Self-Assessment

Everyone in our section of the New Media and New Literacies class who read my initial blog immediately knew I had had zero prior experience with blogging and that I am not savvy to the ins and outs of the complex world of digital technology.  That being said, completing this course has been hugely helpful in my continuing education and I thank not only Susan Forbes in leading the way, but also my fellow classmates, for making this experience beneficial and enjoyable.  I have compared taking this course to taking an immersion language course -- at times I felt completely beyond my depth, but because of the content, discussions and feedback, I needed to and could keep learning. 

For me, the video clip of Henry Jenkins' presentation on participatory culture (2006) and the text, Confronting the Challenges of Participatory Culture: Media Education for the 21st Century (Jenkins, 2006) wherein Jenkins delineates aspects of new media literacy skills and how they tie in with traditional literacy skills resonate with me.  The Jenkins' texts and Motoko Rich's The New York Times piece, Literacy Debate: Online, R U Really Reading? (2008) were important to me because they helped me gain an understanding of how the two skill sets work together.  These texts, the tandem assignments and the ensuing forum discussions helped me gain the necessary confidence, reasoning that if I am able to do one (traditional literacy skills), I can also learn to do the other (new media literacy skills).  The result is that I have improved.  I am no longer panicked as I write a blog.  In fact, I have come to really enjoy the activity, as well as reading my classmates' blogs and posting comments to them.  While I do not think I will ever possess the seemingly effortless astute intelligence and finesse of application that Alexis Aponte has (my hat is off to you), I can aspire to do so. 

The blogging, varied text content, assignments and discussion forums all worked together really well to advance my knowledge and understanding.  One problem I did not overcome to my satisfaction was my inability to upload my final paper presentation to youtube.  I had done a Power Point presentation and when attempting to upload it, I received the 'invalid format error' and could not find the 'Help' to convert the file to an acceptable format.  So rather than having a URL to post at the discussion forum, I posted my Power Point presentation so I could participate.  Thank you, Tikeshia, for your feedback, especially as a successful ELA educator.  

I also found the diversity of content and form in this course interesting and enlightening.  I found Networked Publics (Varnelis, 2008) to be complex, and the forum discussions by topic helped me in my understanding.  I enjoyed reading David Crystal's Language and the Internet (2004, 2001) and appreciate his dissection, reasoning, and explanations with examples which aided in my comprehension.  The 'Growing Up Digital' module was especially informative and provided insights on what is 'normal' for today's teen and how society is changing with rapidly advancing digital technology.  The transcript and audio of NPR's Terry Gross' interview with psychologist Sherry Turkle discussing her book, Alone Together (2012) was captivating, and that presentation, providing an overview with specific examples, helped me gain an understanding of the pros and cons of today's personal digital technology use and the impacts of social media. 

New Media and New Literacies encompasses a huge topic.  I am very thankful to have had the opportunity with this group to begin an understanding of it, and to have had the guidance and applications by which to begin learning new media literacy skills that go hand-in-hand with traditional literacy skills.  As a student and as a future educator, this course has facilitated my appreciation for the two skill sets working together.

Julie DeBold