Digital Texts in and Out of School

“. . . the everyday lives of students in our classrooms are inflected by a range of digital technologies that allow and encourage the production and use of an expanding palette of digital texts.” (Carrington & Robinson, 4)

The range and variety of software engines available for creating digital texts has expanded to offer a means of scaffold development for students with a number of diverse learning styles and preferences.

A few posts ago I spoke/wrote about designing a classroom with the goal of a shared digital learning experience in mind. It is a challenge I find at the heart of all the articles for this week's assignment.

The text we are currently using was published in 2009. In the six years between it is probably difficult to assess changes in public perception regarding the place of digital technology in education. I imagine that it is becoming less and less a dark place full of terrors and much more an obvious choice (I binge watched the first season of Game of Thrones a few days ago).

Perhaps it is also a good time to discuss and share our observations and perceptions regarding our shared on-line learning experience in terms of the challenges we have encountered and the strategies we have used to meet those challenges.

I met with the Dean of the Education Dept. this morning. We discussed the reasoning behind FSU's on-line course availability. She told me that the course offerings were an answer to the growing number of on-line universities created to make education available to a wider range of students.

While that may be true, I do not believe it should be considered a stand-alone reason; rather, as financial motivation seems now to always be the strongest prompt for change, the competition argument provided the best opportunity to start a program aligned with the current direction of the pedagogical compass.

“How do we ensure that every child has the ability to articulate his or her understanding of how media shapes perceptions of the world?” (Willet, 16)

If young students aren't being educated as critical media consumers in school, it is likely most of their choices are modeled for them at home where critical education is not always a priority.

As an avid media observer, researcher and consumer I must say that my current perception of media's impact on the way people see themselves and the world in which they live is in free-fall.

So many people constrict their on-line consumption only to sites and programming with opinions and observations that agree with their own already developed ideologies and world views, it has promoted a corrosive and dangerous digital divide that is currently playing itself out in the streets and on our media delivery systems.

I was 5 years old when John Kennedy was assassinated. The period we refer to as the civil rights era (an unfortunate and misleading description; the African American struggle to gain equal rights has been a constant endeavor since the country's inception) was already 6 years old.

Watching violent events play out on the relatively new medium of television, especially the assassinations of three iconic public figures, riots in major cities and an unnecessary war more than half a world away, frightened me and shaped many of my world perceptions. 

I can only imagine how the world view of pre-teen and teenage children today are impacted by watching, often in real-time, people like themselves-- not soldiers and politicians--being killed violently for reasons no one seems able to explain.

As teachers, do we shield them as much as possible or do we teach them how to use information technologies to expand their knowledge base and assure them that periods of great change are historically often accompanied by violent acts perpetrated most often by people who fear change and pass with time?

“The creation of a profile page depends on the rapidly evolving affordances of the digital media involved.” (Dowdall, 43)

Sharing identity with one's community of involvement is among the most important elements necessary for exploring the sharer's own identity. Just as meeting with friends for parties, communal sporting events, etc., represent opportunities for us to create and refresh our own evolving stories. There is a constant negotiation between what we believe about our identities at a given moment and the changes in our perception of our own identities based on reflective thought and evolving level of maturity; in other words, our identities are in a constant state of change. We don't believe the same things about ourselves or the world at the ages of 15 0r 20 or 30 that we believed at the ages of 6 or 8 or 12. Profile pages represent a pragmatic cognitive tool for creating and re-creating identity.

Beyond Digital Natives

Link to Digital Native Presentation

http://www.authorstream.com/Presentation/sbhiggs-2858551-presentation-01/

“. . . definitions of the term “literacy” have been brought very much into question as researchers grapple to find ways in which to describe the rapidly changing discourses associated with text analysis and production (Levy, 152).”

Those things we have commonly referred to as “text” seem to be getting a definitional makeover, as we can attest to regarding the work associated with this class. 

The ability of a child to express him/her self intellectually via pencil and paper and therefore accepted as a measure of literacy has historically been judged by a set of criteria adopted by a largely middle class educated white constituency; neatness, spelling, clarity of thought and grammatical accuracy. 

Over time researchers have discovered that signs of true literacy deserve a much greater set of criteria, including elements such as cultural background, socio-economic status, regional affinity, level of accessible education opportunities over time, etc. 

Digital technology, as we have seen, offers ways for a wider population of young students to express themselves with greater clarity using a host of media. 

The changes wrought by ICT challenge outdated testing and placement models.

“. . . younger generations have grown up with digital technologies as part of their everyday world and so behave and think differently to older generations to whom these technologies have been introduced later in life (Bennet & Maton, 169).”

