Digital Literacies for Disciplinary Learning
Lankshear and Knobel (2008) provided us different kinds of conceptions of digital literacy in the article, and I prefer the concept that digital literacy involves “mastering ideas, not keystrokes”, which was claimed by Paul Gilster (1997). Indeed, digital literacy should not be the simple application of digital technology in the classroom by teachers. However, I think many teachers may misunderstand the significance of it and underestimate its value for disciplinary learning. Then may think that the digital device and technology-based texts used during teaching is the whole of digital literacy. Actually, as what was mentioned by Manderino (2016) that “digital literacies represent the use of digital tools to consume and produce knowledge”, which “include the mind-set and competencies needed to make choices, interact, and engage in an open, networked society” (Lankshear & Knobel, 2007; Phillips & Manderino, 2015). From my understanding, the application of digital tools by teachers in the classroom does not enhance the students’ digital literacy. The key point is how teachers apply them. What kind of literacy strategies do they use to to improve students' digital literacy when applying digital media? That should be considered by teachers in the digital literacy classroom.
Kist (2000) argued that students need to be able to “practice representation” in many forms in diverse disciplines. He also proposed that students should be allowed for “choice of medium” to solve problems, modeling after the teacher. The teacher’s role is emphasized here that he or she is required to model his or her individual thinking process in working through a problem using diverse digital medium. This opinion just meets the idea in Manderino’s (2016) article that digital and disciplinary should be linked. I agree that teachers should not only be proficient in how to use digital media, but also combine it with disciplines. They should also consciously convey to students the ability to use digital media to interpret texts and solve practical problems in disciplines, so that students can have digital literacy and have capacities of lifelong learning and problem solving in the digital age. Thus, the increased demand for teachers in the digital age requires them to master digital teaching skills. At the same time, as mentioned in Manderino’s (2016) article, it provides an opportunity for bidirectional knowledge exchange between teachers and students. From this point of view, the digital age is an era of lifelong learning and learning together.
In primary and secondary school classrooms in China, teachers' assignments tend to be individual, and most of them are writing assignments. The group work is more likely to begin in universities. Teachers lack the awareness of digital literacy for students, so primary and secondary school students are not given many opportunities to cooperate and communicate with peers about digital choices and presentations. In fact, students’ ability of using digital technology is highly driven by social science and technology, but this ability has not been applied well in their disciplinary learning through professional guidance. I think this issue of disconnection between youths’ digital proficiency and learning should be considered and reflected by educators.
Digital literacy education seems to be an updated literacy education and also a necessary tendency in the 21 century. I think the prerequisite for it might be improving teachers’ awareness of digital literacy education. They need a conceptual change that the teaching of the digital age is not simply using digital media such as PPT and video playback in teaching, but also consciously guiding students to be capable of using different forms of media to work out problems and projects in different disciplines by themselves.
Great post! I agree with you, at least based on my observation, it seems as if a lot of teachers are using technology, but not promoting digital literacy. The digital world has opened up so many possibilities for problem-solving and different ways of thinking. However, it may seem scary to teachers to not be in the drivers seat, presenting all of the information in the classroom. I also liked that you talked about the educational system in China, because I continually hear that the U.S. is "falling behind" the Chinese in terms of adequately educating our youth. I think that it is important to be aware that the model of teaching and learning is changing and thus it is difficult to pit countries against one another and rank their educational capacities. -Erin Szczepaniak
ReplyDeleteThank you for your comment. I like what you wrote that "the digital world has opened up so many possibilities for problem-solving and different ways of thinking" and I agree. I think digital world bring us an opportunity to involve in the world and provide a new form of education as well. Thus, teachers are required to change the traditional teaching philosophy and strategies and create a new classroom that is in line with the digital age for students. Also, teachers should recognize that the roles of students and themselves are changing that teachers will no longer be the absolute experts in the classroom. This is an era of bidirectional knowledge exchange between teachers and students.
