“Thinking
about your personal experiences as well as the readings and video clips, pick a
topic or issue from the readings that struck you as interesting, important,
confusing, etc. and reflect on it in by responding to the following prompts: What is / are the tools and techniques being
put into practice? What is / are the key issue(s) outlined in or underlying the
text (think in terms of Green’s model: operational, cultural and critical)? Whose
responsibility is it to teach critical medial literacy? What are your feelings and opinions on the
reading?”
From the book “Confronting
the Challenges of Participatory Culture: Media Education for the 21st
Century” by Henry Jenkins topic title “What
Should We Teach? Rethinking Literacy” struck me as interesting; because it re-validates
the importance of keeping traditional literacy practices and using them as the
foundation of new media literacies. “Before
students can engage with the new participatory culture, they must be able to
read and write” (Jenkins, 2010, p. 19).
Traditional literacy practices are still being
taught within educational institutions but researchers such as Rebecca Black
and Henry Jenkins recognized that new media platforms can provide opportunities
of improvement when developing literacy core competencies. “For example, through blogs or live journals,
for young people to receive feedback on their writing and to gain experience in
communicating with a larger public, experiences that might once have been
restricted to student journalists” (Jenkins, 2010, p. 19). This suggests that the traditional literacy
skills are part of the process when developing new media literacy. In addition to traditional literacy skill,
students need to develop skills on how to navigate around the internet, use
search engines, identify legitimate sources, and understand the material they
are researching.
In using Green’s 3D model the Operational is
continuing to use traditional literacy core competencies. The Cultural would be the adaptation of new literacy
theories that are developed which uses common languages and skills. The Critical
is the acceptance of new literacy theories by educational institutions and academia.
Teaching these new media skills responsibilities still fall on the shoulders of
our educational institutions. According
to (Jenkins, 2010), “we must integrate
these new knowledge cultures into our school, not only through group work but
also long-distance collaborations across different learning communities”
(p.21). This suggests that the framework
of teaching autonomous must include collaborating methods in order to benefit
from the advantages afforded by new media.
In conclusion, Henry Jenkins argued some valid points
that in order to create and teach new media literacies we must not forget about
the framework of traditional common competences. “Changes in the media environment are
altering our understanding of literacy and requiring new habit of mind, new
ways of processing culture and interacting with the world around us” (Jenkins,
2010, p. 21). This suggests that with new media students
will also require to learn additional skills such as displaying technical abilities
and teamwork.
Reference:
Jenkins, H. (2010). Confronting the Challenges of
Participatory Culture: Media Education for the 21st Century. Retrieved from
http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED536086.pdf
Derek,
ReplyDeleteI like that you are looking at the future of media literacy by understanding the foundation of the original literacy (reading and writing). I think that sometimes we are spend a lot of our time looking into the future for bigger and better ideas; but the bottom line is that those basic skills are still required! There is no way to advance media literacy without a solid understanding of literacy itself!its like climbing a pyramid or stairs, one builds off the other! We have basic literacy at the bottom and it advances to media, digital, internet etc etc etc literacies! until we reach the tip top (if it ever stops). Because as time goes on and new technologies are developed, so are new literacies, and the pyramid continues to get taller all building on that foundation.
Derek,
ReplyDeleteIt is interesting that you mention the use of "traditional literacy practices" in new media. Is it a two-way street? What I mean by that is this: do you need to be proficient in traditional literacy practices to be able to use new media in the same way that you need be proficient in new literacy practices to be able to utilize traditional literacy practices? I guess I ask tongue-in-cheek. The point being, we cannot do away with traditional literacy practices because of its relevance even to our new media. However, as you conclude your post, there are many other skills that are necessary for participation in the new media culture. Abilities such as technical skills and teamwork are certainly necessary. I wonder what other skills are at work? I am sure students have the opportunity to develop many skills.