We read and discussed our first article of the academic year: A Pedagogy of Multiliteracies: Designing Social Futures (1996) written by The New London Group. A fascinating read and timely much needed discussion followed as we sat together around a conference table eating Alladins and discussing the following:
- We began by explaining our perceptions on the question of What is Multiliteracy? This led us into a discussion of how we understand multiliteracies from the New London article and how we understand it (as a concept) personally?
- The bulk of our discussion revolved around how multiliteracies fall within each of our programs and within our department. We discussed ideas for ways multiliteracies do and could in the future play a part of our programs—through courses, assignments, the development of new courses, a general infusion throughout the programs and department?
- We then began to tackle where we hope to see multiliteracies in our future. Through the confimration of our book list to come and dates, we all agreed to continuing this rich discussion we had just begun, so as to remain innovative in our programs and in our department by keeping up with ever changing technologies and thereby ever changing pedagogies.
of The New London Group article?
I agree Jennie! I am so glad to be a part of this professional learning circle... it is just so nice to be able to have the luxury of engaging in this reflective conversation. I am certainly looking forward to our next meeting when we can both deepen our collective knowledge of the New Literacies as well as continue our shared exploration of purposeful classroom practices.
ReplyDeleteI'm looking forward to our meeting on Nov. 18th when we discuss Lankshear & Knobel's NEW LITERACIES! It's very timely that Laura and I are preparing to talk on the topic on Nov. 5th. Hopefully the discussion that begins that evening can carry over into our meeting on the 18th.
ReplyDeleteOne of the things that I keep thinking about since our last discussion is not only how to employ a pedagogy of multiliteracies in our classes, but how to do so in a way that is integrated in what we are already doing (as opposed to working a class into the schedule for which the topic is "multiliteracies"). For example, can a final exam be part of a multiliteracies pedagaogy? What would it need to do/look like in order to be aligned with the tenets of MP?
That said, I think we should also look at our own pedogogies critically and be open to the idea that if we're gonna do it right, some things might need to change.
The text we're reading next is replete with descriptions of digital tools and resources that we could integrate into our instruction. Let's try to think about a few things along these lines:
What are we already doing in our courses that is aligned with the New Literacies Studies and/or Mulitiliteracies pedagogy?
How can we incorporate some of the tools to adapt what we're already doing to be more in line with NLS & MP?
Since collaboration is a big part of New Literacies, in what ways can we collaborate across our programs to create more meaningful learning experiences for our students?
Oh, these are good questions, Maria. I don't have any great answers yet, but I promise to start thinking about these ideas you've posed...
ReplyDeleteThis is a technical question for anyone who can help...
ReplyDeletehow do I get my jpeg to show up as my profile picture under the FOLLOWERS like Maria's does?
As you can see, I finally figured out how to get a pic to show up as my profile picture... Yeah! Developing new technological literacy abilities every day!
ReplyDeleteAnother question re: Lankshear & Knobel--
ReplyDeleteMuch of this book does not deal with classroom practice per se, but instead draws our attention to the myriad and deictic ways we use literacy in our everyday lives (and if not us, the ways our students and our students' students are using it!).
What is your understanding of New Literacy (paradigmatically) and of new literacies (ontologically)? In what ways can (should?) these new perspectives shape the way that we conceive of and teach what it means to be literate in 2009?
Jennie--is there a setting on this blog to make it so that others can create new entries instead of just adding comments?
ReplyDeleteYou should all be able to post new threads now!! hooray!!
ReplyDelete