What knowledge and skills have I acquired as a result of participating in this course?
As a result of this course I have obtained an extensive amount of knowledge and skills that I did not have before participating in this course. For me, this course has been both challenging and exciting in that I have obtained vasts amount of knowledge on topics I was previously unfamiliar with and learned how to utilize many tools that are available in digital environments. From this course I completed many assignments and projects that helped me to meet the course objectives of this class. Although at times the information was overwhelming and I thought I would never complete my assignments on time I feel that I have met the objectives of this course to the best of my ability.
The first conceptual outcome for this class states that the learner will acquire knowledge of the various conceptions of literacy in the 21st century. I feel I did acquire knowledge on various conceptions of literacy in the 21st century through reading articles focused towards various aspects of literacy and completing tasks that required the use of literacy skills. For example, I learned that to be literate in our society today it is crucial that people are equipped specific digital literacy skills. Being a literate person no longer only includes being able to read and write, but also includes other components. This was learned by reading an article by Amichai-Hamburger and Eshet-Alkali’s titled, ”Experiments in Digital Literacy.” This article discussed five different components of digital literacy which included ”photovisual, reproduction, branching, information, and socioemotional skills.” (A8.3) From this article I learned that each of these skills aid a person in being successful in a digital environment. Without these skills it would be very difficult to navigate and comprehend information located on the web. After reading this article I feel that I am still currently developing these skills, but because of the work I have done in this class I am being more proficient at the components of digital literacy (A8.3). I was able to take the information that I learned from this article and apply it by completing tasks that focused on the use of literacy skills. One specific task that comes to mind is participating in a virtual classroom which is tool of the 21st century that is changing how classroom instruction is done. After participating in a successful discussion with my classmates this is something I learned from the experience. ”I learned how to use specific key strokes to tell emotions. For this you just have to type a colon before the statment you wish to say. For example, :is laughing out loud” (Week 7 memo). I also learned from this experience that virtual meetings are beneficial because they allow students to be exposed to speakers, professionals, and other students who may not live around their area. My knowledge of literacy is the 21st century has grown immensly. I never knew before this class about digital literacy or virtual classrooms.
The second conceptual outcome was that the learner would acquire knowledge of what constitutes acceptable sources and resources within a profession and in the 21st century. I feel I acquired knowledge on this topic by completing an assignment in which I was required to critique a website located on the internet at www. betterdogfood.com. From this assignment I learned that when critiquing a website or article it is important to look at the accuracy, authority, objectivity,currency and coverage of the material. I learned from completing this assignment that it is very important to examine all information on a webpage before making a decision to buy a product or invest in something you do not know a vast amount of information on (A7.1). Aftering completing this assignment I now know how to critique a website which will be beneficial throughout the rest of my life as I research information on the internet.
The third conceptual outcome for this class is that the learner will acquire knowledge of the professional issues relating to literacy within the ASHA Scope of Practice. I feel I acquired knowledge on this topic because after completing a reading log on a piece of material I was required to answer a question about how the material I read could be related to the broader world of clinical practice. An example of an professional issue relating to literacy within the the ASHA Scope of Practice that I learned about was that as SLP’s we are required to use all the resources available to us to help treat our client. To do this I would be required to use my information literacy skills which include the ability to recognize the need for information, the ability to locate that information, and the ability to evaluate and effectively use that information. By having knowledge about information literacy skills I now know how to apply them. As an SLP I would use them to become a more knowledgeable clinician and be able to locate information for my client and use it to provide them with services that meet their needs.
The last conceptual outcome is that the learner will acquire knowledge of the forms of inquiry associated with evidence based practice. I feel I have developed knowledge on this topic by learning about seeking knowledge on topics. As I have learned you can not just take information someone places on the internet as truth. It is important to make sure that the information is supported with research which also holds true in a clinical setting. In regards to evidence based practice it is important to back a therapeutic technique with evidence that states why that technique is appropriate for that client. I have learned that it takes a lot of time to find information that is valid and reliable. It is important to seek out information from various sources such as mailing lists, discussion groups, and journals so that you are coming to a full understanding of the topic.
