education
The potential of technology for literacy instruction can be realized only when pedagogy merges the best of traditional approaches with the best of innovative methods in literacy education. The authors of “Beliefs about technology and the preparation of English teachers…” began to describe such pedagogy for English teachers. Anderson (2003) shares a multimedia reflection on the pedagogy for composing with consumer technology tools in K-12 classrooms. What beliefs will you add to these two conversations?
April 19, 2007 @ 4:11 pm
Technology or People
After reading chapter nine of Richardson and the article by the authors of “Beliefs about technology and the preparation of English teachers…” I can truly say the topic of literacy and technology has started to make sense. Even though I came to the realization earlier in the semester that technology is important and we need to teach to our students for their benefit, I am just now seeing more benefits of technology. At first, I was seeing technology as a substitute or option to text, pencil and paper, or any other traditional form of teaching. As teachers, it is our responsibility to educate our students and we are not doing that if we are lack integration of technology in our content. Richardson made the statement that “we are now in the process of connecting all of the knowledge pools in the world together” (p.125). If knowledge is found on the internet and critical thinking develops more as a result of using it, we need to find ways to use it in the classrooms.
As mentioned in chapter nine, anyone can produce information of any form on the internet, so we need to teach our students how to use their knowledge effectively. My classmate, Peace, mentioned that we need to teach our students how to be “resistant readers”. These are readers who challenge the validity of what is being said. Therefore, our readers are no longer just readers; they are writers and critical thinkers.
There were several “big shifts” mentioned by Richardson and many of them brought about concerns and questions. Even though I know that there is a social and collaborative construction of knowledge, I believe there also need to be some independent work and assessments. Assessments do not always have to resemble a test; however it may look, it needs to be an assessment of the individual’s progress.
Moreover, all the authors gave great points and ideas concerning their beliefs of the integration of literacy and technology. I agree with most of their beliefs, especially the ones that encouraged the teachers to become familiar with technology in order to effectively teach and implement it. I also agree that technology should not replace the writing teacher or any teacher. However, with the rapid change in education, I would not be surprised if it happens.
Finally, I realize there are definitely some positives to technology, mostly the internet, but we must recognize that they are also some negatives. Richardson mentioned, students need to be more concerned with “where” to find the answers than “knowing” the answers. If this is true students will become less motivated to memorize or retain information for them. Possibly, students will begin to feel as though they can teach themselves, they will collaborate online with teachers, professors, and peers for a social learning experience. Since virtual classrooms are already in effect, the traditional classroom setting will be obsolete. If this happens, our well sought out national collaboration experience will be nothing more than cyber reality. Yes, technology is will enhance our students learning experience, but if we are not cautious, our students will know more about technology than people.
Technology and Pedagogy in Literacy Education
After reading chapter nine of Richardson and the article by the authors of “Beliefs about technology and the preparation of English teachers…” I can truly say the topic of literacy and technology has started to make sense. Even though I came to the realization earlier in the semester that technology is important and we need to teach to our students for their benefit, I am just now seeing more benefits of technology. At first, I was seeing technology as a substitute or option to text, pencil and paper, or any other traditional form of teaching. As teachers, it is our responsibility to educate our students and we are not doing that if we are lack integration of technology in our content. Richardson made the statement that “we are now in the process of connecting all of the knowledge pools in the world together” (p.125). If knowledge is found on the internet and critical thinking develops more as a result of using it, we need to find ways to use it in the classrooms.
As mentioned in chapter nine, anyone can produce information of any form on the internet, so we need to teach our students how to use their knowledge effectively. My classmate, Peace, mentioned that we need to teach our students how to be “resistant readers”. These are readers who challenge the validity of what is being said. Therefore, our readers are no longer just readers; they are writers and critical thinkers.
There were several “big shifts” mentioned by Richardson and many of them brought about concerns and questions. Even though I know that there is a social and collaborative construction of knowledge, I believe there also need to be some independent work and assessments. Assessments do not always have to resemble a test; however it may look, it needs to be an assessment of the individual’s progress.
