Willis,+Amber-+Closing+Reflection

1. Now that you’ve had this professional development experience, how are you defining “new literacies?” How do you think your definition has changed or evolved this week?
 * Closing Reflections**
 * I have always defined literate as knowing how to do something and being able to explain it to someone else. I’ve learned that “new literacies” focus more on the tools we are using to learn and synthesize information today. I think my definition of this term has changed considerably from day one of the NLI. To be honest, I came in very ignorant as to what “new literacies” meant. Now, I realize that “new literacies” are about helping students (and teachers) become productive, 21st Century citizens. They provide a means for students to be more innovative and globally connected.**

2. Describe some new literacies that you learned about this week? What did you know about these topics before the week began and how has your experience this week contributed to your understanding of these new literacies?
 * Before attending the NLI, I had only used a few of the tools and strategies that were taught at the Institute such as Glogster, Edmodo, and Voki. I had heard of several others, but didn’t know much about them. Some of the most impressive new literacy tools that I learned were VoiceThread, the Core Math Tools, and Tricider. Although I still don’t feel I know the ins and outs of these, I feel like I have a good idea of their capabilities and how I might integrate them into my classroom, and I am excited to explore them more.**

3. In what ways are the new literacies prompted by technology? How do they affect one another?
 * Information is being generated at such a massive rate, that it seems even technology cannot keep pace. The availability of information through the Internet requires effective new literacies that help students and teachers collect, organize, and synthesize information. Since textbooks are rapidly becoming a thing of the past, these new literacies combined with advances in technology will help make learning more relevant in a globally, competitive world.**

4. How do new literacies affect the way we think about academic content? Describe an example of how some specific academic content is affected by changes in the ways we read, write, and think (i.e. new literacies).
 * My content area is math, and I feel, for the most part, the actual content hasn’t changed much. However, the teaching methods of math have expanded greatly. Often math was taught in isolation from other content areas; now it is more critical to integrate math into a broader context to facilitate a global connectedness that is necessary for students to become 21st Century problem-solvers. Information has become so overwhelming; therefore, it has become important that students learn to distinguish between valuable and invaluable data in order to quickly formulate a range of solutions to real-world problems.**

5. How do new literacies affect the way we think about our teaching practices? How do they affect the development of new teaching practices or approaches to teaching?
 * New literacies have made me realize that old teaching practices have to be thrown out and new ones HAVE to be adopted. No longer can a teacher be the focus of the classroom; Classrooms HAVE to become more student-centered. Students are already globally-connected; now it is up to the teacher to channel this information into a more inquisitive and engaging learning environment. Today’s students have grown up in a fast-paced, virtual world; now it is up to today’s teachers to adapt to the virtual world in order to provide authentic and interactive learning for students.**

6. During the week, you learning about several conceptual / theoretical frameworks for understanding the new literacies including, project-based inquiry, TPACK, Bloom’s revised cognitive theory, online identity, and global literacies (i.e. cultural competence, cultural awareness, cosmopolitanism). Describe your personal perspective on new literacies as it is informed by these conceptual and theoretical ideas.
 * It has become clear to me that new literacies have to become an essential part of the classroom and learning process. Learning is no longer about repetition but should be focused more on creating and problem-solving. I need to design lessons that allow students to focus on a challenge and devise their own ways to solve it. Students will learn at a higher, cognitive level when they become involved in the learning process, and it is up to me, the teacher, to provide these types of lessons in order for my students to be able to compete in a global job market.**

7. How does the design process you learned about in your design studio work and the video digging deeper session support your understanding of the creative process?
 * The design studio process really brought home to me the value of inquiry-based learning. Not only do students have to take responsibility for their learning through this process, but, if done right, they become completely engulfed in the learning process. The downside of this process is the amount of thought and time needed to plan such a lesson. I think this is a process that requires a slow incorporation by a traditional teacher. Unfortunately, many of us teachers have to unlearn long-established habits and create new ones, which naturally requires a learning curve. However, I am determined to implement this process as often as I can in my classes this year.**

8. You learned this week about how to manage, and in some cases create, your online identity. What action steps will you take (are you taking) to manage and further extend your online identity?
 * Last week, while at the NLI, I created a Twitter account and tweeted for the very first time. Recently, I started using Edmodo and Diigo as well, and I hope to further my use of Edmodo by creating classes and inviting students and parents to participate. I also have begun to follow some online communities. Although I am on Facebook, I still feel uncomfortable about using this social media in a professional manner.**

9. If you had one more day in the Institute, what would you like to learn more about and why?
 * I really would have liked a day to just play around and learn how to use many of the tools that were discussed during the NLI with a facilitator handy to answer questions. There was so much offered at the Institute with little time provided to process the information. Often, I find myself forgetting about new technology, if I haven’t had an opportunity to really use it or explore it more in-depth. Also, finding the time to learn something new once the school year has started can pose a challenge as well. I wish we had a few more break-out sessions that were content related that focused on new literacies integration.**