I love that there's no login. I could see this used by students of all ages in a wide variety of subjects. They could post on a wall or create their own as well.
teacher panel allows you to assign homework to your students.
students sign into their accounts to complete the activities anytime during the open window. Their results are instantly visible in your teacher panel.
students and teachers can post messages for each other.
Today's readers become literate by learning to read the words and symbols in today's world.
Introduction to the new literacies used by today's digital natives (those who have grown up in the digital revolution) and their need for multimedia materials to match their new way of learning.
The new literacy is the ability to read and produce texts that contain not only words but also photographs, videos, info-graphs, art work, excel spread sheets, etc.
We should encourage children to develop their visual literacy skills because it will help them support their understanding, building on their home experiences and developing writing.
It is always interesting to read both sides of the story, and while this is certainly not a well-researched piece like Lemke's, the conclusion does summarize a few points about how schools can support teachers in making the most of technology.
reading and writing will most likely remain at the heart of standard literacy education, educators should reconsider what it means to be literate in the technological age
students benefit from learning in ways that allow them to participate fully in public, community, and economic life.
Anyone who has suffered through an 8pt text-jammed PowerPoint presentation can recognize the delicate balance between verbal and visual
implementing visual and sound elements into texts.
Some students displayed high level graphics manipulation using skills they taught themselves, an indicator of high motivation.
teachers empower their students with the necessary tools to thrive in increasingly media-varied environments.
Advertisers understand how to reach youngsters (and really, just about anyone) far better than educators.
Just as the visual language of point and click and scroll has become transparent and embedded into modern culture, so have the messages to buy Coke and shop at the Gap.
What am I looking at? What does this image mean to me? What is the relationship between the image and the displayed text message? How is this message effective?
Moreover, visual literacy instruction will better prepare students for the dynamic and constantly changing online world they will inevitably be communicating through.