Literacy 21: Interactive and Collaborative Learning

          "Literacy 21: Interactive and Collaborative Learning" was the focus of this week's resources. Previously, being literate simply meant being able to read or write. However, the 21st Century innovations and developments in technology have changed the definition of literacy. In today's digital society, students must communicate, collaborate, think critically, and create in order to succeed. The National Education Technology Standards for Students outline the developmental skills students should possess at various grade-level increments. 
          It is important that educators are effectively integrating technology to engage the digital natives in today's classrooms. Several articles found in this week's resources reflect the significance of utilizing technology to promote interactive and collaborative learning. Videoconferencing, Blogs, Wikis, Google Hangouts, and Adobe Connect are several programs that allow for synchronous and asynchronous learning within and outside of the classroom.
          The article "Facebook Video Chat v. Google Hangouts: It's No Contest" discusses the unique features of Google Hangouts. I have recently been using Google Hangouts to meet with my classmates, and I have to agree with the points raised in this article. Google Hangouts is a great for group chats, and the program is free and easy to use! Anyone can create a hangout and invite others to join. Whether using Google Hangouts for personal, educational, or business purposes, it's a great alternative to face-to-face meetings. I have enjoyed using this program with my online group and we have yet to experience any problems. 
          Another article, "Methodology is More Important Than Teaching, Study Finds" reflects the importance of teaching to the students present in your classroom. You could be the most highly-qualified educator; however, that means nothing if you are not utilizing effective teaching approaches. The study found that students learned more from teaching assistants using interactive tools than they did from a veteran professor giving a traditional lecture. I'm not surprised by these results at all. We've discussed the idea of engagement all semester. The more actively engages students are in the learning process, the more they retain and generalize information, ideas, and skills. Gone are the days of lectures and teacher-centered learning. Today's students must engage with technology to communicate, collaborate, share, and create. Teachers who allow their students to learn in this way will see astounding results compared to those who refuse to shift the power and control into the hands of their students. The closing line of the article sums up the issue very briefly, but accurately. 

"Lectures have been equally ineffective for centuries," the Nobelist said. "Now we have figured out ways to do it better."