Final Thoughts

I would first like to thank my teachers and fellow students for making this semester such a great experience. I was initially worried about how a fully online course would work out, but now I see that distance learning has great potential.

We have covered many topics and asked many important questions.  The answers to many of these questions are still being developed as technologies continue to emerge, and as the world adapts to the changes in communication and access of information.  Understanding what it means to be literate in today's world also means an understanding of the different mediums that transfer information. Older ideas of literacy has changed from books and newspapers, to telephone, radio, and TV, to the newer platforms of social media, open, and closed source technologies, blogs, and the huge influence of smart phones.

It is no longer necessary to go to a library to find information. Most of us can do it straight from our phones. The important idea now is to make sense of the expansive amount of data that exists, separating out what is useless, unneeded, or just plain wrong, and finding what is useful and relevant.

It is also important that we use and proceed with this information in an ethical manor. We are now integrally connected with one another, and simply treating others as you would like to be treated will make the world a much better place.

I see the internet moving in a direction that requires collaborative efforts.  The potential of open-source resources can only be reached when we are working efficiently with others.  This will promote innovation, and in turn a better world for everyone.  Better education and understanding of the world is the key to making this work.

I have been able to take a lot out of these classes. They have given me the idea to expand my tutoring business from my local environment, to a distance learning environment with the ability to reach a much larger audience.  My goal is to create a learning platform that keeps the communication value of face-to-face interactions, and adds valuable learning resources to stimulate, engage, and created enjoyment within the learning experience. I am looking forward to see what else I will learn as I continue through the program, as well as implementing ideas into my own educational platform. "Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world" Nelson Mandela.

Information Literacy Guide:

Understanding information and thriving in an emerging world

What is information literacy?

According to businessdictionary.com it is the "ability to define problems in terms of their information needs, and to apply a systematic approach to search, locate, apply, and synthesize the information and evaluate the entire process in terms of effectiveness and efficiency".

What is transliteracy?

According to www.transliteracy.com it is "the ability to read, write, and interact across a range of platforms, tools and media from signing and orality through handwriting, print, TV, radio and film to digital social networks.

Why is this important?

According to Moore's law our rate of processing information is doubling every two years.  There is more information then we know what to do with.  Learning new information is good, but right now it is more important that we make sense of the information we already have.  As educators it is important that we give our students the skills necessary to navigate across informational mediums and effectively extract needed information.

Relevancy of the printed book.

With new mediums of information emerging it is important to remember why it is still relevant to read a book.  Reading develops your vocabulary, spelling, grammar, memory, imagination, comprehension and focus/attention span.  It also develops your analytic mind as well as your ability to tell stories (Rich, 2008).

  

Emergence of the Website

We use search engines to "surf" the web, because if you do not stay on top of the information you are likely to drown in it.  Search engines help our ability to filter out irrelevant material and single in on what we are looking for.  Once we find a website it is important to determine the quality of information.  Is it an authoritative source? Does it have .org, .edu, or .gov showing what kind of site it is?  Is it a personal site like a blogg?  Who is the author, or publisher of the site?  Does the site have current information?  Websites are amazing research tools, but it is important to ask these questions and play the role of the skeptic when reviewing the information. 

Social Websites

Social websites are great networking tools.  It allows you to connect with people with similar interests from around the world.  You can share ideas, videos, documents, pictures, and any other information that can be digitized.  It is important for these sites effectiveness to develop ethical social skills.  Cyber-bullying, scams, and misinformation have negative impacts on the social community and lead to a corruption of the networking system.  You should always tweet others as you would like to be tweeted.

Survival Skills

While navigating these new literacies it is important to have a basic understanding of how to use a computer, how to effectively browse and search the internet, and how to effectively communicate using email, discussion forums, instant messaging, and using a webcam.  It is also important to have word processing skills, including typing, using tools such as font and graphs, citing materials, saving work, navigating folders, attaching documents and printing hard copies (Diglitny.com,2011).  Other skills include the ability to search across and use different mediums of information, using ethical behavior to make the internet a positive environment, and developing collaborative skills to share ideas, work on projects, and build online communities.  

What's Next?

