I tend to think that the whole... literacy issue is actually not what we need. Literacy is to make people 'literate' and from my perspective being literate in any given set of technology is not really what we need for the future, we need people who have the skills to achieve literacy on their own on any given new technology or old technology they are confronted with, and to after they achieve literacy, which we might equate with apprentice level skill, they should be able to move through higher levels of skills until they become masters. Literacy, to me, has always been problematic as it become the goal instead of the goal being adaptable learners that can become literate should they need to be. Here I tend to say that instead of literacy we need to develop judgment in our students and in relation to judgment what Aristotle termed practical wisdom, which is related to the performance of skills, but as it is developed is translated into other things. Other people describe what i'm talking about as a form of creativity and adaptability, here is a fun talk about it http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/ken_robinson_says_schools_kill_creativity... On Apr 15, 2009, at 11:40 AM, Pam Brewer wrote:
Elaine and all--
I, too, think that digital literacy is of primary importance for K-12 but with emphasis on "literacy." I would also add critical thinking with regards to digital literacy. As to the discussion of individual vs. group pedagogy, I will speak to my own experience as a teacher. In the classroom, I have found that I have to teach to the group in order to accomplish goals, but the classroom is not the beginning and end of teaching; the individual student is. In order to be truly effective, I have to open channels of communication with individuals, and the challenges to doing this are different when the contact is digital rather than face to face. Recognizing the roles of group and individual experience, I think, are the greatest challenge to great teaching. I'm still working on it.
Best! P
Pamela Estes Brewer Assistant Professor Department of English Appalachian State University phone 828-262-2351 fax 828-262-2133 email brewerpe@appstate.edu
Elaine Studnicki wrote:
Colleagues, I have hovered in the background for quite some time reading your extremely rich and diverse areas of interest/research. As a K-12 educator/ doctoral student I am interested in the connections between higher ed. research and the daily classroom instruction/environment that composes our national educational system. I am compelled to ask this question:
In your opinion what do you currently think is the most important area of research or perhaps the most important area "needing" research for our K-12 educational system?
Thank you for your help and time,
Elaine
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