Many educators believe that with the growth of media and information technology, media literacy is just as important as – or even more important than – print literacy (that is, learning to read and write).
What is your position on the relative importance of the two “literacies”?
I am of the opinion that both are equally important to learn and become knowledgeable in every aspect of education, especially with the push for integration of technology in our classrooms. But I would have to sway more towards the print literacy. Without a good foundation to reading and writing, a person will find it difficult to community. Even more is the inability to retain information or exchange information for the purpose of growth. They may be able to learn but for the most part we all have the same format to follow when learning, even if we alter it for those who have impairments. Though there are other methods to community and learn, the foundation still remains to be reading and writing. We adapt for individual needs but we all still have to have a common base to build from.
What information from this chapter helps support your position?
According to Leu (2002a) it is pointed out that as new technologies emerge, so does the need for new literacies; therefore, it is critical that students learn how to learn new literacy technology. Our text also states the “traditional definitions of reading, writing, and viewing and traditional definitions of best practice instruction-derived from a long tradition of book and other print media-will be insufficient. But it never states that reading and writing will ever be obsolete. Even though the text makes a valid point towards learning new literacy, it never says that reading and writing is not needed.
Furthermore, according to Carl Whithaus, associate professor of writing at UC Davis; who believes that computers do not spell the demise of literacy -- in fact, they may help to create one of the most literate and engaged generations the world has seen. Whithaus is part of a project using technology to increase academic achievement. He is discovering that traditional print-based literacy is important. According to Whithaus, "Traditional print-based reading and writing is only part of a much larger set of skills that students need in the 21st century."
http://esciencenews.com/articles/2009/06/18/computers.can.boost.literacy
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You make a very good point that print literacy has always and will always be important. Media literacy has recently become an important literacy as well however it does not downplay the importance of being print literate. As you say reading and writing will never be obsolete.
ReplyDeleteIt is important for educators to know this because in schools we need to focus more on print literacy but be sure to teach media literacy as well. While we want students to be media literate educators should be sure not to overlook developing reading and writing skills because those are universal skills that people will always need.
i couldn't agree with you more juanita. i also believe that print literacy is the foundation to everything that we do in education as well as everyday life. and even though technology or media literacy is more vital now than ever, i still feel that print literacy allows us to understand how to media literate. they both compliment eachother and are both necessary for everyday functioning.
ReplyDeleteHi Juanita!! I thought your blog was very informative and I thought you made some really good points!! I really liked what Carl Whithaus, associate professor of writing at UC Davis; who believes that computers do not spell the demise of literacy. Even though technology may may be more popular then print literacy I think it's important to understand that it's more essential to all of us at the moment. Our fore fathers used it and I just hope it never demises.
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