Reflecting on Literacy

The world in which my middle schoolers are learning is vastly different from the one in which I studied as an adolescent. Then, the challenge was finding sufficient information using limited resources; now, the challenge is culling relevant information from the vast stockpiles at our fingertips. It has been said that in an information age, “the most valuable asset is the ability to find information expediently” (Eagleton & Dobler, 2004, p. 2). It is critical that I keep this concept in mind as I lead my students in navigating both electronic and traditional resources if I am to support the development of the literacies the future will demand.
Creating a unit plan based on the QUEST model of inquiry-based learning has shown me why the research projects I have undertaken with my students have often fallen short of my expectations. Our students, who seem so savvy when faced with new technologies, have not learned to use them effectively in the service of academic goals. This seems, now, so obvious, but at the beginning of this course it was a revelation to me—a true “a-ha!” moment. This understanding is critical because it helps me recognize the need for pre-assessment of technology skills; I must meet my students at their current ability level. No less important is the need for me to model strategies and provide adequate practice time during each step of the inquiry process if my students are to internalize new skills. As Warlick (Laureate Education, Inc., 2010) states so succinctly, “We need to teach them how to learn.”
In addition, I have been reminded that, as literacy demands change, the teacher “will no longer always be the most literate person in the classroom” (Leu, Kinzer, Coiro, & Cammack, 2004, p. 1599). I have already encountered situations where my students’ technological knowledge surpasses mine, and I have embraced the opportunity to learn from them. The readiness to admit my shortcomings in order to overcome them demonstrates to my students the value of being part of a community of learners—and that we all have the capacity to be teachers.
One professional goal I have is to build my skill in the technologies I expect my students to use. Specifically, I want to become more proficient in using both Audacity and Movie Maker. This will increase my comfort level as my language arts classes embark on the unit I developed during this course; it will also help me be a better teacher of skills as my reading classes (in which technological literacy levels vary widely) create book trailers. My district offers professional development in using both of these programs, but the programs are usually held toward the end of the school year. I hope to recruit a group of teachers who share my interest in order to demonstrate the need to offer these classes sooner. Many teachers have lamented the lack of professional development in technology, but little has been done about it. Championing this need could provide an opportunity for more teachers to develop new skills in technology, which would benefit students far beyond the walls of my own classroom.
As I reflected on the past seven weeks, I returned to the mission statement I wrote at this time last year. I was pleased to see how well the unit I developed during this course supports my mission goals—especially the goal of helping students develop the habit of lifelong learning. This aim is particularly relevant in light of the concepts we have studied during this course. Thornburg states that “Skill sets perpetuated in many schools today no longer meet the needs of the dynamic society into which young people graduate” (2004, p. 1). If our students are to be successful in school and beyond, demonstrating the flexibility and adaptability needed to function well in a changing environment (Jukes, 2007), they need to develop the habit of learning and an openness to adopting new methods of obtaining knowledge. A most valuable lesson is provided every time I demonstrate my willingness to learn alongside of—and from—my own students.

References
Eagleton, M. B., & Dobler, E. (2007). Reading the Web: Strategies for Internet inquiry. New York: The Guilford Press.
Jukes, I. (2007). 21st century fluency skills: Attributes of a 21st century learner. Retrieved from http://www.pflugervilleisd.net/curriculum/ela/grade5/documents/attributesofa21stCenturyLearner.pdf
Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2010). Skills for the future. [DVD]. Supporting information literacy and online inquiry in the classroom. Baltimore, MD: Author.
Leu, D. J., Kinzer, C. K., Coiro, J. L., & Cammack, D. W. (2004). Toward a theory of new literacies emerging from the Internet and other information and communication technologies. In Ruddell, R. B. & Unrau, N. J., (Eds.), Theoretical models and processes of reading (5th ed.). (pp. 1570–1613). Newark, DE: International Reading Association.
Thornburg, D. (2004). Technology and education: Expectations, not options. (Executive Briefing No. 401). Retrieved from http://www.tcpdpodcast.org/briefings/expectations.pdf