Moreover, all the authors gave great points and ideas concerning their beliefs of the integration of literacy and technology. I agree with most of their beliefs, especially the ones that encouraged the teachers to become familiar with technology in order to effectively teach and implement it. I also agree that technology should not replace the writing teacher or any teacher. However, with the rapid change in education, I would not be surprised if it happens.
Finally, I realize there are definitely some positives to technology, mostly the internet, but we must recognize that they are also some negatives. Richardson mentioned, students need to be more concerned with “where” to find the answers than “knowing” the answers. If this is true students will become less motivated to memorize or retain information for them. Possibly, students will begin to feel as though they can teach themselves, they will collaborate online with teachers, professors, and peers for a social learning experience. Since virtual classrooms are already in effect, the traditional classroom setting will be obsolete. If this happens, our well sought out national collaboration experience will be nothing more than cyber reality. Yes, technology is will enhance our students learning experience, but if we are not cautious, our students will know more about technology than people.
Virtuous
April 20, 2007 @ 7:43 pm
Technology and Pedagogy: Collaborative Partners
Technology has completely revolutionized pedagogy and the teaching of literacy. As I have developed my thoughts for my Emergent Theory Paper, I have come to realize that teaching in today’s classroom is truly a different world than the classroom of our parents. There is a new dimension entirely in pedagogy now due to the tools technology has handed us. Composition is carried out with a plastic keyboard rather than paper and lead. Hardcover books have been in large part replaced with Times New Roman font on a computer screen. Overhead projectors are basically extinct due the LCD projector. Encyclopedias and dictionaries now gather dust as students find their answers with the click of a mouse in less than a minute. Yes, it seems that the old ways of learning and pedagogy are being buried under the overload of technoloy.
However.
This should by no means lead us to the conclusion that anything “old” according to today’s standards is worthless. The teacher who is able to combine the best of the old with the best of the new in perfect harmony is one to be praised. That is exactly why the NCTE has collaborated to produce a decription of what new literacies working with new technologies should look like. Technology should be seamlessly woven into instruction pulling together a variety of new and old strategies and tools.
How paramount to remember that the PROCESS of learning is far more important at the end of the day than the actual product. If we guide our students through the learning process incorporating computers, books, audio tools, video tools, pen, paper, keyboards, the Internet, the World Wide Web, reading strategies, and writing strategies then we have handed them the key to becoming a lifelong learner.
That is when teaching becomes an art and the teacher an artist.
April 20, 2007 @ 7:52 pm
Cordelia’s reply to Virtuous…
You caught my attention when you brought to light the fact that with so much information out there in cyber world, it is our responsibility as teachers to mold our students into resistant readers, otherwise known as critical readers.
Specifically, students need to have the ability to stand back from what they are absorbing and ask themselves if what they are reading is legitimate and believable.
Do I know the author’s name?
Do I know anything about him or her?
Is this site trying to sell me something?
Is this information supported by other sources?
What does my background knowledge tell me about what I’m reading?
Are there advertisements plastered all around the page?
Is this material peer reviewed?
Was this site recommended by someone I trust and respect?
Students need to be taught to go through a form of this questioning process each time they are presented with information on the Internet. This produces students who think, read, and learn with a critical mind.
April 22, 2007 @ 6:49 pm
Pulling it all together…Finally!
I think that reading Richardson’s final chapter What it All Means, along with the article and multimedia presentation allowed me to finally pulled all that I have been introduced to together. I feel that I have been overwhelmed with new technology and information, so much so that a lot of its relevance was unclear to me, up until these last two required readings.
With a clearer view to the great impact that technology has on literacy, I was able to better appreciate the two conversations of the authors of the given article and Anderson’s (2003) multimedia presentation. Being a visual person, I was really able to grasp and see how and why technology and literacy are so strongly connected. Though Anderson was sharing numerous examples of work at a higher level of education, I could easily see how so many of the options he used could be used in content areas of K-12.
So what are my beliefs?
