Monday, May 26, 2014

Multimodal Presentation of Information

Here is my multimodal presentation on equestrianism.  Hope you like it!

Multimodal Presentation



Self-Assessment of Multimodal Presentation
Readability
The typeface that I used was a combination of Arial, Calibri, and Aharoni.  I used mainly Arial and Calibri for readability (Aharoni was used for the header of the definition slide).  I feel that these types were clear, easy-to-read, and attractive.   I had considered more “flourished” fonts; however, I think that the data that I was presenting would have been lost in the embellished fonts, so I stayed with more simple, clear typeface.
As far as statistics or other data that could have been better presented in a chart, graph, or table, I presented a list of facts with regard to the definition of “sport.”  I utilized bullet points to do so to keep the information clear, organized, and uncluttered.  There was no other data that needed such organization, so I am satisfied with the presentation method that I chose.

The text was bolded in the headers, which I felt enhanced the sections of different information.  I did not entertain varied colors or highlights, as I wanted to text to be the center of attention rather than the embellishments, as the text was so brief.  I believe that I kept the text brief enough to be clear, concise, and yet still informative.
Images and other graphics
The images that I selected contribute to both the definition of sports as well as the exploration of the concept of equestrianism as a sport, too.  I chose graphics that referred to sports with which *most* people are familiar (American football, baseball).  Since text was limited to only five words per slide, I chose the sport that would trigger the prior knowledge of my audience.  Having activated the reader’s familiarity with the first two sports, I then included images to parallel what my audience already knew, illustrating each facet of the definition of “sport” with the same facets as they apply to horse riding.  I feel that my images clearly illustrate the concepts of each term under the sport definition (activity, skills, rules, competition).   
I believe that all of my images positively contribute to the points that I am making, the one that best illustrates the concept of horse riding as a sport is the “rules” slide. Although one or two peers expressed confusion with regard to the course layout, I feel that resulting confusion was actually a success.  Each sport has a set of rules attached to it; by including a course map and illustrating the intricacies of the sport, I have taken my audience from the familiar rules of better known sports to the lesser known rules of horse riding. Most of my readers were not familiar with the course or its rules since they were not familiar with the sport of horse riding; confusion was inevitable.  However, my point of the presentation was not to clarify the rules but to illustrate that the horse riding sport has its own unique rules as does all other sports. I believe that I achieved that goal

I feel that my images were just the right size and large enough to see necessary details.  Images were cropped, as needed, to eliminate distracting/irrelevant details that might detract from the main focus of the image. 

The only color that I utilized was a black background on my “check” boxes.  I felt that this color left no question that the horse riding sport fulfilled the requirements that constituted the definition of “sport.”  I used this color to indicate the finality of the verdict.  I probably could have incorporated more colors; however, I do not feel that that would have enhanced my presentation.

Content Learning
I believe that the combined elements of my multimodal presentation positively contributed to the intellectual understanding of the concept of horse riding/equestrianism being classified as a sport. The reason that I chose this topic is because, over the course of the last six years, my family has encountered many individuals who inform us that horse riding is not a “real” sport and that riding a horse is “just a matter of getting on it and going” (my daughter has ridden horses for the past six years).  I wanted to create a presentation comparing better known sports to horse riding to see how they paralleled each other. 
Emotionally, I was drawn to the images and the information, as I am also interested in horses and the sport of horse riding.  This attraction towards horses made me want to explore the slides as the images triggered that response to the text, thus enhancing the interest and understanding of the information presented. 

 

Saturday, May 24, 2014

Digital Media Effects on Conventional Reading and Writing Practices

"Does Digital Media Make Us Bad Writers?"  by Josh Karp


"... Students today also have trouble incorporating quotations, and figuring out when to use a hyphen. (But, honestly, who doesn't have trouble with the hyphen?) But maybe the most surprising thing to the "gotcha gang" is that while the type of error has changed, the ration of errors to words has held steady for more than 100 years...There never was a golden age where everybody could write well... writing is hard..." (Karp, 2010) 

 
This statement gave me pause to reflect upon my *own* ideas about writing and reading. I have always been steadfast in my belief that the basics, the foundations if you will, are imperative for "good" writing. After all, you can't build a solid house without a solid foundation!



However, the more that I considered Karp's statement that writing had ALWAYS been difficult, no matter what the day and age, I reconsidered my stance. While I appreciate the challenges that ANY writer faces, I agree that digital tools have provided a platform for those whose brains prefer modes other than pen and paper. Some people merely organize their thoughts better with a multitude of avenues for expression, and Karp illustrates this very well with the concept of a graphic novel. Reading can be extremely tedious for some individuals; however, the often disparaged graphic novel, often dismissed as "merely a comic book," provides a type of text that allows for a multidimensional experience for all levels of readers...

 

The same can be said for digital media. As Karp notes, incorporating multi modes of digital tools can provide a "greater depth and texture" to what the writer is creating. Instead of linear thought and development, the writer can use the tools as springboards to develop thoughts and enhance knowledge attainment.


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 "Literacy Debate: Online, R U Really Reading?"  Motoko Rich
 
"... scores on standardized reading tests have declined or stagnated...[however,] some children with dyslexia or other learning difficulties... have found it far more comfortable to search and read online...students who say that they read for fun once a day score significantly higher on reading tests than those who say that they never do..." (Rich 2008)

Motoko Rich provides a well-supported article that presents both sides of the argument as to which type of reading is "best:" traditional reading or reading online.  I found myself torn between the two sides the further that I read, as I can see that both points are valid. 

I have seen first-hand with both my own children and my students that technology seems to chip away at attention spans while creating a need/desire to always be entertained.  Many who have experienced a technology-saturated world tend to lean towards acquiring information in short, snap-shot like blurbs full of sounds, colors, and excitement.  Boredom by students appears to be rampant with teachers being expected to put on a circus for a conducive learning environment. 

