The readings for week 2 shared a common topic; both articles discussed new literacies and their relationship to society. Lankshear and Knobel in The New Literacies Sampler reinforce the idea that “reading and writing are understood in the contexts of social, cultural, political, economic, historical practices to which they are integral (p. 3). Lankshear and Knobel’s discussion of mindsets was particularly interesting. I can see how the traditional mindset (Mindset 1) values artifacts and the “dominance the book as a text paradigm” (p. 13). The first mindset tends to protect the “status quo” and maintain the traditional power structure in society. In Mindset 1, expertise is scarce, hence, people who have mastered the “traditional” definition of literacy tend to be the ones with power. Mindset 2, however, changes the notion of literacy. It values participation, sharing, and views expertise as more widespread. Mindset 2 is much more collaborative, allowing for a more collaborative and less hierarchical power structure.
The second article, “What is New About the New Literacies of Online Reading Comprehension?” by Leu, Zawilinski, Casket, Banerjee, Housand, Leu and O’Neil, support Lankshear and Knobel’s interpretation and discuss implications for the classroom. In addition to elaborating on the need to address the skills necessary for online reading comprehension, the authors point out that the “assumption that teachers are more literate than students is no longer true.” Leu, Zawilinski et al recognize the validity of the new literacies. The student who is an expert at gaming has valid skills and most definitely is more literate than I am in that area. As teachers, we must recognize that online and offline reading skills are different and being good at one does not necessarily translate to being good at the other. Teachers must become facilitators, assisting students to work cooperatively to develop the skills essential for online and offline reading. As the authors state, a mastery of new literacies is “central to full civic, economic, and personal participation” in society.
Citations
Lankshear & Knobel. Chapter 1 in The New Literacies Sampler. Sampling “the New” in New Literacies. 2007
Leu, Zawilinski, Castek, Banerjee, Housand, Liu, & O’Neil. “What is New About the New Literacies of Online Reading Comprehension”. 2007.
Well done. To me the key element in all of this is that the role of the teacher needs to change. We need to move from "sage on the stage" to facilitator.
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