Australian Journal of Teacher Education
Vol 33, 5, October 2008
E-Learning pedagogy in the Primary School Classroom: the
McDonaldization of Education
Matthew Etherington
Australian Journal of Teacher Education
Vol 33, 5, October 2008
http://www.learningdomain.com/MEdHOME/WEB-BASED/Pedagogy.pdf

I was considering this article for discussion as it gives a different view point - we tend to just assume that technology is the right way to go - the way of the future for education - but what are the problems associated with technology and learning, if any, and how do these perceived issues weigh up against the benefits of using technology for education? What point is Etherington trying to make when he refers to the "McDonaldisation of Education (Etherington, 2008)?
Tricia

A walled garden in the shade

Jimmy – News article

A Response to the article How to teach kids “digital literacy”? Build a private social network playground for them. Published online at Forbes, October 13, 2011.

Introduction

            When reading the article How to teach kids “digital literacy”? Build a private social network playground for them it is hard to ignore the point that “fluency in the use of social networks are necessary life skills” (Hill, 2011, para. 1). It is interesting that The School at Columbia University has acknowledged the ubiquitous presence of social media and is doing something about it. They have created a kind of trial genre for social media and subsequently are preparing students for life.

Bringing Education to Life. Retrieved from http://theschool.columbia.edu/about

Creating a “Walled Garden”

            This “walled garden” they have created provides students with an opportunity to not only become fluent in digital technologies, but to realise the detrimental effects using the technology can have (Hill, 2011, para. 2). By creating a game, The School at Colombia University has successfully engaged students in a way that is more inclined toward what 21^st Century adolescents are interested in. Jenkins, Clinton, Purushotma, Robison and Weigel (2006) state ordinary textbooks no longer engage students. By using games such as The Sims, real life consequences can be taught while moving through “a compelling world” (Jenkins et al, p.23). Lewis and Petrone (2010, p. 403) takes this further, stating that adolescents can connect better with characters in texts that they view as “real”. What better way for engaging adolescents than to use the students themselves as characters in a text?

            Of course, this security blanket does not always work. The School at Colombia University are the first to admit this. However, they tell students “if you’re going to make a mistake, do it here” (Hill, 2011, para. 5). But without the help and guidance toward socially acceptable use of the Internet, students may have repercussions when they mature and enter the workforce. One way, as per the Google CEO Eric Schmidt, is to delete your digital account. The other, as used by the school and endorsed by parents, involves engaging pedagogy. Which would you decide?

Jimmy Cassidy 

Reference List

Hill, K. (2011). How to teach kids “Digital Literacy”? Build a private social network playground for them. Retrieved from http://www.forbes.com/sites/kashmirhill/2011/10/13/how-to-teach-kids-digital-literacy-build-a-private-social-network-playground-for-them/

Jenkins, H., Clinton, K., Purushotma, R., Robison, A., & Weigel, M. (2006). Confronting the challenges of participatory culture: Media education for the 21^st century. Macarthur Foundation. Retrieved from: http://blackboard.qut.edu.au/

Lewis, M., & Petrone, R. (2010). “Although adolescence need not be violent…”: Preservice teachers’ connections between “adolescence” and literacy curriculum. Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy, 53(5), 398-407. doi: 10.1598/JAAL.53.5.5

Jimmy - News Article

Hello!


This is the news article I will be using, How To Teach Kids 'Digital Literacy'? Build A Private Social Network Playground.

I will be looking at this in relation to what we as educators can do in the classroom. It is interesting how the article labels digital literacy elements as "necessary life skills".


Enjoy, full post to come!

Jimmy

Jimmy - Relevant Online Resource

Hello


I stumbled across the Digital Footprints website and found it fascinating. In particular, I will be focusing on Digital Identities in Interesting Spaces. Read the page, and then watch the youtube video that is embedded.

The man responsible is Abhay Adhikari. Here is an excerpt from the page:

"The objective of the Interesting Spaces project is to enable students, educators and creative practitioners to use the Internet and social media as a resource for meaningful collaboration, dialogue and enterprise on the basis of shared values and empathy"

Fantastic stuff! I find this interesting because it is actively promoting digital literacies.

So, reflection + internet = digital identity. That's not so difficult after all!

I have started writing up my articles, stay tuned for the extensive blog entries!

Jimmy

This may not be directly related to education but it is an indication of the power of google and the internet! If you want to be inspired, awestruck and enlightened the internet and sites like Ted Talks can take you there!

Jimmy - Journal Article

This is the article I am using for my substantial blog entry:

Microblogging as a Literacy Practice for Educational Communities Kathy A. Mills, Vinesh Chandra.  Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy, September 2011.

Here is the abstract:

With the advent of Web 2.0, the “social web,” microblogging has emerged as a popular literacy practice through platforms such as Twitter. Yet the potential of microblogging in educational communities is currently underexplored. This case study of 150 preservice teachers shows how microblogging can positively influence reading and writing, with implications for literacy instruction in primary, elementary, and secondary settings.

Abstract from Mills, K.A., & Chandra, V. (2011, September). Microblogging as a Literacy Practice for Educational Communities. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 55(1), 35–45. doi: 10.1598/JAAL.55.1.4

 

So this relates to some main aspects of what this blog is about:

- the internet, in particular social networking sites
- giving students a voice by using technology in the classroom

I cant wait to analyse it further, stay tuned for the full blog entry!

Jimmy

You have zero (0) friends

I was just doing some productive internet research and stumbled across the South Park episode "You have zero friends". Check out a synopsis here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/You_Have_0_Friends


So what can we as educators do to ensure that if a student is on facebook, they have at least one friend? Then the benefits of social networking can be revealed. This episode of south park is highly entertaining, yet covers the essential problems of social media - bullying and time wasting. How would you react?

Jimmy