I enjoyed doing the adolescent interview with my 13 year old son. My focus was cell phone usage with students his age. I was surprised about the amount 8th graders use their phones but I was surprised about the difference of them to my sons usage. Some may think that my son could be holding back on his usage because I'm his mom but I don't believe so. He is a pretty honest, hard working kid. He is a Boy Scout and a high honor roll student. Besides, I have full access to his phone. :-)
 From the interview, I got the impression that most kids my sons age use the phone for games and social media. I think it is rare for them to use it for educational purposes. I also believe that very little actual talking on cell phones happens with this age group. Texting seems to be the trend for them.

Something I was shocked about is the lack of rules parents have for cell phones with teenagers. I restrict websites, social media sites, texting and time on the phone from my son. He just got a phone a couple months ago, not 7 or 8 like some kids I have seen. I understand this wasn't really part of what to get out of the interview but I feel it is important to mention. We have entered a world of few rules, kids sit in front of the TV and computer, play on phones at dinnertime, have no bedtime and lack respect and connection to the ones that mean most to them. It is important for our generation to instill rules and values into the next generation. The 21st century has introduced us to huge social and economic changes that will forever advance our world and our children. As important as this is, it doesn't even come close to what is truly important, guiding our children to grow up to be the best human being they can be.

A Look at Mothers and Fathers in the Media ad was intriguing to me. The advertisement is for sharpie and shows a father writing the names of his children on their diapers in order to tell them apart. Anyone who has had identical twins, triplets or any amount of children in one pregnant knows that you may have trouble telling them apart. I have heard of using clothing or hair accessories to this. I have even heard of painting toe nails. I don't think writing their name on their diaper is that far fetched. It an intriguing and funny advertisement that is set up effectively to focus on the dads goal ad what he is writing with. I like the ad and feel it works!
What I learned from this assignment is that its interesting to deconstruct advertisements.  There can definitely be some hidden meanings in them. This ad suggests that fathers are not great at remember who their children are. One could read further into it by suggesting that its because the father isn't around the babies as much. I would be shocked to find out that this was Sharpies intent. I believe they were just looking for a comical way to sell their product and reaching out to the busy middle class adults.

While reading and viewing the YouTube videos, I became increasingly interested in the topic of youth engagement. More specifically in the engagement of politics and democracy.   "Younger generations have disconnected from conventional politics and government in alarming numbers" (Bennett, 2008, pg.1). Today's youth spend most of their time on social media sites and the internet but why aren't they engaging themselves in these very important areas of our country? One reason could be " candidates seldom appeal directly to young voters on their own terms about their concerns" (Bennett, 2008, pg.1).  Bennett believes there is two paradigms to youth engagement. Basically, we have the engaged and disengaged. Engaged youth are more active while disengaged youth are more passive. (Bennett, 2008, pg. 3) Unfortunately, I feel we have disengaged than engaged when it comes to topics like politics, democracy and citizenship. One of the key reasons we have youth that are disengaged is "the curriculum is often stripped of independent opportunities for young people to embrace and communicate about politics on their own terms" (Bennett, 2008, pg7). Youth today feel as though they don't have the opportunities to express their thoughts about current topics related to politics and democracy.
 How do we get our youth more interested in these topics using digital media? I feel that there are several things that are being done and that can be done to get our youth more engaged with these topics of importance. " Howard Rheingold notes in this volume, many young people live online, but they may lack the skills to communicate their common concerns in effective ways to larger (public) audiences" (Bennett, 2008, pg.8). It important to introduce politics though digital media because that is what our youth are using today o communicate and learn. Rheingold suggests training for youth so that they are better equip with the tools and strategies to become engaged. It is important for all members of the society to work on ways to get youth more involved. While watching the You Tube video listening to Raquel Recuero, she explains how the Brazilian youth are engaging in politics, social movements and democracy. A statement that she said that stuck with me was, "Youth have a great potential to do good" (Recuero, 2012). Our future in these powerful, yet controversial, topics and situations are in the hands of our youth. We need to ensure that all youth are involved in them. Recuero explains how it has been important to spread democracy across Brazil. A group of people got together and created a website. It was launched in 2010 and is open to everyone in the country but it was set up especially for their youth. The site gives citizens the opportunity to express their thoughts and communicate with other people about democracy. (Recuero, 2012)  Youth are able to use this website to not only express themselves but also to hear out other peoples opinions. Another site that was established by a youth in Rio De Janeiro to give others his age the opportunity to discuss situations happening around them. It is a great way to connect youth and the community and to get them involved in the world around them.
I feel that there is definitely a lack of youth involvement with politics but I also feel that digital media is helping to guide our youth back to these topics. Many youth have it set up where they log into their phone or computers and the news stories of the day pop up. This gives them the chance to see what is going on in the world. The thing I think is missing is a non bias site, like in Brazil, that gives them the opportunity to express their thoughts and ask questions about the main topics the United State is faced with today. Sure, they can post things on Face Book or other social media site but I have heard one to many times how controversial that can get. The other thing I think needs to happen is politicians that are in office or running for office need to set a better example for our youth. There is so much corruption and controversial situations that go on it politics, how can parents engage their children to watch and take part in debates or conversations if we are always worrying what may come up next.


