digital literacy 2011

"Writing is no longer a purely text-driven practice. Writing requires

carefully and critically analyzing and selecting among multiple media elements" (Digital Rhetoric).

While I am beginning this post with a quote from the article, I am responding mostly to Anderson's article. (Is article the correct word here?) His article was the first time I have seen someone present an argument by integrating text, video, audio, and links. I had to slow down the video several times in order to keep up with it.

At the same time, however, it appealed to the multi-tasker in me. I listened and read, watched and listened, clicked and read. He even supplied operating instructions. It seemed that he knew the exact moments when my attention would wane and pre-empted this by changing the music. I certainly wasn't expecting the Enimem songs or the blast from the 2003 Mac conference.

As for content, I think his concept of "prosumer" is right on. I've helped my students create a video to show how we used technology to save paper. We presented it at our school's eco fair.

The students acted as producers and consumers because they helped produce this video and they were the main audience for it. (The parents at our Eco Fair struggled to keep their attention on it aside from looking for shots of their child). They also were able to get feedback from each other on how to make it more interesting.

I posted the video below if you are interested. A word of warning: the video itself is boring, but my students were so excited that 1) they created this video and 2) their pictures and voices were featured in it.

(I will probably come back to delete this video in a few days).

While I'm not sure about allowing my students to write video essays, I do think the other projects (the still frame analysis and non-verbal communication videos) could help students think critically about elements of literature and language. In my very limited experience, when people are allowed flexibility and options, they can create beyond the modes of paper and pen. Many of you in this class noted this as well.

Anderson speaks about the "intuitive knowledge" students had about how to express their ideas as the media switched and the concept of student centered learning. He notes that it only took his students a few minutes to learn the program. His students clearly felt comfortable with this type of learning. In this way, technology does not substitute for learning. Instead, it becomes a a tool for learning. The projects Anderson describes are very engaging and interesting.

The one thing that worries me, as others have noted, is that when lessons or units become dependent on technology, back up plans cannot cut it when technology fails. Resources are also not distributed equally in all schools or districts.