I’m not going to lie, I’ve really been enjoying the activities that we’ve been doing in these article groups. Participating in these activities has not only given me ideas for my own classroom, but has also reminded me that it is important for us as future teachers to remain active participants in a community of practice, rather than sink into becoming idle spectators.

I especially enjoyed the Hip Hop and Literacy presentation. I really liked their website and how it gave the class an overview of the history of hip hop, articles depicting the incorporation of hip hop and literacy, how we, as teachers, can use this idea in the classroom, and the activity. Our group had somewhat of a difficult time analyzing the poems simply because we didn’t remember a lot of the literary devices that one uses in poetry (we’re English Majors…derp). However, this in itself was helpful because it made us recollect on what terminology we would have to teach our students in order for them to do that specific assignment.

I also liked the part in the activity when our group had to create a rap, mainly because it made me uncomfortable. I’m not a rapper. I don’t listen to rap, write wrap, and a sure as hell don’t sing wrap. But what this activity made me realize is that if we, as teachers, are going to ask our students to do things out of their comfort zone (like write inquiry papers, or partake in interactive activities by using digital platforms), we must also be willing to become uncomfortable!

Overall, I like these article groups. I feel like I’m learning a lot, and adding more to my “teacher folder”.

http://www.hybridpedagogy.com/Journal/files/Play_Games_Gamification_Active_Learning.html#unique-entry-id-106

Sorry this is coming in so late. It’s April.

What stuck out to me most about this articles was the following quote:

“I would say that teachers are increasingly expected to be super-pedagogues, and companies (publishing companies, software companies, start-ups) are increasingly cashing in on teachers’ fears that they are not and cannot keep up with the technological advances that are taking place. A recent survey of k-12 teachers reveals a very real anxiety with the proliferation and rapid evolution of technology in terms of their ability to understand and integrate it into their practice.”

I felt like I really related to this passage because I have also found myself becoming overwhelmed by the different digital platforms that are out there. How do I know which platform can both be value added to my classroom and help my student accomplish “the thing” that they need to accomplish? On top of that, I realize that in order to ask my students to become invested in the idea of a “digital classroom”, I have to become somewhat of an expert the digital platform that I expect my students to use. But with different digital platforms popping up, will I be able to realistically keep up with the digital literacy of current and future generations? Will it just become too overwhelming? I’m not lying when I say that this is a legitimate fear that I have. I refuse to become the teacher who is satisfied with teaching the same syllabus and curriculum year after year after year.

However, Bessette, the author of this article, does present an interesting solution to this problem. The author describes a semester when she did peer driven learning. One group of students actually did a presentation where the created a “Jeopardy” like game, which was very similar to Bessette’s recollection of traditional game nights. This reminded me that sometimes the best teachers of the “up and coming” ways to use digital platforms are students. I really like the idea of incorporating peer driven learning into a classroom curriculum, not only to let students explore and create a “thing” that they are actually proud of when the present it to their peers, but also as a chance for the students to teach me more about what is trending in the world of digital literacy.

The fact of the matter is that there will come a point in time when we might not be able to keep up with “what’s hot and what’s not” as well as we were able to when we were younger. However, when and if this point in life does happen, we must turn to our students for guidance so that we don’t fall behind and become so comfortable that we turn into “that teacher” that uses the same god damn powerpoint every freaking semester. JUST THINKING ABOUT THAT KIND OF SHIT PISSES ME OFF!!!!! AGGGGHHHHH!!!! Learning should be fun, not forced.

http://ruby2481.wix.com/21stcenturyliteracy#!print/cj5l

“If we teach today’s students the way we taught them yesterday, then we rob them of tomorrow” – John Dewey

Yep…it’s that time in the semester when I had so many other things occupying my mind space that I completely forgot that we had to do a post…oh man.

Anywho, my article group is currently looking at 21st century literacy, and what the means. Thus far, we have discovered that 21st century literacy clearly embodies not only traditional means of “reading and writing” (meaning text printed on a page), but also includes how we, as future teachers, can use digital media in the classroom to create and promote new types of literacy practices. For instance, our group watched the video “New Learners of the 21st Century” in order to better understand the direction that literacy is going during this Information Age. If you want to be blown away by the possibility that technology has in the classroom, especially when it comes to our students critical thinking skills, you need to watch this video. The vocabulary that the students used throughout this video will completely rock your world. I mean, have you ever heard a student talk about the benefits of a “trial and error” style of learning? Or how engaging an assignment or project can be? Or even that a student views an academic challenge as exciting? My question is WHY THE HELL AREN’T WE DOING THIS IN OUR SCHOOLS?

Another important idea that we are discovering with 21st Century literacy is that it promotes autonomous and self driven learning. This means that the instructor becomes less of a “teacher” (in the traditional sense of the word) and instead takes on the role of a mentor, or as a “tool” for students to come to when they have pressing questions. Now, this does not mean that the teacher just walks around the classroom and asks who needs help. No, in order to adequately engage in the different digital platforms that the students are using, the teacher must interact with these digital platforms extensively so that they can give the students the appropriate help that they need. You can’t ask a student to develop a website through wix.com that critically analyzes Hamlet’s To be or not to be soliloquy if you, as the teacher, don’t understand how to create a website with wix.

Lastly, one very important idea that Cathy Davidson touched upon in her syllabus was that engaging in 21st century literacy means that you have to accept that literacy during this Information Age is constant evolving and should never be viewed as stagnant. When we are creating a syllabus, we have to accept that, especially if we are going to engage in an inquiry-based learning practice, that the syllabus is going to change depending on the progress of the students. Assignments might need to be pulled forward or pushed back. An instructor might realize that the “comparing sources” assignment took longer than expected, so we should spend one more day making sure students understand why and how they are comparing sources so that their inquiry essay won’t involve them banging their head against the wall.

Here are a few digital platforms and resources that we have explored.

http://www.eric.ed.gov.mantis.csuchico.edu/contentdelivery/servlet/ERICServlet?accno=EJ801068

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cosDV-lKHvc

Bookemon-create an online book

storyborard– create a mini movie

popcorn maker– create movies with other media

ujam-create music

wix-create a website

wikibrain-brainstrm online

prezi-create an onine presentation

voicethread-collaborate with others

https://docs.google.com/a/mail.csuchico.edu/presentation/d/1L5TPX4n5uliIwhrCCJoelHHalhhwBNLAS0Pl1Bv7qpQ/edit#slide=id.gb159c5dc_20