My final track star.
Final Report
Weaving My Future!
Tuesday, July 23, 2013
Week #10
How does the project detailed in the video support research process that consistent with the kind of research people encounter in the workplace?
Workplace research is typically a broader based, collaborative effort than one will find in an educational institution. In education students are typically given very define parameters, and listing of resources. Very little independent thought is encouraged in traditional student research.
The entire project, which includes Deforest Action, is multi-level, collaborative and integrative. A group of concerned individuals have identified a problem and individuals and organizations are working collaboratively to find a solution.
Participants in the program, who traveled to the jungle performed various types of independent research to personally prepare for their journey. The success in the program was due in part to this personal preparation as well from the organized collaboration with outside sources such as Microsoft. It is likely, although not provable, that many of those who applied for the project began their independent research journey at Wikipedia. The value of Wikipedia is maginified in the hands of a person with critical literacy skills and for students participating in this program, critical literacy was a crucial skill.
In traditional school research students are challenged to find an end result that is already known to the instructor. In work place research the end result is most often a product of independent and collaborative research that began at the bottom, was developed, fine tunes, and explored as a collaborative effort with the final result being a true cross section representation of multiple parts.
The transitional aspects of Deforest Action, would not be possible without this truly collaborative process.
Side note: I love the folkloric reference to the welcome spider. Understanding the beliefs and culture of the people aids in research and comprehension.
How does this project support new literacies?
In the 1960s study of monkeys and sign language was revolutionary, now through 21st Century technology orangetangs are communicating via their lips and touch screens! This is just one example of technology integration.
When one thinks about the massive amounts of technology that is used to capture satellite imagery, provide it to students for analysis, their processes in analyzing and mapping and sharing that data there is no doubt that 21st Century Skills are at work.
Understanding that these technologies meet the requirements of new literacies is critical. Old literacy was using sign language, 8 mm film, and still photographs to aid in research. New literacy is using touch screens, digital imagery, and have observers who are separated by thousands of miles from the research subjects utilizing technology to maintain the connection.
The four common elements to new literacy: new social practices, skills, stragetiges, etc., new literacies are central to full civic, economic, and personal participation in a global setting, rapidly changing technologies, and new literacies are multiple, multimodal, and multifaceted. (International Reading Association, 2009). An extensive review of this terminology would aid in the discussion, but time does not permit an indepth analysis. However, a Wikipedia search of "new literacies" shows an indepth look at the term and practical analysis. The resources listed include a variety of relevant papers, including work by Henry Jenkins.
As I have told people about my degree over the past 18 months I have received alot of blank stares, or even worse, encouragement that is a needed field (from those who just don't really have a clue). It is this uneducated outlook that makes me realize that even as we have reviewed the various types of literacy (basic, information, new etc.) that a challenge facing educators is not only the education of their students, but the incorporation of those same literacy skills in the student's support system. The following quote was a part of the very long introduction of a course video: "Do not confine your children to your own learning, for they were born in another time." - Chinese Proverb, but it speaks volumes about the challenges faced in teaching new literacies.
Jenkins, Henry. (2008). Educause Learning Initiative. What can Wikipedia Teach Us About the New Media Literacies. http://hosted4.mediasite.com/mediasite/Viewer/?peid=a3224ae765a64c70a8e33ee164992f511d
International Reading Association. (2009). New Literacies and 21st Century Technologies. http://www.reading.org/Libraries/position-statements-and-resolutions/ps1067_NewLiteracies21stCentury.pdf
International Society for Technology in Education. (2012). ISTE 2012 Wednesday Keynote Dr. Willie Smits with Christopher Gauthier. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U7-qjllPCOo
Saturday, July 20, 2013
Week #9 - Rough Draft CJ
Technology can be fun. I need to rerecord this in a space where there is airconditioning so I don't pick up the background noise of the fan.
Fairness.......A Look at what CJ might have been
Fairness.......A Look at what CJ might have been
Wednesday, July 17, 2013
Week #9
Quote: "The new genres and new literacies are not confined to youth and personal and recreational spaces, but have infiltrated society, commerce and government. (Asselin & Moayeri, 2011)."
