Brainstorming Final Project

1."Teaching digital media literacy is important for students to be able to make connections from the abstract to the real." 

2.Digital story telling assists students in the workforce by allowing them to have familiarity with technology and serving as a bridge between school and work."

3. Digital lessons can be facilitated by using teaching blogs,  video sites such as teacher tube, and other online websites related to the content. 

4. Digital media is everywhere but there can be issues with using it due to complexities or other factors. 

5.  I encourage students to be informational thinkers. 

6. "When digital and media literacy educators begin to see themselves as a learning community, it becomes obvious that there is a set of shared ideas that unify their interests in teaching, and learning." (Hobbs, 55). 

I plan on using the above quotes from the weekly readings combined with others to summarize what I learned in this class. 

I discovered that while I am rather adept at teaching digital media literacy, that there are techniques to teaching dml that will ensure that all students are engaged in the learning process. 

I enjoyed this class and the new ideas that I took away from it in relation to teaching digital media literacy.

Weekly Reading #10 Chapter 7

"...students engage in malicious and hurtful online and offline behavior towards their peers even more frequently than they rage against their teachers." (p.125)

I strongly agree with this statement. In todays world it is a problem that we face daily in schools. Unfortunately posts and/or messages that take place at home cause problems "in real life" at school. It is very frustrating.

"To help students acquire the competencies of digital citizenship , we have to do more than make students sign an acceptable use policy statement.." (p.126)

Again, strongly agree. Students today have had the use of the Internet and being online for their entire lives. They have no fear and do not understand the consequences regarding mis-use. I think as educators we need to find a better way to relay this to kids. To them, an AUP and rules list is only a piece of paper that basically means nothing.

"Many teens maintain high levels of secrecy involving their online activities..." (p.129)

So, so, SO true. And unfortunately parents in todays age either don't care to monitor their childs/rens online actions. So frustrating.

Hobbs, Renee. Digital and Media Literacy. Connecting Culture and Classroom. 

Weekly Reading 11

Reflections.
What is newsworthy? I think this question depends on the person who is relaying the news. In the video, the speaker determined that world events from each country were newsworthy. I agree that this is news as it is important to that person and to impart information to others. I also think on a more personal note we all impart news in other ways. Facebook posts about our families, photos on Instagram, or just short phrases on Twitter can show what we find to be important.

Increase in student motivation.
A variety of things can increase student motivation. Trends from today as mentioned above help to motivate students when used in the classroom. Creating blogs, being online, and other technology sources help to motivate them. In my own classroom allowing students to use the tablet technology tools as opposed to laptop computers helps to motivate them. Also, identifying things that they are interested in helps to motivate students as well.

Authentic Learning.
Relating student learning to real world concepts and application helps to keep them motivated and willing to learn new concepts and skills.

Place Based Education.
Keeping students motivated under the guise of solving problems within the community. As a teacher, I often use local places and student names to keep the educational content related and to help student accountability.

Weekly Reading Chapter 9

• To increase student motivation and engagement in the classroom. 

• To develop student skills in using digital media technology. 

• To promote creativity and self-expression. 

• To modernize the curriculum and make it more relevant to students. 

• To improve students' writing and communication skills by enabling them to use a wide range of message forms, symbol systems, and technologies. 

"A passionate teacher, armed with a good idea, can be tremendously inspiring to other colleagues." (p.168)

I strongly agree with this statement providing the colleagues have an open mind regarding the usefullness of the topic. I have attended professional development conferences in which educators that are especially passionate about their topic have inspired me to utilize the ideas in my own classroom as well as share them with my co-workers.

"When teachers infuse digital and media literacy across the curriculum, it requires that educators use texts - including textbooks, newspapers, TV shows, magazines, books, video games, and online resources." (p.171)

I find this statement interesting as I don't think that all digital and media literacy lessons would need to use ALL of the resources listed. I also can see and issue if the resources are not provided.

"It's not easy to learn new technology skills and instructional practices when you have five periods a day to teach." (p.174)

Can I just give a HUGE amen to the above statement. In my case we are on block scheduling so anytime the administration, district, state mandates that new instructional practices are to be implemented I experience a lot of frustration. Especially when there is little or no professional development to back it up.
Most of what I have learned about technology skills and implementation in the classroom is self -taught. Learning about new instructional practices almost always takes place on my own time. 

