New Media & New Literacies

There are many digital platforms and tools available for teachers to use in the classroom.  I utilize a variety, but two in particular are my go-tos for communicating with families and students when they are away from school:  TalkingPoints is a communication app, and Padlet is an app to share content with others.  While TalkingPoints is geared toward families, Padlet can be useful for students, looping in other educators, and families. TalkingPoints (TP) is used by my district to communicate with families in the form of texting.   As a teacher, I log into Clever (an app that contains all of our district apps and student information) to access TP.  I can look up students individually to text their family alone, combine different students into one text, or I can contact an entire class to make a mass announcement.  Since I teach every student in the school, this tool is indispensable!  I am able to text most families to send home a positive note, i...

          My students, as well as my own children, are always showing me new ways of framing music composition and enjoyment.  Lofi music, relaxing beats that are supposed to be helpful with studying and relaxing, is  found easily on the internet.  My students are in an urban district with a history of connections to hip-hop. As a music teacher, this would be a great way for my students to learn about composition, the purpose  behind this genre, how it can be found, how it is created, and how it can be monetized.  Students would  need to be able to navigate the computer or tablet to explore online and app features like GarageBand.  My pupils have enjoyed various relaxation techniques employed during class, and this is a type that not only  they can interact with, but be able to create and personalize.   This could also be an opportunity to explore  the visual aspect with the art teacher and collaborate to en...

 Today’s students are surrounded by new media and new literacies.  They have devices in their homes, rooms, and on their person that inform them throughout the day that something is happening somewhere.  Perhaps it’s a family member texting, or an update about how many Snaps they are receiving.  They have the ability to use their watch to access Google, to record others on their devices and share selfies.  My students love being able to show off how many TikTok dances they can do and if they are up to date on the latest trends.  Since the majority of my pupils are in elementary school, they don’t tend to question whether what they hear or see on their device is fact, opinion, or fiction.   There are ways for educators to teach students how to assess the content that they receive through their devices.  Aguilera suggests that a 3-step approach can be used in assessing digital media:  what is on the screen, what is behind the screen, and what i...

I have been an educator since 1997 and have taught a variety of classes in different ways:  theatre to middle schoolers, general music to nursery children, band lessons and rehearsals, chorus to elementary students, and introductory jazz to my homeschool jazz band.  One thing that I was not as prepared for in my pedagogy classes in the 1990s was utilizing technology beyond stereos, albums, CDs, and cassettes.  Let’s not forget VHS and overhead projectors!  I was still using most of these when I stopped teaching in 2007 to be at home with my children when the military relocated us again.   Fast forward to 2018 when I began teaching once more, with online curricula sources, ubiquitous SMART and Eno boards, and nary a book to be found for the students to use for music class.  This was a change in epic proportions not only for my brain to wrap around, but for me to adapt my entire style of teaching for my students in this new digitally-centered community! ...

                                                              How New Literacies are Relevant to Us     Literacy is not simply being able to read and write, it has expanded as technology has taken a foothold in our personal lives and workspace.  When access to technology in a school setting is not monitored and employed effectively, it can have a detrimental effect on learning.  A cell phone ban is coming shortly to New York State, and I have mixed feelings about it.  As an educator, I have seen middle and high schoolers have a better grasp of when to use their device and even have had them use them for research purposes during instruction.  I have also seen how kids can cyberbully during school time, record the teacher or other students without their permission, and sim...

Defining New Literacies and Why They Matter     There are many ways for students to access information in the 21st century.  Educators have the ability and duty to help curate access for their students and instruct how to utilize various technologies.  New platforms have opened up a world of data at our fingertips; navigating this landscape takes time and skill.  But what is music literacy, and how does it differ in this digital age?     Literacy in its basic form is the ability to read and write, yet is also encompasses different communities sharing and communicating (National Council of Teachers of English).  Classically trained musicians read music when they practice or perform a piece, and some write original and/or arrange previously written music.  Decoding music to perform it as written is thought as being literate in the musical community.  There are various forms in which music can be written, the earliest being presse...