Crowder,+Stephen+Travis-Cool+Tool+Reviews


 * 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?**

When I entered the reception at the CAM on Monday evening, I had no idea that the week’s sessions would inspire me in such a large capacity. A PollEverywhere activity was available, and as a NLI participant, I was encouraged to answer the question: what are new literacies? My response: using technology to enrich the educational experiences of students. After an entire week of collaboration, lecture, activities, application, and reflection, I realize that my definition has changed drastically. Technology, yes, is used to enrich the experiences of students, but what experiences? New literacies include the technology that students must use, as they must know how the personal response systems (“clickers”), the websites such as PollEverwhere, laptops, e-readers, and so on work before they can even begin to develop an understanding of the content we give them. After they have mastered the “how to” of the devices or technology mediums, they must know how to decode the information they see. They must develop skills to understand credibility on the Web. Of course, I have thrown a lot of the expectation at the students. Naturally, I feel that I must be even more literate in regards to new literacies, for if I am not literate, how can I challenge my students adequately?


 * 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?**

One of the new literacies that I learned about this week was in regards to website evaluation. I try to help my students understand bias, but the way it was presented during a lecture was outstanding. The example used was one about the Iditarod in Alaska. A video was shown advertising the heroic, resplendent qualities of the Iditarod. Most students, as I have seen from personal experience, know only of the beauty of the Alaskan mountains, the glowing sunset, and the beautiful relationships that exist between the musher and dogs. However, if I were to present this to my class, I am not sure I would have seen the need to teach the opposing view. The lecture on this topic made me aware of my own misdeeds as an educator, and I am thankful for it!


 * 3. In what ways are the new literacies prompted by technology? How do they affect one another?**

In order to understand new literacies, you must first understand the technology that is being used. I feel that new literacies force us to understand technology, and go in search of new modes of technology to enhance our own teaching. I noticed whilst working with a group member that Voki is an excellent site for struggling learners as it provides stimulation to learn, and helps to engage. However, in regards to new literacies, students must have a grasp of grammar in order for the avatar to speak correctly, so I see that the students understand of new literacies is prompted by the need to understand the technology.


 * 4. How do new literacies affect the way we think about academic]] content? Describe an examples of how some specific academic content is affected by changes in the ways we reading write and thinking (i.e. new literacies).**

New literacies affect academic content by, in my opinion, making the content more rigorous. I feel they make students think about the topics more, and help develop critical thinking skills. One area that has I feel we look at differently is language arts. So much effort has been put into making students read, engaging them in reading, pushing them to create their own stories, etc. As a language arts teacher, I see great potential is the use of technology to promote engagement, but also increase critical thinking. Reading, for example, has been affected by the changes in the ways we read, write and think because no longer are we only reading out of books. We are reading on e-readers or laptops that have instant access to dictionaries. Knowledge is not limited to books. It is at the fingertips of our students. When students come across unfamiliar vocabulary, they have access to an app or website that provides an answer. They must be able to decode the information in regards to the definition, but must also be able to apply it to the context in which they are reading.


 * 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 affects the way I think about all aspects of teaching.**

Teaching practices have been affected by new literacies. With new literacies comes the expectation that teachers will hold themselves to the same high standard hold their students to. Simply put, teachers must understand how to find and decode information, but they also must know how to use resources such as Voki or VoiceThread to challenge, motivate, and educate their students. I feel that new literacies can also change the way that we think about rigor. Perhaps using a resource such as VoiceThread would replace those large, bulky projects that teachers are so fond of, and give students a chance to use a newer, paperless, more exciting method of proving competency of a concept.


 * 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.**

As stated in #1, my idea of new literacies evolved over the course of the week. The PBI lesson creation caused the most changes in my definition. PBI gives students a problem, and through that problem they must create a solution, but throughout the process, they are finding new information, analyzing it, creating more questions, analyzing those as well, and opening their minds (I hope!). This removes teachers from the omnipresent textbook. The chapters of mindless reading, “questions at the end of the chapter,” “take out your red pen, change papers,” must be a thing of the past. Our students should be thinkers, not silent members of a group of children. They are a part of the world, and as they have friends on Facebook that are from other countries, they may have a better perspective of the world than we give them credit for. As teachers, we should draw on these connections they have made and extend their knowledge beyond the classroom and the town/cities in which they live.


 * 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 and video were great. To answer the question, these helped shape my understanding of the creative process by making me the student. I could see my own students taking the reins and making a beautiful product out of the PBI that my partner and I created. We felt that if students were given the choice of the method by which they delivered their information, they would take ownership. Students need to feel that they have choice, and this gives them a challenge, but it also gives them power. I have heard many times that when you give students a choice, you empower them. I feel that is what my partner and I have done with our PBI.


 * 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?**

I have been using Twitter and Facebook as instructional/professional tools. To extend my online identity, I would like to use Edmodo with my classes and set up a wiki for my students to collaborate.


 * 9. If you had one more day in the Institute, what would you like to learn more about and why?**

I would enjoy having another day with the Web 2.0 tools. I felt rushed and without time to “soak in” those tools we were shown.