Today, as the world around us seemingly changes from one minute to the next,
everything seems to happen so quickly and the world is interconnected, possibilities
seem endless. In fact, thanks to the development of the internet, ideas spread like
wildfire and people can reach one another within seconds. We can learn about what’s
going on on the other side of the world by just using a search engine. Getting used to –
and literate! – in the new century’s digital media techniques can seem overwhelming,
but is indispensable.
We as (future) educators have the world of digital media in our hands and have the
freedom to choose to either go with the 21st
century flow or get stuck in old was.
I say, we should definitely answer the 21st
century calling and here’s why:
● Digital Natives
Our students, whether young kids or young adults, grow up in a digital world.
From birth, they have been confronted with a tablet, a smartphone, the big
sister’s computer, their mom’s speaking assistant that listens when spoken
to… They are digital natives and use technology daily. This is their mode of
interacting and should therefore be implemented into class.
● New Possibilities
Using a whiteboard that can simultaneously connect to the internet does not
mean, that 21st century people unlearn past learning techniques. Writing by
hand, listening to audio clips, reading textbooks – all these helpful modes of
communicating and learning have proven successful in the past and should –
and will – keep their place in present and future class concepts. New
techniques and modes, however, can transform the class in a more interactive
endeavour, making teaching, learning and communicating processes, which
can continuously keep developing.
● Practicality and the Future
As (future) teachers, we want to prepare our students as well as possible for
the quests ahead of them: the next in-class test, university, their first job. In a
world that is hyper focused on fast pace, global interactivity, using technology
will be an important part of their professional lives. Ignoring the need to
acclimate to 21st century multiliteracy can harm the success of ourselves and
the ones we teach. Therefore, becoming literate in contemporary modes is
critical.
Valentina
Dear Valentina,
first of all, I am very happy to be able to address you directly since you have left your name at the bottom of your blog entry (something I have forgotten myself :)).
I picked your blog entry since your title was immediately drawing my attention.
The use of bullet points contributes to your well-structured blog entry. I liked that you could see your line of arguments just by looking at your entry which is very important due to the overwhelmingness on the internet you mentioned yourself.
In order to make your arguments even more convincing I would have enjoyed reading references to theory by citing experts in that field.
Thank you for the new perspective on that topic!
Dear Valentina,
first of all, I am very happy to be able to address you directly since you have left your name at the bottom of your blog entry (something I have forgotten myself :)).
I picked your blog entry since your title was immediately drawing my attention.
The use of bullet points contributes to your well-structured blog entry. I liked that one can see your line of arguments just by looking at your entire entry which is very important due to the overwhelmingness on the internet you mentioned yourself.
In order to make your arguments even more convincing I would have enjoyed reading references to theory by citing experts.
Thank you for providing new perspectives on the topic of multiliteracies and on how to design blog entries!
Caro