A10.5: Week 10 Reflection

Aims and Objectives:

My goals for this week were:

• To continue my research on Broca’s aphasia with apraxia.  Due to some other assignments I have not been able to do anymore research and I want to continue to look for new information, so my project is up to date.
• To learn more about Podcasting.  I have never podcasted but after learning how to I find it very interesting.
• Completing all of my assignments for this class and making sure that they are accurate.

Declarative Knowledge:

This week I learned about podcasting.  I learned that podcasting is making an audio file available to other people.  We learned how to do this by phone which was really cool.  I learned more about apraxia and how it affects speech production.  I learned more about digital literacies, in particular reproduction literacy which I think is the most important literacy to know about, because it can help you determine if a source needs to be cited or not.

Procedural Knowledge:

This week I began my assignments by going to the class website.  I then responded to my groupmates fourth genre by going to their websites and reading their project.  I analyzed the project and determined how I thought the project could be improved.  I posted this by using the comment feature.  I then researched reproduction literacy by going to yahoo and typing in the words reproduction literacy.  I read some articles and gathered my thoughts on this literacy.  I then went to wordpress and posted this assignment.  Throughout the semester I have been lurking onto an online community and this week I had to post my observations of that community.  I thought about what I had read and answered the questions that were posed, I also made some additional comments.  I then did my Podcast.  To do this I created a script of what would be said.  I also provided the scenerio and gave background information.  I then called in my Podcast to gcast.com and it was posted.  To post the podcast to my website I had to go to gcast and link the page that the podcast was available on, because the site is not compatible with the player needed to hear the Podcast.  This is how I completed my assignments this week.

Conditional Knowledge:

Learning about digital literacy has helped me realize the skills that I possess and the one’s that I need to improve upon in order to be successful.  Learning more about online communities has helped me realize that they can be a valuable resource to a person researching or learning about things.  This has encouraged me to join other online communities to find things out about different populations.  This is a very valuable tool.  Learning to Podcast was really cool and could essentially be used as a student or a professional.  Everything that I have learned this week is very valuable.

Question:

What other Podcasting sites have you used, if any?

A10.4: Online Communities

  I have never joined an online community before this class.  For the past two months I have been lurking on to a augmentative device mailing list.  Everyday I receive messages from the list and I read them.  The emails vary from questions, responses to questions, and general information about individuals using a device or needing one.  I think that this community is very supportive.

     The group members of the community are generally professionals or people who have a child or spouse with a device.  The members share some of their concerns, ask questions about devices, and give updates on what is happening.  About a week ago I received a message from a speech-language pathologist asking the community their thoughts on two different devices because she was going to fit an individual with one.    One of the reasons that she asked this question is because the client had a job and she wanted to know which one would be better for him to use.  She also wanted to know if anyone had encountered a problem with employers because of their disability.  I thought that this was very interesting.  She did get some responses from the members.  Another recent topic raised was about the different augmentative devices and how well they withstand abuses of daily living.  A mother wrote in about her daughters device.  Her daughter had already gone through two devices because they tore up due to things that happen.  She wanted to know more about developing technology that was available to individuals who use augmentative devices.  This was a really neat email.

    I think that the purpose of this community is to provide support and answer questions and concerns.  I think a lot of the members are prompt in their answers.  I also think that the answers have been thought out.  I really like that the members are concerned with what is happening and try to support each other.  I really think that this community does what it has set out to do.  You can tell that people like to get updates on individuals and even sometimes send out an email if they haven’t heard from someone in a while.  I think that this is a good list to join because it shares ample information about augmentative devices and you get to know some amazing people along the way.

A10.3: Reproduction Literacy

     What is reproduction literacy?  Reproduction literacy is a type of digital literacy in which a person uses existing texts, images, or audio and creates a new interpretation.    This literacy is relevant in writing and art.  It enables individuals to put a new spin on an old work.  This type of literacy is important because it allows a person’s creativity and ideas to develop.  I think one thing that may come into question is when is this considered reproduction and when is it considered copyright infringement.  The skills that an individual must have to be reproduction literate are being able to think in a multidimensional ways and think outside of the box in order to create a new take on an old piece of work.  I think that the skills required are significant because a lot of individuals do not know how to do this.  I think that this is an important skill to learn because it will help in many ways.

