The more I do research for this course, the more I feel less confident about my 21st Century literacy skills. Research into the field of literacy reveals that the definition of the term ‘literacy’ is constantly changing and to be literate in the 21st century is not the same as being literate, as we know it, in times past. As I go through this challenging experience of learning how to use the various ICTs, I constantly have to remind myself that I have to complete this course successfully because I do not want my students to look at me as an illiterate.
The thought dawned on me that while we, as educators, are busy trying to educate our students in our own little corner, in our traditional ways and becoming frustrated; the students are equally becoming frustrated but with us. The students are looking at us and wondering, "Why don’t teachers use the technologies (which we, the students, are using on a daily basis because we are interested in them) to make teaching and learning more interesting?" In this sense, while we are looking at the students as illiterates, the students are looking at us as illiterates. As we prepare students for the future we too, must be prepared to embrace the future which is upon us.
As I struggle to become fully functional in this 21st century technological world, I will inform you further, in another post, of the various critical 21st century literacy skills which we must avail ourselves in order that we are not deemed illiterates. I wish to personally thank the lecturer, the tutors and all who made this course possible. Thanks for giving me the opportunity to empower myself and so redeem my status as an illiterate, as the outlook on literacy changes.
