Welcome to the digital transformation
of adolescence. Today, teens spend an average
of 9 hours a day using media. While this estimate includes
reading offline media, teenagers spend an average of 6.5 hours a day
in-front of screens. The rise of the internet may be the biggest
event in media culture since the printing press, and the internet is
changing
our brains.
While there are pros and cons of the
cultural shift towards digital media, teachers need to understand
what literacy means in the digital age, and many educators are
already taking great leaps forward in harnessing the power of the
digital media to revolutionize education.
What is new literacy?
New literacy, a term coined by
John Willinsky, refers to new forms of literacy made possible by
digital media. Willinksy's primary claim is that new literacy lies
“latent
and unrealized among a host of different experiments in the teaching
of reading and writing.”
New Literacy is multi-modal and
nonlinear. Multi-modal literacy incorporates language, sound and
images and is presented through a variety of media. Nonlinear
literacy has no defined entrance or exit point; and readers may chart
their own paths through the text.
What do new literacy classrooms look like?
The new literacy classroom is the
training ground for students to learn to effectively navigate the
multi-modal and nonlinear texts which is an essential skill in the
digital age. New literacy classrooms hold activities in a variety of
representational forms. For example, students may watch a short video before
writing a reflection or taking a "Socrative"poll, and teachers frequently encourage meta-dialogue by asking
students how content is presented differently across media. The new
literacy classroom incorporates a blend of individual and group
activities and creates an environment where students report achieving
the flow state.
Stay tuned for more information on new literacy and new literacy activities you can use in your own classroom!
Helpful Links
Reference
Vacca, Richard T., and Jo Anne L. Vacca. "Learning With New Literacies."Content Area Reading. Boston, MA: Pearson, 2011. 28-49. Print.
