Weekly Reading #2: Digital Media's Impact on Reading and Writing

1.  After completing the readings, I find that my stance on the effects of digital media with regard to young people's abilities to read and write are confirmed.  I can see both sides of the argument:  I do feel that an excessive amount of digital media can be harmful to the extent that it doesn't help develop the breadth of knowledge required that "real world" applications in employment may require (e.g. a 20-page investor's report or a graph-filled, in-depth study for management as to why a certain program should be implemented).  Those types of real-world writing assignments are required of upper-level management positions, and by not addressing the skills that such endeavors require, I believe that we are shorting our students for future employment and income potential.  As the Pew Research Center states, "the digital age presents a paradox...good writing is a critical skill to achieving success" (Lenhart et al, 2008).

That said, I also realize the critical role that digital technology plays in reading and writing.  For one, digital media allows for a greater range of abilities to be addressed.  The student who may not be the most proficient reader may find that the shorter text (enhanced with images) helps develop greater understanding. The student who struggles with thought development while writing may greatly benefit from being able to convey idea via the addition of video, links, etc.  The NCTE article echoes this by suggesting educators offer a variety of levels of reading difficulty for those who aren't proficient readers.  This concept parallels the Pew Research Center's study results that indicate student's greater success (read: enjoyment) at writing when given the opportunity to write creatively (which would include the incorporation of varied digital media forms).

I think that, although digital media may have negatively impacted certain aspects of reading and writing, it also provide benefits previously unrealized.

2.  The readings have furthered my idea that traditional methods, while beneficial, need to be expanded upon to incorporate digital media. I realize that I tend to be a traditionalist with regard to incorporating digital media; however, I have seen first-hand in the past few years of teaching just how beneficial the incorporation of digital media methods have benefited my students both through reaching varied ability levels as well as through encouraging student engagement. 

Currently, from what I've witnessed in the classrooms that I have been a part of, many educators (while seemingly willing to incorporate digital media into their instruction) don't incorporate as much as they could. Of course there are many factors which impact this:  limited time, technical difficulties, lack of knowledge of just *how* to incorporate digital media, but I think that if the teachers had the tools readily accessible (and reliable) then they would include more varied instruction utilizing digital media.

3.  I agree that, as educators, we have to challenge ourselves and expand our curriculum to broaden what we include as "acceptable" writing products as well as what we consider "acceptable" reading mediums.  In "Writing Now," the NCTE suggests that not only do we broaden our concept of the "process model" of writing (following the fluid nature of the writing model) but that we also incorporate more "real-world" contexts.  Thankfully, I have seen "real-world" applications in math, science, and ELA classes; however, I can see many ways to increase this through the incorporation of more digital media.  As the NCTE further notes, "digital technologies influence the processes, circulation, and evaluation of writing... students need to learn how to work effectively with them." It is the role of educators to provide these learning opportunities (whether we are comfortable with the mediums or not).  (2008)

I also agree with the NCTE stance that we need to incorporate more summative writing assessments (not relying so heavily on formative scoring) so that we have more opportunity to facilitate the process as well as the role of digital media in those processes.  Our goal is to help students understand, evaluate, and think critically; as digital media can be such a powerful tool in developing these skills, I would hope that more educators would take a less biased view with regard to its inclusion and incorporate more into their classrooms.

REFERENCES:

Adolescent Literacy. (2007). Retrieved June 1, 2014, from http://www.ncte.org/library/NCTEfiles/Resources/Magazine/Chron0907AdLitBrief.pdf

Can Texting Help With Spelling? | Scholastic.com. (n.d.). Scholastic Teachers. Retrieved May 31, 2014, from http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/article/can-texting-help-spelling

Lenhart, A., Arfeh, S., Smith, A., & Macgill, A. (2008, April 28). Writing, Technology and Teens. Pew Research Centers Internet American Life Project RSS. Retrieved May 31, 2014, from http://www.pewinternet.org/2008/04/24/writing-technology-and-teens/

Reading and writing across the curriculum. (2011, March 1). Retrieved June 1, 2014, from http://www.ncte.org/library/nctefiles/resources/journals/cc/0203-mar2011/cc0203policy.pdf

Writing now. (2008). Retrieved May 31, 2014, from http://www.ncte.org/library/NCTEFiles/Resources/Magazine/Chron0908Policy_Writing_Now.pdf

Writing outside of school. (2009). Retrieved May 31, 2014, from http://www.ncte.org/library/NCTEFiles/Resources/Journals/CC/0191-sep09/Chron0191BriefWriting.pdf



VIDEO:

I think that this video/presentation by Stephanie Sandifer really captures how digital media can enhance the reading and writing experience, allowing for authentic, relevant, and meaningful learner-centered instruction.  It furthers my idea that we can marry both traditional avenues with digital media to create a better learning experience for our students.  We don't need to abandon one for the other, but we can use digital media to enhance and expand the total learning process:

Reading, Writing, and Wikis


IMAGE:

The following image echoes this marriage of "old" and "new" as it incorporates the writing process while demonstrating various digital media programs that support each step in the process:

 

Used with permission.  http://poetry.rapgenius.com/Common-core-standards-initiative-students-who-are-college-and-career-ready-in-reading-writing-speaking-listening-and-language-annotated#note-2331095