Week 15 2018 Reflecting on your own learning

You have done quite a bit of reading, blogging, writing, and discussing aspects related to digital and multimodal literacies.  We looked at New Literacies and new literacies, and the important skills and social practices that are a part of both. You practiced with Web 2.0 tools and tried out ideas in your own practice.  I'm quite impressed at what you all did and the willingness you had to try out different tools and social practices. Finally, we read about and you are writing multimodal works. I'm really looking forward to your eBook chapters.
I'd like you to reflect about your learning over the course of the semester and respond to these questions:
1. What are the three most important (to you) ideas that you learned about New/new Literacies/literacies and digital and multimodal literacies this semester? Why are they important to you? How will they inform your practice as a reading specialist or as a practitioner in your present position?
 2.  Revisit the goals that you set for yourself at the beginning of the semester. How have you met them?

Respond to each other as well after you do this.

I have enjoyed working with you both this semester, and appreciate your flexibility and input on the book.  I hope you both will work with me next semester (even though you are graduated) on putting together the eBook.

Week 14 2018 Supporting your own learning

This week (the last week of readings) is all about how you will continue to support your own learning about digital and multimodal literacies.  These literacies are key to success, as you already know, in the 21st Century. Digital and Multimodal/New Literacies are continually changing--even the apps or websites or programs that you think you know are updated regularly, sometimes to the point where you have to relearn how to  use them.  Not only that, new tools (hardware, software, in the cloud) proliferate and old tools may become obsolete.  As teachers, we are life long learners (or we would not be doing what we do). Sometimes your school district or workplace decides what PD you will attend and sometimes you yourself do.  So think about what makes effective PD for you? How do you continue to learn about your profession?  How have  you used Twitter as a learning platform?  How do the readings suggest you continue to be a learner?


This week will be the last blog discussion you will have. During Week 15, I'll have a blog post for you to respond to. We will have touched base about your chapters at the face to face meeting, and will have discussed how to share your chapters as they are complete.

Have a good Thanksgiving.  I'm thankful for both of you and the work that you do to support the learning of all children/learners.  My mother will be here for the holiday and to celebrate her 93rd birthday on Nov. 25.  I'm including a picture of my Mom and I.  She still lives alone, is a basket weaver, knits and sews for her great-grandchildren (ages 18,14, 4,and 1) and honorary great-grandchildren, reads the newspaper daily (and has at least 2 books going)and is a faithful attendee of women's soccer, basketball, and softball at Texas A&M University (where she lives). I could tell you all about the  gutsy stuff she has done (she was the first woman in her small town in Iowa to go to college and she worked for the FBI in Washington, DC during World War 2, for example) that makes her a role model of her time.

 

Week 13 2018 Creating multimodal texts

As I write this, I am under a tree at a table with a nice breeze.  We have ha busy but productive meetings (it is 11:30 am on Wednesday here) and I have 2 more meetings this afternoon that are more education related than the meetings I have had so far.  I enjoyed your blog about designing multimodal texts (and added a comment about using links).  This week you are reading 4 articles about creating multimodal texts.  What are your key take aways from each of the articles? How are they helping you create your own multimodal texts?
I'll see you on Friday Nov. 16 for our last F2F class.  Thanks for your flexiblity. Have a good week.

Week 12 2018 Designing multimodal texts

This coming week's readings are all about designing multimodal texts and how to help learners become multimodal text designers.

Remember, we have changed the readings and schedule a bit, so this week you are reading BABR 8 and 9 only.  You will read the articles for week 13. For your blog discussion,  tell me what you learned about design principles and about remixing and using images, sound, and video from the internet. How will this impact your own design of your multimodal text chapter?

Sorry this is so short....I want to make sure I get it published before I leave.  Looking forward to reading your blog while I'm in Uganda.