The first chapter of the book, “Reading, Writing, and
Literacy 2.0: Teaching with Online Texts, Tools, and Resources, K-8,” discusses
online reading and the new literacies of reading, writing, and communicating.
While technology is becoming more prominent in everyday life, children at very
young ages are interacting with and using technology. Knowing how to use
technology is not the same as knowing how to access and engage in information
using digital media. This is where teachers can play a role. By incorporating
digital media into the reading and writing curriculum, technology can enhance
literacy skills and learning.
While technology
plays a major role and is heavily used from day to day, I believe there should
also be a balance between using digital environments and traditional print in
reading and writing in and out of the classroom. Content in the traditional
print is presented in a fixed linear format whereas digital environments can
present the content in different ways, and often changes between sites. The
visuals of digital environments do not all appear the same, such as colors,
fonts, and may change daily. I think without guidance and proper teaching
students could get lost or distracted when navigating digital environments,
which could hinder learning and understanding of material. Teachers should have
an understanding and awareness of different online programs and websites that
are user-friendly and promote literacy development in the classroom for
students. Teaching students how to engage in learning using digital
environments will strengthen the literacy knowledge with regard to technology.
