Metacognitive Journal Post
I found
this to be a very valuable course as it opened my eyes to the scope of new
literacies. I had not really thought
about the changes occurring in media as new literacies evolved because what
seems to happen and you just absorb the changes. This course allowed me to step back and look
with a critical eye.
Initially we evaluated how we use
texts which gave us insight into our actions.
Moving onto define literacy in today’s world made us realize how much
things had changed from when we grew up and analyzing the article (Rich, 2008) The Literacy Debate: Online, RU Really
Reading? was an enjoyable and interesting assignment. I was able to think about what skills would
be needed for tomorrow. Looking back, I
would not have imagined the pace of communication and that I would be attending
school online! Hence, this course has created a greater awareness in my mind of
the need as educators to change our teaching/training methods. One of the reasons I selected to investigate
successful practices that had been adopted by institutions and individuals for
my final project was that I felt I needed to know what was occurring in our
learning environments as this is a stepping stone to the training
environment. These students often end up
in corporate training centers and it is important to know how these learners
have learned.
I recently watched a portion of a film Robot & Frank (2012) where one of
the scenes showed an elderly gentleman entering a library as it was being
converted to a fully automated building. The librarian was being replaced by a robot
and the all the books were being scanned electronically and removed from the
shelves. The gentleman was the last
visitor who was interested in selecting a book from the soon to vanish
shelves. This film took me back to the
opening of this class where we thought about our different uses of texts and
also made me realize that I too just bypass the library these days although I
used to be a regular visitor. Now I just
download a book or order it online and do research electronically. Certainly our patterns have changed as we
become more immersed in the digital world.
We have seen how wireless
technology enables people living in remote areas of Africa to be connected to
the internet and our inability to live without a cell phone. Gaming, social media, and blogs are changing
the way we interface with each other as our world becomes more visual. No longer are we content just to read a story
but we want to be part of it, create and change the content to our desires. Some individuals are leaping at the chance to
have impact, for example, Wikipedia; they are prepared to share their
expertise. So for all the world’s
problems the new medias do have untold benefits as we head for the next Century
and just as when the printing press enabled literacy to expand so will the new
medias as we move to a participatory culture where sharing will become the name
of the game.
I believe this course has given me
a solid foundation and an awareness of how new literacies are impacting
education and this insight changes my approach.
I need to know how to attract my learners’ attention in a vastly
different world. As more of my learners
are “digital natives” I need to be aware of their learning needs and take this
into consideration when designing materials and creating learning situations
integrating the advantages that visual and multi-media can bring to learning.
References:
Rich, M. (2008). Literacy
debate: online, R U really reading? Retrieved from:
Schreier, J. (Director) (2012) Robot & Frank (Film)
