Web design, play time, and digital literacy

HTML code in a post for the school's online newspaper

As I surfed the information and tutorials on the Virtual Training Suite, I had to ask myself if the students I teach today would engage in this type of online tutorial design. I think they would, but they would certainly need some "offline" encouragement and direction. The tutorial I looked at provided concise information in easy to understand "chunks." It was designed in a simple easy to read manner with some graphics and the links were easy to find and the directions for navigation were clear. Essentially, this online tutorial avoids the design pitfalls discussed in the Top 10 Mistakes in Web Design site.

However, I think in some ways the online tutorial falls into an issue that was discussed in Evaluating Web-Based Instructional Design where "the content of instructional materials can be under-utilized by simply 'porting' the material from one medium to another without considering whether the medium requires a different design approach" (p.6).

While the tutorial I looked at was a good tutorial, I do not feel its effectiveness on the computer screen was much greater than if the information was presented in a textbook or as a handout. In order to engage students (at least most of the ones I have taught) an educator would have to combine the information with other classroom activities. Did the medium require a different design approach? Perhaps. But sometimes I think the presentation of information online is best supplemented with classroom activities and peer to peer interaction.

I think, for myself, one way that learning could be enhanced in my field is if educators had more "play time" with technology and applications. Additionally, if educators could have more time in professional development to discuss and share what has worked and has not worked when using technology in their classrooms.

Time and time again, I have been involved in professional development where educators are the passive observers as someone showcases a new software or technological device. Just recently, however, I attended a workshop, and the presenters spent half the time on presenting and instruction and the other half of the time the participants actually used the software. I found this format was much more helpful and more of this hands-on training is necessary. When educators do not fully understand the technology or are uncomfortable in applying it to the curriculum, then there is a great risk for the "porting" of materials from one medium to another as previously mentioned.

I also think that educators should be exposed more to programming. I know in my own career, I would like the opportunity to learn more about HTML code. My father was a programmer, and his understanding of how computers work (and should work) was always enlightening to me. Moreover, I listened to a repeat of an episode of CBC's Spark where author Douglas Rushkoff argues that young people should learn to code to understand the bias of digital technology. He states that "programming is the new literacy of the digital age." The question becomes whether "we direct technology, or do we let ourselves be directed by it and those who have mastered it?" If we accept that programming is a literacy, than educators have an obligation to become literate and to teach and encourage students to understand how it works and the implications that come with that knowledge.

Another cornerstone I think to digital literacy is understanding where technology has come from and where it is going. I really enjoyed John December's Internet Tools Summary because it was a peek into the Internet I used to know and also an exposure to all the current online technology that is available at our fingertips. Who knew ICQ has a mobile app?

The current students in the school system have grown up with the Internet and technology. It was never not there for them, and while the last twenty to thirty years of technological development may seem fresh to many of us, it is their history. For students to really come to an understanding of where technology can take them, I think it is important for them to become aware of where technology has come from. I also think it is a good refresher for those of us who lived during that development. The evolution of technology is, of course, still occurring and the more young people know of its origins and development, the better they can appreciate where we are today and where we will be tomorrow.