My father passed away last June. He grew up in an area near Monongah, WV known as Davis Ridge. 
A few years before his passing my father and I drove to a hill overlooking Monongah where the town’s mail was delivered when he was young. He told me there was a pole approximately 30’ feet tall with a hook at the top. A single engine bi-plane with an opposite facing hook on the underside of the aircraft would fly in and a bag containing Monongah’s mail would be transferred from the hook under the plane to the hook on the pole. 

Sometimes this took multiple attempts and, during inclement weather, mail delivery was delayed. Mail delivered in this fashion was referred to as “air mail.” 

If we use the concept of familial generation here to represent what is meant by generational, my father is only one generation removed from me, a student taking this course. 

I believe that the term “digital native” as discussed in these chapters will eventually give way to another taxonomic identification that will more clearly define this generational divide. 

Meanwhile, it is necessary to come up with a means of labeling and creating some conceptualized container in which to place a “group” so that the social sciences can begin the task of designing theoretical paradigms for gathering salient data.

The difference between the ways my father and I understood and understand mail delivery is one of degree. He simply had access to empirical and practical knowledge of a mail delivery system that was different than the types I am used to based on the abilities and limitations of available technologies. 

This does not necessarily mean that I somehow have a greater understanding of the mail delivery system and therefore have utilized it with a greater proficiency than he was able to. Yes, children born in the 1990s have grown up with digital technology but this does not necessarily translate to a change in generational aptitude. It does, however, translate to a change in generational access.

“. . . the term “Digital Natives” can be a constructive way to reach parents and teachers and can be done in a fashion that is true to sound research and about youth practices with respect to digital media (Palfrey & Gasser , 186).”

I reference my response to the previous chapter.  Although the term “Digital Natives” has been identified by the authors as “awkward,” it still has immediate efficacy as a step towards gaining some clarity for identifying evolutionary changes regarding new technologies and their use as tools in primary and secondary education.

Digital Native Pedagogical Challenges

“ . . . many young people are not very elaborate or reflective users (Erstad, 103).”

I would argue that many young people are simply not inclined to be elaborate or reflective but this observation touches on something I believe to be an important element of the teaching craft; prompting for reflection. We all seem to agree that a liberal education, or a value system oriented education concerned with the availability of as broad a range of subject knowledge as possible, is optimal. 

I believe this to be especially the case for grades 6 through 12; the period when young people are concerned with rehearsing for adulthood (my K-12 teaching experience is limited to theater workshops: acting, vocal work, stage combat, Shakespeare, etc., which means I base my observations on those experiences and my own empirical knowledge base).

Taking into consideration that the components making up a value system (i.e., the values), will vary in order of importance from school to school based on myriad factors, the value of self-reflection should always be among those at the top of the list.

The capacity to acknowledge success, and understand that it’s pedagogical opposite is not failure, but the opportunity to explore solutions to challenges inherent in the vast majority of worthwhile projects, requires, to a great degree, the ability to reflect.

“. . . how do students approach the task of finding study-related information using the internet (Kennedy & Judd, 124)?”

Theater analogies are generally very useful tools for conceptualizing classroom spaces where elements of presentation, movement, sound, physical and social interaction and improvisation are all vitally present.

When I consider the set design for a theatrical composition, my two primary concerns are aesthetic and pragmatic.

Although the aesthetic component of a theatrical set is vitally important, I am first concerned with how it will assist the actors and enhance their ability to tell a particular story. I am taking into consideration that, in certain circumstances your actors might be eight years old, which means the set design will have to anticipate the movement patterns of eight-year-old actors.

If the set looks good but hinders the action, I consider it a failed piece of the overall composition.

When I imagine the design of a classroom space I try to use the same metrics.

I am interested in how the classroom will assist the actors (students & teachers) and promote engagement. I imagine how people will move through the space and engage with each other and all the available props and set pieces.

For the past year I have been trying to imagine a classroom that favors shared Internet research as an integral part of the learning experience and have been mostly frustrated.

I am always able to find flaws in my design, which suggests that the kind of success I envision must be part of a constant process of negotiation rather than governed by a fixed set piece.

“. . . interactive media is helping to provide young people with some of the essential skills for civic and political engagement by allowing them to learn about the critical issues of the day; insert their own voices into the public discourse; and actively participate in a range of political issues (Montgomery, 2008).”

                                                                                 That’s bitchin’.

The Civic, Social and Multi Modal Lives of Digital Natives

“ . . . new digital internet tools do enable new forms of creativity, communication and participation, but not necessarily for all young people, or for the groups who are most often excluded historically in the off-line sphere by socio-economic factors (Banaji, 60).”

