Lankshear and Knobel (2013) note that
“portable technologies and increased wireless connectivity enable greater
variation in what is composed, where and when composing happens, and reasons
for composing” (p.25). Students, and
adolescents in particular, are engaged, more than ever with their portable and “smart”
devices. In addition, they have a
multitude of means of engagement at their fingertips, as they navigate through
their daily endeavors. They use their
portable devices to socialize, communicate, research, do homework, be
entertained, and organize their lives.
Information consumption and learning is taking place “on the fly” and
via a variety of channels. Why not
incorporate these multimodalities in the classroom?
Lankshear
and Knobel (2013) state that bringing multimodal means of literacy “can be
generative of meaningful literacy practices and teaching and learning
relationships” (p.25). A high school English
teacher from Brooklyn, N.Y. has reconfigured her traditional pedagogical
methods to engage and support the needs of her students. By introducing the use of blogs in the
classroom, this teacher was able to not only get the opportunity to know her
students better, but to also be a better advisor to them. As she read and assessed their blog entries,
she could then follow up with them digitally and in person, along with being
able to relate to them and support them in their literacy development (Lankshear
and Knobel, 2013).
Taking
into consideration Bill Green’s model of literacy (2013), the operational
dimension of blogging allows for reading and writing in a different context,
while being able to show competence and comprehension of a particular subject matter. From the cultural dimension, blogging is a
social practice and portrays the bloggers ability to make and grasp meanings
appropriately. Finally, from the
critical dimension, blogging allows for an open dialogue that allows students
to interact with and renovate literacy, not just achieve it (Green
and Beavis, 2013).
I
have been keenly interested in the concept of blogging for quite some
time. I read and follow blogs; last
semester, I created a blog site and dappled in blogging; this semester,
blogging is a weekly venture; it only seems logical in this progression to
incorporate it into my classroom.
References
Green,
B. & Beavis, C. (2013). Literacy in 3D: An integrated perspective in theory
and practice. Australian
Journal of Language and Literacy, 36(3).
Lankshear, C. and
Knobel, M. (2013). A New Literacies
Reader: Educational Perspectives. New
York, NY:
Journal of Language and Literacy, 36(3).
Christine-
ReplyDeleteYou make a good point about the use of technologies in the classroom, emphasizing blogging. We all remember having journals when we were kids, and blogs have brought these personal journals to another level. In the high school I work at, there are some kids who have their own blogs, and they share it with other kids in the school as well as with friends they've met online though social media. Being able to express ones daily musings whether they be big ideas or more mundane daily activities gives them a freedom of expression which previous generations didn't have. I asked a few of them if they'd let me read some of their blogs and they were more than happy to share. Some of them had some great takes on the modern world, everything from the election, in-school social politics, to the way they went about designing their rooms and the thought they put into it. It was very interesting to see the inner workings of a teenager's mind in this day and age! Blogging is a great tool to use for connecting the world, sharing ideas, or simply getting something off your chest that might be nagging at you. This class is my first personal experience with blogging and I love the back-and-forth engagement. It's a tool that will only grow in popularity as far as I can tell.
I honestly believe that blogging is a great place to start integrating new literacies and emerging technologies, in the classroom. Like you said, the use of journals has been around for a very long time, so the concept isn't new. However, even though it is a new technology for some, it is simple and user-friendly.
DeleteWhat do you feel are the advantages of using blogs versus discussion forums?
Discussion forums can be useful, but maybe they lack that personal touch that a blog has. Being able to personalize a blog with colors, fonts, pictures and the like gives it that personal feel. Sometimes I see discussion forums go off the rails as far as topics go as well.
DeleteChristine,
ReplyDeleteWhat I hear from your message is that technology has made our entire way of life change. When you talk about engagement with our fingertips it speaks volumes. This is a way of life. I have seen it first hand spending the last twenty-five years in the mobile technology industry. My participants are literally addicted to these devices. They are like extensions of their person. Writing blogs have definitely shown me how becoming an "insider" helps us to understand the learning environments that are evolving. I see now that blogging has caused me to break down barriers and communicate more openly. Previously it was almost forbidden to be too personal in the classroom. Now I see great value in the process. Initially I was anxious about this new environment. Now I'm so thrilled that I took a leap of faith and began this journey.
I can relate to you Tonnie! I am really enjoying Blogging a lot, and I intend on using this in my future online classes with my students.
DeleteBeing that we use both discussion forums and blogs in this class, what do you see as the advantage of blogs over discussion forums?
As an English teacher, I think blogging could be a great resource for the classroom. Also, with as easy as they have made it with this google blogger for example, students would be able to blog right from their phones. I think it would allow students to openly communicate more, and it may even help students who are typically quiet to participate more in conversation. Additionally, many professors use a type of blog in college courses so it would allow students to gain that experience.
ReplyDelete