Thursday, August 8, 2013

IW: 21st Century Literacy



1) Which of the four pillars of  Literacy for the 21st Century connects with you the most?  Why?
2) Which one do you think you would need the most guidance with? Why?

Feel free to include links to resources in your response that may be helpful to other cohort members.

Below is the slideshow that we shared with you about 21st Century Literacy in LPS

23 comments:

  1. 1. The pillar to which I relate the most would be productivity. One of the reasons that I joined the cohort was to increase the productivity this year in the area of writing in my classroom. I look forward to using fun tools like blogs, padlet, and mind mapping to increase engagement through a fun venue.
    2. The pillar with which I may struggle the most is Citizenship because this is something that I neglect to pay attention to. Sometimes I assume too much from students in that realm, like, ‘by 8th grade, I’m SURE my students know not to put their last names online...’ and truly need to remember to teach these things along with the lesson.

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  2. 1) The pillar of literacy for the 21st Century that connects with me the most is the citizenship pillar. This pillar connects to me most as both a teacher and a parent. It is very important that children realize that everything they do on the internet leaves a mark. It is also important for our children/students to realize that when they are on the internet they are connected to the world. All children need to be taught how to be safe and respectful on the internet. We need to teach children what cyberbullying is and how to avoid doing it and how to handle it when they experience it.

    2) The pillar I think I need the most assistance with is the information pillar. I need the most assistance with this because there is just so much information available on the internet, and filtering through it in order to find quality, appropriate information can be an overwhelming task.

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  3. 1. The pillar of Literacy that connects with me the most is productivity. Giving students different options for how they can demonstrate their learning is powerful. Allowing their work to be put out for the whole world to see is even more powerful. When students see the things other kids from around the world have done students get excited and inspired to put their own voice out there. This is a great way to get students, and teachers, excited and engaged in their learning.

    2. The pillar I need the most guidance with is information. With all the technology available to students, they have to figure out what is reliable and which sites/sources are giving false information. Students need to understand that just because they found something on the internet, they can not automatically trust that. With third graders, how do you make this a common practice to look for second sources and to weed out the false information? I have a hard time with this because I don’t have tons of time to spend on helping students navigate through every site they find, and students still are not independent when on their netbooks. What is the best way to get started with guiding the students?

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  4. 1) Growing up in the booming technology age, I am most comfortable communicating through technology and teaching students the same techniques. I am a firm believer in teaching them the benefits of using something like a cell phone in class rather than trying to keep phones out of the classroom altogether - the world has shifted to a place where it is nearly impossible for a student to communicate with someone who is not right in front of them without some use of technology; students simply grew up with it and I do not expect them to change their habits if I have the ability to teach them how to use it to their advantage, which seems to be the essence of our cohort.

    2) I believe their citizenship may be one of the most important pillars, but I still struggle in my role in teaching them how to form their own online identity. I can teach cyber safety, but how can I help them to understand the significance their online presence may have in their own lives and to the lives of others?

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  5. 1.) The pillar I connect with most is citizenship. I worry about what my students put on the internet. I don’t think they truly realize that even though they delete something, it is still “out there” in cyberspace for anyone to see. Sixth graders often believe they are more mature than they actually are. However, their immature causes them to make quick decisions that are not well thought out. This often times gets them in trouble. II think of my students as my own kids and feel the need to protect them. I want to help prevent them from doing something they will regret.

    2.) The pillar I need the most guidance with is productivity. There are so many tools out there that it gets a little overwhelming to me. I hear about what other people are using and think I need to be using it too. I want to pick a few tools to implement this year and stick with them. Too often I experiment with too much, get overwhelmed, and then abandon them altogether. I want to increase the productivity in my room this year. I know that students will be more engaged when I do.

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    Replies
    1. Jen,
      I just had a conversation with my team mate regarding being selective in what new tools we implement tonight. There are so many new innovative ways to do things and I want to try them all! I am hoping to avoid feeling completely overwhelmed by choosing a few new tools and finding various ways to use them well. I am constantly reminding myself to analyze what my purpose is in introducing different technology.

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  6. 1. Of the Four Pillars of Literacy for the 21st Century, I connect most with Communication. It is incredible how our access to anyone in the world has increased exponentially. I remember when I first learned about email all those years ago. I was stunned at how my parents in Wisconsin could receive my emails instantaneously, and there wasn’t even a long-distance charge! My, how far we have come!

