Week Seven Blog - The changing nature of meaning making
The selected image directly links to task one. It demonstrates the shift in device use over the years. In my earlier years of schooling, I primarily used pencils, paper, and only written/paper books when engaging with reading/writing in a school setting. Using electronic devices such as a computer, laptop or iPad was seen as a treat and something that happened very rarely, as they were not readily available to everyone due to cost, and weren't crucial to learning. However, by the end of my schooling experience, I had finished most assignments and exams using this laptop.
Through the years, I have not only developed suitable literacy skills for understanding/comprehending how to use a device for these tasks, but I have also transferred knowledge to be able to write assessments using a keyboard and touchpad/mouse compared to a pencil at the beginning of my schooling. Therefore, I have not only developed my multimodal literacy skills, but I have also been adaptable to the changing nature of making meaning using all kinds of resources and using them multimodally (pen and paper plus a laptop to complete a task) (Bernett & Merchant, 2018).
I acknowledge that I use technology/the internet more than not; it is part of my everyday interactions, including my phone, watch, and for my jobs. Merchant (2023) explains that this is the case for himself, too; most of his daily interactions require a device to complete a task. However, through understanding Bernett & Merchant's (2018) table (mapping changes in literacy), it is evident that the experience children have when coming to the classroom is more multimodal than ever, including their daily interactions, also requiring a device in some way. Children come equipped with the ability to complete many textual compositions requiring varying literacy characteristics (from pen/paper to laptop, or writing on paper to typing on a laptop). Therefore, through understanding these findings and this task, I am acknowledging the importance of integrating and developing children's pre-developed knowledge of changing literacies and building my own teaching practices for improving children's literacy repertoire (Burnett & Merchant, 2018; Merchant, 2023).
Reference List:
Burnett, C., & Merchant, G. (2018). Acknowledge the changing nature of meaning-making. New media in the classroom: rethinking literacy (pp. 13-24). Sage Publications Ltd. https://doi.org/10.4135/9781529714906.n2
Merchant, G. (2023). Digital literacy is over. Practical literacy: the early and primary years, 28(2), 5-6. https://search.informit.org/doi/epdf/10.3316/informit.057620426347796
Week Eight Blog - Textual Repertoires and Literacy Learning
An app that I chose is TikTok. TikTok is a social media app that makes videos, sounds, and visual elements that can be shared with viewers, providing information or entertainment. This is an app I enjoy using. I enjoy the practicality it has on my life and the way that the content relates to things that I am interested in, and the way that I have learnt so much from this one app. I also enjoy its use of videos and multimodal functions that can support making/watching videos on the app. The purpose of this app is to provide enjoyment, knowledge and a connected community of viewers, therefore creating a world of knowledge through one particular app.
According to Burnett & Merchant's (2018) definition of mode, I understand that this particular app is 'multimodal' in that it allows listening, watching, and viewing (mode) to images, videos, and sounds (media) while interacting with it, and that this is also the app's purpose (Burnett & Merchant, 2018). This app is labelled as social media and allows people to communicate with one another through a screen, enabling connections all over the world. Through the use of technology, this is possible for all users. However, this app is not suitable for young children as it can present topics, information and knowledge that is not age-appropriate for them, therefore making them vulnerable to the app's content
The textual repertoires that are required for myself and older children to engage in the app are the knowledge of making, viewing and responding to videos from other creators on the app. As well as understanding the editing processes of intertwining sounds and images/videos to make a cohesive piece to be viewed. Children can explore these features using many different apps and can learn many aspects of communication and other literary structures through this app (Burnett & Merchant, 2018).
Reference List:
Burnett, C., & Merchant, G. (2018). Acknowledge diverse modes and media. New media in the classroom: rethinking primary literacy (pp. 35-44). Sage Publication Ltd. https://doi.org/10.4135/9781529714906.n4
Logowine (n.d.). TikTok logo. https://www.logo.wine/logo/TikTok
Image of the TikTok logo (Logowine, n.d.)
Week Nine Blog - Materials, Virtual Worlds and Making
Through interacting with this week's character activity, it was evident just how many different ways the internet can be used to make characters. For my specific character, I used ChatGPT. I made this decision based on my interest in this app. Based on this result, it would be simple to create settings and stories, using many applications or internet resources. However, when using these kinds of opportunities, children need to understand the importance of creating their own work and ideas and that this is not a solution for all tasks, but rather a support for ideas, examples and learning opportunities. Abrams (2017) demonstrates a crucial way that digital materials can be used to build children's literary skills through emotions. Anita demonstrates a stronger understanding of explaining her emotions when doing it through the Minecraft character and while engaging in something of interest to her (Abrams, 2017). It is through the open-endedness of the Minecraft app that all creations can create emotions, connections and stories that children understand and through this are learning about everyday life challenges, rules, and emotions (Abrams, 2017). Therefore, exploring language, emotions, and how to use new literary opportunities can be useful teaching strategies and resources through exploring and questioning students such as demonstrated in the article (Abrams, 2017). Because of these possibilities, apps that have been specifically investigated can be useful resources in the classroom and can help children learn about technology, emotions, friendships and critical language development. But it should be equally considered with other activities (Abrams, 2017).
