Technology
has completely taken over EEEEEEEverything!!!!! and I LOVE IT! Whether you're in a classroom or
you're at work you must know how to use a computer and understand how to
find information and read information now through computer the question
is everyone getting the same continent understanding at the same pace
and that is why I was excited to take this course.
In
the past couple years I feel as though a lot of people don't understand
where acquire these new technologies and where do you find the
information about them. What classes can you take so you can learn about
the new media's in new technology that help you in your every day life.
Technology is changing so much that we barely use paper and pencil for
things now we use tablets and mobile devices. For me most of my work is
done on mobile devices seeing that I work for a technology company.
Whether it's from my iPhone or it's from my iPad I have found the
resources (and applications) to make sure everything I do everyday is
easier. In our required reading by Noss he describes the different parts of literacy such as Design and Communication. The article talks about applications
and how more people nowadays are looking at applications and building
applications for the everyday person. The younger generation understands
what an application is, they understand it's an out reach of a website
where as an older generation doesn't understand exactly how an app is
run and developed. At work I see this understanding stemming from user
usage. The more the person uses the technology, the more they begin to
understand it. Many of people are afraid of this new technology because
it's new and confusing, but that shouldn't stop us. How I explain it to
my students is to touch everything to understand how it works so that
you can then apply to your life. You will never understand how it works
until you touch it repeatedly.
I
can relate to the fact that because everything is now through
technology everyone now has to learn how to read up on it. The way we
read a book is different from how we read a website or an app. That is
something that you need to get used to. I wouldn't necessarily say is
easier but is an adjustment that we all must make. There are different
type a learners out there and these technologies now have to be able to
support every type of learner wether they are visual or they a hearing
impaired. As the article in digital literacy says it all comes down to
the design. How are reader views pictures, audio and text matters in
learning when using technology. Also making sure that everyone has
access to the technology is something that is probably one of the
biggest stressors in education sector right now in my opinion.
Accessibility of Technology.
Phil 4:13
As a newly-hired teaching assistant I completely agree with what you're discussing. Today's students see apps and know almost instantly what to do with them. It comes naturally for them. Whereas one of the teachers I work with has absolutely no idea what to do with an iPad. Her use of the computer is checking email and finding a video on YouTube, which she uses Internet Explorer for and it takes a month to download. Being new to my position I've actually been considering using my iPad more in the classroom. I'm sure there are applications out there that would be useful in assisting me at what I do daily. It becomes bothersome carrying a stack of papers back and forth between the two rooms I work in. I can only imagine how simple it would be if I could just carry an iPad. If only I could find a way to help the other teacher to find more and easier ways to access things on her computer. Sadly, she is kind of "closed off" to learning more about them. I've found that people like her are simply not willing to explore and discover what's available to them. I have this conversation with my mother regularly.
ReplyDeleteOne thing that I find fascinating about digital literacies today is the ease of use of some products. At the risk of bragging, my third child was navigating the iPad at 14 months. Not just tapping pictures that were interesting, but actually finding the things he wanted to watch and play! My wife is big on visual learning and allows the little children small amounts of visual stimulation with the particular medium. As home-schoolers, the bigger kids use the iPads for their lessons and homework, but they still practice their printing skills on paper.
ReplyDeleteI think that the way we read books is getting closer to web sites. I have taken to many books on the Kindle - even though I still adore print on paper - simply because I can find quotes in books that I want to share with others. Textbooks on the Kindle are awesome since I can search for keywords and read passages quicker to determine if they are relevant to what I am researching.
Thanks!
Bill