Literacy in the 21st Century

What does it mean to be literate? If you said the ability to read and write, you are correct! (OK, generally correct, I could go on for hours about this definition...) 

But WAKE UP! It's the twenty-first century! We must now include technology use in our definition of literacy, also known as digital literacies. And what better way to immerse our students in this new literacy than by engaging with technology in our classrooms!

Letting students play games on the computers during recess or in the computer lab is NOT enough. Having them type a research paper in Microsoft Word will not count as sufficient. We must embrace technology, particularly the internet, to provide us, the teachers, with resources that will engage our students and model for them the unlimited benefits offered by the World Wide Web. 

The Common Core Standards call for Language Arts integration into all subject areas. What better way to do this than using digital literacies? In an effort to be a 21st century educator, I have revamped a standard Earth Day lesson plan to include resources from the internet. Short videos, podcasts and interactive slide shows provide students with more motivation and information than ANY handout could. Different sources also provide different perspectives. In a 20-minute period, your students can watch two videos, a slideshow, and listen to a podcast. This is in comparison to the same 20-minute period that it would take to read one article and take notes. Do the math, using technology makes sense.

Students also use social media in this lesson! Be honest, you know students are going to be more interested in writing a blog on the computer than a report based on their notes. You know that students who are hesitant to write or use technology will love creating podcasts, where their voices, not their writing, will be heard. 

Here you will find a link to this updated lesson plan. Don't be afraid! All of the web addresses are provided to you. Critique it, adapt is, USE IT in your class next year. Your students will thank you not just because it's fun and engaging, but because you are taking an active role in preparing them for the digitally-rich world which awaits them. 

Enjoy!