parental involvement in the new literacy

     For 880J, we have two required readings. The first one is about how teachers use technology at home and in their classrooms. For the lit review part, i read something quite contrary to what i have read. As the data in the paper showed that low income families have a low digital experience. I read an article published in 2010 in Britain, which said that low income families have almost the same amount of time used on technologies. How could a report in 2013 find things otherwise? Maybe one in America and the other in Britain? Anyway, i lost interest in reading it as it goes on presenting all the data in percentages. i am sorry for my unacademic way, but as this is a blog, i would like to post my true thoughts here so that i could trace back.
    On the contrary, i enjoyed reading the second one "preparing students for the 21st century". Personally speaking, it provides teachers some practical ways so that we could integrate technology into our own classrooms. I haven't checked the links after each of those "projects" yet but i am sure that it will be beneficial. I should say that this article agrees with my philosophy of teaching.
   Coming back to the four models introduced in the paper, i think that parental involvement should also be taken into consideration. Parental scaffolding, especially for young kids would be of great help to let the children adapt to this new type of learning to read and write. Classroom teachers should find out a way digitally connecting parents when they incorporate these projects into their classrooms. I believe that most parents would like to be involved and they would like to know what's going on in their children's school life. Just a text would be great, isn't it!
   Two things i remind myself at the end of the writing here:
   1. Try the technology incorporation with struggling readers first. Alway try them first. I read in Best practice to try them first and read the positive example of Daryl here in the paper. Changing a way of reading may have great impact in the way of learning to read. It is another way out!
   2. Critical thinking of the websites should be introduced to the beginning readers too. Don't just suppose that they are too little to do this kind of metacognitive thinking! They could and just trust them and show them how to do it. It is such an important skill to learn and it will be too late until something going wrong. Kids could surf online without any instructions and it is better teach them what should do and should not do as early as possible. Teachers' responsibility and do do parents.
   At the age of New literacies, we, teachers and parents do face great challenge as no one knows to what end it is going?
   I heard an undergraduate student talking about her view of technology yesterday. I did not ask her any question about it, God knows and she suddenly went to a long lecture that she would never ask her children (when she have) to play Ipad or go on to computer at home. Her opinion is that children have enough computer time at school and they have had too much time on screen. When the kids got back home, they should be doing exercises and family chores and keeping away from all the things connected to internet and computer!
   I was amazed to hear the comments from a young girl but kept on listening without asking any questions. We'll see into the future if she could do that! I certainly doubt!