     Out of all of the digital literacies that I have read about I think that this one is the most important and the most useful.  It will help students determine when they should cite a source in a paper and when to give credit.  This is extremely important in the academic world because it will help cut down on unknown plagiarism.  I think a lot of students who are accused of plagiarism do not realize that they have plagiarized because they lack this skill.  I also think that this is the least taught digital literacy out there.  I cannot remember ever being told for sure how to know if you should cite a source in a paper and I think that this is when learning to cite properly comes into play.  I know a lot of high school English teachers only require MLA format but I think for a full advantage students should learn MLA and APA format.  Since I have been in college every paper that I have written was required to be in APA format.  I think learning this in secondary schools would really help the students of tomorrow.  I also think that this is so important that there should be an elective course available to secondary students whose focus is citation and knowing when to cite.  I hope that the importance of this literacy helps change the school systems of today and require some type of citation class.  These are my thoughts and opinions on the importance of reproduction literacy.

A9.5: Week 9 Reflection

Aims and Objectives:

My goals this week were:

• To write my fourth genre.  I really wanted to complete this genre and make sure that it could be integrated into my topic.
• To learn more about branching literacy.  I never realized how the things that I think are common knowledge are classified.  I think that it is really neat that there are a ton of different types of digital literacy.
• To reflect upon the suggestions that my classmates have made in order to improve my work.

Declarative Knowledge:

     This week I learned that branching literacy is a type of digital literacy.  This literacy includes being able to operate technology and map how you used the technology to get to places.  I learned more about how I could improve my work through reading my groupmates comments.  I also have learned more about alternative treatment options for a person with severe Broca’s aphasia with apraxia by talking to professors and researching sources.

Procedural Knowledge:

     I began this weeks assignments as I usually do by going to the class website and viewing the reading assignments.  I then went through my email and read some of the mailing list emails that I have been receiving.  I then did the branching literacy assignment by going to Yahoo and typing in branching literacy.  I chose two helpful websites and reflected on the questions that were asked.  I went to my weblog and posted the response.  I then went to my groupmates websites and posted my comments.  I have really enjoyed reading their projects and providing helpful feedback.  I researched my topic further and wrote it on paper.  I am doing some last minute revisions but plan to post it this evening.

Conditional Knowledge:.

     I really think that it is important to know about the different types of digital literacy.  This will allow you to improve upon these skills and even teach others how to use them.  This will help as a lifelong learner.  I also think that it is important to be able to make suggestions without criticizing and I think that we are learning to do that by reviewing each others work.  This will really help us in our careers.

Question:

When are we going to learn how to Podcast?

A9.3: Branching Literacy

 Before beginning this project, I did not know what branching literacy was or what it referred too.  I found information at: The European Journal and Digital Literacy .  I found out that branching literacy is a type of digital literacy.  Branching literacy involves understanding complex topics involved in technology.  It also involves using a digital device.  Branching literacy is used when you surf the internet and check databases.  It is the ability to navigate the system without getting lost in hyperspace.  This literacy emerged as technology has improved and is becoming more important as the days go by.  To be an efficient user of this skill you must be able to mentally model the space in your head.  You need to be able to use concept maps and other forms of representation to convey the idea of the world-wide web.

     I never realized that I possess this skill but I think that I do.  I also think that it has developed with the advances of technology.  My greatest skill that is involved in branching literacy  is being able to mentally model, how I have gotten to the place that I am on the web once I am there.  I am also able to operate a digital device by looking at it and choosing options that I notice through either words or images.  I can understand that a person needs certain skills to be able to use this literacy properly.  I hope to improve upon these skills and become a more efficient navigator of the web and user of digital devices. 

     I think that this skill is very important.  I think that today there is probably more of an emphasis on learning this skill than when I was in the secondary school system.  In order to be a successful student, researcher, and professional you must be able to navigate the world-wide web and know where you have gotten your information.  You also need to know how you find that information and where you went to find it.  You have to know how to use digital devices in today’s society, it is a requirement.  I think the use of computer systems is now emphasized in the educational system.  For example, when I first began grade school in 1989 there was one computer in each classroom and we rarely used them.  When I reached the fourth grade in 1993, our grade school put in a computer lab which contained 30 computers.  As a class we went down to that room two to three times a week and worked with educational games.  We also learned how to operate the machine.  Today my niece who is 3 years-old operates a computer with ease.  To play her Pooh game she goes to the computer and clicks on the Pooh icon and plays the game.  She is way more advanced than I was at that age.  My point is that in today’s society not only the schools stress branching literacy but a lot of parents stress it.  I think that this skill will continue to be very important as technology evolves.

A8.5: Week 8 Reflection

Aims and Objectives:

My goals for this week were:

• To revise my project prospectus.  I wanted to review my prospectus and determine what I needed to do to answer my essential question.  I structured my foundation questions in a way that would lead to the conclusion that I wanted people to come too.
• To complete my third genre.  I wanted to complete my third genre and make sure that it would answer a foundation question that was vital to my research.
• To provide my classmates with helpful feedback.  I wanted to help my classmates improve upon their work and give them positive feedback.

