digital newcomer

Year 2 - Research & Dissertation

2008-10-18T20:36:00.002+01:00

Well here I am in October and I've managed to keep the old blog going...well just about!

The new term has begun and the focus of this final year is very much on research methodologies and methods in preparation for the dissertation. I've still no idea what I'm going to focus on...which is a tad worrying, however, I have started to make some notes and looked back at year one, to see if anything jumps out as a possible area of interest.

Blogging has obviously captured my imagination to a certain degree, although I know that this blog is not great and doesn't have the focus Lankshear & Knobel (2007) talk about. However, I've created one for work to support my PCGE/Cert Ed. students and I thing that's going to work a little better, as it has a clearly focus. I think I'll try and keep this blog going, even if it's just to reflect on stuff...who knows.

Memes

2008-05-15T21:07:00.006+01:00

This week on my MA in New Literacies we are looking at 'Memes' and have been set the task of finding examples of online memes on YouTube and posting them on our respective blogs for fellow students to comment upon. So, below is a selection of memes that caught my eye.

SexyBack (Kirk/Spock)

More to follow....

Found it ! I've seen it before and thought it was hilarious, but it's now a well known well established example of a meme...the unforgettable sound of Bush and Blair and My Endless Love !

CatTalking Translation video - "Quick someone's coming, act like a cat".

Culture and Popular Culture

2008-05-02T23:12:00.003+01:00

We're now into Module 3 of the course and are currently considering definition of culture and the development of popular culture. Reading some interesting stuff and re-visiting some old friends eg.(Gramsci, Also, enjoyed looking at a useful website on various theorists www.theory.org.uk that are portrayed in a set of trading cards, very novel!

Now this is what I'd like to do !

2008-04-17T22:17:00.003+01:00

As part of our recent small scale study and fellow student decided to post her research findings on the net via YouTube...how impressive is that ! Way to go Misti !!

Will I be brave enough to follow suit at some point soon ? Now there's a challenge !

Small scale study now over !

2008-04-14T12:49:00.001+01:00

Having now finished my small scale study into blogging, I'm really going to try and develop my blog a little more. One of my main tasks is to learn how to add some additional features, as well integrating more photos, videos and even podcasts.

The original focus for the blog is my MA in New Literacies and this will continue, but I am now interested in developing a work related blog and I need to decide whether to integrate it into this site or create a new blog !

Watch this space !

Area of interest - Thoughts on my dissertation

2008-03-13T12:37:00.000Z

As I have been surfin the net to research for my current small scale study on the use of blogs, particularly by adult literacy learners, I have come across various articles, blogs, videos etc. to two topics -Creativity and multiple intelligence, both of which have been of interest to me for sometime, particularly how they related to literacy development.

10 reasons why you should encourage your learners to blog !

2008-03-06T12:45:00.000Z

During my current research for my Module 2 small study project on the use of blogging to support teaching and learning I came across this little gem from YouTube.

Blogging

2008-03-02T21:48:00.000Z

According to Lankshear & Knobel (2006) blogs should not only be interesting but should meet 3 other criteria (1) evidence of a clear and strong sense of purpose (2) a recognisable and well-informed point of view; and (3) a good stanard of presentation (p.154)

So, bearing that in mind, I plan to work on developing my blog further in the coming months and hope to incorporate some additional features, once I'm techy enough to do so.

Clearly, the focus of my blog at present is centred around my MA in New Literacies (with the odd slip into other life matters) but I hink I'm quite keen now to develop another focus in the future around my work, the question is whether to set up a new blog or gradually let this one transmogrify in something different ?

What becomes of the broken hearted...they get rushed to hospital and have a pacemaker fitted, of course !

2008-02-21T20:38:00.000Z

Apologies for the slight haitus in blogging, but as the title suggests I've been somewhat pre-occupied after experiencing heart failure ! ..... how scary is that ! ....believe me that answer is VERY ! Having been diagnosed with something called ' sick sinus syndrome' I have now got a pacemaker fitted, which is very weird and is taking some getting used to. However, I have found the postings on the PacemakerClub website quite re-assuring, if not a little disconcerning at times.