First, teachers must be ready to meet the challenges of teaching students of the new age. I agree with McGrail’s (2007) statement, “The potential of technology for literacy instruction can be realized only when pedagogy merges the best of traditional approaches with the best of innovative methods in literacy education.” Teachers of yesterday, today, and tomorrow must be willing to teach students in a way that still embraces the traditional ways of the yester years, while at the same time incorporating the new technologies that will allow student to go further into the presented information. For example, allowing students to go on webquests allows them to dig into a topic deeper on their own or in a collaborative group. Imagine how much more interesting it would be to study History by going and searching for real artifacts on the web! What are other ways teachers can merge the two together?
Second, to agree with the authors of Belief about technology… Before teachers can incorporate all these great new outlets for learning, they must be taught themselves how to use and/or create things such as blogs, podcasts, movie clips, etc. You cannot expect or put pressure on teachers to merge literacy and technology together without giving them the tools to do so. With that being said: What do you think is the best way to give teachers the knowledge of all the technologies available? Do you think that technology courses should be required of teachers during undergraduate studies? How do you convince teachers of yester years the significance of merging the two together?
Third, I believe that not only do we have to prepare our teachers, but we MUST prepare our students. Although most students are much more tech savvy than most of their teachers, they still must be taught the do and the don’ts of using all the new technologies. You also must keep in mind that not all the students who are in your classroom will not be as tech savvy as others. For instance ELL learners, these students will need much more instruction. When do we start teaching our students about these technologies? How much time should we spend on teaching them? Are there any basic tools that all students should be required to know before passing a certain level?
April 22, 2007 @ 7:35 pm
Response to Virtuous
I agree with so much of what you said in your reflection. I have coworkers who are working on advanced degrees online; they never see their professors and all work is turned in via the internet. I can’t help but think how much they are missing by eliminating the classroom. I know how important technology is to enhance our teaching and that technological literacy is fundamental these days, but it scares me to see how quickly people are being taken out of the equation. With the trends towards virtual classrooms and scripted lessons, teachers are being phased out of their traditional roles. While the internet is so much more dynamic than a textbook, sometimes it is very difficult to discern quality information from personal opinion. They are occasionally packaged in the same way. Cordelia’s checklist is great to help solve that problem. I see such potential for utilizing technology to enhance teaching and the students will be the better for it, but if a professional can receive a Ph.D. via the internet, how far off is online high school?
April 22, 2007 @ 8:02 pm
What does it all mean? I like Richardson’s redefinition of the internet as the read/reflect/write/participate web. It makes technology and the internet easier to embrace. The web has become such an integral part of all our lives that teaching without it is unthinkable. Using it and the Web 2.0 tools to enhance teaching is a natural evolution in the profession. The students are becoming more techno savvy than we are, so we must catch up. The whole concept of teaching as a conversation and not a lecture is important; students should take an active role in their learning. By participating in their learning, students will remember and utilize their knowledge in a far more practical way than rote memorization. Richardson mentions that a typical test does little to prepare students for the work force where if they can’t perform, they get fired. Also, working collaboratively is preparing students for the real world, especially now that it is “flat.” I like that the article differentiates between teaching technology and newer literacies. Much technology does have a short shelf life and the theory behind its use and its beneficial applications to augment traditional “book learning” is far more important than the technology itself. The internet looks nothing like it did ten years ago and it will be something different ten from now. Its application, however, will still be somewhat similar. The article’s focus 2 brings up a good point regarding how text is approached. Digital texts must be approached with caution and a wary eye. Students need to be taught to discern between useful and inappropriate material. If they can’t grasp this concept, learning is compromised. Also, we should emphasize the interactive nature of digital texts to encourage reflection and response. Focus 3 is particularly important because so rarely does anyone write anything without the use of technology. Its appropriate use and implementation is vital for our students to make it in the working world. Focus 4 is very similar to focus 2. Students need to learn to be discriminating with information. On the web, a Holocaust Memorial site and one claiming the Holocaust never happened can look the same, have the same amount of information, and the same number if “credible” authors. How is one to know which is right? If you have no prior knowledge of the topic, it may not be easy to do. Teachers are invaluable for guiding instruction and making sure our students are exposed to quality information. The educational process doesn’t work without us.
