Literacy and technology

http://www.flickr.com/photos/cat-sidh/ / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

After a really interesting conversation in my literacy class we were trying to come up with a collaborative definition for literacy. We asked questions like what components make up literacy? And when is literacy met? I have realized how broad a question this is because in all actuality there could me a million and one definitions for literacy. Reading, writing, speaking, listening and communication are some components to name a few but then what about the use of technology in this definition. With technology expanding day to day pretty soon we may be adding the use of computers to our literacy definition.

I find it amazing that books can even be found online and I know that the brain does not process reading from a book the same as reading on computers. I was wondering what your beliefs were. Do you think that having all of these books available online is hindering or enhancing the idea of literacy. I love to pick up a good book and it is scary to think that books are being replaced by a computer screen.

Thoughts...?

In the classroom

I am currently placed in a third grade classroom and once a week I go in to help, teach, and gain experience. I was looking around at the technology they have been given and was pleased to note that they have about eight computers in the back of the class. These computers are utilized during their literacy center time and they have the opportunity to learn literacy through games and quizzes. Overall this is entirely their favorite center and they usually run with joy to the back of the classroom when it is their turn. I also noticed that they usually struggle with working together but when they share computers this is not the case. Like many third graders they seem to struggle with the teamwork attitude but since I have been working in this classroom I have never seen a fight or even a flair of a temper. The students are required to work two to a computer and they tend to do quite well with this.

Earlier on in the week I also watched The Buried Life on MTV and the show is about four guys who want to accomplish 100 things on a list before they die. This episode was especially striking because after they completed their task they wanted to do something for someone else. They found a teacher in a small town who wanted something simple. He wanted a computer for the classroom. Now with all of these technological advances it seems that these days everyone has a computer but this reminded me that computers aren't a commodity. In school districts that are suffering it makes sense that computers would be left out of the classroom but in reality this will only hinder students from a world that is completely engrossed in technology. I know that for many of the students I work with, the school day is the only time they have access to a computer. This is crucial. Students need to learn how to read, write, do math, and in 2010 it seems as if they also need to be able to type. Just food for thought. It made me appreciate things a lot more and it was great to see this classroom get their very first computer!