week 13

EDLA615 English Language Arts and Technology

Field Experience Project

Project Descriptions:

1.Write one page reflection upon your understanding of foundational print literacy as well as the new literacies.

    In my understanding and observation, senior generations still prefer print literacy while digital native treat print version is boring. The result could be the difference of value or the perception we hold toward literacy. It’s undeniable that before the internet, literacy represented one’s socioeconomic background, and enabled someone to gain more privilege in some aspects. People also treated reading as a hobby during their leisure time. Without technology, reading was the best special-effect in everyday people life and took us to any dimension through our imagination. I believe that’s why readers often complain about the movies adapted the best-sellers ruin the stories. When people reach to that threshold, it doesn’t matter if it’s digital or not. Of course, some print-version lovers still gradually switch to new literacy, but most of the time they count the convenience and money. I don’t mean new literacy is the trivia, on the contrary, new literacy becomes more important because educators would like students to enjoy reading than ever in this competitive world.

   Reading is so fundamental itself and for other subject areas. Learners can acquire more knowledge when they read effectively and efficiently. Reading complement with writing as well, they go hand in hand to increase value in many aspects in our life, e.g. homework, application for jobs…and so forth. It is very important for educators to understand the importance of digital era and try new literacy to assist learners.

For instance, multimodal can provide students more information by the text's size, color, font, and placement. Reading occurs when students take it as a game. Teacher can guide students in a positive direction and provide wider range and more instant contents for their needs. Students could be cultivated for preparation of the digital environment which is more attractive, versatile, optional and functional.

    Honestly, I believe all teachers recognize the strength of new literacy. The obstacle which keeps most teachers away is unfamiliar with the operation and they have no confidence.  I also went through this process before, but more time I spent, the more skills I possessed and more interest I gain from it. Namely, new literacy practice associates with not only teachers’ willingness but also the school district policy. If local government could provide more friendly support, I believe the resistance will mitigate. And ultimately, our students would be the beneficiaries from both literacies.

2. Interview the cooperating teachers to find out their understanding of new literacies and how they practice new literacies in the classrooms.

    The EFL teacher appreciated the technology, she mentioned the “smartboard” helped her save lots of time to prepare the tangible materials and drew students attention well. But in my observation, the understanding only stayed in “work with it”, not “learn with it” stage. Forty minutes a period, four periods a week for a class, the time limited teacher to think out of the box in terms of exam content. So she usually followed the schedule and provided little extra information and never assign any homework through ICTs.

3. Design and implement a lesson integrated fully with new literacies learning task, under cooperating teacher’s supervision. You will build a lesson using the Internet and other communication technologies, including evaluation plan and rubric.

  This semester I came back to Taiwan, through three observation for courses, I realized the influence of culture and policy could make such difference in two countries. Teachers in both places put their effort in teaching with enthusiasm and responsibility. But in Taiwan, because of the competitiveness, it limited the teachers to create more creative lessons. To my surprised, the software and peripheral  Preparation is always the must-be.  Preparing ahead can not only reduce our worry but also make teaching process go smoothly.  And reflection can even make a teacher learn more for the next teaching.

     In 21st century, educators need to assist our students to face the rapid changes. They “learn how to learn” instead of “what to learn”. Students need to obtain ICT skills to connect society seamlessly and get confidence when they face new challenge. As the teacher, we should learn ICT skills to make teaching more effectively, diversely and efficiently.  And this implementation showed me it’s not difficult if I rehearsed enough in advance. Besides technology, I learned if we can plan with carefulness and pay attention to the details, the predictable problems can be avoided as well. Backward design leads us to focus on student-centered teaching and through the assessments teachers understand where they should lead students and activities can make the learning objects more clear and reachable. Of course, no one is perfect, even the best student can’t be  guaranteed the best teacher. Being a teacher needs time to accumulate experience and reflect their instruction. They keep learning and making connection with this evolving world. But every accomplishment  starts from small change. I believe a 21st century teacher has to recognize their own mission and adapt new literacy skills for this teaching-learning career.  I will keep practicing Backward design and learning more useful software.