April 22, 2007 @ 9:50 pm
The article had a great wealth of information about integrating technology and literacy. I completely agreed with the statement “preparing English educators to model effective integration of technology into their teaching will be of little use if their students and their students’ students don’t have adequate access to those technologies”. Currently, I am in that situation, I teach a class of 17 kindergarten students but only have two working computers in my classroom. During, small group for reading, I would love to have a group working on the computers but the group is usually made of 6-7 students. That is too many students for two computers. Thus, at times I will let my responsible students use my lab top but that is not all the time. So, I run into the challenge of not having enough computer access during my reading block.
I also agreed with the issue that educators do not have enough knowledge on technology to effectively incorporate in literacy. I think that school districts should provide more professional development opportunities to equip teachers. Technology and literacy goes beyond reading software and surfing the web. Through professional development, educator can learn about the opportunities weblogs, Web 2.o, digital media, podcasting, wikis, and etc. have to offer.
It’s refreshing to know that articles are being written about integrating technology and literacy. Also, courses are being offered from education institutions about technology and literacy. This is a good indicator that others are aware of the need of improving the integration of technology with literacy, and change is to come.
April 22, 2007 @ 10:14 pm
“Technology has completely revolutionized pedagogy and the teaching of literacy. As I have developed my thoughts for my Emergent Theory Paper, I have come to realize that teaching in today’s classroom is truly a different world than the classroom of our parents”.
Cordelia,
I agree that technology has changed teaching of literacy. In fact, I think it has changed teaching as a whole. My concern is that it is evident that technology can positively influence the teaching of literacy. However, schools are not equipping educators with the knowledge needed to effectively teach with technology. Further, schools are not providing students with enough access to technology.
My question is, as educators how do we make school districts aware of the need professional development and more access to technology? Another challenge to consider is, some sites that would be of great use in the classroom are blocked from the schools computers’.
I look forward to any one responding to my questions on how to get results.
April 23, 2007 @ 3:23 pm
In response to Miss Kay,
Miss Kay,
I too, really agreed with the quote about preparing educators for the use of all the great technology that is literally at our fingertips. And once educators are trained on using these great tools, how are we going to share these tools with our students? I also share your concern of not having enough computers available in my classroom. Of course there are enough computers for each student in the computer lab, but we only go to computer once a week and there is no free time for students to return to computer throughout the week. The question still remains how create more access to computers for our students?
Once again I agree with your thoughts on preparing teachers through professional development opportunities. All throughout the year teachers are required to go to a workshop for this new idea and a workshop for that new idea. It is time that our administrators provide us with workshops that are actually beneficial to not only the teachers, but to the students also.
As with everything else I guess it will just take time.
What Web 2.0 tools do you think would be most beneficial for teachers?
What Web 2.0 tools do you think would be most beneficial for students?
April 23, 2007 @ 5:08 pm
Ms. Outspoken’s resonse to Cordelia,
Cordelia,
I hope that the things of old are not extinct or being replaced. I think the classroom should blend both computer and paper/pencil. I do not think this is the best practice, I think it should be the only practice. I feel that the only situation, even for writing would be written rough drafts THEN type. There are some concepts such as spelling and vocabulary words that research shows (Orton-Gillingham) that lead and paper commit these items to memory better than any other tool. Also, reading a book on the computer in my opinion, is no substitute for holding a book in your hands, feeling the paper, and smelling the pages. I think that both need to be seamlessly incorporated.
April 23, 2007 @ 5:40 pm
Ms. Outspoken’s response to weblog 5
I am going to focus on one aspect of literacy and technology. The article stated under focus 3 that composing should be multimodal and use multimedia technologies. I think this is great. I would like to incorporate that multimodal can mean old techniques such as paper and pencil. I think in my classroom after learning what we have that I would first have my student do an outline and rough draft on paper using a good old # 2 pencil. Then a student could transfer the written information into a typed word document (for example). As a teacher who wants to have best practices with technology we could do different types of literacies with this written document. We could post it to our class blog. We could practice hyper linking text or pictures in a document. We could complete a précis for the paper via podcast and post it on the class blog. What I think is so great about technology is that we have so many mediums of communication on the web and so many applications we can explore. However, we can and should incorporate standard methods of writing and reading as well.
Ms. Outspoken