    A few years ago when she was in elementary school, my daughter was researching the Terra Cycle, the world’s most popular “upcycling” company. She was able to find and email Albe Zakes, the Global VP of Media Relations. Not only did he set up a time for a phone interview with Kendall, but he also sent her several Terra Cycle products. She interviewed him and wrote her article, which was then published in the Colorado Kids section of The Denver Post. This kind of immediate access is something we never could have imagined when I was growing up. It definitely makes the world a much smaller place for all of us.

    2. I think the pillar I will need the most guidance with is Citizenship. There is so much information online that may or may not be appropriate for our students. Many of them are also incredibly trusting and naive when they are online. I want to learn more about the best way to help them protect themselves and stay safe without scaring them. Bullying is also a huge problem in many middle schools, and I want to help students be proactive with online bullying, texting, participating in chat rooms, etc.

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  7. 1) I think I connect mostly to the Information pillar, especially since we have exponentially increasing amount of information every year. Technology has flooded us with information both valuable and useless, and not only has it made filtering this information difficult, but our access to this information has changed how we view learning. Before the digital age, education focused a great deal on memorizing information, and an education implied mastery both of detail and of understanding on specific subjects. Today, “knowing something” has become less important in light of information access, leading to an increase on the emphasis of information analysis and application. Thus, the emphasis is less on the “know” as it is on the “know how.” This fundamentally changes how teachers must approach the learning process and how to assess student learning. Assessment must be more skills and product based as opposed to based on recall or even rhetorical analysis. This subsequently requires a renaissance in creativity in the classroom, because success will be measured by how information is used as opposed to how much is obtained. This pillar ultimately appeals to me because of what it calls me to change in my approach to teaching and learning.

    2) Citizenship resonates as the pillar in which I need the most guidance. While I am savvy with technology, I have yet to tap technology resources to globalize my classroom. My students frequently collaborate between classes and grade levels, but I haven’t worked with other schools or foreign communities/cultures. This prospect has been rather intimidating since I’m not sure exactly where to start. I also struggle with how to make citizenship relevant within the context of my curriculum. A writing class is an easy subject for collaboration, but it is making such a collaboration meaningful in teaching citizenship that appears challenging. Students also seem only vaguely aware of how exposed they are through technology, and how to appropriately interact in an environment with remote audiences. Considering most of their remote communications happen in a familiar fashion with family and friends, students don’t often consider the ramifications (and permanence) of their actions through technology. Teaching students skills to interact with wisdom and cultural sensitivity through technology must happen both at home and at school, so fostering a culture of technological citizenship requires more than my own efforts.

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  8. The Importance of Communication

    1. The pillar I connect with the most is Communication. What the digital age has done is make communicating with one another a much more intuitive and immediate process. In the days of print media, the time between inception of an idea and its dissemination was slowed by typesetting, printing, and distribution issues. The fastest media was a daily newspaper, which still had a lag time of at least half a day between getting copy to the printers and a paper landing on a front stoop. I’m not counting “Extra” editions sold on street corners, which even then had a several hour delay. The broadcast media wasn’t much better. While reporting could happen “live” from the scene of an event, it was still necessary to move equipment and reporters to a site in order to cover an event. And access to broadcasting was severely limited to only a few with the deep pockets to control a network or studio.

    Nowadays, anyone can think of something, dash it off, and distribute it in any number of ways within minutes. Phones can be used to transmit pictures or videos from the scene of an event within seconds. Written works can be posted on Facebook or texted to friends instantaneously, or even published as e-books in a fraction of the time it used to take to get published. And anyone can broadcast a YouTube video to the whole world with no special connections to a high-priced conglomerate.

    What this means to educators is that we must prepare students to be communicators in the very real sense of the word. Reading and writing are still the foundation, but sharing ideas also includes graphic organization, use of multimedia, delivery via a wide range of platforms, and thinking in terms of a potentially global audience. It is going to become increasingly important for future generations to connect and stay connected, through communication, with an ever-shrinking world.

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  9. 2. The pillar I struggle with the most is Productivity. Given the myriad of communication choices students have, and the vast array of information sources available to them, it is easy for them to either a) get overwhelmed and shut down, or b) get distracted and led astray. In either case, they spend a good deal of time on a computer and produce very little of value. I know that as I (and they) get more familiar with specific Google tools and apps, that process will improve. Meantime, we spend too much time getting logged in, finding appropriate sites, checking for accuracy and validity, and sorting and storing information, before we ever get around to reflecting on the information that’s gathered and producing original thinking. That is my biggest frustration at the high school level.

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    Replies
    1. John,

      I think your frustrations are felt at all levels. As a 4th grade teacher, I face some of these same issues. The positive is that they are working on all these areas younger and younger so that by the time they get to you moving forward, some of these kinks will be worked through. It is hard to find the patience some days when all you want to do is shut the tech down and move forward. Hang in there and know that the light bulbs will turn on thanks to your guidance and it will set them up for more success in the future.

