The readings this second week of  class have, I admit, both intrigued and made me feel completely inadequate.  My mind is filled with concepts such as affinity spaces and participatory cultures--- ways of introducing new literacies and enhancing opportunities for students --in the face of such challenges as: participation gaps, cyberbullying, and determining the authenticity or validity of information our students find online... It is enough to make us question how to ensure that we are providing the best learning environments for our students in the wake of constant change.

As stated in Networked Publics: "what has changed are the ways in which people are networked and mobilized with and through media" (Varnelis, K., 2012, p.2).  So the question is not whether we will approach literacies in our learning spaces through the use of digital media, but how.  

As an Educator, I worry that I am not going to possess the proficiency needed to give students the best opportunity for success in a digital age.  You are reading a blog post from a student that achieved her BS writing papers on a word processor (no internet!)  Keyboarding class in High School was done on typewriters...

I panic... and then I relent--- I have spoken before about my commitment to life-long learning. I have already learned so much, and I know that my desire to give each and every one of my student's their best chance at a positive outcome-- will drive my own journey to learning.  It's what I must do for them-- they are the future.  I refer to Serafini: "As multimodal texts become the norm rather than the exception in today's schools, educators need to expand their own knowledge to support students' ability to design, interpret, and use multimodal texts in a variety of settings" (Serafini, 2014, p.18)

That being said, I have also spoken at length about the value I place on networking and professional development through collaboration. This is how we grow, as teachers, and expand our knowledge base.  It is paramount that our educational policy makers and administrators provide quality opportunities for experience and training in multimodal texts and teaching with
proficiency in the digital arena. Personally, I will gladly accept  the guidance of my fellow students and colleagues.  I am grateful for this course, and the opportunities it has afforded me: the chance to learn from others and expand my skills.  "We should...expand our own knowledge base concerning literacy and multimodality if we expect to expand the literate lives of out students" (Serafini,2014, p.18).

Serafini, F. (2014). Reading the Visual. New York, NY: Teacher's College Press.

Varnelis, K.(2012). Networked Publics. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.