New Forms of Reading and Writing
The gap between being able to read traditional forms of information, communications materials in text format and reading on new platforms, in new genres and in general new digital forms is widening drastically. New forms of reading and writing do not ONLY have to do with the skillset of learning the logistics of how to read and write on digital platforms, but have EVERYTHING to do with a new mindset that allows for new forms of reading and writing versus merely substituting the way we have done it in analog form before.
How do we read and write in non-linear, hyperlinked, hashtagged and transmedia forms? Each digital platform, such as Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, Snapchat, blogs, etc., has their own unique reading and writing etiquette, form and syntax.
Information, Media, and News Literacy
The problems surrounding news, media and information literacy is at an all time high with indication that it will “not get better”. It is an increasingly important topic for any global citizen. These literacies (the ability to read, write and being able to express ideas and communicate effectively) have been changing at exponential speed right before our eyes. We no longer can rely on the skills we learned as students decades ago. Terms such as disinformation, misinformation, fake news, deep and shallow fakes, alternative facts, truth decay, post-truth world, and information trolls were not part of any curriculum or topics, we encountered during our school years. We need to gain skills and develop fluency in the “now” literacies.
Curation as an Educational Challenge
Curation has everything to do with the now skills (communicate, collaborate, connect, create & critical thinking) and the now literacies (information literacy, network literacy, media literacy, digital citizenship and global literacy). Curation goes beyond collecting and randomly sharing out information and resources, but is an active, strategic thinking process. It is about what is worth keeping/saving/archiving/disseminating and what is not? How do others benefit from my work? What is my responsibility?
Why the Urgency for the “Now” Literacies?
Literacy is being defined as the ability to read and write and being able to express and communicate our ideas to others effectively. As we shift and extend our notion of what it means to be literate, we have to acknowledge that merely reading and writing in text form and on analog platforms is simply not enough to call yourself literate. The skills and abilities MUST include reading and writing in various media forms and on multiple platforms INCLUDING digital spaces. We can’t continue to differentiate between our analog and digital world.
Why choose Silvia?
- Silvia “practices what she preaches”. She is an active action researcher in the areas of now literacies and skills. She documents and shares her experiences transparently.
- Silvia stays up to date on current practices and participates in crowdsourced projects with other curators around the world around the topics of Now Literacies and Skills.
- Silvia creates learning experiences for educators to expose them to new forms of reading, writing, and learning.
- Silvia can share a parent-friendly summary of these new literacies with your parent community.
Contact Silvia to set up your “now” literacies coaching sessions (on site and/or virtual). Flexible pricing structure available.
