Upon my decision to become a Literacy major in graduate school, I thought of the term "literacy" in a very traditional sense. My definition of literacy was: having the ability to read and write language both verbal and written. However, I never thought of literacy in the digital sense that taking Literacy and Technology has enabled me to. The readings for Week 2 have introduced me to a variety of different kinds of literacy including: Computer Literacy, Information Literacy, and Integration Literacy.
From my understanding, someone who is computer literate is able to use computers and different kinds of technology effectively. They have a basic understanding of how a computer functions, and they are able to use various programs such as, Microsoft Word or PowerPoint, Internet Explorer, and Microsoft Outlook. Information Literacy refers to the ability to locate, evaluate, and use different information from a variety of sources, and later organize and present the information in a manner that will be useful for the user. A person who is information literate will use a variety of search engines rather than traditional sources, and be able to differentiate between information that is biased or unbiased, truthful or untruthful. Finally, integration literacy is having the ability to use different computers and technologies alongside various teaching and learning standards in order to create a learning atmosphere that is beneficial for students.
As teachers, it is important to encompass all three of these types of literacy. However, the most important type of literacy for teachers is integration literacy. It is important for teachers to be computer literate and have a strong knowledge of how computers and their various programs work. Effective teachers should also know how to locate important information using the web so that they can use this information in their lessons. However, integration literacy is most important for teachers because it allows teachers to pass on the information to their students in order to help them be able to one day teach themselves. This was an important concept that was describes in Warlick's presentation and is in many ways what we are learning to do as students in Literacy and Technolgy.
Literacy of the 21st century and the future is and will be immensely different than traditional literacy. As Warlick explains, much of our technology is so easily accessible that we carry it around with us at all times (via Blackberry, Iphone, etc.) Students in many schools do most of their work through the computer, and in some cases, use virtually no paper at all to complete their assignments. If it were not for the economy, I trust that many more schools would already be following this trend.
Literacy in the 21st century and beyond will most definitely include teaching students to read, write, and solve arithmetic problems, however the manner in which these lessons are taught will continuously change. Many classrooms will begin to resemble that of the 7th grade teachers from the video clip entitled, "The Voice of a Digital Native." Classrooms will become paperless in order to help better the environment, and because paper will no longer be a necessity. Classes will take place (as they already have begun to do) virtually, and those classes that do take place in more of a traditional setting will begin assigning more and more projects or activities that must be completed using computers and different technology. Students will continue to learn and interact with Smartboard technologies and educational games rather than completing worksheets at their desks. Learning will become more student-centered as students become actively involved and engaged in their learning process. Literacy in the 21st century and the future sound very exciting to me! It is vastly different from the classroom experience I had in my grade school years and I look forward to being a part of this new line of literacy!
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