Response: The majority of the curriculum for this degree has focused on primary and secondary education, as it should. I have approached this coursework from the perspective of adult and community education. I've questioned and explored how information literacy relates to non-traditional students. It is often a challenge to relate the coursework to this environment. This quote reinforces, to me, that I am on the right track.
Resource:
I thought I would be able to go online, pop in a few key words, and bam, there would be exactly what I wanted. Surely, in the world of the WWW there is an easy to find, online, interactive museum that appeals to adults. But, alas, that wasn't the case. In 2010 I visited the Alaska State Museum, where they had just premiered a Smithsonian exhibit on the native tribes. The exhibit was high-tech, interactive, and appealed to all ages. Unfortunately, it is not available on-line. This brings home to me, that there is a need for application of new technology and information literacy. If the Smithsonian Institute is not taking advantage of new literacies, yet..... the world is my oyster.
1. What makes a literacy practice a "new literacy"? The definition in the article is complicated. I believe I can summarize it by saying that new literacy is about the "we generation" not the "me generation." New literacies focus of community, not on individuality.
Response: The majority of the curriculum for this degree has focused on primary and secondary education, as it should. I have approached this coursework from the perspective of adult and community education. I've questioned and explored how information literacy relates to non-traditional students. It is often a challenge to relate the coursework to this environment. This quote reinforces, to me, that I am on the right track.
Resource:
I thought I would be able to go online, pop in a few key words, and bam, there would be exactly what I wanted. Surely, in the world of the WWW there is an easy to find, online, interactive museum that appeals to adults. But, alas, that wasn't the case. In 2010 I visited the Alaska State Museum, where they had just premiered a Smithsonian exhibit on the native tribes. The exhibit was high-tech, interactive, and appealed to all ages. Unfortunately, it is not available on-line. This brings home to me, that there is a need for application of new technology and information literacy. If the Smithsonian Institute is not taking advantage of new literacies, yet..... the world is my oyster.
1. What makes a literacy practice a "new literacy"? The definition in the article is complicated. I believe I can summarize it by saying that new literacy is about the "we generation" not the "me generation." New literacies focus of community, not on individuality.
2. How does might Citizen Journalism support the development of "new literacies"? Throughout the article the authors identify some new literacies such as the use of wikis, video sharing, and social networking. They look at the use of critical thinking skills in developing the community content. Citizen Journalism is about telling the story from a community perspective. Citizen Journalism is sharing the story from the point of a multitude of people, not just one person which has a strong potential to show bias.
3. What is critical literacy and how does your Citizen Journalism project encourage critical literacy? How might you change your project to encourage critical literacy?
Critical literacy is the ability to review, analyze, and interpret information for bias and authenticity. That said, my Citizen Journalism project is set up to look at labor issues in the 21st Century which are making national news from right here in West Virginia. The Patriot Coal Company is attempting to have their financial obligation to retirees, which was negotiated through the UMWA over the past 50 years, relieved through Federal Bankruptcy. My CJ project is heavily focused upon the UMWA perspective. If I were to add more research into the company statistics and the company bias I could more fairly balance the project. I could add additional elements to the Track Star that would provide analysis of the financial obligations from the company perspective.
4. What problems may arise when students use Web 2.0 tools for learning in school and how might teachers capitalize on these opportunities to promote information literacy?
A trap of of Web 2.0 tools is not fully utilizing their potential. By limiting the scope of their use teachers can actually discourage the critical literacy skills that they are trying to develop. By encouraging students to think of their Web 2.0 tools as being powerful outlets for critical thinking students can empower students.
Asselin, M.
& Moayeri, M. (2011). Practical
Strategies: The
Participatory Classroom: Web 2.0 in the
Classroom. Literacy
Learning: The
Middle Years 19(2).
Sunday, July 14, 2013
Consumer Journalism - - - - Walmart in the news - - - -again
While drinking my morning coffee I came across this piece. It spoke to me of what we are trying to accomplish with this CJ project. Wal-mart (or other work) conditions would be an interesting topic.
