Chapter 7: From Pencils to Pixels: The Stages of Literacy Technologies by Dennis Baron

Citation:  Baron, Dennis.  “From Pencils to Pixels:The Stages of Literacy Technologies.”  Passions, Pedagogies, and 21^st Century Technologies. Eds. Gail E. Hawisher and Cynthia L. Selfe. Logan: Utah State P, 1999. 15-33. Print.

Reading and Thinking

Literacy is connected to both technology and the pencil. Both devices allow us to communicate without speaking.

I think Baron’s main argument here is that new technological advances are always met with some resistance and fear of possible aftermaths, and sometimes there are alterior motives behind those criticisms. It really helps to put things in perspective. I thought the comment about the “backward wave” of new technologies affecting old ones was interesting.  it made me think about clothes.  We constantly recirculate fashion. 

Baron allowed me to understand a wider perspective of how items are created for convienance and learning. Baron explains his concept very well pertaining to the pencil being replaced by the computer. I had no idea that the main purpose the pencil was developed was for artist. WOW!

Brain Rules# 4 ATTENTION

The video above explains the ten minute rule......
                                                            Reading and Thinking:
The more attention the brain pays to a given stimulus, the more elaborate the information will be encoded and retained.  We don't pay attention to things that are boring, which can affect learning.  I always heard of the ten minute rule, and it works.  I use it in my classroom all the time.  Lecture for ten minutes and then show some type of presentation or class discussion. 





Technology Reflection
Mindomo is an interesting tool to use for mapping.  I have to be honest and say that I am not a master at it yet.  This takes practice.  It took so long to get my point across and it didn't help that I am a little OCD when it comes to things being even and flowing well.  I can't say that this is one of my favorites thus far, but it is useful.  Would I try it again? Of course!

CCC: Chapter 6, Cynthia Selfe

Citation: Selfe, Cynthia L. “Technology and Literacy: A Story about the Perils of Not Paying Attention.” Computers in the Composition Classroom: a Critical Sourcebook. Boston: Bedford/St. Martins, 2008. 93-115. Print.

          While reading this article I was forced to reflect my own classroom and staff development sessions.  Selfe opens her conversation of technology and literacy by giving me a mental picture of the attitudes of her colleagues .  This made me laugh because my meetings don't go much different.  For some reason educators are afraid of the future.  They struggle to change their old habits and techniques because of the, "comfort zone".   The reading made me pay attention to several issues such as, Selfe recounting the frightening history of technology in federal educational policy. She points out the institution of government efforts to increase the use of computers in the classroom.    Importantly, we are reminded through this article that we need to investigate the technologies we use before asking students to use them. We also need to be aware that money for technology may not be going to the ends we initially expect and may be doing more to maintain the status  than to open new opportunities, and that technological literacy does not imply literacy or eligibility for higher paying jobs.

Brain Rule # 3 Wiring

Brain Rules #3 on Prezi

Brain Rules Chapter 3 explains how we learn.  This chapter didn't seem uncommon to me, because I learned in high school that I am a visual learner.  This makes me different; therefore my brain is built differently from anyone else, and I am unique and intelligent in my own way.

Technology Reflection

I absolutely love using the Prezi program.  It was much easier to use after I used the tutorial instead of trying to navigate through it myself, like I normally would from excitement.  I like how it the program seems like an updated version of a PowerPoint presentation.  I would like to use more of the samples, but I guess I would have to buy it in order to have more options.  I would definitely use it again

Confronting the Challenges of Participatory Culture: Media Education for the 21st Century

Citation: Jenkins, Henry. Confronting the Challenges of Participatory Culture Media Education for the 21st Century. Cambridge, MA: MIT, 2009.

Reading and Thinking

The article was quite interesting but I found myself constantly looking up the technology verbiage.  I agree with the author about the teachers not being totally responsible for the usage or understanding technology.  For once the pressure is off of us.  Parents play an important factor in students being successful at these skills also. Teaching technology is not an easy task and the instructor must feel confident in using it themselves before they can introduce it to students.  I always find myself amazed at how advanced technology is becoming and as a teacher myself, I need to continuously dive into these applications. 

Chapter 5 Selfe &Selfe

Citation: Selfe, Cynthia L., and Richard J. Selfe Jr. “The Politics of the Interface: Power and Its Exercise in Electronic Contact Zones.” Computers in the Composition Classroom: a Critical Sourcebook. Boston: Bedford/St. Martins, 2008. 64-85.
 Selfe caught my attention as I read about how it is important to plan well when allowing your students to complete writing assignments on the computer.  Becoming familiar with being a technology critic in't always easy.  Sometimes you have to evaluate the technology that is being sued for your students in order to identify whether it is worth using it for your students in the classroom.  It would interesting as a future college professor to create some type of technology myself for the usage of my students to learn.

Ohmann: Literacy,Technology and Monopoly Capital

Citation: Ohmann, Richard. “Literacy, Technology, and Monopoly Capital.” Computers in the Composition Classroom: a Critical Sourcebook. Boston: Bedford/St. Martins, 2008. 20-34. Print.

Ohmann made great points when he referred to computers, literacy, and technology. As I read, I thought about how computers are changing the way we think, teach, express ourselves, and make decisions about survival.  Technology is changing the world around us and it definitely forces us to make sure we understand how to use it.  I especially like the contrast between the way people were taught to write in the old days compared to now.  Literacy is a social group: This point stood out and made me think about how we communicate with each other.

Framework for Success in Postsecondary Writing/Reading and Thinking

My First Reaction: The ways of approaching learning is definitely a great way road to take in order to be successful. All of the tactics that were stated have to organized in a way to fit the students way of learning.

