Introduction to 21st Century Literacies PDF

Introduction to 21st Century Literacies The advent of technology plays a major role in the process of teaching and learning in this so-called Information Age or Digital Age. The greatest challenge however is the call of the adequate and appropriate literacies that...

Introduction to 21st Century Literacies The advent of technology plays a major role in the process of teaching and learning in this so-called Information Age or Digital Age. The greatest challenge however is the call of the adequate and appropriate literacies that this generation needs and is mostly responsible for. Literacy derived from the Latin word litteratus which means "(a person) marked with letters - that is distinguished or identified by letters"--- and it carried with the idea that such a person was cultured and educated. the state of being able to read and write. Traditional or Conventional Literacy refers to reading and writing according to the type. material, and usage of conventional conventions (Koppenhaver, 2000). If you know most of the letters most of the time, a student is heading towards a more traditional understanding of literacy. New Literacy encompass ways of thinking about information and experiences, processing with others to challenge and continuously update thinking, and demonstrating new ideas, solutions, and understandings in the manner that best suits the situation Three categories of Traditional Literacy Miller (1993) Basic Literacy the ability to correspond visual shapes to spoken sounds in order to decode written materials and translate them into oral language. Simply, the ability to recognize letters and words. Comprehension Literacy the ability to understand the meaning of what is being read. Functional or Practical Literacy the ability to read and comprehend written materials needed to perform in the daily tasks. 21st Century Schools Schools that focus on project-based curriculum Implications for teachers: A. Teachers must discover student interest by helping them see what and how they are learning to prepare them for life in the real world. B. They must instill curiosity, which is fundamental to lifelong learning. C. They must be flexible in how they teach. D. They must excite learners to become more resourceful so that they will continue to learn outisude formal school. 21st Century Curriculum Focuses in interdisciplinary, project-based, and research-driven that is connected to student's local, national, and global communities which the students may collaborate with other students in various projects. The curriculum also integrates higher-order thinking skills, multiple intelligences, technology and multimedia, multiple literacies and authentic assessments including service-learning. 21st Century Learning Environment A learning environment where students collaborate with their peers, exchange insights, coach, and mentor one another, and share talents and skills with other students. Cooperative learning is also apparent, in which students work in a team because cooperation is given more emphasis than competition, and collaborative learning more than isolated learning. Students use technologies, including internet systems and other platforms. An ideal learning environment considers the kind of spaces needed by students and teachers in conducting investigations and projects by groups for independent work. Technology in the 21st Century Pedagogy 21st century learning recognizes full access to technology Understanding 21st Century Learner Students nowadays referred to as 'digital natives', while educators as 'digital immigrants". (Prensky, 2001) Students' entire lives have been immerse in the 21st Century media cuture. New Literacies Increase Reach communicating with different people from diverse cultures never happened before. Increased Means of Communication communicating in more ways and faster than ever before. Increased Breadth of Content communicating about more things than ever before 3 Categories of 21st Century Skills Learning Skills teaches students about the mental process required to adapt and improve upon the modern work environment Literacy Skills focuses on how students can discern facts, publishing outlets and the technology behind them. Life Skills takes a look of intangible elements of a student's everyday life. These intangible focuses on both personal and professional qualities Twelve 21st Century Skills 1. Critical Thinking 2. Communication 3. Technology Literacy 4. Initiatives 5. Creativity 6. Collaboration 7. Information Literacy 8. Media Literacy 9. Flexibility 10. Leadership 11. Productivity 12. Social Skills Globalization and Cultural and Multicultural Literacies What is Globalization? Is the process of interaction and integration between people, business entities, governments, and cultures from other nations, driven by international trade and investment and support by information technology (Levin Institute, 2017). Globalization as a phenomenon is not new. Nations and cultures have been interacting and integrating with one another for millennia Globalization is happening, its overall scope, and its effects on the lives of ordinary people. The Effects of Globalization The effects of globalization are multi-dimensional. As shown earlier they range from economic to cultural, on both national and individual levels. Meyer (2000) summarizes the effects of globalization as follows: Economic, political, and military dependence and interdependence between nations; Expanded flow of individual people among societies; Interdependence of expressive culture among nations; and Expanded flow of instrumental culture around the world. Economic Dependence/Interdependence Early 90s when the term globalization entered in the Philippine public mindset. It was popularly understood to be mainly economic phenomenon, and a negative one at that. The idea that foreign-owned business could come into the country and freely "set-up shop," thereby, choking-out local industries was not a welcome thought, even though it was erroneous. The fact of the matter is that globalization has brought economic/development to our society as a whole. Kentor (2001) notes that foreign capital dependence increases income and equality in four ways: 1. It creates a small, highly paid class of elites to manage these investments, to create many but usually low-pay