Tag: Literacy skills

Information literacy transfer

noniharrison on

Herring (2011) found that a small minority of students identified as non-transferrers, in that they did not transfer knowledge or skills from one subject to another (p. 13). The majority of students believed in transfer in principle but were reluctant to transfer without the guidance and/or encouragement of teachers (Herring, 2011, p. 13). I have definitely experienced this in my teaching as a classroom teacher and as a teacher librarian. My students often do not clearly (or vocally) transfer their skills and knowledge from one subject to another. When I’m teaching, I explicitly make those connections for my students and ask them to tap into their prior knowledge and what they are studying or skills they are using in other subject areas. Herring (2011) also noted that teachers and teacher librarians are often found expecting that transfer just happens or is inevitable; however, this is not the case. As with most effective teaching, these strategies must be explicitly taught and practiced. I think transfer can be supported and encouraged by ensuring consistent literacy language and protocols are used school-wide. There needs to be a common approach and common terminology across all departments and with all teachers, so that students may clearly see the similarities and connections. Students should also be explicitly encouraged to transfer through best teaching practice, which highlights when skills or knowledge intersect between areas. By the sounds of it, most of us agree that consistent language and a common approach to transfer is a practical way of encouraging students to transfer information literacy skills and practices from one subject to another.

 

Reference

Herring, J. E. (2011).  Year 7 students, information literacy, and transfer: a grounded theory. School Library Research, 14, 1-31. Retrieved from http://bilby.unilinc.edu.au/

[Forum Reflection: Module 5.4_2]

The Complex Nature of Defining a Complex Concept

noniharrison on

Defining Literacy and Changing Literacy Needs.

Put simply, literacy is the ability to read, write, speak and understand in a variety of contexts and with a variety of modes. Literacy encompasses more than the basics of comprehension. It has evolved to include a complex array of skills needed to better understand the information world we live in. When Gee (1991) defines literacy, he first explores the concepts of discourse and the patterns of learning and acquisition. He posits that acquisition is a more powerful tool to understanding than learning, which can become a separate, compartmentalised process in a classroom (Gee, 1991, p. 5-6). This explanation resonates strongly with me, as I find distinct connections between this and the importance of information literacy models in schools. Rather than learning a model out of context, it is crucial that a model is demonstrated by the teaching team and that the model is a distinct part of the information seeking and use journey. Gee (1991) suggests that literacy is the “control of secondary uses of language” (p. 8). This implies that literacy occurs in the realms outside of basic oral skills, as it involves both written and oral language in a range of environments. Gee (2010) goes on to explain, “literacy is mastered through acquisition, not learning, that is, it requires exposure to models in natural, meaningful, and functional settings, and teaching is not liable to be very successful – it may even initially get in the way” (p. 8). This supports my earlier assertion that these concepts greatly relate to the importance of embedding information literacy models in schools. Warlick (2005) supports this perspective, as he proposes the redefining and integrating of literacy into schools assists teachers in planning effective curriculum and better equips students for their futures. Furthermore, Warlick (2005) posits if “information is changing, then our sense of what it means to be literate must also change” (para. 6). Cope and Kalantzis (2009), speak of a need for educators and learners to expand their repertoire to respond to the changing landscape of literacy. It seems that users may require a combination of new literacy skills and also an extension of the traditional literacy skills to respond to and work with new formats and modes of delivery. Kalantzis and Cope (2015) also suggest a need to respond to new hybrid literacies and multimodalities (p. 17). Accordingly, Armstrong and Warlick (2004) identify the challenge and importance of emphasising literacy skills that reflect the current information environment. Students still require fundamental literacy skills; however, they are much more involved than they once were due to the changing information landscape. Being literate has developed from the three R’s (reading, writing, arithmetic) to the 4 E’s (expose, employ, express, and ethics on the Internet). For example, students can no longer take validity and credibility for granted. Students must be critical information users and employ effective strategies to navigate and use information. Warlick (2005) is critical of current education trends such as a key focus on integrating technology into schools. Instead, Warlick stresses the importance of integrating contemporary literacies into education, so as to equip students with the skills needed to navigate all aspects of their information world. It can be seen that literacy is an ever-important concept to grapple and should be a focus for schools in developing their students’ capacities as 21st Century learners.

 

References

Armstrong, S., & Warlick, D. (2004). The new literacy: The 3Rs evolve into the 4Es. Technology & Learning, 25(2), 20-20,22,24,26,28. Retrieved from https://search-proquest-com.ezproxy.csu.edu.au

Cope, B. & Kalantzis, M. (2009). Multiliteracies: New literacies, new learning. Pedagogies: An international journal 4(3), 164-195. doi: 10.1080/15544800903076044

Gee, J. P. (1991). What is literacy? In C. Mitchell & K. Weiler (Eds.), Rewriting literacy: Culture and the discourse of the other (pp. 3-11). New York: Bergin & Garvey.

Kalantzis, M. & Cope, B. (2015). Regimes of literacy. In M. Hamilton, R. Heydon, K. Hibbert & R. Stooke (Eds.), Negotiating spaces for literacy learning: Multimodality and governmentality (pp. 15-24). London, United Kingdom: Bloomsbury Academic.

Warlick, D. (2005, March/April). The new literacy. Administrator Magazine. Retrieved from http://www.scholastic.com/browse/article.jsp?id=263&print=1

 

[Forum Reflection: Module 5.1]