Declarative Knowledge:

This week I learned more about information literacy.  I learned that it is a skill that is vital for survival in today’s society.  I think in order to be a life-long learner, good student, and professional you need to possess this skill.  It will help you determine when information is needed and how you can obtain the information.

Procedural Knowledge:

The first assignment that I tackled this week was responding to my classmates second genre.  I went to their websites and read their genre.  I then asked myself the following questions:

• What voice was it written in?
• Who was the target audience?
• What is the author saying?
• What is good about the work?
• How can the work be improved?

I answered these questions and posted my comments to their webpages.  I then researched information literacy and reflected on the importance of it in today’s society.  I posted my thoughts to my weblog.  After meeting with Mrs. McComas I revised my prospectus.  With her help I determined what questions I should ask in order for my audience to come to the conclusion that I wanted them too.  I then decided what my third genre would be and did some additional research through databases.

Conditional Knowledge:

 Knowing more about information literacy will help me improve upon my skills and be more literate.  This skill will help me throughout my life.  I think that is a critical skill to possess in today’s society.  The research project is really  helping me as a student and future clinician.  I think that I am learning a lot of valuable information about my topic.

Questions:

When citing within the poem, for example, I put broken speech (which is my way of saying agrammatism), I learned this from a source, so can it be cited as a summary?

A8.3: Information Literacy

     Information literacy is very important in today’s society.  An information literate person is able to recognize when information is needed and is able to retrieve the needed information.  To begin searching for a subject, an individual must understand what is the question being asked and how should it be answered.  They should also take into account what they already know about the topic before beginning their search.  Once formulating what is being asked the individual should then form a search strategy.  Where can the information be located?  With today’s technology there are ample resources available at the touch of the button.  Then, the individual must decide what resources to use.  An information literate person will be able to easily determine what sources are reliable and the sources that are not reliable.  After retrieving the data needed the individual will then organize it and prepare to present it.

      Of course there are certain skills a person must have to be information literate.  The person has to know when there is a need for information.  They have to know how to obtain the information and then organize it.  These skills are needed to be a good researcher and an information literate person.

      As I have gone through school information literacy has emerged.  I think that my generation is the first that this skill has been emphasized for due to the advances in technology.  Because let’s face it, we are living in the computer age.  The earliest experience that I can remember using the skills involved in information literacy, was when I was in the sixth grade.  In the sixth grade I was required to write a research paper.  I can remember going to the library and using the computer to look up newspaper, journal, and magazine articles that I needed.  While I was there I also learned how to use the card catalog.  This experience helped prepare me for the challenges that awaited me in junior high and high school.  As I continued through school technology advance and the Internet has now become the biggest resource that I have.  It is so easy to research today because all you have to do is type a word into your computer and hundreds, maybe even thousands of results are returned.  The challenge is determining if the source is reliable.  At Marshall, I have learned how to search databases efficiently and now that is were I mainly search when I have a topic I am researching.  I think that being information literacy is now a requirement in today’s society and I think that teachers realize that and are emphasizing it in their classrooms.   These are my thoughts on information literacy.

A7.5: Week 7 Reflection

Aims and Objectives:

My goals for this week were:

• To learn more about using Powerpoint.  In my years using Powerpoint I have learned by trial and error so my goal is to learn how to use it better in order to accomplish my work.  I want to become a more efficient user and not take as much time to complete a presentation due to trying to figure out what works.
• To be creative.  I think of myself as an analytical thinker with some creativity but not a lot.  This week we had to write a poem for our MGRP so I wanted to make my poem creative.
• To learn more about photo-visual literacy.  One of our assignments this week was to find information on photo-visual literacy and talk about.  I wanted to express my views on the topic as well in this assignment so I had to attain some knowledge about the topic, in order to write about it.

Declarative Knowledge:

     This week I learned more about Powerpoint and how to use.  I think that I can now use the program with ease to create a presentation.  I learned more about my research project and more about poetry.  I chose an acrostic poem because I thought that it would be fun to do and it didn’t have to rhyme.  I learned that photo-visual literacy is a skill that develops on its own without any coaching but now it is become a part of curriculum.  I really think that this is awesome.  I learned more about my group members and how I could contribute more to our group conversations.

Procedural Knowledge:

   To begin this weeks assignments I went to the class webpage and read the readings.  I also went to my email and logged in to read more of the messages from my mailing list.  When creating my poem I searched the internet for different types of poems by going to Yahoo and typing in poems.  It was there I found a link to acrostic poetry and decided to create this type of poem for my project.  I then wrote down some facts about Broca’s aphasia.  I gathered my thoughts wrote my poem and then came to wordpress and logged in.  Once I logged in I clicked on my dashboard and went to write.  I clicked write page and typed my poem.  When I was finished I clicked post.  To complete the reflection on the group conversation, I went to my email and opened the transcript.  I then looked at the transcript and answered the questions that were given.  Once this was completed I posted it as I normally post.  To complete the photo-visual literacy project, I went to Yahoo and typed in the words.  I then analyzed the information that I found.  I gathered my thoughts and answered the questions.  I finished by posting it to my weblog.

