6816 - Weekly Reading #9

"Wikis support composing in a multimodal manner by supporting images and videos that 

can be incorporated into the writing. When options to hyperlink images, video, and other 

material become easily available, the likeliness of using content belonging to others increases. 

In the wikis we observed, the images and videos that were linked to the student-created text 

were taken from sources off the internet. Often these sources were not cited, bringing up 

important issues of copyright and plagiarism" (Asselin, Moayer, 2011).

I chose this quote because it shows that, yes - using Wikis are incredible for the classroom setting.  Educators can make websites for their students and they can create it however they please.  However, there are so many obstacles to overcome when it comes to using things on the internet.  One must site every source; therefore, they need to make sure they know where they are getting all of the images, quotes, and the information.  This tends to be one huge problem when it comes to these types of things.

Retrieved from: http://bloomingtonblogs.wikispaces.com/

I chose this image because I enjoyed the fact that there are so many tools on Web 2.0 that are available to our students - that sometimes they do not even know what all is out there.  It is important that we teach them this - however, it is important that we teach them the ethical and correct way to use it.

1. What makes a literacy practice a "new literacy"?

"New literacies are not merely technical or ‘operational’ competencies but are situated within
a new mindset about knowledge" (Asselin, Moayeri, 2011).  When using the Web 2.0, we are constantly reaching new practices; therefore, "new literacies".

2. How does might Citizen Journalism support the development of "new literacies"?

This supports because it is letting students research a topic close to home with them.  They are using TrackStar to help with annotations and they are using new technologies.  It is much better than writing something on paper - it is interactive within the students themselves.

3. What is critical literacy and how does your Citizen Journalism project encourage critical literacy? How might you change your project to encourage critical literacy?

Critical Literacy shows information through political, social, and economic lenses.  The citizen journalism project encourages critical literacy because they are viewing a topic that is close to them within their community.  "Teachers of critical literacy encourage their students to deconstruct the text by understanding 

the foundation and conflicts that lie beneath the surface content and the relationship that 

the text holds with other text(s)" (Asselin, Moayeri, 2011). 

4. What problems may arise when students use Web 2.0 tools for learning in school and how might teachers capitalize on these opportunities to promote information literacy?

There may be controversial issues within the Web 2.0 tools that they are using.  They need to learn how to evaluate this.  Also, the teachers may use the Web 2.0 tools - however, are they actually using the tools for the topic at hand - or are they just using the tools too much and not getting enough of the curriculum. 

Source:

Asselin, M. & Moayeri, M. (2011). Practical Strategies: The Participatory Classroom: Web 2.0 in the Classroom. Literacy Learning: The Middle Years 19(2).