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I thoroughly enjoyed this weeks readings and further diving into the idea and concept of literacies. With teaching three different preps (Pre-IB 9th, Gen-Ed 9th, Gen-Ed 10th), I encounter many different literacies from my students on a weekly basis. I have several main takeaways that I connect with as an educator and as an individual.

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"Students are immersed in 21st century "new literacy" technologies, but are schools preparing them for the future?.... It might seem that evaluating information online - just one form of "new literacy" - and reading a book - more of a foundational literacy - are pretty much the same thing. After all, you can't trust everything you read, either. But there are differences. And those differences, when brought into the classroom and incorporated into curricula, are enriching the educational experiences of many k12 students. Unfortunately, many administrators, although they are beginning to recognize the need to revise their districts' media skills instruction, lack the resources, and more importantly the vision, to bring new literacies into the classroom." (Miners & Pascopella).

When reading through this digital article, I found myself resonating with many points in this reading. As I am currently walking through a season where administration and board of education are trying to radically alter and change our school and county literacies, and not in a good way, I am constantly trying to adapt my teaching to best serve my students despite the plethora of restraints placed on curriculum, content, etc from administration and the board.

Miners and Pascopella examine the need for traditional literacies and digital literacies. Living in the 21st century, both are vital for success and navigation of life. They specifically mention how new age literacies encompass so much more than what we realize. Literacies are not limited to the narrow perception that society has held onto for so long. They note, "Their utility lies in online reading comprehension and learning skills, or 21st century skills, required by the Internet and other information and communication technologies, including content found on wikis, blogs, video sites, audio sites, and in e-mail. They require the ability to not just to "read" but also to navigate the World Wide Web, locate information, evaluate it critically, synthesize it and communicate it - all skills that are becoming vital to the success in this century's economy and workforce." (Miners & Pascopella). Essentially, our students need this training in new literacies. It is important that we do not shy away from integrating these skills and paths of knowledge in the classroom because the future of their lives depends on accepting and adopting new forms of literacies.

Again, as I mentioned, my admin and district is making this incredibly difficult for teachers and students with their strict limitations and strongholds on what is and is not allowed to be taught in the classroom and what tools are allowed to be used in the classroom. I find it very interesting that there is mounds of research showing that the integration of these new literacies is vital, yet it falls on deaf ears. Not just in my county, but in counties nation-wide. Why is it that schools are shying away from engaging students with new literacies if it means they will find success in the long run?

Miners, Z. and Pascopella, A. (2007). The New Literacies. District Administrator, October, 2007. Retrieved December 21, 2007, from http://www.districtadministration.com/viewarticle.aspx?articleid=1292.

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It might seem that evaluating information online (just one form of “new literacy”) and reading a book (more of a foundational literacy) are pretty much the same thing. But there are differences that, when brought into the classroom and incorporated into curricula, are enriching the educational experiences of many K-12 students. Many administrators are beginning to recognize the need to revise their districts’ media skills instruction.

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"To a Large extent it is literacies in this post-typographic sense that schools have identified as their main challenge as far as incorporating 'new literacies' into their programmes and as media for learning are concerned. At the same time, the relationship between 'new literacies' and new digital electronic technologies does not seem to us to be a one-to-one relationship. We think of some literacies being 'new' without them necessarily involving the use of new digital electronic technologies..." (Lankshear and Knobels, 29)

Lankshear and Knobels provided insight to the evolvement of reading and literacy as it relates to external factors, including but not limited to, socioeconomic status, demographic, and title of school.

While it would be a dream for all schools to be one-to-one in terms of providing students accessible and personal technology, that is not reality for majority of schools. As an example, in our county of Columbia in GA, none of our schools are one-to-one, yet their is an unspoken expectation that all students are to be literate in technology for the use of school. Yet, we are not providing them with the basics in order to achieve digital literacy.

Now of course, traditional literacy works better for some students and digital literacies work better for others. There are moments where it can be difficult to find the balance in using both and ensuring that students have quality exposure to both. However, with standards that are changing every year, strict limitations from admin and county, and lack of providing basic technology for each student, this task is more difficult than it should be. Until we properly provide for each student, I do not see how we can expect deep understanding of digital literacies from them. We have to do our part so they can do theirs.

Lankshear & Knobels. https://uga.view.usg.edu/content/enforced4/3257371-CO.180.LLED7910E.38179.20252/readings/Lankshear%20%26%20Knobel%20(2011)%20ch1_From%20%27reading%27%20to%20%27new%27%20literacies.pdf.

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"(a) Why do schools not prepare students for the new literacies of the internet, especially in the US and especially in economically challenged school districts?; and (b) Why do literacy researchers not focus their attention on the new literacies of the internet, helping schools to prepare students for their literacy futures?" (Leu 1).

I deeply resonated with Leu and what they had to say about the lack of preparation that schools provide and the unattainable expectations that they uphold without helping their students. They argue that this type of thinking is dangerous; and I could not agree more.

Witnessing this firsthand in my own school and district, I am often frustrated by the lack of support and provision from the board. Many of our students in our district are challenged economically. Yet, our district does nothing to try and provide access to digital tools for students to use that are their "own." In turn. students are expected to have the understanding and knowledge of how to use and activate these digital literacies, but are being failed by the district with their lack of basic support.

Perhaps this is because, like Leu suggests, that their is lack of evidence provided by researchers. Not that they have not researched, but that they have failed to get the research that they have conducted into the hand of administrators. Because of this, students in many districts are severely under-supported. The understanding needs to evolve in the administrators so that students can have the support and access to technology that they deserve. If the expectation is substantial understanding and usage of digital literacies, that administration needs to step up and do what is best for the children.

Leu. New Literacies, Reading Research, and the Challenges of Change: A Deictic Perspective. https://uga.view.usg.edu/content/enforced4/3257371-CO.180.LLED7910E.38179.20252/readings/Leu(2005).pdf