The basic idea behind information literacy is to become self empowered.  The information literate person has the wealth of the world's information at their fingertips.  Effectively navigating, absorbing, and using this information will empower you to reach your goals and aspirations.  While embarking on your quest for knowledge remember that knowledge speaks, while wisdom listens (Hendrix,n/d).  

References

 

Digital Literacy Advisory Committee. (2011). Digital literacy skill sets for New Yorkers. Retrieved from http://diglitny.org/pdfs/diglit-skill-set.pdf

Hendrix, J. (n/d). 

Moore's Law. (n/d). In Wikipedia. Retrieved December 13, 2013 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moore%27s_law

Murcko, T. (2013). Information Literacy. Retrieved from http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/information-literacy.html

Rich M. (2008). The future of reading: Literacy Debate: Online R U really reading? Retrieved from. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/27/books/27reading.html?_r=1&adxnnl=1&pagewanted=all&adxnnlx=1379520650-kkVwy+mwMjILeTUPofZSVw 

Thomas, S. (2013). Transliteracy Research Group Archive 2006-2013. Retrieved from http://transliteracyresearch.wordpress.com/original-definition-of-transliteracy/

Technology through a child's eye

On 11/13/13 I interviewed my daughter Haylee about her thoughts on technology.  The following are the questions I asked her and her responses.  I shall further elaborate on what I learned and what I found interesting or surprising.

Q1: What kind of technologies do you use?
A1: Laptop, iPod, TV, Wii, and sometimes tablet.
She has access to these not only at our house, but with friends and extended family.

Q2: Which are your favorites?
A2: The computer, because there is a lot to do, you can go on YouTube and find cool music.  Wii because you can play Mario Kart or Just Dance, and TV because I like to watch Disney Channel because it is cool.
There is a large variety of websites, games, and shows to choose from, but she tends to find her favorites and stick to them.  For instance she does not watch many other channels besides Disney (Unfortunately for me)

Q3: Is technology good for you? If so when?
A3: Technology is good for homework or when I am board I watch random videos on YouTube, or just watch TV.
Her School is increasingly using programs such as Ten Marks and Xtra Math for homework. Although it's nice she can find something to do when she is board it can be hard getting her to do more active things.

Q4: When is technology bad?
A4: Technology is not good for your eyes and weight. When staring at the screen too much, and you are not focused.  You can get in trouble for not doing your chores and stuff.
I'm glad to see she recognizes that too much is a bad thing, and that it can get in the way of other responsibilities.

Q5: What do you think of our (your parents) use of technology?
A5: Old people use it for school, cooking recipes, social websites, and email. It's not good because they are not paying attention to me!  You use it too much for school!
Haylee likes the center of attention and does not like to share the spotlight with technology. The time I spend online for this Masters program can be hard to balance with family time.

Q6: Where will technology be in the future?
A6: They will make phones with hologram pictures of people that pop up. There will also be more TV channels, like a thousand.
In Star Wars the hologram projection of Princess Leia seemed so far in the future, nowadays it may not be so far off.  The increase of television channels is also inevitable, but I also see options such as NetFlix and Roku expanding.

Q7: How does technology change people?
A7: Back in the 1990's they didn't have much.  They probably had cars, but now we have TV and better clothes.
She makes me laugh. Kids do not have a very good concept of time or what things were like before they were born (I assume she meant the 1900's). Not having seen many fads come and go she feels the music and styles of today (her time) are the best.

Q8: How does technology help you connect with others?
A8: My Grandparents live in Minnesota. Facebook, Facetime, and Skype are much better than calling them.  You make a better connection when you can see them.
The ability to see the person you are talking to, no matter how far away, does give a much more intimate experience.

Q9: How can technology help at school?
A9: You can do online work at home. Khan Academy gives you new things to work on to keep up your skills. It is also a good way to keep up with your teachers, you can send them messages

Q10: What do you think about distance learning?
A10: It's cool because you can be like home schooled, help with homework, send math problems, and it would be cool to be a virtual teacher.You don't want to fly to their state or country, you can stay in the comfort of your own home.
Great points Haylee!

