1.What did you learn about new literacies from this week’s video “The essential elements of digital literacies” and from the reading “Dawn of new literacies”?
When watching this week’s TEDTalk, I learned firstly that new literacies are directly tied to digital litarcies. Belshaw explained that we use certain gestures for literacy like opening a book, learning an instrument, using a computer mouse etc. Now when we apply this to the digital age, it is a whole new world that many of had to and still have to learn over time, it is a completely new literacy. An example he used was his grandma, which loves to watch sports, so his father decided to set up cable for her. The thing with cable, is you get hundreds of channels to choose from, which means you need to know how to navigate a menu on the TV. I’m sure Grandma can easily navigate a glossary with her fingers or a book, but this is different. She has to use a remote, with dozens of little buttons and she has to know how to find what she is looking for on the TV. This literacy is rather new, so for an older person to struggle with it is not surprising. She will have to learn a completely new way of reading the screen in front of her in order to find the channel. This is why, since the 90s, technology is now being implemented in schools which was never heard of before the early 90s. In the reading, “Dawn of new literacies”, the author explains how digital literacy is impacting us. Firstly, Nicholas Carr, who asked “Is Google Making us Stupid?” explains that web reading is leading to skimming rather than detailed reading, which I myself am guilty of. If you think about, the act of just scrolling, using your mouse instead of your finger to read the words, being able to jump ahead easily with the click of a button makes us subject to skim rather than actually read. In comparison, when we read a book, we have to reread completely or find the page we are looking for while on the Internet, you can just search up a keyword you need and it will show you the section you need to read. Donald Leu supports these new literacies, claiming they, “require new social practices, skills, strategies, depositions, and literacy” which are all completely true! As I mentioned before, menus and layouts are different, you even need to know how to move a mouse and know which side to click. Dawn of New Literacies also gives the representation of how digital literacy (new literacies) can be used in school, since students now have social networks, video games, online comic books etc. These things derive from old literacy, ideas derive from books so essentially you are able to tie these ideas to old literacy.
2. Consult our class glossary under course profile-docs. Find one example of new literacies that surprised you and/ or that you disagree with.
Podcasts are one that I hadn’t really thought about but I think I disagree with. I wouldn’t essentially say podcasts are a new form of literacy because radios have been around far longer than the digital age and many people would listen to them. It is definitely a different form of literacy rather than reading or writing, but since the invention of the radio, I think it has a similarity to podcasts where we just sit and listen to people talk.
3. How can we apply Szwed’s and Perry’s definitions of literacy as we study new literacies?
Szwed’s 5 elements of literacy does have a similarity with the new literacies we have nowadays. Specifically, context is a big one in current new literacies. In the TEDTalk, a quote by UNESCO is mentioned where they say, “It is not really possible to speak of illiterate and literate persons as two distinct categories.” Essentially, these are different situations which can informal and formal where literacy can be presented, so the context matters. For example, understanding a meme can be difficult for literate people as there are icons, pictures, sayings etc. While memes can be most likely understood by less literate people because there are pictures and expressions. For Perry, Ideological literacy hits the nail on the target when it comes to new literacies. Ideological literacies according to Perry, are a set of practices (instead of skills) that comes from specific contexts like culture and power structures in society. These specific contexts in this case are digital literacy and the practices that come with it. We use ideas, we use tools, we use links and many more things in new literacies which can connect to culture and power structures.
4. What are some “new literacies” that have helped you with your schooling? Explain.
There are a few new literacies that have helped me with my schooling. One example, that I have mentioned earlier, is if I’m reading an article and I’m looking for a specific topic. Instead of reading the whole article and finding what I need, I tend to search up the word and it’ll just go to the section where they talk about the topic I need. Another example would be sites like Coolmathgames and Starfall whereas a kid, I found myself gravitating towards these educational sites and playing number games or alphabet games. Not only was it more fun for me, but it aided me in learning since I wasn’t bored. There is also of course the creation of Google. I’m sure we all use Google every single day and throughout all middle school, high school and now college, I have used Google to help me study, understand concepts, understand different programs and best of all, search for music to listen to while I study! The internet and digital technologies have helped me throughout all my schooling and I’m lucky to have grown up learning these new literacies.
5.Have you ever had to help someone with technology (new literacies) who was not tech savvy? What was that experience like?
Yes, I help my mom all the time with technology. My mom recently got the iPhone 14 (bad idea) and every single day, there is at least one time when she calls me to help her navigate it. Her Face ID sometimes doesn’t register or she doesn’t hold it to her face enough and screams at me that her phone is broken. There will also be times when she’s trying to find an emoji and asks me if that emoji means x expression. She has me delete contacts for her no matter how many times I teach her. I’ve also probably taught her how to use Google Translate about 20 times, and each time she forgets how to use it. It’s troublesome to teach new technology to someone who knows nothing about it but it is rewarding when she finally learns how to use a certain app or design of the iPhone. My mother doesn’t even own a computer though and never has, so teaching her that one day should be a fun time.
6.What is ONE “new literacies” that you cannot live without?
One of the new literacies I can’t live without is definitely social media. I use Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and WhatsApp every single day. It’s usually the first thing I do when I wake up and the last thing I do before I go to sleep. Like Belshaw mentioned, memes are a big new literacy and I indulge in memes all the time. It’s a good way to get a laugh and also communicate and relate to others. We also can’t forget how easily it is to find new people, interact with them and form new friendships through social media.
7.Explain your personality using ONLY three emojis – what would they be?
😟 Definitely the distraught emoji first because that is my face anytime I go into work or do something out of my comfort zone.
😎 Second the sunglasses emoji because I pretty much go with the flow in any situation.
😂 Lastly, the laughing emoji because you will always catch me laughing at some video or picture my family and friends send me.
