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How do various forms of technology impact the ways we practice reading and writing? Articles in this section explore the intersections between technologies ranging from the pencil to social media and our literacy practices.
How do various forms of technology impact the ways we practice reading and writing? Articles in this section explore the intersections between technologies ranging from the pencil to social media and our literacy practices.
Visit the special spotlight page to learn more about AI and what it has to do with academic writing.
Learn more about the history of writing tools and technologies, from clay tokens to quills to the printing press, in this special spotlight.
by Ann N. Amicucci (PDF)
"This chapter teaches students how to take rhetorical moves they make on social media and mimic these moves in academic writing, such as riffing off successful example texts, gearing content to specific audiences, choosing how to shape one’s ethos, and making stylistic choices that enhance the message of a piece of writing."
by Lindsey C. Kim (PDF)
"This chapter aims to help students understand why privacy is an important concept to consider when writing online and to provide them with the knowledge and strategies necessary to preserve their privacy in digital environments."
by the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) (web page)
In this position statement, the NCTE describes the skills and behaviors required for effective participation in literacy practices in the digital age.
by Dennis Baron (web page)
Baron traces the history of various writing technologies, from clay tokens through digital technologies like the word processor. If you never thought about the pencil as a technology, you will after reading this piece!
by Gretchen McCulloch (web page)
McCulloch, who has dubbed herself "the internet linguist", explains how young children use emoji even before they know how to read and write. She explores the implications of this kind of writing for the literacy practices of the youngest generation.
BONUS: If emojis interest you, McCulloch has written extensively about them! She's done a ton of interviews on TV and podcasts, too. You can find a list here if you'd like to learn more!
by Nicholas Carr (web page)
Although this article is over a decade old now (note the cringeworthy use of the word "Net"), many of Carr's predictions and observations about how technology use can affect our brains are still worth talking about.
BONUS: There's an animated YouTube version of his argument here.
by Phill Michael Alexander (e-book in PDF form - starts on page 325)
In this short piece, Alexander troubles the concept of "digital native," questioning whether digital is a "place" and how we should talk about technology in relationship to literacy.
by Jennifer R. Hubbard (web page)
In this piece of creative non-fiction, Hubbard explores the benefits and drawbacks of digital technology for our minds, particularly as it relates to literacy practices.
by Emily Bremers (PDF)
Bremer studied the Instagram accounts of several artists in order to discern what it requires to be considered literate in the practice of photography on the platform. What skills and what kind of knowledge does it take to be considered an "artist" (and thereby "literate") on Instagram, given the ease and growth of the medium of digital photography?
by Scott Warnock (e-book in PDF form - starts on page 301)
Rather than viewing texting as harming the English language, Warnock contends that texting is just another creative use of language. He argues that young people have historically driven language change and texting is just another example of this.
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