A connection and comparison to "What does it mean to be literate?
First, let's look at literacy's formal definition. At a base level, being literate is an individual's ability to read and write. In a way, it's input and output. There's also a more complex function of literacy that includes the creative and analytical acts involved in producing and comprehending textual meaning. At a higher-level function, being literate means understanding while also being able to contribute to meaning. It's both textual in consumption and also in production.
First, let's look at literacy's formal definition. At a base level, being literate is an individual's ability to read and write. In a way, it's input and output. There's also a more complex function of literacy that includes the creative and analytical acts involved in producing and comprehending textual meaning. At a higher-level function, being literate means understanding while also being able to contribute to meaning. It's both textual in consumption and also in production.
Literacy is a state but it's also an activity. Authors Julia Davies' and Guy Merchant's text example (p. 169) of young girls exploring aspects of their own identity hits the nail on the head. From a traditional standpoint, this was accomplished (and still is) using diaries, writing letters and talking on the phone. Today, the affordances of the internet and blogs offers another avenue of expression, contributing to a person's literacy development by promoting discussion of ideas, only now at hyperlinked speed with global breadth. Digital literacy.
The authors remark (p. 175) that while blogs can serve a wide range of purposes, they are ultimately arenas through which we communicate about ourselves. Being literate makes reference to our ability to understand and incorporate textual tools of written discourse (along with visual elements, if desired) to craft one's identity and advance thoughts and ideas that has meaning and benefit to others doing the same. This gets to the crux of what literacy means - having the ability to express or "build a dynamic story of oneself" - no matter the method of delivery such as blogging.
On a separate note, I hadn't heard of Blogsome.com (p. 183) before. Blogsome.com allows posts to be tagged and categorized to enable building a database for reference in writing future posts. This reminds me of the search functionality on blogs, but through tagging, I can see much more accuracy and efficiency for referencing leading to, as the authors state, (p. 195) a more transparent research process with other users contributing to the shape the research takes. If research informs literacy, this is a giant step.
I really like your logic here. The definition of literacy you provide at the beginning of the post does a good job of moving your argument forward.
ReplyDeleteDigital literacy, or to "build a dynamic story of oneself" sums it up well. When else in human history have we had the opportunity to create our own stories using a variety of medium (text, video, audio, photo, etc)? This is a unique time in a dynamic and compelling space...
Nice reaction here--in future posts that you label as connections between texts I'd make it more clear when each text is being referenced. It's clear by the page references that you're referring to the PDF reading, but I can only assume the end of the 2nd paragraph was inspired by the Langwitches blog post.
ReplyDeleteI liked how you broke down literacy into production and consumption, traditional literacy and digital literacy. It is interesting to think about how far we’ve some and all the different types of literacy that are out there. I liked the phrase “building a dynamic story for oneself,” and I agree that that is a part of literacy but literacy is also the ability to read other’s stories.
ReplyDelete"At a base level, being literate is an individual's ability to read and write. In a way, it's input and output. There's also a more complex function of literacy that includes the creative and analytical acts involved in producing and comprehending textual meaning. At a higher-level function, being literate means understanding while also being able to contribute to meaning. It's both textual in consumption and also in production."
ReplyDeleteGreat definition of literacy, including inputs and outputs...it is not about what you are reading...it is do you understand it regardless of the form, and can you produce something regardless of the format.
Hi Anthony its Meleina. This comment box didn't ask me for my name and email so I thought I'd better just write it in! Great site and I have a few "general" comments about what you wrote:
ReplyDeleteLittle nervous. Working carefully here, taking it slow.I WOULD NEVER GUESS BY THE PROFESSIONAL WAY YOUR POSTING IS ENTERED AND MAINTAINED! Want to make sure I don't do anything or push any button that I'll regret later. I'm sure I'll get better as time goes on. I THINK ITS ALREADY "BETTER" I hope you are impressed with my first effort into the world of emerging media. EXTREMELY IMPRESSED and just wanted you to know. It seems you "took to" the new emerging technology quite well and you seem to express literacy in a very direct manner. Thanks
I like the way you started the post, by giving a very basic definition of what it means to be literate, and expanding these ideas throughout the post. I had never really considered how there are different types of literacy, but the presence now of "digital literacy" makes sense given the nature of communication today.
ReplyDeleteAnthony,
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed reading your post and liked the way you presented an understanding of literacy. I also appreciated the reference of traditional literacy being a state but also an activity followed with examples of using diaries, writing letters and talking on the phone.
Hey, perhaps it's because I read this quite a few weeks ago, but I didn't quite understand how talking on the phone is a "literacy activity." If you could expound on this, I would appreciate it.
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