It has been brought to my attention of the need to continually offer children resources that allow for hands-on, creative, and literacy-based learning opportunities, such as makerspaces and making (Brownell, 2020). While technology is important, children should be given areas to develop tasks using physical objects that are available to them and are also low-cost to schools/classroom teachers (Brownell, 2020). This can enable creativity and develop other skills (fine/gross motor, mathematical and science understanding, etc) (Brownell, 2020).
Reference List:
Brownell, C. (2020). Makerspaces for literacy: making do with what's on hand: repurposing space and materials for a low-cost makerspace. Practical literacy: the early and primary years, 25(3), 12-13. https://search.informit.org/doi/10.3316/informit.427067719864396
Abrams, S. (2017). Emotionally crafted experiences: layering literacies in minecraft. The reading teacher, 70(4), 501-506. https://doi.org/10.1002/trtr.1515
OpenAI. (2023). ChatGPT (Aug 7 version) Character with blonde hair, hazel eyes, wearing a pink long dress and white shoes. https://chatgpt.com/
(Image of a character I created for this week)
(OpenAI, 2023)
Week Ten Blog - Visual Literacies
My comment on the value of digital games and stories that are produced as adaptations of literature begins when understanding the points made in the lecture by Forrest (n.d.), who explains the importance of images and books, including those that have no words. From this knowledge, I can determine the importance of images not just in books but in any context and the role they have in understanding a situation and experience. The connections were made between the telling of the story through characters' eyes, positions, shape, size, etc, (vector, gaze) as well as the physical elements of the image (colour, salience) these explain the importance of the physical picture that can be seen to the eye, and supports young children to see the message of images and understand context (text to world/text/self) (Forrest, n.d.). Callow (2016) explains the quality of exploring many books, titles, and authors to extend their visual literacy and language and exploring the multimodal aspects of reading. Through learning this, children's minds are open to create their own texts that demonstrate what they understand about images, including language used, how pictures make meaning, and the connections that they can make (the D.A.R framework) also demonstrates this and helps children connect to all aspects of literature/literacy development (Forrest, n.d.).
By exploring apps, games and digital stories, children are accessing common and known literacy language from books and using them to adapt, follow and understand the needs and multimodal requirements of the online world (Callow, 2016). These texts can also provide learning opportunities and display important features of making meaning with visual literacy that may not be as evident or exciting, given the new technological world and all it has to offer and due to the moving aspects can provide visual stories along with other language features too. The internet also provides quality options for children of all ages to access, and can do more good than harm.
Reference List:
Callow, J. (2016). Viewing and doing visual literacy using picture books. Practical literacy, 21(1), 9-12. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/322851057_Viewing_and_doing_visual_literacy_using_picture_books
Forrest, S. (n.d.). An introduction to visual literacy. https://unisa.au.panopto.com/Panopto/Pages/Viewer.aspx?id=94a29893-c69f-4a50-a5ee-aaa30035547e
Cultivating creativity in writing. (n.d.). Multimodal and new literacies. https://cultivatingcreativityinwriting.weebly.com/multimodal-and-new-literacies.html
(Image of visual literacy devices)
(Cultivating creativity in writing, n.d.)
Week Eleven Blog - Critical Media Literacy
Through exploring this week's readings, I was interested in understanding the importance of meeting the needs of children in the classroom by exploring content that was relevant to them and how this supports learning. Pennel et al (2018) demonstrate just how important it is that children are supplied with resources (books) that portray their abilities/disabilities in an acceptable and understanding way suitable for all reading levels, for the purpose of raising awareness of the diverse needs, interests and children in classroom settings. This was something that she felt was not done well enough by authors or the book world. Through this discovery, it was brought to my attention just how crucial this is for children and their learning, as well as self-view and value. Likewise, Callow (2017) explored a similar topic, exploring the importance of understanding texts and their ability to explain a valuable storyline or link to real-life events and what this meant to the audience and how this would shape children's view of critical media literacy and whole world issues that may be common in their space. Including the varying requirements for understanding the world and what is required from children from a young age, and the use of books and other resources to achieve this.
It was through discovering both of these texts that I have understood the need for teaching/learning diverse resources and exploring them with children to support their understanding of the critical world around them, and relating this to the media in which children are subject to every day. by exploring this, children are learning about world issues in critical ways that are acknowledging the human world and the way that this is not always easy for everyone. Specifically with reference to disabilities and refugees (these are age-appropriate topics to discuss with children that alert them to the harsh but important knowledge of the critical media world) (Callow, 2017; Penell et al, 2018). Both texts explore critical media literacy from a different point of view, but have the child at heart each time. Therefore, this is something I felt crucial to understand and implement as a teacher.
Reference List:
Callow, J. (2017). "Nobody spoke like I did": picture books, critical literacy, and global context. The Reading Teacher, 71(2), 231-237. https://doi.org/10.1002/trtr.1626
Pennel, A., Wollak, B., & Koppenhaver, D. (2018). Respectful representations of disability in picture books. The Reading Teacher 71(4), 411-419. https://doi.org/10.1002/trtr.1632
Canva. (n.d.). Blue Day and Night Positivity Reading Quote Bookmark. https://www.canva.com/design/DAG3-YsBPf4/UGz2aDLSfqsLXwFQQhwhwg/edit?ui=eyJBIjp7fX0
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References for website and blogger site:
Blogger. (n.d.). Kayla's blog weeks 7-11. https://www.blogger.com/blog/posts/3113159197608064106
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