The idea of multimodal literacies becoming more and more common in the classroom may be a scary thought to me. That is not to say I'm totally opposed to the idea. Having learned a particular way, myself, it is hard to picture alternatives that I'm comfortable with. However, seeing as how the reading proficiency of students is so low nowadays, a new style can't possibly be much worse.

This class has opened my eyes to the uses of multimodal technology. Of course I was aware that their uses in the classroom was inevitable, but it's good to know that they aren't destined to be a measly sideshow attraction in schools. 

Kajder discusses students becoming digital-trained instead of print-trained, and I feel this pulls into the igeneration talks. This digital-trained age is right around the corner if it isn't already here, and teachers, old and new, need to be aware of these strides.

Descriptive Feedback

I was looking over my notes for a test this Tuesday, and when feedback came up, it reminded me of something my professor said. He asked us to imagine we were being approached by the principle/superintendent who asked how to best raise the performance of our students. He said the obvious answer would be to make the class size smaller, which would allow us to be able to focus on more students and their work.

The likelihood that decreasing class sizes will actually be possible is fairly low, though. However, the professor explained that he had a trick that would raise the performance of the students even more than smaller classes. If someone received a paper back with a red "D" on it, they would simply be getting evaluative feedback. That feedback does not give the student anything to build off of. Unaware of what they did wrong or how they could do it better, the student has no real direction given to them. 

However, descriptive  feedback is much more helpful to the student. This type of feedback lets the students know how well they're doing or how to improve. Whenever a teacher marks an answer wrong without telling the student why, that isn't really doing the student any favors. If the teacher marks the answer wrong, though, and explains to the student why it was wrong, that observation can allow the student to build upon a foundation that was not there before. Obviously, this is going to take more time and effort on the teachers part, but why else would someone teach if not to help out students in the best way they can?

New Tech and Old Problems

In my other post, I brought up the fact that the three major textbook companies are making efforts to move towards a digital future.

Reading the article, "Extending the Conversation: New Technologies, New Literacies, and English Education", I noticed another point to my previous post that I overlooked. On page 360, it discusses Affordances and Constraints on this ideal. Not only is cost an obvious factor, but so too is the fact that teachers will also be required to be knowledgeable about these technologies, hopefully to the extent that they can at least teach properly with them, let alone instruct the students on how to use them.

On the other end of the spectrum, two pages down, the articles asks the question: How well will old fashioned text and writing exercises prepare students for the future that is going to be more and more digital and innovative as years pass?

Obviously, some sort of middle ground must be found, but it all hinges on how willing all sides are to compromise.

Times Are A-Changin'

http://www.edweek.org/dd/articles/2013/02/06/02textbooks.h06.html?tkn=LWOFYf6jUuYtB7G0WQevzdyUp9WYoGxp92WY&cmp=clp-edweek

It seems as though our discussion in class about whether School Districts should move towards ebooks or not may be moot now.

"Interviews with officials of the "big three"—London-basedPearson, New York City-based McGraw-Hill Education, and Boston-based Houghton Mifflin Harcourt—suggest they're taking different approaches."

With news that "the big three" in textbook business are moving towards the digital age, may well spell the end for actual print textbooks. Not only this, but Pearson seems intent on not just converting print textbooks to virtual ones, but attempting to create all types of content from interactive video games to a digital curriculum specifically for tablets.

I feel that, while I am more of a fan of an actual physical copy of textbooks, this is a much needed transference in order to keep up with the times.

Reading

I admit that I coasted through high school, and definitely understand where elementary and high school students are coming from. I remember the atmosphere was very  unappealing. I can only imagine how much more so that is for the igeneration. Maybe this idea of gearing homework and schoolwork more towards the newer generation is the kick in the rear the education system could use. With waning interest from the students and a baffled school board, perhaps I could put aside my thought that today's students go through the same mundane teachings I did.

Rituals

So, I'm a little late here. I blame The Walking Dead. Anyhow, this post has to do with something educational. I'm currently taking College Writing, and the readings in that class are interesting. I'm finding that  now that I'm taking classes more related to my major, I actually don't mind reading the textbooks. Well, I still mind, but at least it's not as bad. Regardless, a tidbit from the first chapter reading in that class caught my attention. The author discussed how writers have rituals and conditions that help them to write better. I never realized I had these until I read the book. Because I'm a procrastinator, my condition seems to be at the last possible moment, but I know that I work better under pressure. My ritual seems to consist of running through my favorite websites so that they have nothing to distract me with once I actually begin working. I feel like realizing what my rituals are and what conditions I work best in make me a better writer, and I'd be interested in finding out other writers, and eventually my future students', rituals and conditions are.