It seems to me this is reflective of the political realities of the moment. Historical exclusion of certain groups (for multiple reasons) is a part of constant civic negotiation, and is subject to dilations and deflations based largely on the whimsy of the current socio-political climate.

We are moving further and further from reliance on paper currency. On-line vendors offer everything from fresh fruits and vegetables delivered to one's home on a daily basis to king-sized artisan mattresses which come through the mail compressed, and decompress when released from their shrink-wrap shipping confinement; the point is that the way people shop is also changing dramatically as are the ways in which people can choose to be educated and where they want to be while that education is pursued.

Under these circumstances it seems as though the distance between the excluded and included must necessarily expand. 

As educators, part of the discussion we're having about digital natives involves exploring an issue crucial to student success, digital equality.

“Recently young people have developed a psychological problem: the so-called Mixi tsukare (fatigue) (Takahashi, 79).”

I no longer have a face-book account. I closed mine, for the second time, nearly eight years ago. The reasons fall into a general category I like to refer to as the “I didn't see that as a possibility” scenario. Excitement generated by the seeming limitless possibilities offered by social networking—yesterday I was talking with my friends outside of class and now I'm talking essentially to the whole world—can be intoxicating. The ability to re-connect with old friends and make new on such a scale is brand new even when considered in dog years.

The difference is that, if I am impulsive regarding my communication, as can happen when waxing nostalgic—perhaps an off-the-cuff comment about a mutual, non-present, third party--during a real-time conversation, I have the opportunity to amend a mis-communication in real time and the possible slight was never recorded and not heard by the third party. This is, of course, not the case with social media generated conversations.

When I hit the send button, my response and therefore what is perceived as my honest opinion, has now been recorded for a wide audience to consume and judge. This does not have to be a recurrent action to have impact.

Let's say I'm a 14 year old having issues with a classmate and I have just come in from mowing the lawn. Hot and tired, I power up my computer (or other device) and grab a cold soda. My problems with this classmate are on my mind, having had the opportunity to ruminate while mowing.

I open the face-book page, take a slug of my soda and notice that another classmate has signed on to face book and made a comment about my current, albeit momentary, antagonist. Without taking a moment to consider the power of words (I am after all only 14) I type in a string of angry epithets and hit the enter button.

As the evening wears on it occurs to me that I have published some really offensive comments, deserved or not, that many people in that community will consume. I feel dreadful, and that dreadful feeling will build. I do not sleep that night and, depending on the circumstances, this can go on for some time, perhaps the result of a now escalated event that might have been, to begin with, a small issue.

I am keenly aware of this having been trained in a discipline that favors a strong connection to rehearsal impulsivity as a generator of performance. Although impossible to fully restrict, it is so important to practice some restraint when replying, that I believe it should be part of the constant conversation (negotiation process) an educator has with young students.

“ . . . there is more variance across individuals than is suggested by broad generalizations such as “Digital Native” or “Net Generation” (Levy & Michael, 83).”

As a society, we are quick to label or pigeon hole. It is important to remember that the term, Digital Natives, is a relatively new way of describing a specific response or set of responses to coercive, universal, cultural alterations and subject to change based on data accumulation. While it is an effective means of putting an abstract concept into a container for observation, it does not constitute a “one size fits all” mentality. The key concept here is still the idea of tailoring to the individual learner.

Digital Natives: Reflecting on the Myth

“As I listened to all these critics, nice and not so nice, it seemed clearer and clearer . . . that being a digital native is not at its core, about capabilities, or even knowledge, regarding all things digital. No matter who you are, all those things have to be learned in some way (Thomas, 17).” 

Just like picking up a pencil, learning how to use a washing machine or use a cell phone, operating a computer and all its ancillary family members isn't instinctual but learned. I believe that the generation previous (mine for example) to the digital native era, learned about technology resultant from specific needs. 
My own digital apotheosis came when I realized that the work place had changed and if I wanted to be a part of that community (at that time I was working to make enough money for producing my own and my friends' performance work) I needed to have basic computer skills. As an individual with pronounced ADHD (undiagnosed until graduate school although I was keenly aware that something was amiss with my cognitive approach and abilities) the thought of typing—putting paper in the typewriter, often 2 sheets with carbon paper between, hunting and pecking at the keys and then having to constantly erase and reset based on my myriad mistakes, proofread, then retype to fix the mistakes—was a task(s) that was not only daunting, but for me, nearly inconceivable, that is, I really could not conceptualize my ability to do so for the length of time it took to complete the average work task. What I learned, after some years in the tech industry and my greater familiarity with the new technology, was that many of the obstacles to simply getting a college degree had been greatly mitigated, so I returned to school to get a bachelors and a masters degree.

