Reflection #1: Media Literacy

Throughout my student teaching, I struggled with technology (particularly cell phones) and how I feel about it. 

Here is what I found: I think that digital media is essential, and as teachers, we have to integrate technology into the classroom. I just need to figure out how to engage my students more than their cell phones, and that seems nearly impossible at times.

My students were constantly on their phones. They were playing different apps while I was lecturing, or sending snapchats in the middle of class time. I mean, literally, sending snapchats. One of my juniors asked if she could take a "selfie," because the lighting was "perfect" and she wanted to add it to her story. Ughh. I know at times, I became very bitter towards cell phones and technology.

Although I love technology, I also really believe it can take away some of those important social interactions we need in the classroom and is making students more detached from one another. 

Sometimes it felt like my students just didn't know how to have a conversation with their peers. I know in the documentary we watched, Digital Nation, they argued the opposite... and it is true! We are more connected to people than we ever have been. I can FaceTime my best friend in Australia and catch up with her for hours. That is AMAZING! But, I believe students prefer to connect with their friends over social media than they do with the person sitting next to them.

In the end, this is me:

I think what I am realizing more and more is that there has to be a balance. Technology is not going away, and our students need to be media literate. As teachers, it is our job to prepare our students for the future––and I want to make sure I give them every tool possible to be successful. However, for myself, I think I will always love technology... but I'll probably love a lot of things a whole lot more.

1. Before these experiences how would you have defined media literacy and how 

has your understanding begun to change, develop, and/or deepen? 

Before exploring how media literacy is defined, I would have assumed it dealt only with social media platforms and our ability to use them. Media literacy is "the foundation of traditional literacy and offers new forms of reading and writing. Media literacy empowers people to be critical thinkers and makers, effective communicators and active citizens," (NAMLE.net). 

This really changed my understanding, and probably the way I view this class now. I believe there are so many platforms out there that can really enhance and engage my students to become better readers, writers, and critical thinkers. By combining technology with traditional forms of media, my hope is that students will start to use technology for good.... and not just for texting. 

2. What is the state of our “Digital Nation” and how do you feel about it? 

I talked about this a little above, but I think our "digital nation" is consumed and flooded by technology to an unhealthy point. I believe we are so attached and connected that we become almost desensitized to people around us. What I think is even more scary, or sad... or just beginning to happen... is that we begin comparing ourselves to people. We are constantly wanting the next thing. You get on Facebook and all of your friends are engaged, or having kids, or buying a house, or getting a new car, or traveling the world and you're like HOW CAN YOU AFFORD THAT (thats what I yell in my head anyway). And you find yourself wanting that life, a different life.  I know that social media makes everyones life look more exciting and glamorous. But kids don't understand that. In reality, life is what happens in between the instagram posts. The hurting, the pain, the real joy––the things and feelings that can't always be experienced in a status update. I think it makes us less excited for those friends who get engaged, or sympathetic to those friends who lost a parent to a serious illness. Sometimes, we just scroll on without a second thought.

I think that, again, there just needs to be that balance between using technology and even social media. I know we need technology, and I know how valuable it is. Yet, I don't want my life to be consumed by it. I don't want to be tethered to my phone. I want to use technology in a way that is healthy and can help me grow and learn. Hopefully, I will be able to transfer those same feelings to my students.

3. (Pose your own third question to yourself based on your research and respond to 

it—this is the heart of metacognition). 

I am more caught up with how social media and cell phones can be harmful, or just the "damage" that technology can cause, however; I believe there is SO much more to technology than Facebook and instagram. I believe there is so much we can use and do with technology. My question is:

How can technology be used in a secondary ELA class to enhance reading, writing, and critical thinking skills?

I could research this for hours. Here are a couple of cool things I found in my short research:

Students could watch this video and then work in small groups to come up with a campaign for change using social media. They would write a short reflective essay afterwards to discuss what they learned and their own thoughts on social media.

CLICK HERE

This article had a lot of really cool suggestions that went beyond just traditional essay writing, which I think could be great for students, especially those who struggle with writing. I really like the idea of having students doing an autobiography in a video format. You could have them write a script too!

NOW CLICK HERE

I also liked this article too. The only thing I did not like is that not all students have continuous access to a computer, and I felt like they made it sound like they do. There were some cool platforms on here that  I would be interested in trying, like Animoto (your students can make short videos for presentations).

I feel like based on what we have learned so far this year (in many of our courses in the MIT, and within my student teaching) I know and recognize there is so much out there for me to continually pull technology into my classroom in a healthy and engaging way. I DO love technology, and my goal is to show students there is a time and place for it, and that it is more important for them to rely on their brains than their phones... but it doesn't hurt to use their resources. Everything in moderation. The articles I read and some of the cool sites I found would help my students continue practicing their reading, writing, and critical thinking skills while also becoming more media literate. 

Signing off now,

Christine