Week 13 Reading and Discussion

"Pre-service teachers may know how to create a blog, for example, but lack the ability to use this knowledge to create activities and environments that promote a deeper understanding of literacy content when they enter the profession as practicing teachers."



I chose the above text and image, because I think that both ring true. The quote brings a common problem forward into the light. We, as new teachers, are taught how to create many different digital products to prove our knowledge of a topic, but we are not often taught "how" to teach a students how to create the products. At least, that was my experience in my undergraduate years at Fairmont State University (FSU). There was only one course I need to graduate that actually taught me how to teach science, but I would have liked to have taken more. At times, I and my co-workers can create digital products, but we struggle in the teaching of others so that they can create the product themselves.


1. I think they chose to include the word "critical," because the authors state that "critical and reflective practices are largely absent" from today's digital teacher training. (Avila & Pandya, 2013) The authors also cite the need for new teachers to be digitally literate and also be able to develop critical digital learners.

2. The FSU undergraduate teacher education program prepared me well to be critical of digital media and of my own digital products, but did not teach me to be a well-rounded critical digital media teacher to my students. I had to work on this skill on my time and dime. The program was very tools-based.

3. Teachers need to be thinking about the ability levels of their students and the difficulty of the digital experience the teacher may introduce. The purpose, practicality, and future use of teachable digital knowledge and skills must be taken into account when choosing a digital experience for the students; the experience needs to be meaningful, practical, repeatable and interesting. A question the teacher must ask: Is is critical digital literacy experience unbiased, easy to manage, and meaningful to my students?

4. Yes, most of my students do have these "rights," excluding those whose computer privileges are removed. In response to the first "right," my students are introduced to new and emerging digital resources I am either trained on or hear about from other teachers which have had success in using the digital tools. My students started using Prezi as an interesting way to share their ideas and interests in an artistic format on a presentation introducing themselves to me.


References:

Avila, J., & Pandya, J. (2013). Critical digital literacies as social praxis. (pp. 128, 130). New York, NY: Peter Lang Publishing.

[Web Graphic]. Retrieved from http://373virtualpta.files.wordpress.com/2008/07/11_computer_101_class1.png