Reflection of New Literacies

For my New Literacies project, I chose to focus on cultural literacy, exploring the technology of ScrapBlog. ScrapBlog is exactly what its name states: it is a combination of a blog like form, while incorporating aspects of scrapbooking. It allows you to choose from an extensive amount of photographs, stickers, themes, etc. to showcase your ideas, but you can also use text boxes to include information or research on your chosen topic. It was very exciting to explore ScrapBlog for the first time. I was not used to being able to be so creative with artistic factors when it came to writing a ‘paper’ or completing a project.
As I looked back on my definition of literacy from the beginning of this semester, I noticed that my knowledge on this topic has grown significantly. At that time, I had written, “the ability to read, write, listen, comprehend, speak, problem solve, and communicate, in order to participate in a multicultural, technological, and ever-changing society.” I had spent some time formulating this definition with a group in the beginning of the semester, so I still think that it is an adequate explanation of literacy. However, after completing this project, I have come away with the understanding that literacy includes many other aspects. As I looked deeper into cultural literacy, I discovered that incorporating diverse literature into your classroom is not only important, it is vital. It helped me to understand that there are children all over the world that learn to read and write in different ways and using different techniques. If students in our country are never exposed to literature dealing with other areas of the world, their viewpoints will remain very sheltered. Using literature that allows students to see characters that are unlike themselves, will help them to open their eyes and break away from any prejudices that they may have.
With that being said, I feel as though our Tompkins text has really helped my conceptual understanding of literacy throughout this semester. As I was skimming back over some of my notes, I came across a statement that I really enjoyed. It said, “Motivation is intrinsic, the innate curiosity within each of us that makes us want to figure things out.” This ties in very well with the idea of cultural literacy. Children are the group of people that contain the most curiosity within them. By exposing them to diverse literature, you are answering some of their built up questions that they may have formed.
Tying in technology to literacy practices seems like an excellent and beneficial idea. After experimenting with ScrapBlog, I am confident that students in the third grade and above would be able to navigate the technology. One of the most important aspects that an individual would need in order to be successful with ScrapBlog would be patience, in my opinion. It takes time to test out different ideas and themes, and to relocate them until you are satisfied. It students could learn to take their time, and experiment with different methods, I think that any individual would be capable. Using ScrapBlog would also be good practice for student’s typing and research skills, seeing as you are responsible for creating your own text. The Michigan GLCE’s for technology state that by the end of fifth grade, students will know proper keyboarding positions and touch-typing techniques, identify search strategies for locating needed information on the internet, and discuss ways technology has changed life at school and at home. All three of these goals can be accomplished through work with ScrapBlog. A number of authentic exercises could also be accomplished by work with this technology. It could be used whether you wanted students to use the collage format for a research project, genre work, practice with spelling, or as place to keep their own personal electronic journal.
Even though I really enjoyed working with ScrapBlog and exploring a new tool, I do not feel as though this technology helped my current conceptual understanding of literacy. It was interesting and fun to use the various tools that it had and I liked the availability of all the photographs and designs you had to choose from. However, my new found knowledge of cultural literacy came from the research that I did on the topic. I put together my information about the literacy with ScrapBlog, but I could have used the technology for any subject matter and for any project, it was definitely not limited to the idea of literature.
In my opinion, effective literacy instruction is going to look different in every classroom, and be different in regards to each individual student. I feel that one of the most important characteristics that a teacher needs to have in order to teach literature effectively is enthusiasm and passion. If a teacher does not seem interested in literacy, I think their attitudes are likely to be passed along to their students. Since each classroom will be filled with diverse learning styles, the ways in which you teach literacy needs to be diverse as well. I think that literature instruction should look somewhat different everyday (writer’s workshop, centers, whole group instruction, reading groups, etc.) and be incorporated into every subject matter that you teach. To be effective in your teaching, I feel that every teacher needs to know their students on a deeper level in order to help them reach their highest potential. Since you will have English language learners, mixed in with gifted students, an equal balance needs to be created to challenge those students who need it, and to provide additional guidance to those who are struggling with reading or writing. Most importantly, after completing this New Literacies project, I firmly believe that the literature you introduce to your students needs to be diverse, engaging, and with content that will stretch their thinking and expose them to new ideas, cultures, and ways of life.