Digital Literacy

"Some consider fake news to be simply information with which they disagree. Others claim that we can no longer regulate truth in an era where fake news spreads so easily and that we therefore live in a "post-truth" society." -Mark Chayko The idea that some consider fake news to be information they disagree with gives me great concern. In a country that prides it self in being some where with freedom of speech it strikes me as petty to then  hold information as fake if they are unable to support it. Don't get me wrong there are a lot of things I read and hear that I don't like or really want to hear but I feel that the term fake news is a phrase spread like wildfire now. With the election of our newest president this phrase has been everywhere. I didn't think much of it until it was thrust into our faces everyday. I grew worried because I know as an avid celebrity gossip follower that I maybe gullible enough to fall for fake news. Chayko says "...

"People do not benefit equally from the affordances or opportunities that technology can provide. People are not all in the same position to access it, learn about it, use it, or even invent it in the first place"-Mary Chayko  Equity in education and resources is a topic I take great interest in. I think it stems from the fact that I grew up in a small agricultural town in Eastern Washington with virtually no diversity. There were essentially Caucasian families and Mexican families. Initially I had a very privileged view of my access to resources. When applying for scholarships to attend college I was increasingly frustrated with the stipulation in so many scholarships that you must be related to someone working in the agricultural industry or child of a migrant worker. I was spending my time saying poor me I am none of those things instead of realizing why those stipulations were on those scholarships in the first place. They were necessary for equity. I unknowingly had ac...

As a new teacher fresh from subbing for half a year one of the things I was not ready for was the mix of different types of teachers in my school. I started out eating my lunch in the staff lounge as a way to get to know my colleagues. That soon stopped when I realized what a negative space the staff lounge was. While there were times of sharing about our lives and families it was far less than the times with negative rants about students and situations in the classroom. It is still this way which is why I continue to eat my lunch in my classroom even after 5 years at the same school. I was finding myself complaining and joining in to have something to relate to. I don't like the teacher I become when I go to the staff lounge. As teachers we have times when we had a student be extremely difficult or situation that comes up that drives us crazy. How should we handle it? First, I think we all need something OUTSIDE of school that helps us release stress. Maybe its the gym or get...

Hello, I am Sierra D'Amelio. I am a kindergarten teacher, mother, and wife. This quarter I am looking forward to learning more about the opportunities the internet and technology possess for not only my students but my own child as well. Having a young two year old daughter I am consistently feeling the guilt of using too much technology while also worrying about lack of exposure to it as well. With my students being so young I also feel the pressure to incorporate technology in a developmentally appropriate manner. Figuring out what this is has been a challenge and one I look forward to learning more about.