I really loved Jenkin's statement when he said, "Empowerment comes from making meaningful decisions within a real civic context...Today’s children learn through play the skills they will apply
to more serious tasks later." It's interesting here that he says "Today's children" as if children haven't been doing this exact thing for ages. Little girls play tea party so that they can practice for when they are older and need to know proper etiquette. Just so, children today are learning through their "playtime" with technology, how to function the the evolving world of technology. For instance, I've watched a two year old do more stuff with an Ipad than her mom knew how to do with it.
It's interesting what a positive outlook Jenkins has on these new forms of "particpation."He briefly addressed it in the article, but a lot of research has been done pointing out the negative effects of "media consumption." Even terming it "consumption" makes it sound like the act of engaging in meda activities is gluttonous and wrong. But like he points out, it doesn't have to be.
I think key elements pertinent to teachers include the idea of using the "participatory culture" to aid in our classroom learning. Rather than discouraging the use of simulation games, blogs and other means of expression and learning, even to incorporate it into our lesson plans. He said that when people feel like they can contribute to their community, they are empowered and they're so much more willing to put themselves out there. The possibility that a kid who would roll her eyes and sleep under a desk during "reading time" in school, and yet would go home and do research about a topic she wanted to blog about (teach herself how to crochet by watching youtube videos, etc) is quite the paradox to me. I had a friend in high school who never took a music class in his life, and yet was able to teach himself how to play rockin' guitar, solely through guitar hero and youtube videos.
That kind of concentration is present in kids today. They just have to be invested in what they're doing.
I think if you want to up literacy grades, you need to get them invested. And you do that by letting them do things that are pertinent to and interest them. I think this is one way I can embrace the opportunities of the participatory culture. I know that personally, my favorite projects were the open-ended ones where the teacher didn't give a format, but said, do it how you want, in the medium that you want, and include these elements. Those were not only my favorite, but generally the ones at which I did my best.
I think it's no different for kids today.
I think challenges will come when we need to direct them to other things that don't necessarily interest them. For example, a kid who wants to learn how to play guitar and then is told he has to do a history assignment might be a bit reluctant. But perhaps we could still find something about the history that could be relevant to his interests. Perhaps establishing the rapport with the child--that we do care about what he cares about, and want to help him discover and develop his interests and talents, perhaps if we can establish that relationship, then he would be more willing to do what we ask him to do because he knows that eventually we'll come back to what invests him and help him further those skills.
I honestly don't know the answer to that question, but I like this line of thought, and would like to continue to ponder it as we discuss it more as a class.
Those are all my thought for now. Thank you! And goodnight. (:
to more serious tasks later." It's interesting here that he says "Today's children" as if children haven't been doing this exact thing for ages. Little girls play tea party so that they can practice for when they are older and need to know proper etiquette. Just so, children today are learning through their "playtime" with technology, how to function the the evolving world of technology. For instance, I've watched a two year old do more stuff with an Ipad than her mom knew how to do with it.
It's interesting what a positive outlook Jenkins has on these new forms of "particpation."He briefly addressed it in the article, but a lot of research has been done pointing out the negative effects of "media consumption." Even terming it "consumption" makes it sound like the act of engaging in meda activities is gluttonous and wrong. But like he points out, it doesn't have to be.
I think key elements pertinent to teachers include the idea of using the "participatory culture" to aid in our classroom learning. Rather than discouraging the use of simulation games, blogs and other means of expression and learning, even to incorporate it into our lesson plans. He said that when people feel like they can contribute to their community, they are empowered and they're so much more willing to put themselves out there. The possibility that a kid who would roll her eyes and sleep under a desk during "reading time" in school, and yet would go home and do research about a topic she wanted to blog about (teach herself how to crochet by watching youtube videos, etc) is quite the paradox to me. I had a friend in high school who never took a music class in his life, and yet was able to teach himself how to play rockin' guitar, solely through guitar hero and youtube videos.
That kind of concentration is present in kids today. They just have to be invested in what they're doing.
I think if you want to up literacy grades, you need to get them invested. And you do that by letting them do things that are pertinent to and interest them. I think this is one way I can embrace the opportunities of the participatory culture. I know that personally, my favorite projects were the open-ended ones where the teacher didn't give a format, but said, do it how you want, in the medium that you want, and include these elements. Those were not only my favorite, but generally the ones at which I did my best.
I think it's no different for kids today.
I think challenges will come when we need to direct them to other things that don't necessarily interest them. For example, a kid who wants to learn how to play guitar and then is told he has to do a history assignment might be a bit reluctant. But perhaps we could still find something about the history that could be relevant to his interests. Perhaps establishing the rapport with the child--that we do care about what he cares about, and want to help him discover and develop his interests and talents, perhaps if we can establish that relationship, then he would be more willing to do what we ask him to do because he knows that eventually we'll come back to what invests him and help him further those skills.
I honestly don't know the answer to that question, but I like this line of thought, and would like to continue to ponder it as we discuss it more as a class.
Those are all my thought for now. Thank you! And goodnight. (:
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