Literacy in the 21-st Century
Being literate in the 21st-century is not about simply being able to read and write, literacy is constantly growing and changing; it includes endless amounts of mediums of which people all have their own strengths and weaknesses in. One person might be able to effectively communicate their ideas through mathematics, while another person might be more effective in using the English language. Neither person is more literate then the other, each person is simply talented in different aspects of literacy. Society’s ever-advancing technology has led to seemingly infinite new ways to be literate. Think about social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Twitter, Reddit and the rest of this never-ending list. Each social media platform has its own set of norms and rules that would ultimately decide whether someone was literate or not in that specific space.
Being completely literate in the 21st-century is truly impossible. Humans do not live long enough to become literate in everything. Even if humans could live forever the number of spaces to be literate in would grow faster than one could absorb the knowledge. Literacy’s growth and change into the 21st-century has allowed traditional text to be transformed into something amazing. Roswell writes, “…online sites invite additional skills when compared with printed texts. Digital media adds new layers, like complex visuals, the dynamism of the storyline, and the related texts and supporting genres that accompany the story” (Roswell 115). Printed texts still have their place, but digital media allows so much more room for learning and understanding in ways that are only recently possible. Take for example the video at the top of this section. Watching this video engages one much more than simple words on a paper. Imagine a transcript of that video. Yes, a transcript would offer all the same information, but the visuals, speaking tone and presentation allow for the information to be conveyed in a much more engaging way.
As stated previously, it is impossible to be completely literate in the 21st-century. Perhaps being literate in the 21st-century is not being literate in every single space, but instead being literate in a wide variety of valued spaces; however, it is oftentimes hard to determine valued spaces. Many parents of students probably do not see Facebook, Snapchat, Instagram or any of the social media platforms their children may use as valued spaces as it is not uncommon to hear about parents telling their students to stop wasting time on their phones; however, these social media platforms can all be valued spaces, depending on how they’re used. Warner writes, “mobile phone-based composing practices are highly social practices where composers draw on the words, ideas, arrangement or structure, and even tone of other composers” (Warner, 2017). These social practices students engage in with their mobile phones are extremely important to becoming literate in the 21st-century. By using social media students are building their social skills and this becoming more and more “literate” and they probably do not even realize it.
While being literate in the 21st-century is important, there are negative implications. For example, each and every piece of technology has its own prerequisite knowledge requirement. Oftentimes one must first be able to operate a computer or device, know how to navigate certain programs or websites, and be knowledgeable enough on the norms of where they’re posting to effectively communicate with others. Not to mention the need to have access to a device in the first place. Not everyone is going to thrive in every online social space. Imagine a low SES student who wants to use social media along with their peers. That student may not be able to engage with their peers because they cannot afford a device and that student completely misses out on being able to utilize that aspect of building their 21st-century literacy skills. Even if there was a way to ensure every student access to a device, students can oftentimes become addicted to these devices. There are times in a classroom to utilize technology and there are times to let it sit idle. Having these devices available to students at all times can cause them to get distracted by unrelated information. In fact, some schools have begun banning technology due to students constantly being off task (Berdik, 2018). It is difficult to find ways to utilize technology in the classroom and while also preventing students from becoming distracted.
While there are many pros and cons to literacy in the 21st-century, it is ultimately not a choice society gets to make. According to a study conducted by Common Sense Media “overall, 56% of the children had their own social media accounts, based on the parents’ survey responses” (Howard, 2018). Society needs to accept that younger generations are creating new literacy requirements. Literacy has evolved and teachers and students alike will have to embrace it. Being literate in the 21st-century no longer means being able to read and write. Technology is the core of what makes someone literate in the 21st-century. Being able to effectively use social media, the internet and any other one of the many forms of digital media is crucial to being literate in the 21st-century.
Works Cited
Berdik, C. (2018). To ban or not to ban: Teachers grapple with forcing students to disconnect from technology. The Washington Post. Retrieved from https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/grade-point/wp/2018/01/22/to-ban-or-not-to-ban-teachers-cope-with-students-driven-to-distraction-by-technology/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.484bb6cea187
Howard, J. (2018). What’s the average age when kids get a social media account? The Central New Network. Retrieved from https://www.cnn.com/2018/06/22/health/social-media-for-kids-parent-curve/index.html.
Nicol, Z. (Creator). (Aug. 10, 2014). What is Literacy in the 21st Century? Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E0poR8zfAls
Roswell, J. (2009). Reading by Design: Two Case Studies of Digital Reading Practices, pp.115
Warner, J. (2017). Adolescents’ New Literacies with and through Mobile Phones. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data, 71. Retrieved September 22, 2018.
