Blog Post #4

 When asked to examine a specific key issue, topic, or opportunity related to new media, new literacies, or participatory cultures, I immediately thought about my current classroom and how we utilize new literacies. Before this class, I hadn’t thought about the positive uses of digital literacy in the classroom. I mostly felt guilty when I utilized digital literacy and media in the classroom like any time I opted for a video book instead of reading a traditional story to my students or when we listened to a song and watched the video (check out the links below to get a better idea of how I am using digital literacy and digital media in my classroom). However, this class has opened my eyes to the positive sides of using digital literacy and media in the classroom such as more engagement and better learning outcomes. This validates that I could and should be using digital literacy and media in my preschool classroom.

Some digital literacy & digital media examples I use in my classroom 

• Every day we sing hello and practice greetings at circle time using the following video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p3XPRgf4qG4. The kids love it and imitate the gestures using the visual cues from the video. I have seen a huge increase in participation in greetings with my students this year. A lot of them are also generalizing these skills throughout the school day. Additionally, they later apply their knowledge when they pick a greeting from a variety of options including those that are practiced with this song. 

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uvLg--3Z9_4 This link is an example of a video book that I would play in my classroom during circle time about once a week. Using the video platform engages my students, allows me to focus more on classroom management, and grants me the opportunity to put more attention into modeling reading skills such as think alouds. 

References

How do we say hello - the kiboomers preschool songs - good morning circle time song. YouTube, (2022), https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p3XPRgf4qG4 

Pete the Cat and the cool caterpillar | fan’s animated book edition | read aloud, (2021), YouTube, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uvLg--3Z9_4 

With that being said, the topic that interests me the most is how preschool and special education classrooms can integrate digital literacy media and digital media into the classroom effectively and successfully. My research will focus on how these two fields (special education and preschool) can use digital literacy and digital media, as a lot of prominent research right now is geared more towards general education and higher grade levels. I am wondering if I can make the claim that by not using digital media and digital literacy in the prek or special education classroom, educators are doing their students a disservice. This topic interests me because it was something I never learned about in undergrad. I also don’t have the best digital literacy and media skills myself, so I feel like this research will allow me to personally grow in this subject. Furthermore, it will guide special education and early learning education teachers, like myself, with best practices going forward. I’m also curious if there is research that argues that digital literacy and media should be avoided with these populations.

By completing this research, I feel like I’d be preparing myself to be a better educator, which is always the goal. I also think I’d be able to talk about the subject with other teachers at my site and other sites as well, thus educating my coworkers and reaching more students. Recently, our sites were given smartboards and a lot of teachers have shared that they don’t know how to use them in the classroom. I’m hoping this research will give myself ideas, so I can implement them in my classroom and share it with colleagues. Furthermore, I’m hoping to get a better understanding of what I should avoid with digital literacy or media and possibly receive an answer to how much is too much. I would take this learning and immediately implement it to best support my learners. 

Below is an image that I have found inspiring to my research. In this image, an educator is teaching a younger group of students using what appears to be digital media or literacy through an Ipad. The students are actively engaged, focused, and excited about their learning. Through my research, I’m hoping to find ideas and best practices that will allow my students to also be engaged, focused, and excited about learning with new media and new literacies, as I believe this will best support them throughout their educational experience.

References

Roland, J. (2018). How technology in the classroom helps students. Samsung Business Insights. https://insights.samsung.com/2016/09/08/technology-in-the-classroom-offers-many-benefits-for-students/ 

Questions to Ponder: 

• Is digital literacy and digital media learning really that different in preschool ages and with students with disabilities? 

• Is there research that discusses the negative side of digital literacy and digital media in the classroom? 

• What is the right balance between new literacy and media and more traditional learning? 

Please find my annotated bibliography below

Ashbrook, P. (2017). The early years: Integrating digital tools. Science and Children, 54(5), 20–21. https://doi.org/10.2505/4/sc17_054_05_20

     Ashbrook’s article explores when using digital media and literacy in the classroom is appropriate. This article also describes the skills children need to master before they are able to successfully use technology to enhance their learning in the classroom. Lastly, Ashbrook outlines an example lesson for young learners with the following objective: to use available technologies to create a message to send or take home. This article is useful for my research, as it discusses how to use digital literacy and media with young learners, it includes a sample lesson that can be utilized, and suggests how to ensure concerns about introducing technology to young learners are addressed such as referring to the NAEYC for developing appropriate practices. This concise and professionally written article includes Ashbrook’s professional titles, references, and additional resources on the topic, thus showing it is a valuable and trusted resource. 

Ok, M. W., & Kim, W. (2017). Use of iPads and iPods for academic performance and engagement of PreK-12 students with disabilities: A research synthesis. Exceptionality, 54–75. https://doi.org/10.1080/09362835.2016.1196446 

Ok and Kim’s article concludes that digital media, specifically ipads and ipods, increases engagement and academic performance for students with disabilities and explores different ways that instruction with digital media can look like in the classroom. Because my research includes how new literacy and digital media can positively impact students, including those with disabilities, it is applicable to me and my research. Furthermore, it supports my research idea that providing young students and students with disabilities with new literacy and digital media increases their academic success. This professional research utilizes twenty case studies to create implications for practices and ideas for additional research. This peer reviewed article is free from apparent bias.

Semingson, P. (2017) Digital literacies for young readers and writers. Literacy Today 30-31, https://www.proquest.com/docview/1966005551/4E1DCD1AA7D54D6EPQ/20?accountid=8067&sourcetype=Trade%20Journals 

Semingson explores how young learners can engage with digital literacy appropriately and thoughtfully using cellphones; they explain how to use e-books, alphabet knowledge apps, and digital storytelling with young learners to enhance literacy skills. The author acknowledges that digital literacy comes with possible negative outcomes including high screen time, but concludes that overall, the learning possibilities trump increased screen time when used appropriately. This concise article is useful for my research because it gives ideas for how to use digital literacy with young learners that can be carried out  in the classroom. Additionally, it supports the claim that using digital literacy with young students impacts their learning positively. 

Steckel, B., Shinas, V. H., & Van Vaerenewyck, L. (2015). ARTISTIC TECHNOLOGY INTEGRATION: Stories From primary and elementary classrooms. The Reading Teacher, 41–49. https://doi.org/10.1002/trtr.1356 

This article written by Steckel et al. shares stories from primary and elementary educators who successfully integrate technology into their classroom, specifically focusing on incorporating new literacy instruction with readers. This article is useful to my research because it highlights guiding principles for educators to integrate new media and new literacy into the classroom to help learners grow (such as using a gradual release of responsibility teaching approach) that can be utilized by educators of young children. This interesting and personal-feeling article is professionally written and engaging, as it includes more resources to check out, supporting information, references, and questions to ponder. This resource is valuable and lacks potential bias and ethical issues. 

Stone-MacDonald, A. (2015). Using iPad applications to increase literacy skills for children PreK to grade 3 with disabilities. Young Exceptional Children , 3–18. https://doi.org/10.1177/1096250614535220

Stone-MacDonald completes research that explores how using ipads with young students with disabilities can positively impact them in the classroom and beyond. This research focuses on iPad apps for literacy activities, reading and writing apps, and communication-focused apps, and concludes that these apps are helpful for all young children, especially those with disabilities. This article addresses that not all of these apps are useful or well designed and that this tool is only one that can be utilized in the classroom. Because this article addresses both negative and positives regarding inviting new literacy and digital media into the classroom with young students with disabilities, it is applicable to my research.