Focal Blog Prompt #2

Traditionally, the science class room limits its core texts to a large over priced text book and boring posters or labelled diagrams hung on the walls. This teaching approach limits the students’ ability to engage in the text and in turn the teachers’ ability to engage the students. Posters and labelled diagrams although they can help build students understand of an abstract concept they are usually underutilized and overlooked by the digital youth of today. The traditional science textbook tends to provide the most barriers to student learning because for many they seem unapproachable. Science texts are overwhelming for most students as they tend to not simplify information, but only make it seem extremely complex.

A great alternative text for a science class is online news sources such as the BBC or Al Jazeera . They provide students with an alternative to the regular dull text book by allowing them to engage with information through a computer. In addition, online news sources often have links to past stories on the same topic or other similar topics, which help to bridge students understanding and provide direction for further learning. It is also an alternative form to the traditional print newspaper because you can’t just pick it up and be directly engaged, you must connect yourself to the internet and at a minimum pass through a homepage that could also draw your attention or provide a link to a similar news story provided by a different source. Online newspapers have the potential to be multimodal tools for learning as long as the students engage in more than just the print. The day a print newspaper is printed it is outdated by the next day, but online sources as long as they are constantly updated can keep students up to date by the minute as to what is happening. As the article we were given from the Calgary Herald put it, “newspapers are ‘living text books’.

To use online newspapers in my class to bridge my students learning I would have them compare what they have learnt from two different news sources on the same scientific story. After comparing the two articles they would then need use and develop their critical thinking strategies to create their own article of what they believe the truth to be. We know from our reading by Callahan that critical analysis and critical viewing involve an understanding of the political agendas, biases, stereotypes and hidden messages that are hidden in texts. What better text than a biased newspaper to afford the students the opportunity to develop their critical analysis skills. My teaching philosophy revolves around a sound development of critical thinking skills while having students engage not only in reading texts, but in creating them and connecting the students directly to the texts they are engaged in. Miller said that,” DV composing creates another school connection to the media rich sphere of youth culture.” I agree fully, but it goes beyond DV creating. That is why I feel that having students engage with online newspapers and letting them have a go at creating their own, provides the students the opportunity to have their hand in their media rich culture while developing their critical thinking skills.