DeleteThanks for your post! I liked when you said, "the teacher’s role is emphasized here that he or she is required to model his or her individual thinking process in working through a problem using diverse digital medium" and teacher modeling can help guide the students on what to do and how to do it, especially if they're new to it.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I do agree that it's one thing to incorporate digital literacy and another to really utilize it. I think in order to have our students fully understand what they're learning, we as teachers need to learn it well enough that we can model it for our students and guide them. This touches back to last week's readings about modeling as well. I think by using what we learned last week about the benefits of modeling and digital literacies, by combining them together, we can be help students better their skills of research, comprehension, analysis, etc.
Thanks for your response. I agree with you that "teacher modeling can help guide the students on what to do and how to do it", however, I think what teachers should notice during teaching is they need to avoid guiding students to do exactly the same with themselves. In other words, what they ought to do is to inspire and guide students to explore something new basing on their demonstration. Thus, I think how to balance their role of modeling and guiding might be a challenge for teachers. However, I think the digital age just provides an opportunity for both teachers and students to share their thinking and inspire and learn from each other. And the key point is how teachers apply this technological platform and how much space they give students to learn and use digital literacy.
DeleteGreat post. This was an interesting perspective. I never realized the digital literacy should be consider its own. It make sense though and it should be taught to teacher on how to use. Not knowing how to apply these text to teacher will not benefit anyone; this goes with any kind of text. As we are progressing I think technology definitely needs to be implemented into school, especially since a lot of the new generation are growing up on technology.
ReplyDeleteHi Yutong,
ReplyDeleteI'm always interested in hearing about what is typical for secondary education in China -- thanks for sharing.
I like your and the readings' broad use of digital literacies. I think that for some digitally illiterate teachers, their concept of digital literacies is just reading a textbook online. I was glad to read that it seems to be used as a broader description for new, non-traditional literacies in general.
I also agree with you that there is potential for bidirectional exchange between teachers and students in digitally literacies. There's a great opportunity in the fact that many students are likely more comfortable with digital mediums than their teachers. Rather than letting it scare them away, I'd like to see teachers embrace this vulnerability!
Thanks for your comment. I like what you said at the end that teachers are supposed to embrace their vulnerability. I totally agree with that. I have never thought that teachers should be absolute authoritative experts in the classroom and both teachers and students should realize that. I think if teachers can give up this authoritative identity, it will be easier for them to listen to students and change the teacher-centered classroom into a student-centered one. Then students will actively engage in thinking and learning and share their thinking and digital skills with classmates and teachers.
DeleteThanks for your blog, Yutong. I'm totally agree with you that teachers should improve their awareness of digital teaching. I think there are something that we can do when back to China. We can change this situation from us and bring more to our class that help students learn more. Such as creating more group works and selecting appropriate media for students. And I think it is the time that teachers should make a change from traditional education styles.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you that "it is the time that teachers should make a change from traditional education styles". I think this change should not be superficial that they just update their teaching tools, which means the paper book becomes an e-book, and the chalkboard is placed by a screen. I think what teachers really need to change is their concept and strategy of teaching, while the digital media is just a tool to help change the teaching style. However, whether this tool will be efficient depends the way in which teachers apply it.
DeleteI agree with your post that digital literacy needs to be taught and used as a tool in school and its more than just using powerpoint. We keep talking about bringing more technology into the classroom but we need to make sure the students know how to navigate it too. It is something new for the teacher so they are students together which is an idea in the readings. The only way I would know how to use anything more than power point, and even that I have limited knowledge, is by experimenting with it.
ReplyDeleteI like what you said that "the only way to use anything more than power point is by experimenting with it". I think teachers should not be afraid to learn new things and as for digital literacy, they can learn, explore and discuss how to use it with students together and share their experience to guide students apply their ability of using digital technology into learning.
DeleteI think modeling from teachers is really important to student learning and literacy. This is especially important in promoting digital literacy. Students come in to the classroom with an understanding of modern technology however the application of these into the classroom is an important step that educators must mold. Without their own understanding of technology, teachers will struggle with this. I think this is why so many see the influx of new technologies in the classroom as negative. It confuses them to have to adjust for something that they don't understand.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you that teachers should have an objective and deep understanding and interpretation of digital technology. Although there is negative side of it, what teachers should do is guide students to apply it in a positive and efficient way in learning. Digital literacy education is not using digital media by teachers only in the classroom, but modeling and guiding students how to apply into disciplinary learning.
