What Does Digital Media Allow Us to “Do” to One Another?

Abstract

The purpose of this integrative review of theory and research is to assess the economic impact of digital media in ways that are unreached by instrumental means of measuring economic activity. Specifically, we use three overarching arguments identified from a review of the literature that broadly defines the economic force of digital media content in contemporary society. We contextualize those arguments in terms of current issues in the field and gaps in the research base before concluding with a discussion of the implications of what we learned for education, civic engagement, social practice, and policy.

Developing Teachers as Critical Curators: Investigating Elementary Preservice Teachers’ Inspirations for Lesson Planning

“…Regardless of where the resources are acquired, it is clear that engagement in lesson planning facilitates PSTs’ understanding and growth (Chai, Koh, & Tsai, 2010; Colvin & Tomayko, 2015). TEs can help PSTs develop the vocabulary, language, deep thinking, research, problem solving, and collaboration skills necessary to go from being passive consumers to well-informed information producers (Alvermann et al, 2015; Lapp, Fisher, Frey, & Gonzalez, 2014). To encourage this transformation, TEs can converse with PSTs to learn and to understand where they glean knowledge (Dredger, Myers, Sullivan, & Loveless, 2017; Loveless, Griffith, Berci, Ortleib, & Sullivan, 2014).…”

“…When planning, teachers apply practices from practitioner texts, websites, judgments made in the classroom, and other professionals. In many cases, they create, drawing on observations, professional collaborations and scholarship, and memories of their own classroom experiences (Alvermann, Beach, & Boggs, 2015). However, to be successful lesson planners, PSTs need skills of critical consumption.…”