That said, I also have been witness to how effective online reading can be for those who have difficulties with acquisition and comprehension.  Those students who struggle with the printed word find the reading experience enhances with the inclusion of graphics and videos.  Perhaps they have been frustrated by traditional reading and have given up; the internet provides a platform to entice them back in to try reading.  Perhaps they have difficulties in comprehension; online reading provides illustrations and links to further develop understanding (even better: it's instantaneous!  No running for the dictionary!)

I also agree with Rich's assertion that we must find a way to value different types of reading.  Providing a standard assessment for a student who struggles with traditional reading is a recipe for disaster in terms of accurate evaluation, and I think that tests similar to the iSkills digital literacy test may need to be developed to ensure that 21st century students are adequately prepared for college and/or the technology-saturated global workplace. 

Reading comprehension is a key element to nearly every aspect of life, and I truly believe that we must continue to focus on traditional methods as well to provide a balance for our students.

 


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John McWhorter: Txtng is killing language. JK!!!



 

I thoroughly enjoyed John McWhorter's presentation on texting. He humorously explored texting's role in communication and, quite frankly, changed my position on the digital media continuum.  Before reading the two articles (Karp, Rich) and watching McWhorten's video, I was steadfast in my stance of being a Traditionalist; although I saw the need for those who needed extra encouragement and support that digital media can provide - and I also saw how digital media could enhance learning - I was more entrenched in the established methods than I realized. 

Obviously, I am well aware (and have been for some time) that digital media is changing the way that people read and write in the Digital Age; however, before these media presentations, I didn't realize the extent to which digital media could enhance learning nor was I privy to all the different ways in which it could do so.

McWhorten also helped open my eyes to see texting as a visual transcription of speech rather than an acceptable means of creating the written word.  Texting is no different than shorthand or abbreviations on a scratchpad; it's just another medium to do so.  Rather than viewing texting (and its ilk) as an evil monster that seeks to destroy all "proper" writing, it should be viewed as a technological vehicle that is merely taking the place of note taking and that like.  There is casual speech and casual writing; texting is merely the latter.

We all speak differently in different situations; how we would speak to, say, our friends, differs greatly from how we would speak to our boss or in a formal presentation.  Texting is not formal letter writing; we would not (HOPEFULLY!!!) use texting short-hand or emoticons on a job application or resume; however, there is no harm in being casual in the right setting. 

Thanks to these three sources, I am now firmly planted in the middle, balancing.  :)

 
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References
 
Karp, J. (2010, January 26). Does digital media make us bad writers. Retrieved May 20, 2014, from http://spotlight.macfound.org/featured-stories/entry/does-digital-media-make-us-bad-writers
 
 Rich, M. (2008, July 26). Literacy debate: Online, R U really reading? The New York Times. Retrieved May 20, 2014, from http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/27/books/27reading.html?_r=0
 

Thursday, May 22, 2014

Communication "progress" thanks to technology!

 
 
I think that this cartoon speaks VOLUMES as to how we, as a whole, have evolved (then "devolved") in our communication practices.  While I wholeheartedly agree that quick text, tweets, IMs, and the like are great timesavers, I also fear that the art of writing (and reading) is becoming a lost art as we become acclimated to pervasive nature of short-cut communication.

Literacy Video #2

This YouTube video, IMHO, does an excellent job of demonstrating what is a current definition of a "classroom" and how the myriad of available technology contributes to the pervasive nature of the 21st century learning tools available to us, both as educators *and* as students...


Literacy Video #2

Literacy Video #1

I included this "old school" based video as it tugged at my heartstrings, and I just *had* to share!

Literacy Video

This YouTube video demonstrates the reason why I am *still* pursuing my Reading Specialist endorsement along with my Digital Media endorsement.  I already had the Reading part on my radar for one of my next education goals; however, after doing reading assessments on student this past year as well as working in ELA classes, I can see the need for "traditional" reading instruction/intervention as well.  Plus, the Reading endorsement will contribute to being a successful literary volunteer for adults struggling to read.

Hello!


My name is Marylou Smith.  I am embarking on my third stint in grad school.  I realize that that probably sounds like overkill, but opportunities keep appearing, and my educational goals keep evolving!

I started with a BBA in Business Administration and an MA in English which funneled itself into a School Library Media degree (MAT). I am now pursuing my M.Ed. as a Reading Specialist concurrent with an endorsement in Digital Media, New Literacies and Learning.  I have taught college-level English; however, after having my own children, I discovered that my true passion lies in teaching in the K-12 area.  I am certified in School Library Media PreK-Adult, so both the Reading Specialist and Digital Media endorsements will serve me well in my quest to develop readers both in the educational setting and through community volunteer organizations.

I am originally from Pennsylvania, and have come to reside in West Virginia via Texas.  I live in Bridgeport, and I have spent the last year working as an interventionist for Harrison County.  The position was a welcome challenge, as I worked with middle school-aged students covering science, math, and English Language Arts. Not only did the position push me to develop diverse strategies in a myriad of disciplines, it also allowed me to collaborate with a variety of educators to hone my own teaching strategies.

I have two young children who have been amazing support through my academic endeavors.  They are very involved in activities, so we are constantly on the run!  Horses, karate, c-ball, soccer, scouts, band.. we stay busy!



Classes that I have taken in the Masters program include:

*EDUC 6195
*EDUC 6295
*EDUC 6300
*EDUC 6301
*EDUC 6302
*EDUC 6303
*EDUC 6304
*EDUC 6305
*EDUC 6306
*EDUC 6320
*EDUC 6490
*EDUC 6495
*READ 6315
*SPED 6321