This blog is intended for the teaching assistants, professor, and fellow students of the university course titled, Education: Literacies Across the Classroom. I plan on sharing my thoughts on the material covered in the course and how I plan to use this knowledge going forward as a lifelong learner and future educator. I hope that by making this blog available to the online education community, others will consider my ideas concerning interdisciplinary curriculum in light of their own thoughts and hopefully respond. So please, don’t be shy to engage because I am new to blogging and new to integrated education!
The first week of this course posed the question of what literacy means to me. I had heard only hints through previous education courses that literacy extends beyond reading and writing and is actually something much more. Through my paper, I attempted to place a description on the term in light of my own life experiences. I came to the conclusion that an integral component of literacy is communication. This ability of communication connects people to each other and the the wider society, but varies greatly with context and time.
I think this more broad understanding of literacy can aid students in the education system whose literacy is not recognized for the proficiency that it is. A student who is very well versed in speaking the language of online videogame strategy possesses an ability that connects him well with others who participate in this community. This learned language of codes that represent online spatial realms is not even close to useful within the school system, but perhaps it should. Children are attracted and become immersed in what stimulates them, so it would be wise for the educational system to start paying attention to this fact so that the genuine modes of literacy that children possess can be demonstrated and celebrated. Even if that child loses interest in videogames as they get older, I can't see being able to coordinate others in calculated ways using technology as being anymore useless than learning about certain mathematical formulas.
The first week of this course posed the question of what literacy means to me. I had heard only hints through previous education courses that literacy extends beyond reading and writing and is actually something much more. Through my paper, I attempted to place a description on the term in light of my own life experiences. I came to the conclusion that an integral component of literacy is communication. This ability of communication connects people to each other and the the wider society, but varies greatly with context and time.
I think this more broad understanding of literacy can aid students in the education system whose literacy is not recognized for the proficiency that it is. A student who is very well versed in speaking the language of online videogame strategy possesses an ability that connects him well with others who participate in this community. This learned language of codes that represent online spatial realms is not even close to useful within the school system, but perhaps it should. Children are attracted and become immersed in what stimulates them, so it would be wise for the educational system to start paying attention to this fact so that the genuine modes of literacy that children possess can be demonstrated and celebrated. Even if that child loses interest in videogames as they get older, I can't see being able to coordinate others in calculated ways using technology as being anymore useless than learning about certain mathematical formulas.
Hi James: I can see that you have not had much business yet. I'm not sure that we have got this right. I should be listed as a follower but don't seem to be. I guess blogging will take a bit of detective work too. See you Monday.
ReplyDeleteHow have you done? Doesn't look like you have a large following. I wonder why. I have tried to be your follower but my application does not register. Hope that you are still blogging in some form. The deeper I get into this the more I realize that this is the future and it works. Just that folks like me have some catching up to do.
ReplyDeleteHi Dr. Drake! Yes, I see that you are not a follower, I wonder why? I am now one of your followers. I am new to blogging as well so it seems there is a bit of a learning curve involved!
ReplyDelete