Week 3 - Post 1 - Portal to Media Literacy

            The video, A Portal to Media Literacy by Dr. Michael Wesch, inspired by the video The Machine is Using Us, demonstrates how one teacher is using technology to enhance his teaching methods for a college level course. Dr. Wesch compares the traditional classroom to the modern classroom. He refers to the traditional classroom as an “information dump” in which information is scarce and hard to find, learning means acquiring information, and only authority can be trusted for good information. The use of Wifi greatly changed the traditional classroom and Dr. Wesch decided to utilize the power of students’ cell phone and computer usage within his classroom thereby changing the definition of learning. In the modern classroom to learn is to create meaningful connections and significance in students’ lives. Students need to think critically about informational sources, work collaboratively with others, and participate by providing new information. One of my favorite parts of the video is the quote by Kevin Kelly, “Nobody is as smart as everybody”. I think this is a good reminder of the power that exists in sharing information and resources.             
           I think the video sends a message that teachers need to be aware, open, and comfortable changing with the times. This is an interesting time because teachers can use technology to be creative and exploratory with their lessons. Technology can be used in a lot of different ways to achieve similar goals within different learning environments. I appreciate that the video mentioned that no one is a native to technology. Students may know how to use social media but they don’t necessarily know how to use technology to think critically, search for information, or collaborate. That’s the teaching component. The current technology debate reminds me of the educational debate from the time of John Dewey. When a more progressive form of education was introduced during Dewey’s time, many thought it was better than the traditional form and abandoned one for the other. I think it is never a good idea to give up on what we have been doing in exchange for the newest methods. What we should do is develop our teaching with current research, using what works to update our methods. Using technology in the classroom is clearly one way to improve a child’s education as long as it is introduced appropriately.

           The video focuses on a college level course but I can still take away some ideas for the first, second, and third grade students that I teach. The greatest need I see at this level is to introduce the students to the relevance of technology in their lives and to show them how to use technology respectfully. I’d like students to use media tools instead of the media tools using them as Dr. Wesch said. Since I teach in a multi-age classroom, I can see a student who is interested in creating something on the computer sharing his work to teach others. I know this would create a chain reaction within the classroom that could lead to more interest. In the Montessori classroom, we do not emphasize a final grade, but rather the joy and process of learning. Teaching the students how to create a podcast, classroom webpage, and videos to share with penpals could greatly enhance activities that are already taking place.