Throughout my Media and Digital Literacy course, I've often been asked reflection questions. Some are more poignant in my mind than others. One especially relevant question asked if play is an important part of the educational experience and why. Another inquired about what our intentions are when using media literacy within the classroom and what our starting points will be.
The question of play is an interesting one. To me, it relates almost directly to the different learning styles as well as inquiry based teaching and learning. Kinesthetic learners acquire the most understanding from tactile learning. All play, in my mind, appeals to that hands on style of learning. Even when exploring technologies, students are engaging in an exploration which can be seen as play. Additionally, it allows for inquiry. Students who dive into a task, exploring it to gain meaning, are inadvertently working to answer questions. They are asking questions perhaps of what a technology can do or how it can host their work and they are exploring to find their answers. Finally, play appeals to Bloom's Digital Taxonomy. They are applying their skills of inquiry to meaningfully play and explore and are evaluating and creating something as a result (Baker, 2012, p. 26).
My intentions are to create critical thinkers and learners. There is no denying that technology is a huge element of today's world so producing media and digitally literate students allows for them to approach their future technological lives through a more developed, critical lens. The Media Literacy Curriculum Model outlines the TAP model: Text, Audiences, Production (Baker, 2012, p. 24). Students can learn to examine texts, acknowledge their purpose and demographic and what is required in production. They can then also produce their own media works (which relates back to the play element of learning as well).
The Ontario curriculum for Language (as well as for each subject) discusses the importance of communication with stakeholders. It discusses how important communication is with parents and principals. However, I think that the main starting point for myself would include communication with other teachers. The Growing Success Document (2010) (linked below) also discusses the importance of Professional Learning Communities (PLCs). These communities consisting of other members of the school community (Growing Success, 2010, p. 2) can include discussions of best practices with technology etc... allowing all included to take away valuable ideas.
The Ontario Language Curriculum (2006) outlines how ICT enriches instructional strategies and helps students to organize their data, edit, etc...(p. 30). It is clear that technology also helps with student engagement in today's world. I believe that technology spans curricular subjects excellently. Students can gather research data in Social Studies online and produce a research project. Students can engage in video elements, producing responses in Reading.
21st Century Learners demand technological instruction. I believe that including technological elements and options in teaching breeds critical thinkers who are better prepared for their future lives surrounded by technology. This course, as well as personal explorations, will allow me to be better prepared for teaching in the future.
Links:
Growing Success:
http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/policyfunding/growsuccess.pdf
Ontario Language Curriculum:
http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/curriculum/elementary/language18currb.pdf
Description of Bloom's Digital Taxonomy:
http://www.techlearning.com/techlearning/archives/2008/04/andrewchurches.pdf
Multiple Intelligences:
http://www.tecweb.org/styles/gardner.html
Text References:
Baker, F. (2012). Media LIteracy in the K-12 Classroom. Washington, D.C., International Society for Technology in Education.
Ministry of Education and Training. (2006). The Ontario Curriculum Grade 1-8: Language. Toronto, ON: Queen’s Printer.
The question of play is an interesting one. To me, it relates almost directly to the different learning styles as well as inquiry based teaching and learning. Kinesthetic learners acquire the most understanding from tactile learning. All play, in my mind, appeals to that hands on style of learning. Even when exploring technologies, students are engaging in an exploration which can be seen as play. Additionally, it allows for inquiry. Students who dive into a task, exploring it to gain meaning, are inadvertently working to answer questions. They are asking questions perhaps of what a technology can do or how it can host their work and they are exploring to find their answers. Finally, play appeals to Bloom's Digital Taxonomy. They are applying their skills of inquiry to meaningfully play and explore and are evaluating and creating something as a result (Baker, 2012, p. 26).
My intentions are to create critical thinkers and learners. There is no denying that technology is a huge element of today's world so producing media and digitally literate students allows for them to approach their future technological lives through a more developed, critical lens. The Media Literacy Curriculum Model outlines the TAP model: Text, Audiences, Production (Baker, 2012, p. 24). Students can learn to examine texts, acknowledge their purpose and demographic and what is required in production. They can then also produce their own media works (which relates back to the play element of learning as well).
The Ontario curriculum for Language (as well as for each subject) discusses the importance of communication with stakeholders. It discusses how important communication is with parents and principals. However, I think that the main starting point for myself would include communication with other teachers. The Growing Success Document (2010) (linked below) also discusses the importance of Professional Learning Communities (PLCs). These communities consisting of other members of the school community (Growing Success, 2010, p. 2) can include discussions of best practices with technology etc... allowing all included to take away valuable ideas.
The Ontario Language Curriculum (2006) outlines how ICT enriches instructional strategies and helps students to organize their data, edit, etc...(p. 30). It is clear that technology also helps with student engagement in today's world. I believe that technology spans curricular subjects excellently. Students can gather research data in Social Studies online and produce a research project. Students can engage in video elements, producing responses in Reading.
21st Century Learners demand technological instruction. I believe that including technological elements and options in teaching breeds critical thinkers who are better prepared for their future lives surrounded by technology. This course, as well as personal explorations, will allow me to be better prepared for teaching in the future.
Links:
Growing Success:
http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/policyfunding/growsuccess.pdf
Ontario Language Curriculum:
http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/curriculum/elementary/language18currb.pdf
Description of Bloom's Digital Taxonomy:
http://www.techlearning.com/techlearning/archives/2008/04/andrewchurches.pdf
Multiple Intelligences:
http://www.tecweb.org/styles/gardner.html
Text References:
Baker, F. (2012). Media LIteracy in the K-12 Classroom. Washington, D.C., International Society for Technology in Education.
Ministry of Education and Training. (2006). The Ontario Curriculum Grade 1-8: Language. Toronto, ON: Queen’s Printer.