"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 response
to this quote, I reflected on how I use literacy in my everyday life. I use text to gain insight and knowledge but
also as a means of entertainment. Furthermore, I use it is a way to connect and
interact with others. These practices have changed significantly with the
advancements of the digital age. Hague and Williamson (2009) note that there are
“opportunities to participate in new kinds of social activities, civic life,
learning and work” (as cited in Gillen and Barton, 2010, p. 9). These
opportunities allow for more collaboration and the sharing of information so
that texts can be added to or re-shaped as is the case with blogs and wikis (Wilber,
2010).
Additionally, technological advancements have given us the world at our
finger tips. I have researched my ancestry, looked up the movies playing at the
theater, fixed my washing machine by watching a YouTube video, paid bills,
ordered my groceries, read an e-book, and played a word game with my friend who
lives on the other side of the country, all in one day because of new
literacies! It is truly remarkable the age we live in and the speed at which we
can access information.
Gillen, J. & Barton, D.
(2010, January). Digital literacies a research
briefing by the
technology enhanced
learning phase of the teaching and learning research
programme.
Literacy Research Centre, Lancaster University, London, England.
Wilber, D. J. (2010, May
31). Beyond new literacies. Digital Cultural
& Education, 2(1)
Hi Michelle,
ReplyDeleteI like how you expressed how you use literacy in your daily life. Based on your experiences one could see how it really connects to the use of technology, we use technology for entertainment, connecting with others, not just connecting with the text or the authors, but interacting with people from all over as well as gaining knowledge. Technology certainly opens up more access to us more immediately.
Hi Michelle! It is amazing what we can do now. Things that used to take so much time are seconds away with just one touch. It is truly remarkable. It's refreshing that advancements in literacy in this digital age are being translated to the classroom. I wonder what the typical school classroom will look like ten years from now!
ReplyDeleteHi Michelle,
ReplyDeleteI appreciate your blog post and the ways in which you use Literacy through your daily life. During this blog post as well I took the time to reflect on how I use Literacy not only in the classroom but in my daily life as well. It gave me the opportunity to realize how much our society focuses and relies on media, and technology to communicate, complete assignments, and answer questions that we don't know the answer too. But I think you said it best "Additionally, technological advancements have given us the world at our finger tips. I have researched my ancestry, looked up the movies playing at the theater, fixed my washing machine by watching a YouTube video, paid bills, ordered my groceries, read an e-book, and played a word game with my friend who lives on the other side of the country, all in one day because of new literacies!" New literacies are our future but also a saving grace most of the time. With a quick click of a button we can make the hardest problems become the simplest solutions.