“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 & Barton, 2010).
The
introduction of technology and new medias has certainly had a profound impact
upon the way literacy is viewed and utilized in today’s society. For the majority of people, new medias have
come to be a primary means of communicating (for social and professional
reasons), learning (both in classrooms and independently), and for other
activities, such as reading for leisure.
As Wilbur (2010) stated in “Special Themed Issue: Beyond New Literacies,”
“new literacies span the multiple spaces – education, family, leisure, private,
public, work – of our lives and are embedded in our daily activities” (para.
3). This really embodies the great role technology
has come to play in the different avenues that literacy has taken.
In
Gillen and Barton’s (2010) “Digital Literacies,” Kress is quoted as saying
that, “Digital literacies are in a deep and profound sense new literacies, not merely
the traditional concept of literacy – reading and writing – carried on in new
media” (p. 9). I would definitely agree
with that. I would not say that digital
media has completely replaced the old methods of literacy (primarily reading
and writing with printed texts and paper), but I do believe new medias have
enhanced literacy. There are so many
different options people have to use a variety of medias for a number of
purposes – some are recreational, but many are for either professional or
educational reasons.
Technology
has had such a positive impact upon education at all levels, for both children
and adults. Texts are now instantly at
the hands of students through the Internet and tablets; publications can be
shared instantly through multiple online sources; skills can be practiced and
new and improved ways that paper may not be able to offer, just to name a few
benefits. As I said before, I do not
think that new medias have (or should) replace traditional literacy methods, as
they are important, too. New medias, I
believe, however, have changed literacy for the better.
References
Gillen, J. & Barton, D. (2010). Digital literacies. Retrieved from http://eprints.lancs.ac.uk/33471/1/DigitalLiteracies.pdf
Wilbur, D. J. (2010). Special themed issue: Beyond new literacies.
Retrieved from http://www.digitalcultureandeducation.com/uncategorized/dce_editorial_vol2_iss1_2010/
Really like the quote you cited, from Wilbur (2010), in “Special Themed Issue: Beyond New Literacies,” “new literacies span the multiple spaces – education, family, leisure, private, public, work – of our lives and are embedded in our daily activities” (para. 3). This made me think somewhat about how much control and domination the corporate culture has grabbed our lives. I believe and have read that we only have all of this technology because the "people at the top" know it's going to have a financial benefit for them. Do you think the corporations are taking over and owning us more than ever before? I am hoping and thinking that the counterculture can and maybe is, actually reclaiming spaces in literacy from the corporations. I am often wondering from a social justice perspective how the poor and "not connected" are losing opportunities to be heard in the new literacy.
ReplyDeleteI do agree with you that corporations are continually getting more power and taking more control from us, which will hopefully start to shift and change for the benefit of the majority.
DeleteLooking at things from a social justice standpoint really brings up an interesting point I had not thought of before. Those that do not have the benefit of access to digital medias really could be missing out and not having a voice in the new literacy, which does create quite an inequality. Unfortunately, I do not see the technologies fading, and only growing, so hopefully we can get to a point where people do not have to be excluded from that "world."
I had a similar thought as both of you did in terms of social justice in relation to new literacies as I read through the first chapter of Lankshear and Knobel (2011). At first, I didn't realize the full implication of how literacy affects our social structure. As the authors illustrate, illiteracy has become a bigger precursor to lower social class than overall education is. And as these new literacies continue to develop at a rapid pace, those who can afford this technology will continue to become proficient in their use, and those who cannot afford it will not. As this gap continues to widen, my fear is that it will perpetuate itself to the point where the next generation will be required to be adept at new literacies and communication. The lower class, who may not have been afforded the same opportunities as their higher class counterparts in terms of technology development, will not have access to the jobs that they require to move up in the world. They will always be a step behind. This pattern has repeated itself over and over throughout the history of our country, and sadly, it may be happening again.
ReplyDeleteYou definitely bring up a very good point. As much as I would like to see those inequalities gone, technology is only going to continue this problem. The gap in literacy will continue to exist between those who have the resources and those who are not fortunate enough to have access to them.
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