Monday, July 30, 2007

Exploring Literacy on the Internet

There were several interesting ideas suggested in this article. According to this article, the definition of literacy has widened to include learning, comprehending, and interacting with technology in meaningful ways. Electronic texts provide new supports as well as new challenges, so they can have a greater impact on individual comprehension.

"Internet-based comprehension tasks broaden our understanding of these elements (purpose, process, consequences of activity) because they present new purposes for reading, more critical thought processes dueing reading, and new examples of authentic responses after reading."

WebQuests are internet-based instructional techniques. "A well-designed one included explicit learning goals as well as recommended processes of inquiry." "By combining explicit supports with constructivist responses, teachers can increase the likelihood that externally imposed purposes are more closely aligned with those that are internally generated." These projects demand fairly high thinking and problem solving skills.

"Bill Chapman's Classroom Tools Website outlines strategies for helping students to validate online information and to recognize commercial propaganda and bias _ three critical literacy skills that are vital to readers on the Internet."

"Web-based learning environments can foster opportunities for more diverse knowledge gains, more personal applications, and higher levels of engagement."

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