jobs;  2. Profits from these investment are repatriated, rather than invested in the host country, therefore inhibiting domestic capital formation; 3. Foreign capital penetration tends to concentrate land ownership among the very rich; and 4. Host countries tend to create political and economic climates favorable to foreign capital that in turn limit domestic labor's ability to obtain better wages in simple words, "the rich become richer, and poor become poorer. Hout (1980) observes that international dependence (another world for globalization) tends to suppress adult wages, which in turn perpetuates the role of children as economic necessities (the familiar saying "Kapag maraming anak, maraming katulong sa hanapbuhay"), leading to exclusive population growth. Political and Military Dependence/ Interdependence Viray(2018) conducted a survey in late 2018 and found out that three in five Filipinos believe that United Stated would intervene on behalf of the country in case of war. Despite the current conservative stance of the US on its foreign policies, this can be taken as evidence of the Philippine' dependence on both the political and military power of the US in order to maintain sovereignty as a nation-state in the Southeast Asia region. There are some forms of economic dependence/interdependence, political dependence/ interdependence is not far behind, as the participating nations strive to protect their investments and interest in one another. Expanded Flow of Expressive and Instrumental Culture Expressive culture, as the term suggests, deals with how a particular culture expresses itself in its language, music, arts, and the like. Globalization encourages the monetization of these cultural artifacts and their import/ export among participating cultures; the increased consumption of which changes the consuming culture. Cultural Literacy Cultural Literacy is a term coined by Hirsch (1983), referring to the ability to understand the signs and symbols of a given culture and being able to participate in its activities and customs as opposes to simply being a passive (and outside) observer. The signs and symbols of culture include both its formal and informal languages, its idioms and form of expression, entertainment, values, customs, roles, traditions and the like- most of which are assumed and unstated. Thus, they are learned by being part of the culture, rather than by any formal means. Cultural literacy is culture-specific, but it is not limited to national cultures, contrary to what many people assume. The culture of one workplace can be very different from another, just as the culture of a particular school can differ widely from another school nearby. There are far too many cultures for any one person to be literate in all of them. As more and more Filipinos travel- both domestically and abroad as the result of globalization and the increased opportunities it brings, the need to develop new cultural literacies comes to the fore. Cultural Literacy in the Philippines Philippine Cultural Education Program, envisions a nation of culturally literate and empowered Filipinos together with the Department of Education (DepEd) to formulate the cultural heritage education programs both local and overseas Filipinos. This would be an integral part of Philippine education in its all aspects. De Leon (2011) coins this propensity for Filipinos to look at their culture and themselves through Western lenses as the Dona Victorina Syndrome. Challenges for Cultural Literacy in the Philippines As Applebee (1987) observes, interesting discussion on cultural literacy give rise to some very difficult questions which are particularly important to a multicultural and multilingual nation like the Philippines. What kinds of knowledge constitute cultural literacy? It is knowing facts, names, and dates, or is it something more experiential like being familiar with the story or a particular song? It culture is more than" caught than taught," should cultural literacy be one of the goals of education? If yes, how does one teach it? Whose culture must we be literate in to be considered" culturally literate"? Who decides which cultures are included and which ones are excluded, and on what bases? Is cultural literacy education simply a means for the dominant culture to express its dominance over minority cultures? How is cultural literacy to be assessed and evaluated? How can we know someone is "culturally literate"? Multicultural Literacy Multicultural Literacy as a set of skills and knowledge difficult to define because of how it change. As a cultures begin to mix and change as a result of globalization, conflicts inevitably arise over identity, values, and worldviews. This situation consequently needs for a literacy that enables us to quickly and easily identify and resolve such conflicts, preferably before they even begin. Multicultural literacy is a knowledge and skills necessary to ensure that any communication with a culture different from our own is clear, productive, and respectful such that their differences are celebrated and neither culture is demeaned or treated as inferior. Examples of manner of being multicultural literate: Be selfless Know that good and useful things can (and do) come from those different from us. Be willing to compromise Accept that there are limits Issues in Teaching and Learning Multicultural Literacy in the Philippines Conflicting Requirements for Peace the heart of multicultural literacy is peace among different cultures- that is productive and non- violent interaction. Nationalistic and Regionalistic Pushback the increasing demand for multicultural sensitivity, inclusion and diversity in the recent years has also given rise to resistance from groups who believe that their identity is being "watered-down" by the needed compromises. The Persistence of the Problem Boutte (2008) suggests that issues of discrimination in all its forms (racial, religious, tribal, cultural, etc.) are the issues of hatred, which defines in an educational  settings as "the lack of compassion and lack of respect for the right of others," and that such hatred must be fought and its roots must be attacked, because for as long as hatred exists in the human mind, real peace will be impossible (Vreeland, 2001). The Question of Love Another, issue in teaching and learning multicultural literacy