DeleteI really enjoyed reading your post.
ReplyDeleteI especially liked the part when you said "PPT and video playback" since these are not really skills at this point in age. Anyone can make a Powerpoint, so it is nothing impressive, and to be honest, not all that engaging unless some sort of activities are being done alongside. Luckily, from what I have seen in the United States, and this probably applies to other countries, but schools are teaching their students how to navigate technology at a very young age, especially coding. Technology in general plays a major role in society, so to teach students at a young age gives them a headstart in these skills. In the larger scheme of things, your education should be seen as a competition amongst your fellow peers and colleagues because later on, you shall be competing with these people when it comes to job searching.
Great post. Like someone stated before, I also never really saw digital literacy as its own thing. But you write it out well. "The key point is how teachers apply them." I think that quote is the biggest issue for many teachers. Some do not know how to use technology as a benefit for the class, most times it just ends up harming the class. To have a powerpoint as an add on to the lecture, like in 414, helps the class. But if your powerpoint is your lecture, that just harms your class.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing! I totally agree that we should find ways to incorporate more digital literacy in the classroom. Especially because of the constant growth of technology usage in everyday life. From my experience, I would have liked to see more online readings and stuff because I did not really interact with them in school. I think it would have prepared me for college, because almost all the books I use for my classes now are online.
ReplyDeleteThanks for you response. As what you said, it is necessary to improve students' digital literacy because of the "constant growth of technology usage". Digital literacy will provide students multiple opportunities and approaches of learning and getting information. Students can find the ways in which they feel comfortable to learn through digital medium. Thus, teachers should provide support for students through digital literacy education.
DeleteNice post. I've noticed throughout the semester that we've been covering digital literacy and it seems to me that it's own separate discipline. And it's important that it is utilized in class. In the last paragraph you said "they need a conceptual change that the teaching of the digital age is not simply using digital media such as PPT and video playback in teaching, but also consciously guiding students to be capable of using different forms of media to work out problems and projects in different disciplines by themselves." I think that's the key point of this blog post. Digital literacy should be used as a way to scaffold our knowledge in class. If we focus solely on digital literacy to teach, then it harms the class.
ReplyDeleteI definitely agree with you. Most of my teachers in the past have been using technology, but in almost all senses they have been using technology just for the sake of using technology and saving paper. Most of the time we never used anything besides a PowerPoint that we drew on. This doesn't help our digital literacy's at all, it just makes us learn a different way of writing notes without a pencil. There is a multitude of ways that I could have learned the subjects using the IPads, but I was never subject to new learning opportunities using technology. Every technological avenue I have had to find and use on my own. If I had been shown new avenues, I would be able to give options, but I haven't so I would like to learn about more avenues for teaching using technology.
ReplyDeleteWhile I agree that teachers should understand how to incorporate digital media into the classroom, I go back to the Kist reading; we must make sure our teaching is equitable. Just because there is, "access to information and data via the Internet does not provide a sole means to that end. The digital devices themselves do not afford better or more creative solutions." We can incorporate the tools as much as we want and be as literate as we as teachers must be, but it is much harder to ensure that our students are doing the same. I think you address these points in our writing, but we must make sure we have equitable access and that the way we incorporate the tools in or especially outside of the classroom are thought about. -Kiley
ReplyDeleteI agree that digital literacy has become a necessary part of modern education, but I am afraid that our teacher prep programs are not necessarily adapting to this change. We are taught how to use technology to complete our college assignments, this is a necessity, but we don't take any specific classes about how to incorporate technology into high school classrooms effectively.
ReplyDeleteUsing technology in the classroom can be so key for kids. So many kids are obsessed with using technology and so many people can benefit from the additional benefits and programs that are associated with it that can help kids learn. Using technology in classroom to teach skills is key for this newer generation
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