Concept of Digital Literacies - Essay Example

DIGITAL LITERACIES I have had deep thoughts on how best to have teachers deliver effectivelyto the students and how the interaction between teachers and the students would be beneficial. This was triggered by an experience with a teacher in my early years of education where the teacher would always punish me for failing in class. This made me develop quite a bad attitude towards him, which played much with my subsequent failure in the subject. Having not had enough exposure in technology, it was challenging from me to conceptualize computer modeling. Besides, my parents were illiterate and therefore, I wholly relied on the guidance of teachers for my learning. Syllogism Claim: All children should be introduced into technology as early as in lower levels of learning as against delaying the introduction to latter years in development. Major premise: All humans deserve good foundation in digital technology in modernity Minor premise: Tender children can be given digital technology knowhow Conclusion: Children (even the tender ones) are equally human beings and they all require digital technology knowledge in modern generation DIGITAL LITERACIES In a flipped class setup, typical learning content cycle is averted in acquisition as well as in application and this enable student to gain appropriate knowledge way before a teacher brings it to class and the role of the instructor is more in guiding interactions and clarifications of such information gained within the class set-up. The main point of disparity between the past formal class set-up and the flipped dimension of teaching is that while the past embraced the direct teacher teaching the students, his role changes greatly in then flipped system to have more of teacher’s role being in guiding application of knowledge to the students. Before the class, the tutor has to prepare the learning opportunities as against lectures, and this enables the students to have guided approach to the learning. This also aid the lecturer in attending to the most crucial areas the students focus more with questions in the process of learning. The students have an opportunity to practice on skill being learnt in class with assistance of the lecturer through mini-lectures and feedbacks as appropriate. Instead of homework, students continually practice on learnt skills with periodic grading and feedbacks from then guide lecturer and as such, students are equipped for seeking any assistance as necessary from the guide. Even after class, the lecturers are shown to observe willingness in guiding the learners for improved understanding of concepts learnt in class. It is in this line of reason that Talbert (para 1-7) posts concerning the misplaced perception that students themselves are the issues to be dealt with in efforts to make flipped learning experience desirable with the intended outcome. The system in flipped learning is however much aware of the usefulness of advancement in technology. In particular application of mathematical modeling and visual models through which, real life daily problems are solved has been examined in depth while considering the flipped class set-up. In facilitation of adopting flipped class setting, technology has been shown to be paramount and thus more efficient and effective in targeting the digital generation. The ‘digital natives’ are interpreted to be all people whose birth follows after ‘digital technology’ spread. However, critical analysis of the ideology shows that not all kids born after the spread of technology are conversant with technology hence cannot wholly be referred to as digital natives (Cabanero-Johnson and Zane, 290-297). Nevertheless, literature show that the digital natives are introduced into the technology complexities while at very tender ages hence supporting the main question being focused on in this paper; is it really beneficial to introduce technology to lives of children while very tender in age? All children should be introduced into technology as early as in lower levels of learning as against delaying the introduction to latter years in development. Digital natives have been shown to develop greater and improved grasp of use of technology in merely all aspects of life as compared to persons who were born and brought up prior to the spread of technology (Zimerman, 174-200). The exposure prepares and equips the persons to grow while acknowledging advances of technology and the changing times in generations (Churchill and Kay, 381). For instance, the adoption of technology as an aid in studying necessitates that students have proper grasp of technological intrigues in order to be effective in learning by use of technology. Revolutions in technology have presented improvised mechanisms of learning by use of internet and computer systems. The use of internet and effectiveness and or efficiency in use of computerized systems in learning requires proper foundation on technological issues. In supporting the thesis that all children in the current and subsequent generations needs to be well grounded in technology is therefore based on this notion that technology is an effective tool to be utilized for education. In flipped systems of learning, the students are shown to be encouraged to study beforehand and hence have the capacity