Sunday, February 27, 2011

Shively Concept Map - Week 7


When viewing this Prezi, first, zoom out and click on "What is New Media Literacy" on the right side of the map. You will begin my concept map for this week answering the questions: "What is new media literacy?" - Each time you click on the arrow, you are being connected to the concepts I extrapolated from our readings. Towards the end I make a mini-map of major connections for the semester.

During the creation of this map, I circle back to Learning Ecology - to link it to the previous articles written by Prensky and Shirky. I felt that Prensky and Shirky were both trying to say that we need to recognize that New Media Literacy is a portion of the Learning Ecology and that it can no longer be ignored. Together, Greenhow, Prensky, and Shriky are challenging readers to take seriously the changes needed for a transformation in our nation's curriculum - asking educators to recognize the communication, collaboration, and collective groups the Internet offers (Shirky, 2008) - realize that learning environments need to be flexible spaces allowing for longer periods of exploration and creation, not mandated by high stakes testing (Greenhow, 2009) - and understand that although we are not native to this digital age, our children are and there is no turning back, thus requiring our attention and time to learn and adapt to the culture -(Prensky, 2001). I think new media literacy requires a much deeper understanding that surpasses a gap in communication - it is a new way of thinking, living, and learning.

I end with the questions we have been pondering and answering - as well as - "extras" - linking this to previous research and current research about Digital Youth and the Institute of Play. I am happy to answer questions in order to make the links stronger and/or more apparent. Thank you.

2 comments:

  1. I answer the question “what is ‘new media literacy’”? within my map: it is the combination of alphabetic & numeric symbols AND icons, images, HTML and other computer languages - but limited to this and certainly is ever-changing. New Media Literacy has many, many sub-categories which cannot all be mastered by one person. However, to be fluent - I believe you have to be able to collaborate and communicate in order to work across the diverse media.

    What do the readings have to say in this regard?
    The readings discuss the importance to continue research concerning New Media, Learning Ecologies, Transforming the current curriculum to embrace this literacy, and to promote the use of digital media in and across the curriculum of all ages.

    What have your gleaned from your own experiences in the studio thus far?
    I have discovered I am truly a digital immigrant, but thankfully - I am aware of my differences compared to the digital natives - thus making it possible for me to go through the stages of culture shock - to adjust to the new culture and to acclimate to my surroundings so I can create learning environments that are meaningful and purposeful to our young minds immersed in this new media culture. I have also learned that I don't need to know it all -but I need to be aware of the possibilities - and open to change. . . . not to mention being a role model as a new media learner.

    What might you add to the discussions in the literature?
    Many of the articles discuss middle schoolers and high schoolers - I am interested in how to help elementary teachers to adapt to the new media and embrace it with open arms - rather than being afraid of it. If I had the means, today, I would add to the discussion/literature that our elementary environments need a flexible space for more learning to occur through the use of New Media.

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  2. ""Digital fluency" should mean designing, creating, and remixing, not just browsing, chatting, and interacting." (Resnick et al, 2009)

    Is digital fluency the same as new media literacy?

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