Weekly Reading Chapter 6

"In a report by the American Psychological association on the sexualization of girls, researchers explained how young teens take their cues from the cultural environment in developing a sense of self. " (p.106)

I work in a high school so I see this everyday. Female students want to look "good" and often will imitate people that they see on television or whom they admire at school. In working with cheerleaders it is especially prevalent as their idols are often icons such as pro-football and college cheerleaders who aren't necessarily the best role models. My girls get extremely frustrated in uniform styles and types of material that "don't make them look good." Very often they have poor self-esteem and their own interpretation of body image isn't the way it should be.

"Some dismiss parents' and educators' concerns
about the transgressive aspects of media culture that conflate sexuality, violence, and criminality." (p.111)

In short if media works to "sell" sex and violence it will be utilized. Effects of children not withstanding. For instance, violent video games such as Call of Duty are extremely popular with the teen set. Research has proven that these games have caused children to behave more violently at home and at school. Still doesn't stop the company from selling thousands of copies.

"When this approach translates into work with middle school and high school students, there's a tendency for teachers to vilify media industries for their profit seeing motives in attracting large audiences." (p.118)

Case in point my statement above. I see the effects of these profit seeking companies on a daily basis. Often the effects are negative. However, companies see the large audience as teens desiring whatever product and overall they are in it to make money.

Hobbs, Renee. Digital and Media Literacy.

Weekly Reading Chapter 5

"Today every teacher needs to be a media composition teacher....When students create messages, they gain new knowledge while strengthening communication and problem-solving skills." (p.85)

I think the above quote means that teachers need to be knowledgeable about digital literacy and have the skills to pass this knowledge on to students. Students that are literate in using technology and are able to create projects and complete assignments using technology will have ownership of their work.

"Some of the best project-based learning assignments using media and technology give students a combination of structure and freedom, where they can develop communication skills and exercise their creativity but have some constraints that limit and shape their work." (p.86)

In my opinion utilizing PBL or problem based learning in the classroom is an excellent way to differentiate for students. As mentioned above students will be able to be more creative with completion of assignments but will have a guide for completion. For instance, a project given to students could list 5 - 6 ways to complete but still have the same final rubric for each child.

"Many students have never worked in collaborative learning groups and need to practice active and tolerant listening, helping one another, giving and receiving constructive criticism, and managing disagreements." (p.97)

I definitely agree that students working in collaborative learning groups. In order to become good learners they must know how to work with each other appropriately to complete the assignment. Collaborative learning has a two fold benefit in my classroom. Many of my students have severe cognitive limitations and do not like working in groups. Collab. groups allow them to focus on the positive aspects and benefits of working with another group. Also, it teaches them that each person needs to have input in order to complete the necessary assignment.

Public Service Announcement (PSA brainstorming)

The topic that I chose to research and complete a PSA on is an issue that is faced across the country by teachers;

High Stakes Testing.
High stakes tests in West Virgina currently begin in the 3rd grade and end in the 11th grade. However, with the addition of the 'Smarter Balanced' reform and tests students will begin testing as early as kindergarten across the nation.
In most states, including WV, high stakes tests are tied to teacher and administrator evaluations and pay. All students learn differently (hence the push for differentiated instruction across the curriculum) yet they are all expected to complete the same paper/pencil or computer tests to evaluate their progress. As an educator, I have definite issues with this.

The following are dangerous consequences related to high stakes testing:

1. Unfair to students; many students do not test well, therefore basing their yearly progress on a once a year progress is just asinine.
a. test anxiety
b. actual learning isn't shown on standardized tests resulting in inaccurate scores

2. Teaching to the Test - teachers and administrators understand the value placed on these tests and will base their instruction on the test

3. Loss of Teachers - over the past 14 years I have personally witnessed teaching practices change based on yearly tests. As a teacher that plans to make this my life work die to my love of children and the belief that I can make a difference in their lives; I find it frustrating that my instruction is driven by government and state officials that have never stepped foot in a classroom nor have witnessed what we teachers see everyday.