Blog 3

The Sampling "the New" in New Literacies article was a good read. I liked how the article started with the basics of Literacies. I mean to show us what the basic meaning is thought to be (pg 2) "If we see literacy as "simply reading and writing" -whether in the sense of encoding and decoding print, as a tool, a set of skills, or a technology, or as some kind of psychological process - we cannot make sense of our literacy experience. "Reading (or writing) is always reading something in particular with understanding". The understanding is what I look for in a student because that shows me they get it. They can take that basic information and build on it, or strech it and they can do that because they understand it. They took that reading, writing and the understanding and it evolved. Just like the internet which was first used by our government for military purpose and because others understood it, it evolved. Today the internet is so many different things for example, who would of thought 10 years ago that kids would rather text than talk on the phone. That you can make a date with someone you never met. Talk with some one clear across the world. I am inspired with this article.


I also liked the part on Discourse (pg 3). It shows the importance of social influence, which is the primary discourse "is how we learn to do and be (including speaking and expressing) within our family (or face to face intimate) group during our early life. And than the secondary discourse, which is "(and we each have many of these, although they differ from person to person) are those we are recruited to through participation in outside groups and instituations, such as schools, clubs, workplaces, churches, political organizations, and so on". As an Education major we are taught to examine and direct the shaping of these clusters in the class room to better educate the children. For example, as a teacher I might place a honor roll student with a student who is having problems in my class or I would have my students work in groups to pull their resourses and work as a team after my lecture. This shows the importance of the social element in influence a positive learning experience in the class room.


Another interesting part of this article is the Mindset table (pg 11). I would find myself in the mindset 1 table. Because when I was in school we steered to individual learning. There were no group learning experience in my past. It was completely individual work. This experience was good and bad. The bad was that you trusted no one and you learned to depend on only yourself in school. Maybe this is why I can't see myself on myspace or facebook. Because I don't trust meeting someone that I can't physically see. Who knows I am still working on that. The good is that I learn to be self-reliant. Now the mindset 2 is my kids. They are either on the computer or cell texting or im their friends or playing video games with some one in a different country. In school they learn to work together and share ideals. It's more of a team atmosphere at home, play, or in school. I like it but I try to teach them to learn to spend time with themselves. It is good to know and love yourself. I teach them to be balanced. I like that they meet different teens, but it is also important to know and love yourself first. They are also teaching me to be more digital and so when I want to send them a message I text it or email it, but sometimes I leave a voice message.


I also notices the Web1.0/Web 2.0 (pg 16). I think its up to Web 5.0 now? I remember using netscape to get information. I also remember friends putting up webpages, and now we blog. The mind is a wonderful thing and as an educator the possibilities are endless and I like that and that is why I enjoyed reading this article.