New Media and Literacies
"The
distinctive contribution of the approach to literacy as social practice lies in
the ways in which it involves careful and sensitive attention to what people do
with texts, how they make sense of them and use them to further their own
purposes in their own learning lives" (Gillen and Barton, 2010, p. 9).
Watching the news is not a matter
of finding out what is going on in the world, but rather learning about a topic
that is expressed from the viewpoint of the reporter. What is learned is based
on what that particular reporting agency wishes us to see from how they want us
to interpret what is presented as news.
In reading this quote, I could not
help but feel that our reaction to a text and how we interpret the information
is as much a part of our thought processes and social construct as is our own
way of learning. When we reflect on research, it is not merely the data being
interpreted but also what the author wants us to learn based on their bias.
Considering this thought, I seek to convey through a period of instruction
exactly the information I want to be grasped by the audience. How the learner
is best able to understand a given topic involves a greater understanding of the
group as a whole. It requires a careful consideration on the educator’s part to
fully understand the topic, glean new insights from the texts through repeated
study, and then seek out the best practice for delivery.
Look inside a fly fisherman’s
tackle and you will find a multitude of fly lures in a wide array of sizes with
hooks so small that they require tweezers to effectively work with them. There
will also be a magnifying lens. None of this is by chance, but rather through
the careful study of what their quarry is biting on at that particular time of the
year and in that specific body of water.
The lens is used to study samples of what is in the water as a food
source and found to be to the fish’s liking in that exact spot. Each cast is
meant to mimic distinct and selected forage through precise delivery. Our
interpretation and study of a given text will allow for a precise delivery of
our thoughts with the desired outcome.
References
Gillen, J., & Barton, D.
(2010). Digital literacies. Teaching and Learning Research Programme.9.
You stated that "how the learner is best able to understand a given topic involves a greater understanding of the group as a whole". I agree, it is essential to understand how an individual learns to know what teaching methods will beat reach the leaner. New media and technology have completely changed the playing field in education. There are so many learning styles, I think, as a direct result of new media and new literacies. It also affords educators new opportunities to be able to yeah these learners.
ReplyDeleteNew Media and Literacy has most certainly opened up new avenues for educators to best reach students regardless of age or gender. We are learning so much about the world around us that I was oblivious to prior to this semester.
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