I worked at Wal-mart, long ago. I have heard stories in recent months from friends who have or are working there. All companies have issues, many similar, but alot of the stories from Wal-mart employees are just examples of very poor management.
This is not a personal attack on Wal-mart, I did think it spoke well to our coursework and a content area for students. It is also important for students to apply their Critical Thinking skills, because expressed thoughts, ideas, and opinions have consequences and if they do not maintain due diligence and document their information they can suffer from the consequences.
I worked at Wal-mart, long ago. I have heard stories in recent months from friends who have or are working there. All companies have issues, many similar, but alot of the stories from Wal-mart employees are just examples of very poor management.
This is not a personal attack on Wal-mart, I did think it spoke well to our coursework and a content area for students. It is also important for students to apply their Critical Thinking skills, because expressed thoughts, ideas, and opinions have consequences and if they do not maintain due diligence and document their information they can suffer from the consequences.
Friday, July 12, 2013
Week #8 Storyboard
I have developed a storyboard that will produce a product that is an example of what the students are expected to create. It also serves as a reference tool to provide back story to the project. It would be utilized early in the semester as a teaser of what is to come in the exploration of the WV Mine Wars of the 1920s, as well as an example of what the students are expected to create in the end. This presentation, when created in PowerPoint as a stand alone, animated slide show, would engage the students in discussion in the technology that is used to create such presentations. Google has an excellent presentation tool as does Jing. With coursework designed for 11th & 12th grade students this would early presentation would give them the opportunity to express themselves in the technology that they are comfortable using. For students with limited presentation experience they would be encouraged to utilize PowerPoint, although based upon the TrackStar project the students are working in groups. With encouragement students could be directed into working in groups that allow for co-learning of technology as well as subject content.
Track Star Final Draft - Reflection - Week #4
What are the strengths of your TrackStar in terms of promoting content learning and information literacy?
In my Track Star I utilized a topic that would be of interest to a variety of students. The All American Soap Box Derby is an American icon that is often (wrongly) connected to the pinewood soap box derby of Cubscouts. Hopefully, by appealing to something that students will be curious about they will become intrigued. The websites are written in simple, easy to understand language so that most people can understand the topic. However, there are challenges in interpreting the sites, and analyzing for validity. Not all websites are created equal and that is especially the case when trying to obtain information about a particular activity such as AASBD.
How does your TrackStar differ from typical classroom research projects and how it better prepare students for research in the workplace?
The topic is a major variation from typical school room projects. It is not math, science, or other scholarly topic (or is it?). The fun of the AASBD disguising the educational content of the program and the content. The comparison and evaluation of the websites connects to workplace research in the attention to detail and the collaboration between sites. There are a variety of aspects to the AASBD and the resources listed in the Trackstar provide guidance in the research journey, but a student could reach the same research connections without the cues. Students can gain a better sense of how resources can be connected through links and with practice it becomes intuitive to explore and evaluate those links independently.
In my Track Star I utilized a topic that would be of interest to a variety of students. The All American Soap Box Derby is an American icon that is often (wrongly) connected to the pinewood soap box derby of Cubscouts. Hopefully, by appealing to something that students will be curious about they will become intrigued. The websites are written in simple, easy to understand language so that most people can understand the topic. However, there are challenges in interpreting the sites, and analyzing for validity. Not all websites are created equal and that is especially the case when trying to obtain information about a particular activity such as AASBD.
How does your TrackStar differ from typical classroom research projects and how it better prepare students for research in the workplace?
The topic is a major variation from typical school room projects. It is not math, science, or other scholarly topic (or is it?). The fun of the AASBD disguising the educational content of the program and the content. The comparison and evaluation of the websites connects to workplace research in the attention to detail and the collaboration between sites. There are a variety of aspects to the AASBD and the resources listed in the Trackstar provide guidance in the research journey, but a student could reach the same research connections without the cues. Students can gain a better sense of how resources can be connected through links and with practice it becomes intuitive to explore and evaluate those links independently.
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