to involve the teacher in only the most difficult subjects of for further clarification. In among other useful resources for use in academics that would be pointed out is the use of internet and digital medium for learning (Nelson, Marcy and Gilbert, 95-109). With students having proper foundation in technology, teaching and learning would not only be easy but also fruitful in that teaching materials can be easily accessible with even virtual teaching aids. Besides, exposure to technology for the children enables them to devise effective mechanisms of solving repetitive problems, as technology would influence the way they think. This in essence therefore forms the core of the argument that introducing technology to children has the capacity to shape positively the lives of children especially in matters of learning and academics. The discussion of whether or not to introduce technology to children while still at tender ages would be better driven by long term perspective of usefulness of technology in the modern day living. This is because; technology has revolutionized and will continue to revolutionize the modern living even to the futures. Exposing children to digital technology improves on the receptiveness of the kids into technological features and shapes the thinking of the children right from such an early age. Besides, the early years of envelopment represent the formative years of a person and hence the right time to introduce such features in modern living instead of waiting to have the digital technology introduced to grownups. It would also be easier to have children understand the concepts while young as against while old in age. Moreover, when children appreciate technology while young, this would shape the positive future appreciation of the same against having the concept introduced while at an advanced age. Exposure to technology in early age would also help a child decide on future career path through improved exposure and effective learning through such methods as flipped learning. Children are better learners while at tender age than while at advanced ages due to little responsibility occupations in mind as well as due to interest and curiosity. Besides the stage of development in childhood presents an age which children are more willing to learn as shown by inquisitiveness and ease of guidance by a grown up. When children are introduced to digital technology while at tender ages, they are more likely to perfect in exploitation of technology while learning and while solving many daily issues that would be solved through such technologies. In many instances, children exhibit personal interests and hobbies while at tender ages and only in very rare occasions that children would fail to exhibit such unique characteristics. Supporting such exhibited hobbies especially those related to technology through exposing them to technology at such early ages would therefore be beneficial and desirable. There are however perceptions that introducing children to technology at tender ages would be undesirable and ineffective. Some point of objection to the thesis may be because children would be too tender to comprehend technological issues while others may point towards latter years of development as being more appropriate to have the discipline introduced. In another dimension, intergenerational gap between the digital natives and the preceding generation may present a challenge in getting teachers well conversant with technology and hence pose the main challenge in teaching the children (Cullen, 311-320). In conclusion, just as Talbert asserts in her post that the main problem faced in introduction and embracing flipped learning is not students themselves, opposing ideologies in matters of decision-making would be the main challenge in acknowledging the most appropriate age to expose children to technology. However, despite the conflicting ideologies, this paper takes the position that introducing children to digital technology at tender ages in this generation is beneficial not only in helping the child identify with the generation but also for improved performance while studying. No children should therefore be discriminated against while exposing them to technological disciplines as all ought to rightfully belong to ‘digital native generation’. Works cited Cabanero-Johnson, Paz, and Zane Berge. "Digital Natives: Back to the Future of Microworlds in a Corporate Learning Organization." The Learning Organization 16.4 (2009): 290-7. ProQuest. Web. 21 Apr. 2014. Churchill, Daniel, and Kay Yong Khoo. "Childrens Digital Practices: Case Studies of Children Viewing and Representing with Digital Text." Journal of International Education Research 8.4 (2012): 381. ProQuest. Web. 21 Apr. 2014. Cullen, Rowena. "Addressing the Digital Divide." Online Information Review 25.5 (2001): 311-20. ProQuest. Web. 21 Apr. 2014. Nelson, Klara, Marcy Courier, and Gilbert W. Joseph. "Teaching Tip: An Investigation of Digital Literacy Needs of Students." Journal of Information Systems Education 22.2 (2011): 95-109. ProQuest. Web. 21 Apr. 2014. Talbert, Robert, “The problem is not the students”. 2014, Web. 21 Apr. 2014. Zimerman, Martin. "Digital Natives, Searching Behavior and the Library." New Library World 113.3 (2012): 174-201. ProQuest. Web. 21 Apr. 2014. Read More