What counts as literacy in today's world?

           When Wilber (2010) defines new literacy in the article “Special themed issue: Beyond ‘new’ literacies”, she states that “texts are changeable, and authorship is open, giving the user more power to write, remix, and publish” (p. 2). Digital literacy has expanded upon traditional literacy by allowing the reader to go from passive to active. Internet users no longer just do research like I did in high school, they now add their own knowledge, edit and comment on articles or blogs and most importantly have access to a plethora of opinions and perspectives on any topic.  In Rich (2008), students expressed similar view points about the quick access to information, with one student stating that he could view “up to 100 websites” in one night; this is practically impossible to do with traditional texts in such a short amount of time.  On a cognitive level, being able to skim so many different sources in order to compare and contrast them is a useful skill to have and can be applied in other contexts.

            One of the reasons literacy is constantly changing it because it has to adapt to new media. When the World Wide Web became widespread, texts went online and have been redefined by the use of images, music and video, which also contribute meaning to the text. Meaning can be transmitted across various mediums without losing its significance. Furthermore, there are other devices such as smart phones and tablets that have shaped the way we write and read as well.  To be fluent in the way we use these devices takes practice since users have developed their own language, which may contain shortcuts and we even see images replace words.  

            Digital literacy in education would benefit students by preparing them for a digital world in which technology is everywhere, especially the workplace.  It is difficult to find a place of employment that does not rely on computers or technology for some aspect of their business. From college studies to job searching to employment itself, new media will be a part of our student’s lives.

                                                             Bibliography

Rich, M. (2008, July 27). The Future of Reading- Literacy Debate: Online, R U Really Reading? New York Times, p. 1-7. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com

Wilber, D. (2010, May 31). Special themed issue: Beyond 'new' literacies - Digital Culture & Education. Retrieved September 15, 2015.

Journal Post #1: New Literacies as a Social Practice

         Through this week’s readings, I have been exposed to many aspects of Digital Literacy and how it affects our daily lives. The concept of Digital Literacy emerges from the need to comprehend the skills and abilities of those that interact with technological devices.  It is very much about the individual and how they take on an active role in their social world.  This week’s assignment asks us to look at the following quote:

            The distinctive contribution of the approach to literacy as social practice lies in the ways in  which it involves careful and sensitive attention to what people do with texts, how they make sense of them and use them to further their own purposes in their own learning lives (Gillen and Barton, 2010, p. 9).

In essence, the way in which people manipulate literacy and give it new meaning is constantly evolving and dispersing to others through new media.

            As I reflected on the quote, I thought about how I use digital literacy in my daily routine, specifically texting on my cellphone.  It has become more common for me to include images in my text or maybe to only use images.  I have to think about the person receiving the text and if they are able to understand the meaning behind the image. As described by Gunther Kress (Gillen & Barton, 2010, p. 6), modern texts are becoming multimodal as images, music and other media are taking on meaning as well.

            Pedagogy as it relates to Digital Literacy is a challenge due to innovative nature of technology; by the time a curriculum can be established and teachers are trained, the technology may be outdated.  However, it is crucial to continue integrate digital literacy into our classrooms because of the value it brings to learning. Gillen & Barton (2010) state that “Learning opportunities can be made available literally beyond school walls” (p. 17).  The article mentions the Personal Inquiry Project in which students receive a personal computer to use outside of school.  Where I teach, the majority of students have access to computers at home and they are encouraged to use Google Drive to work on group projects outside of school. It is a great platform where students can communicate in real time for an academic purpose. Teachers can also check on their progress with an invitation from the students.

            Users of new technologies can become proficient in digital literacy as they begin to use it for their own purposes; whether it is using digital literacies to expand on their own learning, to develop social relationships or as they become the creators and programmers of today’s media. 

                             Bibliography                                                          

Gillen, J., & Barton, D. (2010). Digital Literacies: A Research Briefing by the Technology Enhanced

            Learning phase of the Teaching and Learning Research Programme. London.