Social networking, A Tool for Modern Literacy

This piece is my reflection on Social networking as a Tool for Modern Literacy.

The Internet has brought about online communities established through e-mails, instant messaging services etc that seem to be growing faster than. Majority of our students today join these communities to share interests and activities. Social networking has created powerful new ways to communicate and share information and despite all the challenges that come with social networking, it can be turned into effective TOOLS for teaching and learning.
Research has shown that “While social networking sites can increase a person's circle of friends, they also can increase exposure to people with less than friendly
intentions.” (http://www.onguardonline.gov/topics/social-networking-sites.aspx). However, I personally think that like every tool, social networking has its positive and negative sides, strengths and weaknesses and this should not lead to a decision to abandon that tool altogether. Rather, one must maximize the positive side of it and try to control the negative influences.
I agree with Kajder (2005) that creating communities for writers help students
to become literate in their own voices and to see writing as a tool for thinking. It is only when students can identity their own voice in writing and that they can construct identity through literacy.

It is, therefore, important for instructors to provide children and the people with learning challenges effective access to technology that can help them become members of social networks that can be used to promote literacy development.

As Baugh (2000) points out, this idea of introducing learners to technology must begin with children learners. We need to empower them at the early stages of literacy to see technology not as an end in itself but as a TOOL, and therefore a means to an end. “Integrating keyboarding instruction with content learning promotes viewing the computer as a productivity tool rather than another subject “(Baugh ,2000).

As Stewart et all. ( 2007) rightly point out, the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles supported by technology can provide the flexibility necessary for helping all students overcome the challenges that come with modern technology use in teaching and learning.

REFLECTIONS ON CLASS ACTIVITIES

For me, what is motivating about our software discussions in the CI 556 course is that we don't just look at theoretical concepts behind various types of software but actually do "hands-on" tasks with those software in order to have a feel of how it works and the kind of learning strategies and skills that can be developed by students who use these technologies. These activities help me address the burning question I have on my heart as a ESL teacher in Ghana : How can I help promote the use of modern technology in teaching Reading and Writing to ESL students in Ghana?

The class activities on Comic Life, Bailey's Book House, Kid Pix Duluxe and Bookflix gave me some food for thought.

Reflecting on our discussions on Comic life and Kid Pix Duluxe in class, I came to the conclusion that these two software can promote students' creativity and innovation because students can generate new ideas, products and processes and create original works of personal or group expressions. This creativity and innovation is what I see lacking in Bailey's Book House.

As a teacher, using such software in my instruction will help me facilitate and inspire student learning activities because I will be promoting creativity and innovative thinking and inventiveness.These can help promote communication and collaboration among students because they can interact on and collaborate as they work on common projects with peers, learn how to communicate ideas and information to multiple audience. Comic Life and Kid Pix Duluxe will also help students develop critical thinking and decision making strategies.

My motive for using Bookflix will be because digital images are very effective in aiding comprehension among students with various learning styles. This software can help me as a teacher to design and develop digital-age learning experiences and assessments, an approach that will make my teaching very effective.

As I sum up my reflection on these software, I recall that imortant advice that was given by Bull and Bell(2005) that the aim for using digital images in teaching should be to help students ACQUIRE, ANALYZE, CREATE AND COMMUNICATE.

EXAMINATION OF SOFTWARE

It is often said that "When you do not know where you are going every road seems right!" That is why i couldn't agree more with Bransford (1999) that as teachers we need to know how people learn in order to be able to effectively adopt modern technology in the teaching and learning process.

I strongly think that in addition to knowing how people learn we must also heed the call by (McKenzie 2003) to evaluate softwares before we buy and use them in teaching and learning.

In doing so, we need to be aware that whatever Taxonomy we use in categorizing and assessing softwares A VERY IMPORTANT FACTOR TO CONSIDER IS HOW THE SOFTWARE DESIGN ADDRESSES BOTH EDUCATIONAL OBJECTIVES AND COGNITION. THIS APPROACH WILL ENSURE THAT THE LEARNER IS PUT FIRST IN THE APPLICATION OF TECHNOLOGY IN INSTRUCTION.

I ,therefore, find McKenzie (2003)'s proposed evaluation criteria very helpful. Indeed, if practitioners will carefully evaluate software from the point of view of its CONTENT, INTERFACE, DESIGN and DOCUMENTATION in relation to the learner then we shall be promoting technology not as an end in itself but as an educational tool. It is in this way that technology can help us stimulate multiple intelligences and achieve educational objectives.

As instructors who know where we are going with our students, it is our responsibility to choose the right paths (softwares) that will help us get the students there in such a way that when we can't carry own they can go on.

FIRST DAY OF CI 556 WITH DR. DENISE SCHMIDT

Before our first meeting in class I just kept wondering what this whole idea of integrating Technology into the Reading and Language Arts Curriculum meant. I was at sea as to what exactly it was that I had gotten myself into by signing up for CI 556 at Iowa State University . But as the saying goes: " The first cut is always the deepest"; and this is what that first day of introduction to the course did for me. Not only did that beautiful introduction clear my confusion but it also succeeded in convincing me that I cannot give what I don't have and that I need to first love technology to be able to get my students to love it; that I need to first utilize it to be able to infuse it into any type of curriculum.

Together with my very enthusiastic course mates we have boarded that train which will take us deeper into how to integrate Technology into the Reading and Language Arts Curriculum and we know we are in safe hands. We will learn how to UTILIZE and TEACH others to utilize and infuse technology into Literacy