For me literacy has and continues to include the same basics as when I was taught – reading, writing, talking and listening. However as we progress into an increasingly digital world; literacy skills are changing and developing. Literacy is an umbrella under which sit different types – traditional, information, digital, visual, technological and oral. Students today need to be literate in many, different ways. They need to possess the skills to read, understand, analyse, synthesise, create and command information.
In the 21st century we receive our information from many sources and we make meaning from it (Kalantzis & Cope 2015). We are bombarded with information and become informed without actively seeking the information (news tickers, social media, popups). We need to process all this without becoming overwhelmed and we need to understand that what were are learning, even that we are not actively seeking to learn, colours our knowledge.
So what do we as TLs do to teach literacy in this ever changing information landscape? Firstly we cannot make assumptions about the current generations digital skills. The current generation while very connected and very willing to try new technology are not necessarily digitally literate (Combes 2009). We need to teach the skills users need to become information literate. Students need to know how to explore and question, create a plan for finding information, find relevant reliable information, read and understand the information and then use this information to create their own knowledge base.
TL’s need to expose students to a wide range of information sources and help them navigate the information. TLs need to provide experiences that allow students to become active participants in their learning such as developing Guided inquiry programs that teach student information skills that will form the base of lifelong learning. We also need teach the responsibilities that come with being a good digital citizen – not just how to be safe online, but how to be a thoughtful, productive member of a world-wide community.
As TLs we want to remove the blindfold and help students fully grasp what they are reading – both in print and online!
References:
Combes, B. (2009). Generation Y: Are they really digital natives or more like digital refugees? Synergy, 7(1).
Kalantzis, M. & Cope, B. (2015). Multiliteracies: Expanding the scope of literacy pedagogy. New Learning. Retrieved May 2016
Waters, J.K. (2012). Turning students into good digital citizens.THE Journal, 9 April.
