Reflection:

I feel like this reflection is a repeat of what I have previously said all semester but I guess that is what a reflection is, right?

Honestly before this class I really have never given a thought toward literacy. Just like many others I just figured the basics of reading and writing and whatever else. Well to sum up my learning I will leave you with this.

Access/Sponsorship/Agency

I have learned that we all have power over what we learn-or so we think. We all look to others known as sponsors (government, teachers, parents, friends and siblings) to lead us in the right direction, whatever that may be. Sometimes our up-bring/background/lifestyle past and current narrows the opportunity in our lives of having or not having access to basic things that would help learning evolve. As learners get older we tend to take agency over our learning, but subconsciously allow others to groom our thought patterns and convince us we are the illiterate future you can miraculously navigate the world of technology. The digital divide, divide us beyond just age but again by accessibility. I think what I have truly learned is equal access is the key to success. However we live in an unequal access kind of world on many levels in which success isn’t the fate we all can equally achieve.

 

Shared learning/ technology/opportunity

Gosh where do I begin? Well we all know that as learners we gain knowledge by sharing, interacting and observing others. It is awesome to know that we can take those sharing and learning lessons online….okay here is my semi-related rant…you know I am all for helping the world and other countries achieve and receive some of the basics we have here in America including technology access. I don’t know if you have heard of Nicholas Negroponte and the One Laptop per Child program it is a cool program where a person in the US buys a laptop and another is given to another child in another country. This program is great but, I always wonder, why is America so quick to help others but not take care of home? I feel that it is our job as U.S. citizens should take care of our problems first before we help others is a grand way. Yeah TOMS has the same concept, but they are talking about shoes but here with laptops we are talking technology that is not given to local elementary schools and such. Again the basic technology is all we need to help others see a better way of life through technology like we saw in Street’s article. I personally think that technology exposure and use of technology can help people learn new things and new literacies. Considering we are the land of opportunity I think there isn’t enough opportunity for the underprivileged. I don’t know how one person can promote such a huge change.