New Literacies of Internet Technologies

New Literacies of Internet Technology

    Literacy refers to reading, writing, and communicating. The strategies of locating, using, questioning, and evaluating information have not changed, but the technologies for applying these strategies have changed. In the past, the primary technologies for teaching these literacies were the use of books, paper and pencil. But, with the advent of technology, these literacies have and continue to change.   Dr. Donald Leu, Jr. , a professor at the University of Connecticut is an international expert in the new literacies of Internet technologies and he refers to literacy as “Deixis” in that literacy is rapidly changing. Because of this, several new literacies have evolved that incorporate internet technology into the reading, writing and communicating processes.

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Internet Projects

Internet Projects are another type of new literacy. They are collaborative experiences between different classrooms that are trying to solve a common problem or explore a common topic. There are 2 types of Internet Projects;

1. Web based projects
2. Temporary / Spontaneous projects

Web based projects are more permanent because everything that is needed is already on the website. This includes clear directions for participation in the project along with a set of instructional materials needed to complete the project. Because of this, web based projects are a good starting point for teachers who would like to undertake an internet project in their classroom.

Temporary Projects start off as an idea that a teacher has for a specific curriculum need. The teacher then looks for partners that would like to collaborate on the idea. There are several steps involved in developing this type of project;

• Initially, a project description needs to be developed. This description includes a summary of the project, a list of learning goals or objects, a list of established expectations for the collaborating partners and a timeline for beginning and ending the project.
• Post the description at one or several registry sites. It should be posted a few months in advance of the actual project to give potential partners time to find and set up for the project. One example of a registry is the Global SchoolNet (http://www.globalschoolnet.org/index.cfm).
• After a partner has agreed to participate, collaboration details need to be arranged between the classrooms.
• Complete the project based on the established timeline.

There are several benefits for using Internet Projects. One is that they develop student’s collaborative skills. They learn to work together to gather and evaluate data in order to then solve and share their solutions through the use of various technologies. Another benefit is these types of projects develop authentic reading and writing experiences for students to share with classrooms all over the world.

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Internet Workshop

Internet Workshop fits easily into the instructional schedule of any classroom, it can be used without sacrificing another element of the curriculum. In the time it takes to read this article you could learn how to use Internet Workshop in your classroom, preparing students for the literacy future they deserve. Internet Workshop (Leu & Leu, 2000) consists of an independent reading of information on the Internet around a topic and a location initially designated by the teacher; it concludes with a short workshop session where students can share and exchange the ideas and strategies they discovered during their work on the Internet. Internet Workshop permits students to learn from one another about content information, critical literacy skills, and the new literacies of Internet technologies. It is one of the easiest approaches to use with the Internet, being familiar to anyone who is already using a workshop approach for reading or writing instruction. Internet Workshop has many variations. It may be used as a directed learning experience, a simulation, a center activity, or with many other instructional practices you already use. Generally, though, it contains these procedures: 1. Locate a site on the Internet with content related to a classroom unit of instruction and set a bookmark for the location. 2. Design an activity, inviting students to use the site as they accomplish content, critical literacy, or strategic knowledge goals in your curriculum. (As children progress, you may also invite them to develop independent inquiry projects.) 3. Complete the research activity. 4. Have students share their work, questions, and new insights at the end of the week during a workshop session. You may also use this time to prepare students for the upcoming workshop experience.

Sources: Leu, D.J., Jr. (2001) Internet project: Preparing students for new literacies in a global village. Reading Online. [Article reprinted from the Reading Teacher, 54, 568-585]. [Online Serial] Available: http://www.readingonline.org/electronic/RT/3-01_column/

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