Literacy in the 21st Century

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wn0_H-kvxkU&feature=player_embedded

Literacy to me is the ability to decode words, find meaning of words, and relate words to the rest of the world. Literacy can come from the people around you, your environment, and the text that you read.
Do I believe that Literacy in the 21st Century is changing? Yes.- Well, to an extent. After viewing this video, I believe that literacy in the 21st century means being able to know how to use the tools/words that we are given and apply those tools to the world around us. Technology has significantly increased the amount of literacy that students are exposed to. The video speaks about students today. Today's students are provided so much exposure to technology throughout the day- from using computers to smart boards to cell phones. Each of these expose students to different forms of print. Some of the print is now abbreviated or uses symbols, meaning that the Literacy that students read is represented differently than the literacy that everyone 20 years or older used when attending school. It is almost as if this literacy is a new written/ visual language.

The difficult part for teachers is finding a balance on using technology in their classrooms. I believe that students should practice conventional forms of literacy, but use technology as to further enhance what they learn. Some teachers feel as though students are overexposed to technology and that this may not be healthy for their long-term well being. To some extent, I do agree with this. I feel as though students should partake in hands- on, physical, and technological activities throughout the day. Students are constantly being exposed to new technology and information, but they do not always know what to do with the information that they receive. I agree that teachers must attend training sessions about the technology so that they know how it works and how the technology can be readily available for students to learn and explore. I also believe that teachers should be willing to learn from the students about these new technologies. If a student presents the teacher with an idea that may make learning more engaging, the teacher should consider what the student says and decide how it would be incorporated into their lessons.

Although literacy and technology is progressing, students must understand the basic fundamentals of literacy before being able to understand. comprehend technologically literate world around them.

My technology in the classroom slideshow

In the Literacy and Technology course that I am currently taking, we were given an assignment to create our own slideshows. Being that this course is about the use of technology in the classroom, I decided to show how the classroom environment has changed since technology has become a major part of students' everyday lives. I feel as though it is very important for teachers to recognize how to use technology in their classrooms. Most schools that I have been in have at least one computer room and most of the classrooms have at least one working computer. However, in many of the classrooms that I have been in, the students know more about computers than the teachers do. Teachers need to understand how to utilize the technology to enhance the learning of their students. Students today need lessons that are thought- provoking, hand- on, and technologically appropriate for the age group of the students. Teachers also need to be aware of how to use the technologies when planning their lessons and looking for resources that may be helpful to both themselves and the students. Here is the link to my slideshow:
 http://www.slide.com/mscd?bnc=bnc&pxcid=NM3t2tgdZQRNB_gpw3AN3aaIAOpNK9utqYAvAgaWgxoSi6JeuzZkzEulEbms1IwB&cy=&nc=1

Welcome

Welcome, everyone!

Thank you for taking the time to read my first ever blog post. I have a bachelor's degree in education and am currently working toward a Master's degree. I am enrolled in a course that allows people to see how educators can use Literacy and Technology in their classroom. 

How has technology in the classroom impacted Literacy? 
    I am finding that more and more classrooms today are being equipped with technology, which means that our students have access to technology at a very young age. I have experienced classrooms where technology has dramatically increased students' attention and has been used as wonderful supplement to what students are learning. For instance, in Kindergarten, most students are learning their letters. As the teacher teaches new letters to students, they can use technology such as smart boards. Smart boards allow students to interact with the lesson that they are learning. Students can physically touch the board and move the letters and objects displayed on there with their hands. The teacher can also seet students up to use websites such as starfall.com and compass learning, which help students sort with letters, read words, and form their own paragraphs. I have seen sites such as these used in several classrooms. The sites are engaging and help students to learn at the same time. 

     I am currently being introduced to newer technologies that allow people to interact, even if they are not in the same room. I think these technologies would greatly benefit students because they can interact with students who do not live in the same area as they do; who possibly live in a different country even. Students will be able to practice reading to, writing to, and speaking with these other peers. All of these things are important aspects of literacy and the ability to communicate and comprehend what is going on within the world around you.

Until next time ...Let's keep working with these new technologies!!!!