Personal+Research+Log

** (l)iteracy ** —By the same token, I truly value the original definition of literacy as the simple act of reading, writing, listening, etc. as it is truly important within society. I think that this understanding of literacy is first and foremost. Without this “literacy” it is nearly impossible for people to effectively find their place in a digital world. ** Mindset 1.0 ** —While I understand the difference between Mindset 1.0, I had never really thought much about it until this course. Mindset 1.0 is the original way of thinking about things within the classroom, for example, being done the way they always have, without much, if any, technology. I must admit that I do not see that we will ever truly remove ourselves from Mindset 1.0 because it is important to be able to live and work within this world and do things as they have always been done. ** Mindset 2.0 ** —This mindset introduces the same information being dealt with and distributed but in a new way through the use of technology. Mindset 2.0 includes bringing as much technology into the classroom as possible to expand the learning and engagement of the students. The reality is that all things cannot be digital. It seems that there should be a reasonable mixture of both mindsets. Using technology for technology’s sake may not always be the proper direction. ** Affinity Space ** —This was probably my most memorable aspect of the course. I wasn’t sure exactly how these spaces were relevant as part of literacy and how they played a role in the classroom. I looked through multiple affinity spaces before I came across the fanfiction site. This opened my eyes and I began to see the possibilities of affinity spaces being used in the classroom in a completely new way. While I don’t think such sites such as the ones that deal with Harry Potter’s world are truly relevant in the classroom. Now, I do appreciate the fact that students are potentially participating within this world as it enhances their writing and reading skills, while developing their creativity. However, I think for these spaces to truly be effective they must combine an area of interest with the classroom. ** Machinima ** —This was an interesting discovery. I had never heard of Machinima before this summer. In fact, this would probably not be an area where I would ever visit, but that isn’t to say that I do not appreciate this type of technologic direction. I have and always been a fan of video games, and as I continue to play games I notice that more and more video games are including this type “movie” as part of the game. While this isn’t new as such games such as Dragon’s Lair have incorporated the movie action into games as far back as the 1980’s. I think that this type of exploration definitely has its place in the digital world and I would expect that this form of creativity will continue to expand. ** Remix— ** Although remixing is nothing new, the remixing of video seems to have recently become a phenomenon. Musicians have been remixing their music while sampling others for decades. With the ability to distribute video quickly worldwide and the programs available to do so, Remixes are sweeping the net. It is incredible to see how much impact some of these remixes are having on the world. While I don’t see the value of attaching a Soulja Boy song to a Barney video, I can certainly understand how some may find this to be funny. Having now done one and posted it to [|YouTube] I have begun to understand the world of “remix” and how I can potentially play a role. I wasn’t completely satisfied with the project, but at least I was able to figure out a direction that I thought was relevant within this world. ** Memes— ** This is an area of exploration that I don’t seem to find a fascination. I understand that this type of digital literacy is spreading rapidly, but I do not truly appreciate the extent and scope of which it is done. I really don’t understand why people would find it funny to attach a picture of Bert in various situations. While I appreciate the one presented in class, without that explanation I am not certain that I would have understood the context and had an appreciation for it. This is what makes me believe my distaste for most of the Memes exists. It seems as if they are simply sticking two pictures together to join the herd. ** New Ethos— ** This introduction of thinking into the world of digital literacy was a new way of thinking. This thought has been around forever as people have always been collaborators when necessary. People have always had the need to work together to satisfy certain goals. However, the individual in me causes me to understand that people need to maintain their identity as an individual and the ability to survive as such. This doesn’t negate the fact that no person can be truly an individual within society and must work with and depend upon others at times. I just do not want to see the classroom become an area so focused on the “collaboration” of others and fail to teach the ability to work and thrive as an individual. Both areas are equally valid and necessary. ** FanFiction— ** What a fantastic discovery for me. I found this to be one of immense pleasure. I was able to discover a way for students to be able to take the “dead” literature, as many call it, and combine it with their creative juices through the utilization of technology. These sites expand a student’s desire to read and write when they find something that is of interest to them. I think this will be a fantastic tool for me to incorporate into the classroom ** Digital Literacy— ** In and of itself, digital literacy seems to be perfectly simple. It is simply a combination of literacy and digital technology. To be able combine these two areas of learning is extremely important. People have no choice but to be able to navigate in a digital world for the most part. It is rare that people will interact within the world without having to use a digital media of some sort. Computers have so intertwined themselves with the workplace that it seems impossible to go through life without at least having to learn the most basic skills. ** Wikispace— ** Another tool new to me over the summer. I have really begun to appreciate these spaces and have begun to determine ways in which I can incorporate these spaces into the classroom. Through my use of these spaces within the course has opened my eyes to their added value and potential. These spaces allow for multiple users to create a “living and fluid” document. The ability to allow multiple users to interact with is important as it allows them to take into action multiple literacies within both mindsets.
 * (L)iteracy ** —As discussed in an earlier writing, while investigating [|FanFiction.net], I was able to truly analyze what literacy with an L meant and how it connected to the digital world. The direct connection to life and the person’s place in the world made sense to me. As I began to read and think about the differentiation of the two types of literacy I realized how this type of connection can be made through technology. Writing, reading, etc. are fantastic and necessary; this definition of Literacy expands to demonstrate how these “literate” people are able to be a part of the digital world.
 * Zamzar— **  This is one area of 2.0 that I was already familiar with and had used before. However, I saw it in a new light this summer. I figured out that you could take video and simply remove the video and create an audio wav file. This is a simple discovery, but it opens up a completely no area for remix and such. This is one of many conversion programs that have now become a part of the digital literacy we explore and incorporate. How this will truly fit into an English classroom remains to be seen. I am not certain that it will have any bearing on the students, but for me it is a way to get around “the man” since they block videos necessary to tie literature to life.

** Blog— ** Blogs are not new to me, but I do have a new outlook toward blogs. I am a reader of multiple blogs and would like to become a writer of a blog with value to others. Blogs are another resource for students to enhance their reading and writing. It seems that this would be a fantastic classroom tool. Students can begin to put their writing on their own individual blogs and read the blogs of their classmates. This is another thing I will incorporate into the classroom this year. ** Wikipedia— ** I came into the course with a bad taste in my mouth about Wikipedia. I began to use it when it first came into existence. I found there were so many mistakes and the ability to change the site made it dangerous to use a research tool. That was then…this is now! I have been converted as I researched multiple areas of Wikipedia. I found that the “community” has taken the responsibility to make sure that the information presented is as accurate as possible. These residents have taken certain areas of the site under their wing and chosen to care for the information presented, while keeping out saboteurs. I have developed a new appreciation for this area.
 * RemixAmerica ** —Again, a new program for me. I have created movies through movie maker programs, but this was the first time I had created my own. I enjoy watching some of these videos as they are commentaries on life and society at the time of their creation. I find them to be beneficial as a form of technology that can be another creative, digital outlet for people to say something without text. This visual display of thoughts and ideas is an interesting take on reaching the world with your “literacy.”