From the pages of Literacy Artifacts, by Berry, Hawisher, and Selfe, a specific statement grabbed my attention. While it is long and detailed, it forced me to think about what a digital story means. I started to think about how each persons digital story is unique and personal to them. We all use and have access to the same devices, however, we use them in ways that are individual to our lives. The same way we have individual stories and discoveries about technology in the digital world. "The stories that these individuals tell, we believe, reveal details not only about their particular pasts (about the worlds in which their parents lived, about the literacy practices and values established within their families and the cultures they inhabited), but also about their present (the globalized world in which they now live) and future (the world in which they want to live)," (Berry, Hawisher, Selfe, Chapter 2.1). Thinking about my past, my first "cellphone" only had the ability to call three numbers (my moms, my dads, and 911). It was simple, but it was exciting to 4th grade me who felt "cool" because I could call my parents whenever and wherever. Now, I have all the information and accessibility I could ever need at my fingertips. My present phone can do more things than 4th grade me could've ever imagined. I also never thought that I would own such a thing considering my sister and I shared our first computer together. It took forever to start up, and it didn't even have access to the internet. We used it solely to play our collection of CD games. Even without the internet, we looked forward to, and fought over, the time spent on this computer. The only time I could go on the internet was at school, or a friends house. Now, I have my own personal Mac computer and free reign over the internet. Technology and the digital culture is forever growing and changing. Our digital future is unpredictable, and also limitless. In 5th grade, I wasn't allowed on the internet. My parents monitored my every move in the digital world because it scared them (it still does). However, I didn't understand how the internet could be such a scary place. Sometimes, I was more excited to play on my friend's computer than I was to actually see them. The internet was this fascinating place where watched my friends play games and go on social media. That same year I created a MySpace, with my friend, without my parents' permission. Knowing what I know now, I was WAY too young and knew FAR too little to be using this site. I personalized my page, added friends, pictures, music, and talked to people, organized my "top 10" friends. I didn't realize how dangerous of a place the internet could be until after my parents found out about my secret page. They sat me down and gave me my first lecture about he dangers of the unknown digital world. Children today require access to the internet to reach their homework, lectures, textbooks, and to take exams. Students today, starting at a young age, know more about the internet and how to use it because they will be using this tool for the rest of their lives. Still, even with specific lessons on internet safety, parents still worry about their children using the internet. The same fears my parents experienced are the same fears that parents today experience. I use social media to connect with friends, colleagues, and classes. The use of social media has grown, and my parents have embraced this form of digital literacy. My dad has a Facebook and loves to connect with old friends and post pictures/statuses of his family. The reality that social media is a necessary digital literacy is real. It's a reality that students and parents must learn to be comfortable with.
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Jada GriggsI'm a college student attending Rowan University, and I will be attending my first Disney College Program this summer ! Categories
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