In the O'Brien Chapter, in the beginning he says this: "When students perceived that they were successful, and they could set personally relevant goals and see that they were improving, they would read and write more, build fluency, and decide to perservere, even on tasks that they perceived as being difficult" (30). This rings true for us in 307. Being somewhat comfortable with computers throughout my lifetime, I was never hesitant about using new technologies, but I believe I have heard my classmates (in the beginning of the semester) talk about being apprehensive about using new technology. And now look at us. We have no problem learning and operating new tools that can be used to benefit our own eduation. I look at myself. I was not really comfortable with having all of my words on public display and now I am comfortable, even facetious at times. The same can be said for the students at Lafayette Jefferson. O'Brien talks about how "Youth and adolescents navigate in and out of" the 'media-centric' world all the time, yet they need to realize that this literacy is essential for students in today's crazy world.
I feel like I've heard this somewhere before. No? Alright, I guess it's just deja vu. Must've been in an episode of The Sopranos or something.
What I am coming to realize is that slowly and surely people in academia are realizing that print centered learning, while still important, is not the keystone anymore. Students are not engaged like they used to be with books, they have television. iPods. Cell phones with the internet. They realize that the important watermark for literacy is no longer if they can understand To Kill A Mockingbird but if they explain it to their buddy who is struggling through instant messanger. Being literate through alternate forms of media is obviously essential, hopefully the rest of the world catches up before they are left behind.
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2 comments:
Yes, you're right. You've heard it somewhere in OM before and you will continue to hear it all around you...even on THE OFFICE.
Thanks for sharing your always intelligent insights.
you are soo right...kids these days need to learn to just be critical thinkers, period. not really in analyzing classic literature because how is that relevant to their lives in the here and now? sure, for kids that want to go on and read excellent pieces of literature, but first we need to teach them the skills in literature/literacy in which they are familiar in!! and this is the Digital Generation (Generation M--mediacentric; the millenials--I like that one :)
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