Q11: How about learning with games?
A11: Ten Marks gives addition games to reward and educate. If you succeed you keep going, if you fail, that's ok, you do it again. Schools should have it because it makes it fun. In Sketches World you do math and walk around grabbing school supplies.  You feel good for getting rewarded for hard work.
I like the fact that she sees failing as part of the learning process and looks forwards to the satisfaction of winning the games.  Plus who doesn't like to have fun?

Q12: If you could invent anything what would it be?
A12: A butler phone.  If you want orange juice then it would come out of your phone. or a cell phone that could shrink.  It could also project a hologram image that you could touch, so I could give my Grandma a hug!
Although a phone that can get you anything instantly may be far off, many technologies are already geared toward instant gratification.  Our patience is growing shorter.  The idea of sending a letter to someone via snail mail is boarder-line laughable.  She is cute for wanting to give her grandmother a hologram hug though.

After I was done with this interview Haylee said I thought this interview was going to be about me?  I said it was about what you think, and she said oh! because I like talking about myself.  I believe there is much insight to receive if we are willing to ask the right questions and listen to what children have to say.  Who knows, you might even learn something yourself.

Media Education: Marshall McLuhan

     In education it is very important to understand not just how technology works but how it affects us personally, culturally, and economically.  Marshall McLuhan was a technological sociologist, and to many a bit of a prophet.  The insights he made in the 1950’s through the 1970’s completely changed the way we looked at media and its effects on our culture.  In 1967 he published a book called The Medium is the Message: An Inventory of Effects (1).  McLuhan is well known for his cryptic yet philosophical sayings, but what did he really mean by the medium is the message and do his ideas still resonate today?

     In order to understand and appreciate McLuhan we must look at him within the historical context in which he existed.  He did not grow up in a time with the internet.  Rather he grew up with the telephone, radio, and the advent of television.  Through these earlier technologies he was able to recognize not just how fast they were going to change, but how they were going to change us.

     So what is the meaning behind the media is the message? In order to break down this statement I would like to compare it to Green’s model (operational, cultural, and critical).  First, operationally with the shift from print material to video content our senses have also shifted from visual, to auditory and kinesthetic (1). Reading is a purely visual activity.  You actively use your eyes to scan and understand the content.  Although video intuitively seems to be visual, McLuhan argues that the visual sense is much more passive then with print.  Instead you are more involved hearing the content and feeling like you are part of it.  This shift in the senses is also causing a shift from the left analytical hemisphere of the brain to the right creative hemisphere of the brain (1).

     The next comparison to Green’s model is cultural.  McLuhan calls this the “Global Village” (1) and has written several books on this topic.  Technology is breaking down boarders and bringing us closer together.  Through the telephone, radio, and television, McLuhan was able to understand how we can now communicate instantly, be brought right to the action, and have information transferred at the speed of light.  With the internet this is truer than ever.  Privacy is going away at an alarming rate.  Franklin Roosevelt was able to get to become President without people knowing he had polio.  Now a politician’s image and charisma on television is of the utmost importance (1).  Religious, political, and personal views are shared regularly via social media.  The Global Village is growing bigger every day.

     Critically speaking McLuhan does not seem to like where technology is taking us.  He much prefers a traditional life, but he does see the importance of understanding these technologies, because like it or not they are here to stay (1).  It is more important than ever to understand the consequences of our actions.  Being drawn so close to each other the effects of our actions are being felt and criticized by the masses.  Our global community must find ways of working together or else we will destroy ourselves.

     We are all responsible for our own actions and understanding the media’s effects.  After all the media is merely a reflection of ourselves.  It is not our ability to shape technology that is important, it is our ability to understand how technology is shaping us.  This is what Marshall McLuhan meant by the medium is the message, and this is why we must take responsibility for ourselves and for our society by creating a better and more effective educational system.