Bennett, W. L. (2008). “Changing Citizenship in the Digital Age." Civic Life Online: Learning How Digital Media Can Engage Youth. Edited by W. Lance Bennett. The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation Series on Digital Media and Learning. Cambridge, MA: The MIT Press, Pg.1–24. doi: 10.1162/dmal.9780262524827.001

Receuro, R. (July, 2012). How are Brazilian youth becoming more digital and what potential does digital media produce democracy and social movement? www.connectedlearning.tv/raquel_receuro

The topic that interests me is the growth of mobile devices and the use of them. Mobile phone use grew from 5 million subscribers in 1990 to 225 million in 2007 (Varnelis, 2008, pg. 33). Today, many people around the world are plugged in. he mobile phone is one of the growths that stem from devices such as the home telephone. "The use of telephones have encouraged sociability and maintained intimacy at a distance" (Varnelis, 2008, pg. 20). Around the world, people are keeping in touch with one another. Friends and families have stayed connected. Business have grown due to the use of email and text messaging. With communication made easier across the globe, society and economics have grown. With mobile phones, people have created "personal cocoons of private connectivity and conversation so people can stay connected with the people they feel most comfortable with" (Varnelis, 2008, pg.10).

Mobile phones offer us tools that can essentially make our lives easier. They offer a digital memory. People can store information that can be retrieved at a later date. Mobile phones gives people the opportunity to text, tweet or email. They can take pictures and record videos. Aside from family and friends using tools that mobile phones offer, so have law enforcement. They investigate crimes by using the digital memory from mobile phones. Pictures, videos, texts and emails speak to the stories of every day life for many people.  The techniques and tools built into a mobile device has provides people around the world with opportunities to communicate with people around the world. Take Japan for instance. A man by the name of Ichiyo Habuchi coined the term tele cocooning. This is a "virtual network space created by young friends and lovers out of constant, steady stream of conversation that keeps them in touch when they are apart" (Varnelis, 2008, pg. 22). This tools helps Japanese people stay in contact with in another. It is similar to text messaging in the United States.

While reading chapter one, Varnelis introduces us to Richard Ling. Ling describes to his readers how the mobile phone brings the world to specific issues. The first is "audio population due to the increasing number of mobile phones being used" (Ling, 2005). As I stated, the mobile phone subscribers have increased from 5 million to 225 million in just 15 years. The other issue Ling is concerned about is, "withdrawal form public sphere" (Ling, 2005). Personal connection, face to face is not present as much in society as is was many years ago. I have seen students text other students that are just feet away from them. I have seen a teacher text another teacher who was only 3 doors down the hall. There is lack of social interactions due to what mobile devices offer society. As Ling states, "if we are in the public sphere...then there is a social component" (Ling, 2005).

