After reading the information from the ‘Digital Denizens’ website, I found out that I belong in two categories, ‘digital native’ and a little bit in the ‘digital addict’ category. I began using technology when I was a kid. I worked with things such as with video cameras, tape recorders, projectors, video games, computers, etc. Since computers were still very new for personal use around that time, I did not use them that much. It wasn’t until my high school years that I became very familiar with computers, internet and some software programs. Today, I use even more forms of technology but I know there is still a lot that I am unfamiliar with and a lot to learn. Thankfully, growing up around various forms of technology allowed me to build a firm foundation and to this day, I feel comfortable and ready to learn and explore new things. Through all my technology experiences I was able to see how useful and important it can be. I think it’s so important that I find myself relying on it more and more, to the point that most things in my life depend on it. I am to the point that I may be able to fit into the ‘addict’ category, as I often get frustrated and feel lost without it. (Lol)
Tompkins talks about emergent literacy as being the way children learn how to read and write. It explains that emergent readers and writers accomplish things such as developing an interest in literacy, acquiring concepts of print, developing book handling and hand writing skills and more. Tompkins also explains that a child’s meaningful experiences with literacy such as a parent reading to them every night or by watching a parent write can benefit an emerging reader/writer and allow them to reach the above accomplishments sooner. Immediately after reading this, I made the connection that technology learners and language learners can both benefit from past experiences and exposure early on. For me, it was my early experiences that served as a foundation to build new digital knowledge. They allowed me to have the knowledge, ability and confidence to use technology. I think it is the same for a child who already had a reading and writing foundation to start out with before school starts. With a solid foundation already in place, a child can be ready much sooner to take on more reading and writing challenges and perhaps be more comfortable doing it compared to less equipped students.
In regards to my own digital literacy, the term, ‘emergent’, seems to apply to my past and future. In the past, the emergent stage was the part of my life where I was introduced and became interested to technology for the first time. It was the time in my life where I began to practice and develop my own experiences. It was through this stage that helped me get where I am today with technology. In my future, the emergent stage will continue to exist as technology is forever changing and there will be so many new things for me to learn.
Amber, I also belong in two categories of 'digital native; and a little bit in the 'digital addict' category. I remember that I started to use techonology when I was a kid. Compurter was a big thing for me when I was in elementary school. I played with computer after school all the time and I still remember that I loved watching stories on the internet. As I grow up, not only computer was the technology that I used but also other technologies such as digital cameras, tape recorders, iPod, cell phone and etc. These new techonologies are not only used for entertainment but also can be used as educational tools. As a child, I listened/watched many stories and it was just like my parents read stories to me. I could choose many different kinds of stories from internet and I could watch videos whenever I wanted which was great. In my placement now, we have a smart board which is a wonderful too to use in a classroom. When I was in elementary school, all my teachers had to use black board and chalk. However, now in my placement, my CT can easily connect her computer to the smart board and share videos, draw and erase easily and do many other different things. Therefore, I want to keep up with new techonologies and be able to use them in my future classroom to make teaching and learning more effectviely for my students.
ReplyDeleteI'm also with you in using technology. I remember the first computer we got when I was in elementary school. I was really into the Sims, some Freddy the Fish educational game, and also a program we had for looking up animals and learning about them. I would type on the computer all the time and try to increase my words per minute at school. I can't say that I'm necessarily an addict, but maybe I'm in denial because I suppose I use technology for just about anything as the majority of college students do.
ReplyDeleteI think it is very important to incorporate technology into teaching. Technology is growing and students are into it. I think children can pick up on new technologies much faster and with much more ease than adults. when my dad got his first cell phone I programmed it and showed him how to use it. When my grandparents got their first digital radio, DVD player, etc. my dad set it up for them and showed them how to use it. I think the younger generations have a lot that they can teach us and we need to use the mediums (technology) that they are using as a tool for teaching them.