Do you see the increased use of
technology by children as a positive step forwards?
Is this an inevitable outcome in our increasingly digital society or is it something to be resisted, especially within the classroom?
Justify your opinions with reference to your own experiences, observations and/ or reading.
What do you perceive as the possible challenges of this module for you personally?
As
indicated by Dean (2010) it is still essential for children to be taught to
read and write in a conventional way and this is not under question; however in
today’s society there is a need to be aware of and to understand the elements
in non-print texts. Both Dean (2010) and Lanham (1995) refer to being literate
in the 21st century including being able to understand information
presented in other ways whether it be by text or those created by images and
sounds. Furthermore, children are engaging with this media using a wide range
of resources and technologies in order to participate in social and cultural
life (Future Lab, 2010). Dean (2010) highlights that in today’s society through
the use of television, films and computer games are increasingly being used to
transmit information, stories and ideas. Thus, it is inevitable that an
increased amount of technology will be used by children and if it is embraced
in the classroom then it can be used positively in order to support the
development of children and their learning. Experiences of my own suggest an
positive use of technology within the classroom, whether it be through
interactive games such as ‘Countdown’ to support skills in mathematics lessons
as well as a way of assessing progress and understanding, or informative videos
and images to inspire children in history and literacy lessons. In this way using
technology supports the ‘constructivist’ view of children taking ownership of
their own learning, by providing an aid for children to learn through their own
experiences and interactions (Beauchamp, 2012).Is this an inevitable outcome in our increasingly digital society or is it something to be resisted, especially within the classroom?
Justify your opinions with reference to your own experiences, observations and/ or reading.
What do you perceive as the possible challenges of this module for you personally?
I am
excited to participate in this module because I strongly believe that new
technologies should be used in the primary school classroom, and I feel it is
important that I learn how to integrate this into my teaching. As identified
by Dean (2010) it is important for teachers to be given the opportunities to
explore for themselves that literacy is not limited to just reading and writing
based on the notion of the late 1990s, and this module provides us with the
opportunity to develop our own knowledge. I am excited to have the opportunity
to visit the Shirley Warren School to see how teachers are currently using new
technologies within the Primary School classroom.
Bibliography
- Beauchamp, G. (2012) ‘What is ICT in the Primary School?: Tools and Techniques’. ICT in the Primary School, From Pedagogy to Practice. Essex: Pearson Education Limited
- Dean, G. ‘Rethinking Literacy’ in Bazalgette, C. (ed) (2010) ‘Teaching Media in Primary Classrooms’ London: Sage
- Futurelab (2010) Digital Literacy Across the Curriculum: Digital Literacy in Practice [online] http://www2.futurelab.org.uk/resources/documents/handbooks/digital_literacy.pdf (Accessed: 28/1/14).
-
Lanham
(1995) in Lankshear, C. & Knobel, M. (2006) New Literacies: Everyday Practices and Classroom Learning. Berkshire:OUP
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