Reference

(1) McLuhan, M. & Wolfe, T. (2013). Marshall McLuhan Speaks. Centennial 2011. Retrieved from http://marshallmcluhanspeaks.com

Democracy in the Digital Age

According to the Bing Dictionary democracy is the "free and equal representation of people: the free and equal right of every person to participate in a system of government, often practiced by electing representatives of the people by the majority of the people." At first glance the internet should be the perfect democratic tool.  It offers the equal right for people to participate in searching, evaluating, and sharing its content.  According to Saskia Sassen, when we have openness and choice we get more democratic out comes (Sassen, S., 2006).  This is not necessarily what happens on the internet. Information is not evenly distributed.  Sassen's "power law distribution" shows that the internet is survival of the fittest.  In the Blog-sphere there are blogs that have huge followings.  They can only respond to selected comments like with a letter to the editor.  Small blogs such as the one I am typing will be shared by a small group of people but the discussions and feedback can be more intimate and significant.

Social media such as Facebook, Twitter, MySpace,Blogger, Photolog, and Instagram are changing how we react with one another.  These social network sites or SNSs are allowing people to connect with others, share information, exchange ideas, create social movements, make websites for discussions about elections, inform people about their local communities, find sources of information for news media, and also connect people to powerful learning tools (Recuero, R. 2012).  Used correctly SNSs can be used to cross cultural divides.  Positive feedback and discussion can evolve ideas very quickly into useful information.  Within the democratic sphere they can use debate, deliberation, consultation, decision-making, administration, scrutiny, online mobilization, organizing, petitioning, polling, and protesting to promote political interests (Kann, M. 2005).

So is the internet democratic?  At first glance I say yes.  Or at least it has the potential to be.  Through further scrutinization we find there are many flaws that need to be worked out (much like our own democratic system).  People who add political content such as civic volunteers, amateur participants and the populist majority, tend to add uninformed, intolerant, and materialistic evidence (Kann, M. 2005).  The reason we use an electoral college is that when the country was founded many people were uninformed.  That is why we have representatives who vote on our behalf.  In this day in age it is easier to gain access to information, but it is very important that the information we get is as true as possible.  Social networks are famous for spreading misinformation at the speed of light. There is too much data and we have to be able to filter through it.

There is also a dark side of social media that we have to be aware of.  There are privacy issues.  Anyone can gain access to personal information, use your likeness, steal your ideas, and even your identity.  There is also a fair share of bullying that takes place.  People with opposing views often revert to a discourse of violence (Recuero, R. 2012).  Many people do not participate in discussions because of fear that they will be criticized.  There are also many prejudices that exist.  Although SNSs did not create these issues they do expose them.  Hopefully with time people will think more critically about what they say and keep an open mind to what others think.

The internet and social media are here to stay.  The majority of users of these networks were self-taught.  If we want to see them being used appropriately and advantageously we need to start teaching our students young.  As of now most schools block the use of these sites not wanting to be responsible for how they are used.  The more reasonable thing to do is teach them how to operate them ethically.  That means keeping open to opposing views and learning through discourse.  And remember to always tweet others as you would like to be tweeted....

References

Kann, M. (2005). More or Less Democracy in the Internet Age? Networked Publics. Retrieved from http://networkedpublics.org/digital_democracy/more_or_less_democracy_in_the_internet_age

Recuero, R. (2012). Digital Youth, Social Movements, and Democracy in Brazil. Connected Learning. Retrieved from http://connectedlearning.tv/raquel-recuero-digital-youth-social-movements-and-democracy-brazil

Sassen, S. (2006). Networks, Power, and Democracy. Networked Publics. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hpw1GpHzAbc&feature=youtu.be

Participatory Culture

Since the beginning of humanity our culture have evolved and changed in various ways. Inventions such as language, roads, and print books all took great strides to bring us closer together, and in turn create stronger civilizations. With the advent of technology our strides are getting larger and the creation of a true global community is getting closer all the time. It is apparent to me that through the readings, studies, and plain common sense collaboration builds better ideas, innovations, civic engagement, artistic expressions, social connections and so much more.  A 2005 Pew Study concluded "our focus is not on individual accomplishment, but rather the emergence of a cultural context that supports widespread participation and distribution of media"(Jenkins, H.J. P.6)  However, the schools are not adapting as fast as they need to to prepare our students for the skills of tomorrow. 