“. . . education needs to follow those young people who grew up with the technologies and move . . . from a teacher centered approach to learner-centered approaches . . . (Jones, 32).”

I have always believed that a more positive, efficient and effective approach to teaching is not the teaching of a specific thing (e.g., the ABCs) but teaching students how to learn and instilling in them the desire to do so.

Techno-evangelistic metaphor inherent diagram

" . . . the assumption being that they (techno-evangelists) are attempting to dismantle decades of tradition without having anything to replace it with (Thomas, 4).”

Sweeping changes in technologies have always prompted for change in the way people approach many other aspects of their lives; the industrial revolution certainly did and had a profound impact on approaches to education. Fear and ignorance are usually at the root of indictments regarding profound change. Although these (fear and ignorance) are to be expected in some quarters, they are nevertheless debilitating to the community as a whole. Caution and reflection are perhaps better choices (and metaphors) for integrating fresh approaches to old challenges based on constantly evolving incoming data. In this country, politics and religion have so long played a part in decisions regarding education that it seems very likely that we will again be one of the last industrialized (that era again) nations to adopt new, and already proven, strategies.

Texting and Multi-modal Texts

http://blabberize.com/view/id/1455964


The important things I learned from the video are; the meaning of LOL has changed dramatically, the definition of pragmatic particles, and that texting is an emergent complexity. 

But the most important thing I learned is writing as we know is not in immediate danger.

 Blabberize.com - viewing: Writing v. txtng. (n.d.). Retrieved June 05, 2016, from http://blabberize.com/view/id/1455964 

Digital Media Effects on Conventional Reading and Writing Practices

Quote 1: "Yet, the quality of what someone puts down on paper, posts online or types into a Blackberry cannot necessarily be held to a single standard of good versus bad writing.  Instead, it depends on an old concept: audience.  According to Baron, there is a difference between a grammatically suspect, poorly spelled email to your writing professor and an email sent to a friend.  In one case the quality of writing absolutely matters. In the other, it may not."

I'm not quite certain what Mr. Baron is getting at here, but grammatically suspect is grammatically suspect no matter who you're audience is. Yes, friends and close associates may understand the grammatical errors and imprecision and as long as those are the only people one need ever associate with, all's well; but we generally belong to many communities and each has a different standard or set of standards by which they judge member communication efficacy--standards that impact membership.

Choosing a word that is precise in its context than one with a little more ambiguity can be the difference in a rocket leaving the atmosphere and one that explodes at launch.

I personally feel the cognitive connection between the physical act of writing; picking up a pen or pencil and setting words to paper, and the assignment of word meaning are primal and a currently necessary basic element for achieving literacy.

Like math, reading and writing are academic yoga--they calm the mind and prompt for focus. Although it will seem a shame when the physical practice of writing disappears (as clearly it must after we've become the Borg), perhaps there will be collateral payoffs as usually is the case during great upheavals in the technological zeitgeist (i.e., the industrial revolution--the mistake  I believe many educators make, is believing there is no historical precedent for any of the radical cultural changes being coerced by current technological advances--there are).

One of the very first tools

There seems to be an implied notion in the readings that the possibility of stopping the forces of change wrought by the tech revolution exists, if we believe those changes to be somehow destructive. I believe that's fallacious thinking. The constant negotiation between people and progress will mold these new tools into powerful engines for learning and exploration and I think the simplest explanation is that people will want it. People want to know things.

Quote 2: "Some traditionalists warn that digital reading is the intellectual equivalent of empty calories. Often, they argue, writers on the Internet employ a cryptic argot that vexes teachers and parents. Zigzagging through a cornucopia of words, pictures, video and sounds, they say, distracts more than strengthens readers. And many youths spend most of their time on the Internet playing games or sending instant messages, activities that involve minimal reading at best." NYT

     If, being multi-modal means using all the tools at your behest to communicate your thoughts, ideas & concepts, then what the author is talking about here is composition. A cornucopia of words, pictures, video and sounds that conveys meaning well will be more effective than a sloppy one. Multi-modal story-telling is like building a story with sentences and paragraphs; each has a clear effect on the rhythm and design of the composition. Arts education is a perfect platform for exploring and refining mediated composition.

It is ultimately up to the academic community to explore and deploy best practices that combine those things they believe necessary as the basic building blocks of literacy.