Technology as a New Literacy Harumy Higuera Kevin Reger Photo Source:

What is literacy? * "Literacy refers to the ability to understand all forms of communication, specifically the ability of reading and writing coherently and thinking critically about a text." * A "text" refers to all the forms of learning available. * An Academic Literacy refers to the skills one learns in an academic society through thinking critically, reading, writing, speaking and listening. (Higuera, 2012) Source: Higuera, Harumy. A Critical Definition of “Academic Literacy” in my Discipline. LRC 335. May, 2012.

New Literacies * New literacies refer to sources now present with the increase in technology. * Understanding these sources has become increasingly important as technology has become more available and easier to use. Photo Source: great.html great.html

Technology as a progressive Literacy * It is important to embrace these new literacies. * 65 percent of today’s grade-school kids may end up doing work that hasn't been invented yet (Heffernan, 2011). * The internet has become a necessary for aspect in college. No doubt it has also become important in the primary school setting. Heffernan, V. Education Needs a Digital-Age Upgrade. The New York Times. 8/07/2011.

Pros & Cons Due to advancement in technology, we are now able to use the internet to learn through a new type of literacy. Pros: * More resources available to students and teachers. * More technological advancements. * Faster and easier for students to do homework and research projects. * Programs available to make education more fun and easier for everyone to access. Cons: * Cost * Teacher preparation to learn to use and implement technology in classroom. * Students being distracted with technology in classrooms. * Plagiarism. * Not everyone is able to access the internet. * Not all the information in the internet can be reliable.

Teacher + Technology= New Literacy *Technology and the internet have increased productivity, but some literacies can be difficult to learn. *Communication is important and there are many ways to collaborate ideas. literacy/

Sources * Don't be afraid to explore technological resources available. * Utilize your local library. There are many books available with step-by-step instructions on new software, programming, or just surfing the web. * Search forums and utilize search engines if you are stuck. Many people have the same questions you do and solutions may be a few clicks away. * Remember, it would take time, dedication and planning. Try not to get frustrated over it. * There are always classes you can take to catch up with all the new advancements in technology and how to use them effectively. * Overall, try to have fun. Tips on learning new Technology:

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