Today, Americans connect to the internet daily using mobile devices. "Mobile phones, emails and browsing for information are an increasing part of everyday experience for many people" (Varnelis, 2008, pg. 25). My thoughts and opinions about this topic are mixed. I feel we should use mobile devices to our advantage because of what they offer us. I also feel we need to be sure not to take too much away from our social norms. With the use of mobile phones, students are able to browse the internet to research for school, send emails to friends and classmates, send texts to parents identifying where they are and have some fun playing games. People can connect on mobile devices to different cultures around the world and read about the news that is happening in another country. Society and technology has changed. People are embracing these changes globally. I\n regards to the social norms, I do feel that mobile phones have disconnected people to every day events and people right in front of them. I went into a restaurant last week with my husband and kids. Every table had at least 1 person connected to their mobile phone. Many tables, everyone was connected. Even children as young as 5 or 6. I feel families today have stopped connecting face to face with each other. As I de think that mobile devices gives us the tools to do many things, I equally feel that it is important to unplug once in a while.

"The distinctive contribution of the approach to literacy as social practice lies in the ways in which it involves careful and sensitive attention to what people do with texts, how they make sense of them and use them to further their own purposes in their own learning lives" (Gillen and Barton, 2010, p. 9).

This is an intriguing statement. What does this statement mean? How do you define literacy? A person could use the simple dictionary or google it or they could examine the word "literacy" by examining their own experiences. "Traditionally, the word literacy has referred to a set of cognitive skills that individuals acquire to function in society." (Gee, 1996; Street, 1995). While a growth in literacy suggests, literacy is something individuals do in a particular social context, rather than simply something people acquire" (Gee, 1996; Street, 1995).

 Literacy has evolved over the past 25 years and growing up it didn't mean the same to me as I feel it means to me today. When I was a student, I was encouraged to read and write much like I encourage my own students. I read magazine articles and books that challenged me to think outside the box. One series I became fond of was the Boxcar Children. I felt by relating these stories to my own life, I was able to "use them to further my (their) own purpose in my (their) own learning live" (Gillen and Barton, 2010, p. 9). "Reading and writing provide the foundation of education...(Cassell, 2004). I believe this statement was true then and now. I still read and write like I did as child but through the advancements of education and technology, but reading an writing isn't just about hard cover books, paper and pencils anymore.

My perspective of literacy today has grown. Much of it is due to my education I have received and some of it has to do with society approach to literacy. Take blogging for instance. It is a literacy advancement. Online discussions help us to write more and connect with what other students write. It gives us the opportunity to examine different perspectives that may not have been visible to us as we read our assigned reading. "We are in a period that could be characterized as fruitful turbulence in education as digital technologies create social, culture as well as cognitive affordances" ( Gillen and Barton, 2010). Our culture has become wrapped up in computers, blogs, webpages, Facebook and Instagram so I feel its important to use it to motivate students to excel in their literacy learning. "The uses of educational technology have a two-fold advantage: they can promote the types of literacy traditionally encouraged in learning, as well as the digital fluency needed to prosper in the digital age" (Huffakers, 2005). I have first hand experienced how integrating digital literacy into a classroom can help guide students to read and write. While working with a group of first graders, I noticed one specific student who had a difficult time sitting on the carpet reading a book. He had trouble sitting still and said "reading was boring." He needed a different reading setting. I set him up on the computer in one of the reading webpages suggested by a coworker. Within 10 minutes, this student was reading and having fun doing it. He was engaged and eager to read more then the allotted reading time. The goal wasn't for the student to sit on the carpet and read, it was for him to just read. The web program helped him do this.

 My focus for literacy to my students is so much more. My approach to teaching literacy encompasses numerous strategies that create a literacy rich environment. It is important as teachers to incorporate our own knowledge and skill set into a literacy curriculum in order for students to succeed. It is equally important for teachers to "keep up with society" and utilize technologies for our students. They should be exposed to a variety of literacy approaches that help strengthen literacy learning.

References

Cassell, J. (2004). Towards a model of technology and literacy development: story listening systems. Journal of Applied Development Psychology, 25, 75-105

Gee, J.P. (1996). Social linguistics and literacies: Ideology in discourses. London: Taylor and Francis

Gillen, J. and Barton, D. (Jan. 2010). Digital Literacies. London Knowledge Lab Institute of Education

GREEN Three Dimensions to Literacy

Huffaker, D. (2005). The educated blogger. Using weblogs to promote literacy in the classroom. AACE Journal, 13 (2), 91-98

Hello Everyone,
Welcome to my blog. There is not much to it as I am not as tech savvy as some. I look forward to working with all of this semester.
Heather