Digital Texts in and out of School

Introduction:

"It is  time our classrooms became places where digital and print literacies come together to allow children opportunities to develop the skills and attitudes they will need to navigate complex urban sites and social forms." (2009, Pg. 3) 

This statement was written in 2009. It appears the UK had this idea and followed through with it. I think the US needs to follow suit. I feel it would be almost necessary to provide professional development to teachers that is similar to this class in order to be able to bring it properly into the classrooms. I don't know how to do that in the time allotted for PD by the county. I think I could develop something that would work and do it over the year, perhaps in the provided PLC time.

Chapter 1:  

 "Although digital technologies may be enabling modes of learning such as trial and error, it is important to look at other modes of learning in relation to these technologies. A closer study also may provide information about the kinds of things that are learnt effectively through trial and error or  

technology enhanced scaffolding, and those that require more direct kinds of instruction." (2009, Pg. 19) 

When I first read this quote I was reminded for factoring quadratics. When I read it the second time I reflected on a blended learning class I taught this spring where the students thought they knew office 365 well enough to use it, so while I was showing them ways to use it and navigate through it, several of them tuned me out. Therefore they used trial and error until frustration set in and they asked for help. Actually I have used programs and  apps this way. As I interviewed for my case study, I got the impression that was the way my subjects learned their "out of school" technology also.

Chapter 2: 

"With a greater emphasis on context and literacy in practice, we can extend the notion of textuality.  Further, in exploring meanings, we can take into account not just the written word, but also images, layout, font, sound, gesture, movement and so on." (2009, Pg. 30) 

This "textuality" is an interesting word. Having students use this type of multimodal communication in school should be a "no brainer" except they seem to have trouble knowing what is appropriate for education/in school (more formal environment) and what is appropriate for out of school (informal environment). I feel that the teachers in my high school do care what students put on social media about themselves and how it will affect them in the usually near future. It is just hard to reach them and teach them since they have been using it for so long. 

Chapter 3: 

"In and around school, new digital textual possibilities mean that teachers and students increasingly recognize that text production can be a multimodal endeavour, where words, images, music and sound can combine to create rich texts that are driven by a desire to communicate powerfully and appropriately within a given medium." (2009, Pg. 50)

 Carrington, V., & Robinson, M. (2009). Digital literacies: Social learning and classroom practices. Los Angeles: SAGE Publications.  

Illuminated Text: