With my background in new media and incorporating strong student collaboration for peer-to-peer scaffolded learning, I often experienced more of the positives about on the effects of multimodal learning with new media components. To have a more complete point of view, other perspectives need to be taken around implementing a technology centred education theory.

The use new media requires a foundation understanding of using new media, whether that is in the creation, sourcing, editing and adaptation of new media from one form into another that is suitable for classroom usage, depending on the subject and the age group. Teachers need to have either a background in mass communications, media, or new media to utilize this type of educational media, and that can take time, resources and training that schools do not necessarily have in their budget, aside from their mandatory professional development workshops.

Teachers themselves also need to possess the right growth mind-set to try these new media learning techniques in the classroom, but also understand that they have to go through various software or platforms to find a new media approach that works best for them. On the flip side, there may be instructors who are older or are more apprehensive about using new medias and technologies that they will be resistant to its application in class.

Often when new media comes into the classroom, it just replaces old technology, but the same didactic approach is used. Therefore, one of the critiques of incorporating new media into learning, is to ensure that some kind of new learning approach is also taken, one that is more constructivist and more student-centred. For teachers trying to incorporate these new media collaborative practices into classroom learning need to recognize the additional challenges of making use of new media, as there needs to be funding and resources first of all for implementing the technology, then there needs to be facilitators who can teach other teachers how to use the new media technologies, and from there instructional support or PD workshops to guide instructors on how apply constructivist and even connectivism of the new media into the topics of the class. The new media is just a tool like anything else for communicating and teaching with, but the subject matter still needs to be well presented and integrated around the technology that’s presented for students to utilize.

As shown in this video, using digital media is often used as a way to promote, sell, market products, services or ideals to the target user. The choices of media selected also affect the learner’s experience and therefore, it’s important that the learner be media saavy to be able to evaluate, analyze it for authentic learning. For anyone wanting to get into creating new media, there needs to be the appropriate training on the communication strengths and weaknesses of each media platform.

[Media Smarts]. (2018, May 31). Introduction to Digital Literacy | Digital Literacy 101 [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8o96ey4jCgE

Making use of frameworks is also a useful path for educators to use for gaining confidence and knowledge around digital literacy, which is relevant towards applying technology in the classroom. This organization in at Canada’s Centre for Digital and Media Literacy, called MediaSmarts, created a framework for digital literacy that is built upon 3 pillars:
 

• Skills and Ability to Use Digital Tools and Applications
• The Capacity of Critically Understand Digital Media Tools and Content
• The Knowledge and Expertise to Create and Communicate with Digital Technology

Additionally, an extra category about learner or educator disposition is added to this framework, that outlines the right attitudes that need to help the target learner. The following diagram shows this Mapping Digital Literacy Landscapes as it incorporates important components of digital literacy policies in Canada.

Figure 1. MediaSmarts (2015). Mapping Digital Literacy Landscapes. [Diagram]. MediaSmarts. https://mediasmarts.ca/sites/mediasmarts/files/publication-report/full/mapping-digital-literacy.pdf

Using new media and new technologies is not as simple as just putting it into use in the classroom, but requires much more thoughtful approach, planning and creation (or sourcing) of the media. Having learners and educators understand digital literacy is a big part in ensuring that this type of learning can become more successful.