Conditional Knowledge:

     Doing research for Broca’s aphasia is providing me with ample information that I can use as a student and in my future clinical work.  Reflecting on the group conversation really helped me determine how I may be more helpful in a conversation and how sometimes you may have to reread what has been typed in order to understand what a person meant in their comment.  There is no shame is asking for someone to repeat and being aware of what is being said.  This will definitely help me as a clinician.  I think all in all everything that I have learned this week will help me be a better student and a better clinician.

Question:

In our poem’s if we chose to write from the client’s perspective, should we write exactly how they would have written it?

A7.4: Photo-visual Literacy

     Until receiving this assignment I never thought that looking at a picture and understanding the meaning of the picture was a skill, but it is.  This skill is also known as photo-visual literacy.  There are several areas of cognition involved in understanding an image, which include but are not limited to: questioning, personal associations, categorizing, analyzing, speculating, and fact finding.  The complexity of the picture will vary so the cognitive skills involved in interpreting the meaning of the picture will change.  As young children developing this skill, we can only interpret concrete pictures, but as we get older our skill level increases and so do our interpretations.  For example, when I was a young child I saw a piece of interpretive sculpture and I really didn’t understand it, I just knew that it was art.  As an adult, I look back on that sculpture and realize that it was trying to show the world.  I think that it is amazing how much a skill can build over a few years, without any formal training.  Can you imagine what a person could do with this skill if it was worked on through various activities in school?  I bet it would be amazing.  One study as a matter of fact has broken down photo-visual literacy into five stages.  The first two stages can be compared to the pre-literate phase of reading.  The final three stages involve building upon the skills you have acquired. 

     Now that I have thought about the skill of photo-visual literacy, I can totally relate to the fact that there are certain skills involved.  I also realize that those skills have to be developed through experience.  I really think that is why as we grow and develop our skills improve. 

     How will photo-visual literacy change education?  I really don’t know the answer to that question, but I can tell you how I hope it will change education.  I hope that teachers will devote at least 30 minutes a week talking about art and helping the students develop their skills.  In middle school and high school, I think that several art classes should be offered, ranging from sculpture and painting to art history.  I know that in bigger schools this is probably already offered, but where I went to school we didn’t have a choice in what class we took, we just took art.  I also hope that there is a visual art requirement put into the criteria for a student to graduate from high school.  Learning the skill of photo-visual literacy is very important and I think that it should be developed so that students can take full advantage of the skill. 

Reference:

Yenawine, P. (1997). Handbook of Research on Teaching
          Visual Literacy through the Communicative and
          Visual Arts.  Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum
          Associates, Inc.  Retrieved October 8, 2006, from
          http://www.vue.org/download/Thoughts_Visual_Literacy.pdf.

 

A7.3: Reflection on Discussion of 9/27/06

1. What was your primary contribution to the discussion?  My primary contribution was adding comments about plagarism and copyright infringement.  I also brought up the issue of free use.  When I was reading about copyright, I noticed that free use was not clear cut.  There is a lot of gray area in copyright laws regardless of the effort that has been made to make them more clear.  The group discussion also began speaking about formatting issues such as APA vs. MLA.  I contributed to this due to my experience.
2. What questions emerged from your group discussions?  We as a group wondered: Why are most students taught MLA instead of APA format in high school?  Why isn’t there a seminar on copyright infringement and plagarism for students?  How can we learn more?
3. What questions were answered for you in your group discussion?  We talked a lot about the guidelines for copyright and plagarism.  We decided as a group that in order to understand more about both that we need some guidance.  One question that was answered was : Do I need permission to use a picture from a different website?  The answer was that it depends on the site but it is always safe to ask for permission.
4. How will you apply what you learned in the readings and discussion to your own work?  I must say that I am now an advocate for a seminar on plagarism and copyright.  I think that it needs to be discussed and taught.  I will definitely be more aware of what I put into my work and give credit where credit is due.  I feel like I have gained a lot of knowledge on the issue and will be very aware of it.  I plan on using all that I have learned to insure that I do not commit plagarism or infringement.

Additional Information:  Our group also talked about some of the issues that NSSLHA had with their website.  I really found it quite extreme what NSSLHA had to go through in order to use a logo.  We discussed using copyrighten products to help with fundraisers and how much it would cost to get permission.  One thing that I think should be considered when a group asks permission to use something is why do they want to use it?