Happy New Year ! Assignment nearly over

2008-01-07T23:23:00.000Z

Blogging had to be postponed over the Christmas period, due the small matter of trying to write an assignment. I did think about posting at various stages how I was feeling during the ordeal, which I thought might be interesting,but I decided there would be too many expletives, and I don't wish to offend.

So, some changes to make, but overall I'm on the right track, which comes as a major relief. I'm now really looking forward to the next module and doing some more serious reading (which was undoubtedly the best part of the assignment work for me).

New Years resolution is definitely to keep on blogging in 2008 and get some photos and video clips, podcasts etc. uploaded (if I can suss out how to do it !) and up the links a bit more.

So...

Check out my tutor's cool NEW Blog at http://digital-literacies.blogspot.com/

Blog Five

2007-12-16T22:07:00.000Z

Work has now started in earnest on my first assignment and I'm currently getting to grips with some readings. After starting a couple of days ago in a fairly logical fashion, I've suddenly began to read as if I'm accessing webpages, constantly flipping from one thing to the next ! I'm not sure if this approach has necessarily helped me, but it has been interesting, not least because it has led me to read one or two chapters from Gee (1996) Social Linguistics and Literacies - Ideology in Discourses, which has really helped me to understand some underlying principles of the whole literacy v literacies debate.

Lots more reading and more questioning/reflections needed, before I start writing !

Blog Four

2007-12-07T22:48:00.000Z

Now it's getting serious. First assignment is due within the next few weeks and the pressures on ! Having been off work for over a week, I've had some major catching up to do, which means very little MA work has been done. And am I starting to panic......YES ! Aaaahh ! I REALLY need to do some reading ! So no time for blogging ! Bye.

Blog Three

2007-11-27T22:41:00.000Z

Determined to keep my promise of at least one blog entry a week, I'm writing this blog from my sick bed. I've been struck down by a horrible flu-like virus that has completely pole-axed me for almost a week now. I've not managed to do any reading during my illness, which has been really annoying, as I've found that many of the readings on my MA have really shifting my perspective on things and I am really hungry to read more, but I just don't seem to be building up the momentum I was expecting, it's been a real stop start throughout, which is really frustrating.

However, since my last blog I have pushed things on at work. I've had an introduction to our Blackboard site and have set up my own course to experiment on, as well as convincing two colleagues to create a podcast with me (just got their agreement at this stage, still lots of work to do !). While at home, I'm beginning to take an interest in some PC games that originally came as part of my computer package and which have never even been out of their wrapping. This decision has partly been influenced by the Marc Prensky book that I have recently bought on Amazon (based on the "Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants" article read on my course) and a sudden interest in how games could be used as a teaching tool.

Blog Two

2007-11-19T22:40:00.000Z

Feedback has been fairly positive to my first blog, which is encouraging. I'm keen to keep the entries going and hope to post at least one a week, which at this stage I think is realistic. I must admit I'm becoming really interested in the possibilities technology can offer and I'm definitely changing my mindset. At the weekend, whilst shopping for potential christmas presents for my daughter, I found myself checking out iPods (something that to date I've had no interest in at all). Whilst at work, I'm currently investigating the possibility of creating a podcast to share good practice with colleagues across my organisation. Exciting times ahead I think !

First Post !

2007-11-16T20:52:00.000Z

Well here I am ! Taking my first GIANT step towards engagement with the Digital Age. This will hopefully be one of many blog messages I will post over the coming year, as I reflect on life whilst on my Online MA in New Literacies at the University of Sheffield.

I have to say I'm absolutely loving my MA (even if I'm not doing it justice at the moment in terms of the time I can commit to it) but the readings and practical tasks are giving me a fresh perspective on things and a well needed push towards embracing digital technologies both at work and at home.

To date I've sampled the delights of YouTube , signed up to Skype and had my first chatroom get together with colleagues from my course, all of which has been great fun, but this feels REALLY exciting ! A real act of creation ! I have some doubts as to whether I'll be motivated enough to keep my blog going in the long run, but for now I am curious as to where it will take me.

Nick hopes to be as relaxed and "Native" with the digital world as he was in Wales in August 2007