Honestly, I'm not sure how I feel about Ch. 3, Kajder. I still do not believe technology has to be such an overwhelming presence in the classroom- yesterday in Spotts, the power went out and it was great! (Usually in one of my classes we balance between two or three books we're using, at the same time, and following with what correlates on projector- I followed so much better without that.) Maybe it's because as I read, I feel like I'm interpreting this as things we should be doing all the time, when I'd probably use this every couple weeks at most....?
On pg.43 I read, "Doing work with technology isn't always about creating a huge, splashy end product and spending all our time in a lab. Kids need to see what it is to select a tool to do something efficient, meaningful, and crisp." Yes, agreed. As the passage continued, I liked the other ideas that Brice used and thought, "..ok, this is using tools like the presentations we were doing on monday."
Brice also said, "Kids need confidence in order to engage, and they have to engage in order to grow. That is one part of why we work to build a strong community in school and in class. We learn alongside one another," on pg.43.
I'm sorry if I'm beating a dead horse sometimes- like somebody mentioned in class monday, the idea of the rapid changes in technology, or it's effects on students/people/society, is scary. I don't think people should fear technology and turn away from it completely but I think more people should think about what it's going to do in the long run (my mind keeps going back to that study I posted last week, and I've been thinking about that a lot since I first found it in the spring).
As far as how I interpret the readings, I personally need to stop focusing on the word 'technology' and keep focused on multi-modal.
I'm getting there.
yes! multi-modal is the word! i think everyone (and that includes the department) thinks that because the class is called writing for non-print media that it's a tech class. but i always point out that all eng ed students are already taking a tech class. so that leaves the question...."what is writing for non-print media?" well...yeah, a lot of the focus is on technology and new literacies...because that is the expectation. however, i try to frame the class with a multimodal framework...because that is the way we function in school and in life. we look at, hear, view, MULTIPLE modes. i mean, how many of you talked about symbols and street signs in your autobiographies? that's the point...multimodal.
ReplyDeletewe've even put in a week of process drama which i think you will all enjoy. but thank-you for pointing out that it's not just technology...it's multiple modes in thinking and learning.