What surprised me about the article: I was surprised by the way the author made it seem so easy for a teacher to incorporate these habits into a classroom.  A teacher must be well verse themselves, and they must actually use the skills themselves, and they have to know how to teach them to the students in a skill.  Most of the tactics should start at home.  There is not enough time in a day to teach these skills.  This is a definitely a growing process.

I am interested in finding out the data from this research and I want to know if the writers of the article see that there is a disconnect with public schools and Universities expectation for writing.  The public schools teach to a test (SOL) not traditional writing or preparation for a University. 

Article Revisions: The article can be revised with ideas for the instructors on how to incorporate the habits in a classroom setting. 

Teaching Writing with Technology:  If I were teaching an online class, I would gear my assignments to force the student to practice these habits.  During my discussion periods I would make sure that I ask questions that will ensure that the practices are being influenced.  I have to first model and then my students will follow on how serious I am about the course.

Brain Rule # 2 Survival

The human brain does not consist of one area, but three.  They are used to function in our emotions, breathing, and reproduction.  We survive off of adapting to change, because it is forced upon us.  The brain becomes complex because of the forced survival techniques.  The brain is miraculous.


 
Check out my Popplet on this chapter of Survival (click on the link below)
http://popplet.com/app/#/73534

Technology Reflection

Popplet was interesting to use for the first time.  I guess I have to keep working at it because I like a lot of motion going on in my presentations, and the final product did not turn out how I imagined.  I can't say that I do not like Popplet.  The program has to grow on me and I need to learn all of the features correctly.  I hate to use flickr when trying to be creative and use pictures.  Flickr takes forever to load and I gave up.  I would try this again.

Resolution to Student's Right of Expression

NCTE developed a  guideline for written expression for students.

My first reaction was that the topic is very controversial.  Students do need to be protected and supervised to an extinct when writing about themselves or personal issues.  In some cases, students tend to be inappropriate at times when expressing their feelings.  Other students around them are not mature enough to understand the "real world" and they may become harsh toward that student for simply expressing their feelings.  

What surprised me about the article was that I was not able to see the parent point of view in the matter.  The focus of the article was protecting students from being penalized for expressing their opinion or the life that they are living.  The writer made it seem as if the task would be easy to have students back for being creative and expressive.

I am interested  in the process as to which educators and leaders will have to go through to accomplish such, and what will the boundaries be for a student.  What if the writing causes issues within the school?  For example a student expressing that they hate a race, or a gender, or a religion.

There would be several ways that I would revise the article.  I would be more detailed and I would not leave my audience curious as to what may happen next or the most interesting part, "controversy".  I would explain what other important educators opinions were.  The reader needs to know the real story, struggle, and facts.  More planning time is needed and research.

Teaching writing with technology is just a faster and easier way for anyone to express themselves.  The easier part for some may be the fact that people do not have to know who they are, where they live, or understand their background.  Technology is important and teaching it is not bad.  There is nothing wrong with being expressive as long as you have some dignity in what you say.





 

CCC: Chapter 3, Hawisher & Selfe

Citation: Hawisher, Gail E. and Selfe, Cynthia L. "The Rhetoric of Technology and the Electronic Writing Class."  Computers in the Composition Classroom: a critical sourcebook. Boston: Bedford/St. Martins, 2008. 35-45.

  Personally, I am biased when it comes to deciding whether or not i should use technology for teaching writing, or should I use only writing samples and one to one tutorial.  I feel as though both are important.  I find that students  pay more attention to my usage of technology and writing skills/notes on the board.  If one overbears the other, my students are lost.  I am a visual learner myself and if a teacher talks me to death, I fall asleep or my attention span becomes short.  I think we live in a time where technology is everywhere, and our students need to be efficient with it.  I do agree with Hawisher and Selfe when they explain that a teacher who is not computer savvy can make a terrible mess of a writing classroom.  The students have to be able to use the skills on paper and using technology, but most of all they have to understand the concept.  All of these steps go back to having a good teacher.
    In the future, I will make sure that the technology that I am interested in using is accessible to my students, and easy to use with simple instructions so that my students can be creative and master the skills that i have presented to them.

Chapter 1: Exercising Your Brain

It is quite ironic that I was thinking that I need to be more athletic as I completed the reading.  I am not as athletic as I would like to be, which means it is definitely time for a change.  Most people would think that since I am a dancer that the word "athletic" would be of second nature, but here lately it hasn't been the case.  I was quite surprised to read that exercise has quite a bit to do with the functions the brain has.  I always thought of working out as a key to having a healthy body.  While reading such remarkable information, it helped me to understand that mental health is just as important when trying to become fit. The brain is interesting in how it functions and how "people" try to change how it functions.  I have been so programmed to how things should be and survival methods or learning from experience that sometimes it is hard to be as creative as I would like.  I find myself creative in the aspects of my life that are considered my "gift". I need more brain magazines!!!! Check out the video and check out      my glogster:http://dpwesley.glogster.com/rule1/

INTRODUCTION

 My name is Dionne Wesley. I am originally from Chicago Illinois.  I have been a Virginia resident a good portion of my life.  I am blessed to have a wonderful husband of four years.  I am an alumni of Norfolk State University majoring in English, and  now I am pursuing a Masters degree in Urban Education English.  My passion is to teach, and now, my ultimate goal is to become a college professor.  I love technology even though it can be challenging at times.  My hobbies are shopping, reading, and dance.  

• What is my purpose for taking the course?
• What do I expect to Learn:

    - Teaching Writing with technology will expand my knowledge of different fun and interesting ways to use technology, while incorporating the skills that my students will need to be successful.

    - I expect to learn how to include different tools in my writing lessons.