Teaching The New Writing Classroom Analysis

When I first enrolled in this class I did not know what to expect. This was my first education class and I was unaware of the progression of education and the integration of technology in the attempt to develop 21st century literacies. The first chapter of Teaching the New Writing explained the evolution of writing and the new forms of writing that are prominent in this day and age. Through this, I began to learn about many forms of literacies that are essential to school, work, and everyday life. However, this integration requires a catalyst for progress; teachers are the bridge between technology and curriculum and the most successful teachers in the 21st century will be those who understand technology and mold their curriculum around it,

In Teaching the New Writing, the first chapter discusses the shift from traditional print text. Kathleen Blake Yancey coined the term “textured literacy” which means, “the ability to comfortably use and combine print, spoken, visual, and digital processes in composing a piece of writing” (Herrington, Moran 7). Not only must the 21st century learner understand the old aspects of writing, they must also adapt to this new form. Furthermore, the framework for 21st century learning is split up into three categories: foundational, humanistic and meta (Fahnoe et al. 130). An aspect of the foundational knowledge is digital literacy, which means that before students can apply their knowledge to the outside world, they first need to have a basic understanding of digital literacy. So far, 21st century learners have had to adapt to two things: a change in writing curriculum, as well as a change in basic knowledge and the utilization of that knowledge. Additionally, another need for the 21st century learner is the ability to conduct research. Research has been a part of curriculum for a long time; in lecture we learned about Sir Francis Bacon and his requirements for a skilled researcher (Vu Information literacy), but Sir Francis Bacon did not have to conduct research during the information explosion of the 21st century. Students now have a wide variety of

A concept that goes hand in hand with digital storytelling is visual literacy, which Professor Vu defines as, “constructing meaning from everything we see” (Vu, Visual literacy). The reason visual literacy is important to digital storytelling is because students must develop visual literacy before hand. In class, Professor Vu assigned a mini project that was based on digital storytelling and the reinterpretation of love. This assignment was broad enough to create diversity in its response, but specific enough to demonstrate a commonality between students. Although these projects were based on individual performance, peer feedback was critical to the success of each student. Before we can discuss the ways digital storytelling addresses the needs of the 21st century learner, it is important to have an understanding of digital storytelling, as well as in class examples. Digital storytelling uses, “...tools of general media to craft, record, share, and value the stories of individuals…” (Kittle 164). One of the main aspects of digital storytelling is its emphasis on individuality; students from different backgrounds have an opportunity to share their story, or their perspective. This is why I found the mini project so insightful. Other examples of digital storytelling can be found in Chapter 10 of Teaching the New Writing. In one example, a professor gives his