I feel I completed the first technical outcome for this class because I did prepare for and participate in class discussions and activities. In order to prepare for out class discussion on copyright I read several articles on this issue so that I would have background knowledge going in to the discussion. I looked at copyright information on the websites http://fairuse.stanford.edu/ and http://www.utsystem.edu/OGC/IntellectualProperty/cprtindx.htm. From these sights I learned that “copyright laws protect many different mediums of expression including poetry, novels, recorded music performances, videos, and many more.” (A6.3). I then took this knowledge and applied it to the class discussion in which my group discussed the use of burning cd’s and downloading music. My group decided that in regards to copyright it is always important to error on the side of caution when using another individual’s information (A8.4).
I completed the second technical outcome of developing strategies for effectively planning and completing independent work (meeting both the letter and spirit of the work, not just the letter of the work) in a timely manner by completing all the assignments assigned to our class on time. I feel I evidence completion of this outcome in that all my work was turned in on time. There was never any assignments that were late. To ensure that I met this outcome I made it my goal every week to have my assignments turned in on time. One specific strategy that I tried to implement was to spread out the work so that I was able to give myself enough time to spend on each assignment (Week 2). Although this did not happen every week I did find it to be a beneficial strategy.
I feel I completed the third technical outcome which states, the learner will use practical thinking (solve problems and make decisions), critical thinking (analysis and evaluation), and creative thinking (imagining and creating) to complete an inquiry project focused on a disciplinary issue relating to literacy by completing research on my research topic, writing a paper, and making a movie. I feel that I used practicaly thinking when deciding on what topic I wanted to research. I had to decide which area of literacy I wanted to study and what questions I wanted to answer. From this I developed an essential question of “How can teachers foster the development of literacy skills in children from impoverished environments?” I also used critical thinking when completing my research. I had to analyze numerous amounts of information and make sure that they were credible sources. From this I developed a list of resources which helped me to write my paper. A list of the work I did can be found on my weblog on the link listed resources. I used creative thinking when I created my movie. Creative thinking was used in that I had to first write a story line for my movie, add pictures and sound, and compile it all together to make the end product which was a movie.
The fourth technical outcome states the learner will demonstrate enhanced communication skills and strategies, using the discourse of the discipline, in both oral and written formats. I feel that I achieved this outcome in that I showed enhanced communication skills through the audio component of my movie. By developing the audio recording I had to have specifc abilities to articulate a complex subject to my group of peers. I also enhanced written communication skills which can be evidenced in my development of my I-Search paper. Again, I was required to articulate a complex topic except this time in written forms. Both my movie and my I-search paper can be located on my webblog.
I feel I accomplished the fifth outcome which states the learner will participate and collaborate, synchronously and asynchronously, in online professional communities. My accomplishment of this outcome can be evidenced by the mailing group list that I joined which was called ”The Poverty, Race, Women and Literacy Discussion List” povertyracewomen@nifl.gov. By joining this list I recieved numerous e-mails each day about various topics such as researched based approaches to teaching reading to adults, and also information about conferences that related to the topic of the mailing list. It also can be evidenced in my development of a webblog in which I have been able to share with an online community the information I have been learning throughout the semester.
Lastly, I can say that I did achieve the last technical outcome goal by demonstrating self-confident interdependence in multiple digital spaces and with multiple forms of media. I feel that my achievement of this goal can be shown in my successful development of a web blog, my discussion in virtual classrooms, and my creation of my movie. Each of these various domains presented challenges for me, but I feel I have come along way from where I first began in this class. It is hard for me to explain all the strides I have made from this class, but I know because of my hard work and effort in this class I have come a long ways. In the beginning of this class I utilized the internet for research and e-mail. I know utilized the internet for not only those things, but I not have learned about other tools on the internet. Some of the tools I have learned about include wikis, mailing lists, virtual classrooms, social bookmarking sites, blogs, etc. The list of information and knowledge I have obtained could go on forever, but I feel the most important thing I learned from this class is that our world is constantly changing and becoming more technologically advanced. In order for me to be successful I need to stay informed on the various technologies and tools available to me so that I can stay informed and so that I can inform others.