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  10. 1. The pillar I connect with the most is productivity. I just received a cart of net books for everyone in my class. I want to use them effectively and increase engagement and output in the area of writing. I am more productive now that I can share so much with parents via our class website and I love having my work in the cloud so I can easily access it at home or anywhere. I'm also more productive in making playlists and finding new music.

    2. Citizenship. I always error on the side of caution and want most things password protected. I don't really know when that is necessary. Also would like to know how much to teach third graders on this issue. What's appropriate?

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  11. 1) Which of the four pillars of Literacy for the 21st Century connects with you the most? Why?

    The pillar of Literacy that I connect with the most is productivity. In the beginning of the year it seems my students are wanting to do everything on their EEEs. I use this to my advantage when I need a tool to help engage them in an assignment while also continuing to get them familiar with the Google programs. True productivity comes in once my students are able to determine if they produce better writing through Google or with pencil and paper.I want my writers to become self aware of what technology helps and distracts them.

    I also appreciate the access to various technical tools that help differentiate my writing instruction. Students may be using a dictation program at home to get their initial ideas out, sharing their work for peer editing, blogging with various audiences, and so on. I appreciate that technology has allowed me to help meet my students' independent needs more effectively.

    2) Which one do you think you would need the most guidance with? Why?

    The pillar I need the most guidance with is information. I tend to assume too much and I need to remember that I am helping 9 year olds sift through an endless amount of information. I would like to hear more about how other teachers front load in order to help their students select information that is true and credible. I find that I have limited time and important lessons like these get passed over or are done quickly.

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    Replies
    1. Erin,
      I haven't really thought enough about using some of these tools to help me with differentiation in writing. I love that you are using it in this way in your classroom! It is so beneficial to hear about great things that other teachers are doing.

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  12. 1) Of the four pillars of Literacy for the 21st Century, the one that I connect with the most is communication. The ability to share their work with others before publishing has been a powerful tool for my students. They have been able to share their Google documents and presentations with their teacher and their parents and get immediate feedback that truly guides the course of their work. I have even had parents who have accessed their child’s project during the school day (while their child is working on it) and asked guiding questions that have helped children to see opportunities for improvement. Even though I am just at the beginning stages of learning how I want to use technology in my classroom, I have seen how powerful the shift in communication can be.

    2) The pillar of Literacy for the 21st Century that I need the most guidance with is productivity. With all of the information, tools and options that are available, it is challenging for me to anticipate the outcome of some of my instructional decisions. There are times when I find that students need far more time to complete one portion of the task than what I had anticipated. This almost always generates important teaching opportunities, but can shift the focus of the lesson away from the desired outcome.

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  13. 1) The pillar I connect with most is Communication. I love that we live in a world where we are constantly able to communicate and where we can always find more ways to reach out to the world around us. The presentation told us that the world is now a much smaller place, and to me that is more valuable than anything. I know what my cousin is doing with her children in Missouri thanks to Facebook, I could SKYPE with my friend who was living in a tree house in the jungles of Costa Rica, and I can group text message my family during Sunday Bronco's games when we can’t all be the in the same place to watch it. I am also exposing my students to more tools and information that wouldn’t have been possible without these new, advanced communication abilities. This will allow them to create and access more than ever before truly preparing them for the world they will enter as teenagers and adults.

    2) I think I need the most guidance with Citizenship. 4th graders have a difficult time understanding how big and scary the digital world can be. I can expose them to information about their digital footprint and how to be a strong online citizen, but it doesn’t always translate (like many other things). I am always looking for more resources about how to make citizenship more relatable for my younger students. The better they can understand this, the more accountable they will be in the future.

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  14. In both my teaching and my learning, I connect first with communication and information. I’m having a difficult time separating the two, because I see communication as a way for any learner (child or adult, student or myself) to share their thinking and information as a way to broaden their learning. And, ideally, the two should be fluidly connected to each other.

    We can get caught up in believing that students need to take in more and more information, and that they cannot yet produce, or communicate, their own information. And while there is a lot of content to learn, now and for the rest of their lives, I think that it is a mistake to not believe that they are able to communicate and produce their own information. I believe that a seven year old can communicate a Google Presentation about jaguars, just as a ten year old can produce a Prezi that shows their thinking about the themes of The Little Prince.

    While all the pillars are essential to support a 21st century learner, I would like to continue to learn more information and ideas about communication. Because communication tools are changing and improving in the blink of an eye, I’m always wondering what else is out there. When I hear or see other ways for myself and my students to communicate our ideas, I need to ask myself if the new thing is a better tool, or simply a fancier tool - which is really the best use for my students? Discriminating what to use when would be very helpful.

