For my New Literacy Project, I chose to make a scrapblog that also incorporated a comic, on environmental literacy. I chose to do this, because I wanted to focus on different biomes and explain human impacts on these biomes. I felt that doing a powerpoint or a scrapblog would be a good idea, so I decided to go with a scrapblog since I already know how to make powerpoints. This was new to me because I had never made a scrapblog before. Environmental literacy was new for me compared to more traditional literacies, because I had never thought of environmental literacy as separate from just the definition of literacy which I had already developed. In order to use the new technology to do this project, I did not realize at first how much time it would take for me to do it. I had to learn how to use the technology and also had to do a lot of research in order to create my final project. I believe that this technology is very easy for students to use and will also fulfill the commitments required for K-8 students as outlined in the GLCEs. This is because this technology will allow students to practice their research, writing, reading and technology use. The scrapblog can be used by many different grade levels, because it can be created without even using any reading or writing. Younger levels would be able to create a project and then present it to the class, allowing them to practice their speech and fulfill GLCEs. Students will be able to use the scrapblog to convey meaning and other students should be able to view the scrapblog to gain an understanding of the meaning of the student’s project. I believe that incorporating technology is very important when it comes to effective literacy instruction. This is because in our day and age, technology is very prevalent and being able to use it will be very important for a student’s future.
When it comes to my understanding of literacy, I believe that my ideas have expanded. While I always knew that literacy incorporated more than just reading and writing, I never really thought about how much more is included in its definition. While it should have been obvious to me that literacy involves more than just language arts, this project has really helped me to see how many different aspects of literacy there are (environmental, emotional, etc.). I had never really thought of environmental literacy or any other type of literacy as a separate distinction from the definition of literacy. I mainly viewed these topics as connected to literacy because you need to read and write to be able to perform across different subject areas in school. This growth has altered my conception of learning in English language arts, because it has shown me how many different ways that literacy can be taught using different technologies. It has also shown me that to correctly teach different types of literature to students, you need to understand the different types of literacy there are and what is involved in those literacies. By viewing other people's projects, I was able to develop new understandings of these types of literacies and ways that I can teach them to my students. I was able to see many different aspects to these literacies and that they are multi-layered. There is much you can take out of these new literacies.
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
New Literacy Project
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Elissa- You said that at first you did not realize how much time it would take for you to do the project but I think it is very obvious that you spent a great deal of time on it. You had such good information, detailed and informative for each page. It was also very well put together and pleasing to the eye. Yours took a lot of time I'm sure and it is very detailed but it seems like students would also be able to create these. Theirs might not be as creative as yours but I agree that it is definitely a do-able thing for students depending on their level. I also think this type of project is a great way to integrate research, reading, writing, and technology. It is a good way for kids to be able to organize the information they are researching in a way that is visually stimulating unlike a paper they are turning in for a grade. A great idea would be to create a learning environment where all of the students are learning from each other and not always just the teacher. If the students create these projects then have to analyze and study the projects of other students for a grade of some sort this would be a different type of activity that might motivate different kinds of students. Have you thought about using the project in a mixed age or grade level class or group? It would be interesting to see how things would work out if you had one older student working with a much younger student where the older one did the research and the younger one then had to present the whole project. I'm not sure if this would work well but its an idea. I agree with you about your understanding of literacy expanding. After doing this project and being in class so far this semester I feel like I have a much better understanding of just how broad the concept of literacy really is. I have learned so much more through watching and reading other people's projects. I know I will take away a lot of ideas from these projects for my future classroom and students. I really liked your project, it turned out great and I definitely want to try it out on my own.
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