With or without the schools, children with access to the right tools are using them to build important skills while having fun with it. Out of school activities such as blogging, mixing and DJing music, pod-casting, shooting and editing video, and video games, just to name a few, all build technical, creative, coordination, analytic, and all around useful skills. Jenkins expands on ten core media literacy skills. These include play, simulation, performance, appropriation, multi-task, distribution cognition, collective intelligence,  judgement, trans-media navigation, networking, and negotiation (Jenkins, H.J. p22-52). These are the skills that allow us to critically look at the technological tools and content, and use them in the most socially helpful ways. These are also the skills the schools should be using in order to mentor our children in the right direction rather than forcing them to learn it on their own without guidance. "It matters what tools are available to a culture, but it matters even more what the culture chooses to do with those tools" (Jenkins, H.J. p.8).

Jenkins also explains the three concerns with learning technological skills. The participation gap (Jankins, H.J. p. 12) addresses the need for everyone to have access to these technologies. Many places such as in Philadelphia are supplying free internet access. Ideally every child should own or have easy access to a computer. This will add to the pool of contributions and the richness of material and innovations. Alongside the contributions of technology, there is also a flip side of adding useless, false, or even harmful material. This is what he calls the Transparency issue (Jankins, H.J. p.14). Determining what content is trustworthy and reliable should be a main focus of technology skills within our schools. This goes hand in hand with his third concern of the ethics of technology (Jankins H.J. p.17) Online personalities may delve into dark fantasies and have different ethical norms then held in the "real" world. There is also the ethics of what we share on social networks. The ancient question of to post or not to post. Often time I wish some had opted not to post. I have seen relationships destroyed over such things.

When deciding how we should teach these technologies we should also keep in mind Green's model. Learning the basics and building on technologies potential consist of its operational use. Culturally, we should learn to work with one another and keep open to as many different perspectives in order to enrich our own global view, and finally we must also have a critical view. We need to learn to determine trustworthy sources, and strive for quality content. We also need to have a good understanding of not only the potential for good in technology, but also the potential of distraction and destruction.

I have found the readings to be fascinating. The need for change in schools has been very apparent. You are told to do well in school if you want a job, but come to find out it is no guarantee. Even with the sky-rocketing rates of higher-education students are still not properly prepared for life on their own. Some get lucky, but many fall between the cracks, and forced to work jobs they hate. Change is in the air and I want to be a part of the movement to revolutionize our education system.

References:

Jenkins, H.J. (2006). Building the field of digital media and learning: Confronting the challenges of participatory culture: Media education for the 21st century. MacArthur Foundation, p.1-68.

Literacy Debate: Online R U Really Reading?

The concept of literacy is evolving.  What was once associated with the ability to read now envelops other categories such as computer literacy or even social literacy. Literacy can thus be described as an understanding and comprehension of content, be it the words in a book, the programming of computers, or the social skills needed to thrive in today's society. 

As technology advances people seem to be moving away from books. We are living in one of the most virtually stimulating times.  We are surrounded by TV, I phones, pod casts, games, i pods, 3D movies and more.  It isn't hard to see how many people find it difficult to get through a couple hundred pages of picture-less print.  The internet also allows us to filter through tons of information and pin-point the details you are looking for.  This saves time by piecing together the information while creating your own coherent picture of the content.

Books on the other hand are a very linear medium.  We read all the details (useful or not) from beginning to end the way the author had decided to lay it out for us.  This kind of reading is very important because it helps us develop our focus, memory, vocabulary, imagination and comprehension.  The focus we use when absorbed in a book, is the same focus we can tap into when we are playing music, a sport, creating art, or doing a job well.  We have all experienced this focus at one point or another, when time seems to fly by, and the reaction from our mind to our body is cut down into mere instinct.  This I believe is when human potential is at its greatest.

In order for us to confidently go towards the future, we must ensure that we are teaching multiple forms of literacy, so we produce well balanced students prepared for the challenges to come.

References:

Rich M. (July 27, 2008). The future of reading: Literacy Debate: Online R U really reading? (WWW page). http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/27/books/27reading.html?_r=1&adxnnl=1&pagewanted=all&adxnnlx=1379520650-kkVwy+mwMjILeTUPofZSVw