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  15. 1. Information is the pillar I connect with most. I am resourceful and I know how to use my resources. If I don't know the answer to something, I google it, or ask questions until I find my answer. I model this inquiry for information in front of my students. They call me "The Detective" because I will search for an answer or assign the task to students for extra credit. They become my "private investigators." My two girls roll their eyes when I say, "Use your resources." They kid me by saying they will put that quote on my gravestone! Many students struggle with finding information or using the appropriate sources. Information Literacy is such an important 21st century skill, in my opinion.

    2. Productivity is the pillar I struggle with most. I think it is a result of the organization gene that I do not possess. I equate productivity with time and using my time effectively. There are so many fantastic technology tools at my fingertips for me to implement with my students to increase productivity. However, it takes time for me to learn them, time to teach, time to practice, and time to become proficient. Purposeful planning provides productivity.

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  16. 1) Which of the four pillars of Literacy for the 21st Century connects with you the most? Why?
    2) Which one do you think you would need the most guidance with? Why?

    1. I connect most with the communication pillar. I think that this is crucial for all of us if we want to be successful in life. Every person comes in contact with other people in their life whether it’s over the computer or in person. The communication skills that students have will enable them to work with others, creating, and innovating new ideas. I also think that learning comes in it’s best form when you see, hear, and interact with others. Students can build their responses and thinking by taking ideas from others and meshing them with their own. This is possible because of communication with others.

    2. Citizenship is the pillar that I need the most guidance with. I think, especially when working with children, being able to convey the importance of citizenship online is hard to do. Kids do not understand that everything that they do is, in fact, their digital footprint and can be resurrected. Although there was a lot of bullying when I was in elementary, I did not have to deal with bullying when I went home and went online too. I think that this technology has created a safer place for bullies to be meaner and more incessant. Therefore, getting the importance of citizenship across to my younger students is a struggle.

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  17. 1) Which of the four pillars of Literacy for the 21st Century connects with you the most? Why?
    The pillar I connect with the most is information. Within the classroom, this was the first avenue in which our 3rd graders used technology, to assist with research. Of course now, the pillar of information extends much further than just a research tool, but it is still the one I connect with the most. I agree, that a big focus of teaching research now is, How can you trust what you find? How do you sort through all the information you find?

    2) Which one do you think you would need the most guidance with? Why?
    I think I need the most help with communication. Already this year I have taken great strides by using my website, not only as a communication tool for my parents, but as a hub for my students where they can find helpful links, templates, and links to the day’s lesson. But I also know there are so many more ways for my students to start communicating and utilizing the technology to spread their voices.

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  18. The pillar I connect most with is citizenship. My students are so excited about communicating with each other on Googledocs and they love seeing their work on our website. It is incomprehensible to them that their words or names might be seen by strangers, or that what they write or publish is permanently saved.

    The pillar I would like to have support with them is productivity. I would like to be wise in my choices of when technology is supporting learning, and when it is not the best way to go. I am always thinking about whether time spent learning a tech skill is well spent.

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  19. The 21st Century Literacy pillar I connect with most is the pillar of Citizenship. Maybe because I hear about the behaviors of high schoolers and see some of what former students post online, I feel responsible to teach these young adults about the consequences of their actions, especially digital behaviors. They have the ‘superman syndrome’, that they are invincible or they are simply naive. Either way, the consequences can be costly of poor citizenship. However, I think this understanding will occur only over time, with education. Do some of you remember growing up with unlocked houses? - couldn’t find the key if you wanted to lock it up, and now….security systems plus! We learned over time, with education - either your own or someone else’s misfortune - to change the way we act. Nonetheless, I need to be updating my understanding of good citizenship and sharing with my students.


    I need the most assistance with the pillar of Productivity and Publishing. I can always think of multiple web tools to use instead of pencil and paper to publish, however, I think it is critical to keep in my mind “Why am I using this? How does this help the kids? Am I higher up on the SAMR model than just substitution?” It’s easy for me to get caught up in using something shiny and new and I need to make sure it is modifying or redefining tasks for transformation.

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  20. I honestly thought I'd already replied to this in August, but was checking assignments tonight and saw that I hadn't. So...
    1. The pillar I connect most with is communication. I use digital technology to communicate with most of the people in my life. I use it to get information; I use it for entertainment.

    2. I think I need help with productivity. I need to know how to use technology wisely because I have a limited amount of time w/ my students and I don't want to waste it chasing after the next great technological thing to the detriment of their actual learning.

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