Blog Quiz - Week of April 1st

Task #1

The articles from EDUCATION WEEK were simply a confirmation of what I have already come to believe is true from the texts in our 307 class and from my own experiences in the different forms of literacy. The "Outside Interests" article reaffirms most of what students use technology-wise is what they use on the outside of the classroom rather than on the inside. Schools offer little in technology - most computers in classrooms are not even for student use (and this I know from firsthand experience).

I understand so much of the reluctance to use these literacy forms stems from teacher "ignorance" and I also sympathasize with that "ignorance". It is difficult to embrace a media you are not comfortable with or knowledgeable about. If "schools represent the past ... and after-school is where they are training themselves for the future", then I think it is time to reassess our school systems and what we are teaching our children.

I loved the idea of using podcasts developed by the teacher for students to use for reviewing for tests. I had a similar idea when my group was working on our podcast and we were talking in class about lectures being done on podcast so students could download them onto their iPod to listen to them whenever they wanted. Imagine walking across campus reviewing for your test - kind of like using the time you spend standing in line somewhere, or waiting in traffic. It's a wonderful idea, and I can see students liking the idea since it doesn't require much effort on their behalf - just listening.

I must say I understand completely teacher's worries about their lack of training in these areas - "An hour of 'here's a neat tool you should try when you get a minute' show-and-tell isn't meaningful, nor is it effective". Sometimes I feel the same way in our class. We have more than a minute, but it doesn't feel like nearly enough to become comfortable with things. I guess that is probably why I will use these new media forms as a learning experience for both myself and my students as well. My students will be teachig me more than I will be teaching them.

My other concern is the one reiterated in the article, "A Digital Decade" regarding fears about "America's schools--particularly disadvantaged ones on the wrong side of the 'digital divide'--were being left behind". I share some of those fears even though research says 95% of all schools now have high-speed internet access. My fear is still for those students from disadvantaged homes.

As far as who "gets it" and who does not - I will say what I have come to believe from our texts and from my observations in class and outside of class - the students certainly "get it". They are comfortable in this new media age and are only too happy to share their expertise. Who doesn't "get it" - or maybe it's more who doesn't WANT to get it - are parents and school administrators, and some teachers. I certainly think some teachers are up for the challenge and see things are changing in our schools (and outside of them) and they know they must reach the kids or they will simply drop out. Administrators I think are too busy doing "business as usual" with emphasis on high-stakes testing and all of the things which have been done for years and years - it's hard to bring them into the 2.0 world.


Task #2

The Zine Project article brings home for me one of the things that Hobbs also talks about in her book. It is the fact there is "a strong relationship between literacy and power, context and learning" and those Zines are "particularly attractive to adolescent writers--mostly girls--who feel disenfranchised by peer pressures and societal ecxpectations to conform to physical, emotional, and linguistic social norms". Hobbs also addresses gender issues in her book. For me this is an especially important area - there are some ways in which my life would no doubt be different if I had learned the power which exists within writing. Just as Hobbs points out, writing can help us discover who we are. What better way to do this discovery then in a setting where the students feel comfortable. In that respect, I do not think I would make the Zines part of regular classroom activity - I think I would keep them something done after school.

Another important aspect of the Zine Project is the community involvement - teaching students to work together within their community. I think this is something so many future employers would find attractive. If we are going to be good citizens then we need to work within the communities in which we live, and I think this is a great way to accomplish this.