is better posited as a question: "why should I treated people of another culture with respect?" INTEGRATING NEW LITERACIES IN THE CURRICULUM ASSOCIATION FOR SUPERVISION AND CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT (ASCD) (2004) Learn. Teach. Lead. presents three (3) approaches to integration MULTIDISCIPLINARY LIST OF STANDARDS BETWEEN DIFFERENT DISCIPLINE AREAS ARE CONVERGED CULMINATING ACTIVITY WITH A CENTRAL THEME KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND PROCEDURE OF DISCIPLINE CONSIDERED MOST IMPORTANT INTRA- AND INTER- Intradisciplinary Teacher integrates subdisciplines within a subject area Students can understand the connection between subdisciplines and the relationship to the real world Interdisciplinary Teacher organize common learning across discipline to emphasize interdisciplinry skills and concepts. Students can learn the skills and concepts that are beyond the immediate lesson Interdisciplinary 1. DEGREE OF INTEGRATION Medium/Intense 2. MANY RIGHT ANSWERS 3. ROLE OF TEACHER Facilitator Specialist/Generalist 1. Project-Based Learning 2. Service Learning COMMUNITY-BASED SERVICE ACTIVITIES SERVICE LEARNING The learning that allows for active participation of the students in a wide range of experiences  beneficial to community and other people helpful to advance goals in curriculum CHARACTERISTICS OF SERVICE LEARNING 1. Structured preparation 2. Student reflection 3. Direct application of theories/models SERVICE LEARNING - learning is meaning, integrative, reflective, contextualized, strength- based, reciprocal, and lifelong engagement 3. Learning Centers/Parallel Disciplines LEARNING CENTERS Elementary classroom Move from station to station to complete the activities learn the concept, topic or theme through lens of different subjects PARALLEL DISCIPLINES Higher grades study topic or theme in different classrooms Teachers sequence and match the content in other classrooms 4. Theme-Based Collaboration of Teachers more intense in planning and sequencing 3 or more subject ares involved end goal: integrated culminating activity may involve the whole school, may be independent of the regular school schedule may involve teachers across the same grade may have developed a long list of possible culminating activities connect acitivities to the standards of each disciplines 5. Fusion TEACHER - fuse knowledge, skills and attitudes to the regular school curriculum VALUES - respect for environment positive work habits INVOLVE - basic skills FUSION - technology, computer skills OTHER TYPES 1. CONNECTED 2. SEQUENCED 3. SHARED 4. WEBBED  Social Literacy Social skills - concerned itself with the development of social skills, knowledge, and positive human values that enable human beings to act positively and responsibly in a range of complex social settings. It is the knowledge of how to behave and treat other people in a way that is morally upright, just, and equitable, with a view of promoting positive and productive relations that are free from unfair prejudices, hate, and discrimination. Morally upright thoughts, speech, actions, and motivations that adhere to a standard of right and wrong Just- refers to speech, actions, and behaviors that are in line with a fixed standard of justice. Justice- a system that promotes and rewards good and at the same time punishes wrongdoing. Equitable- are the speech, actions, behaviors, and decisions that treat others fairly, regardless of background or circumstances Inequality - Unequal access to opportunities Equality - Evenly distributed tools and assistance Equity - Custom tools that identify and address inequality Justice - Fixing the system to offer equal access to both tools and opportunities Social Skills range from the ability to initiate, maintain, and end a conversation to reading social signals to more complex skills such as solving problems and resolving conflicts Greeting Children develop relationships with peers by interacting with them. The first step in social interaction is greeting someone. Words like "Hi", "Hello", or "How are you? Facial expression, tone of voice, and gestures. Initiating Conversation In order to initiate conversation, a child must be able to initiate, maintain and close conversation appropriately. It requires good listening and attention skills, ability to take turns and probe for missing information Impulsive children have trouble knowing when to talk and when to listen. Understanding the listener It is important to understand the audience one is talking to. A socially adept child quickly and unconsciously identifies and categorizes his listener, measures what he/she has planned to say against the anticipated response of the listener, and then proceeds. Empathizing Empathy is more than perspective-taking; it means that one can feel what the other person feels. It allows one to connect with other people, other children often think of children who lack empathy as mean, unkind, or self-centered. Reading Social Cues Cues are the hints and signals that guide us to the next thing to say or do. Social cues can be verbal or nonverbal. Good detectives pay very close attention to nonverbal cues.  Previewing or Planning Conversation also requires that one previews or thinks about what effect the words or actions may have on the listener before she says or does them. If the impact is negative, one can adjust what she might say or do. Apologizing Everyone makes social mistakes at one time or another. A person with good social skills is confident enough to make a sincere apology for her error. Apologizing is a sign of humble and mature character where one commits mistakes. The Role of Parents and Teachers in Teaching Social Skills to Children Parents typically play a major role in teaching children social skills Parents can directly teach social skills by modeling, role-playing, and providing opportunities for their child to rehearse and practice new skills Professionals typically intervene only when children are having substantial social difficulty with peers. School is the place where children spend the majority of their time with peers. While teachers do not have to teach a class social skills, they can take advantage of every opportunity to help children improve their social skills. They should be alert to teasing and bullying and aware of children who are rejected or ignored by peers.