People rarely spend their time reading these days, and visits to the library are even scarcer. Most of the time is spent on the internet, using social media websites.
The Milwaukee Public Library hopes to win back some visitors with three billboards to snag interest.
All of these play on logos of popular websites Facebook, Twitter and Youtube, and encourage users to read a book instead. Via Judy O'Connell A You Tube spoof of dyslexia and other struggling readers that is anything BUT funny. The major struggle is to find the solution. 
The authorities in New York are discovering what Egypt also learned - that it's not as easy to regulate or arrest journalists when everyone is a journalist. What new dimension does this add to the concept of media literacy? How do we integrate the messages and media generated by those in the middle of a crises into our analysis of a situation, and how do we measure credibility and validity? Doug Belshaw put together this presentation focused on developing digital literacies. His focus is generally on the K12 classroom, though this is a bit more broad. Via Paulo Simões 
UNESSCO issetting up the Education Ministry in South Sudan, where illiteracy is among world's highest http://t.co/7eXSpxiM... Recent studies show that South Sudan is one of many areas of the world where women are tiny minority of what is already a small population of literate people. 
Different online tools are evolving to help teachers enhance their student's literacy skills. This is a site that provides webinars, teacher instruction, and tools to help them teach using 21st century skills Its purpose is to highlight lesson plans and ideas that will help improve literacy in content-area classes and easily differentiate instruction among students. Videos, podcasts, and many other types of aids are here. Via Patty Ball 
All sorts of information can be found on the Internet, including misinformation, false information, and sheer fabrication. As we know, there is no central authority or editor who reviews and verifies the content of web pages on the Internet. Once again, we address the "new digital divide." Via Ana Cristina Pratas A simple article, although wonderful to see this Professors interest and motivation. What caught my attention was the argument that money was being taken from K12 schools for adults - I always thought of it from the viewpoint of this Syracuse Professor. 
With such a heavy emphasis on inquiry and investigation, it is important that educators remember how important it is to explicitly teach internet skills. I liked this simple, basic reminder of who bloggers are writing to and not writing to. I also like the occasional reminder of the original digital divide (meaning the "haves" and the "have-nots.") Via Jessica V Allen, Tania Grosz 
Although this covers aspects of what I the writer considers Global Digital Citizenship (which I would consider the digital equivalent of Cultural Literacy,) it is interesting to see this conceptual list of so many new types of literacies/fluencies. Once again, we must consider the source. It's a blog, but I do read this one and consider it credible. Of interest because as new literacies seem to emerge daily, I think it is reasonable to consider his various ideas and think about if they fit into silos we have already established, if they are something new we might consider, or if they are not worthy of consideration. I liked "collaboration literacy" but not sure if I would put it in the digital literacy silo. Via Anne Whaits |
This post is part of “How We Will Read,” an interview series exploring the future of books from the perspectives of publishers, writers, and intellectuals. Read our kickoff post with Steven Johnson... Via Louise Robinson-Lay NCSALL is NCSALL's efforts are dedicated to an important purpose: improving practice in educational programs that serve adults with limited literacy and English language skills, and those without a high school diploma. Via Patty Ball 
Paulo Freire's last public interview, given to Literacy.org in 1996. It is fascinating to hear him speak. So much has happened with new literacies, even since this interview in 1996. We have to wonder what he would say today. Although perhaps he would still be focused on the fundamentals of literacy, which are still elusive to so much of the world's population. Via Ana Cristina Pratas 
How do you get tech-reluctant teachers and administrators to use technology effectively? In many cases, they will need to learn to use them on their own first, which is the reason for their reluctance. Their own digital/technology/media literacy skills need to be honed before they can execute any of the ideas proposed by this article - which in fact uses fundamental adult learning priniciples (relevancy to the here and now) as potential solutions. It does not address the lack of fundamental literacies needed by the instructors in the first place. Via Gust MEES 
Interesting model of what would be synonomous with Information Literacy. I did find myself asking the question "Does fluency = literacy?" many times, and I believe it is. This diagram of how information flows when used and assessed in what we now consider a fluent way, which also includes ethical use of the information - a critical factor of digital citizenship. Digital Information Fluency (DIF) is the ability to find, evaluate and use digital information effectively, efficiently and ethically. It includes evaluating digital information in new ways and having the skills to use specialized tools for finding digital information. 
The inclusion of social media data in the algorithms that search engines now use to help people find relevant information online could create a “new digital divide,” educator and consultant Angela Maiers believes. Angela Maiers is right, as I would explain the new digital divide by equating it closely with media literacy. The first answer on Google is not the right answer, in fact two people can be sitting next to each other and do a search with the exact same keywords and get entirely different answers. Search engines know who you are, what you are interested in seeing, and what your friends are reading. Focusing on relevant, credible sources is not as easy as it sounds. Via Eric Stockmeyer @stockmeyer1 
This is not a positive article, but as we know when we are digitally/media literate, I am considering the source. I know the publication and, while I do believe they provide credible statistics, they tend to wrap them with sensationalism. I was, in fact, interested in the figures (we know why) but think there is much more to it than the shallow blur of excuse provided by this article. Yes, real life can be a reason, but the article fails to address literacy issues and the problems we've read about and discussed in many of our class articles. Knowing the issues and addressing the issues are two different things, and perhaps more of the "college ready adult" programs would change the statistics significantly. I also wonder, thinking of Nicole M. and much of the military returning, how it will effect the statistics (if it does at all.) UNESCO’s framework emphasizes that it is not enough for teachers to have ICT competencies to be able to teach them to their students. Teachers need to be able to help students become collaborative, problem solving creative learners through using ICT so they will be effective global citizens. The Framework therefore addresses all aspects of a teacher’s work. I believe we will hear more and more about this. Via Nik Peachey 
This Paper.Li is specifically on the recent US Conference on Adult Education in Houston. The content came from all tweets with the hashtag #USCAL The conference went from November 2-5 and each day has an archived Paper.Li.
"Live Tweeting a Conference" = sending out tweets while listening to a lecture or having an experience, using a hashtag specific to that event. Virtually all education conferences and events can be followed in realtime by following their hashtag. The topics covered by what was considered an Adult Literacy Conference were interesting to me. It seems like there was more about new/sub-literacies than there was about fundamental Adult Literacy.
Paper.Li is a company that takes all tweets from a certain person or hashtag and compiles them into one website newsletter. They click through to any links so they can be displayed on the paper. They are tweets by the people following the person or event, not by the person or event itself (unless they use the event hashtag.) I've had one for a while http://paper.li/donnamurdoch/edtech and it focuses on edtech. It's the worlds of the people who follow me. Now "retweeted" over 2500 times/day! Via Nell Eckersley |
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