The literacy landscape has immensely expanded due mainly to the emergence of new digital technologies and the social web. The concept of 21st century literacies is now in vogue. It denotes the existence of various socially constructed forms of literacies. As I stated elsewhere, literacy in this sense is no longer restricted to the simple of act of reading and writing, it rather encompasses various interconnected skills and competencies that enable learners to encode, decode, analyze, synthesize, and critically appraise information using a complex multimodal system of signs.
For those of you interested in delving deep into the concept of 21st literacies or new literacies, the seminal works below are definitely a must read. They will help you develop a nuanced understanding of what 21st century literacies are all about and how you can use them in your own teaching/learning context.
Please note, the links below are Amazon affiliate links enabling me to earn from your purchases.
1- New Literacies: Everyday Practices and Social Learning . By Colin Lankshear and Michele Knobel
2- The New Literacies: Multiple Perspectives on Research and Practice. By Elizabeth A. Baker EdD (Editor), Donald J. Leu (Foreword)
3- A New Literacies Reader: Educational Perspectives (New Literacies and Digital Epistemologies). By Colin Lankshear (Editor), Michele Knobel (Editor).
4- What School Leaders Need to Know About Digital Technologies and Social Media. By Scott McLeod (Editor), Chris Lehmann (Editor), David F. Warlick (Foreword)
5- Literacy in the New Media Age (Literacies). By Gunther Kress (Author)
6- Teaching with the Internet K-12: New Literacies for New Times. Donald J. Leu Jr. , Deborah Diadiun Leu , and Julie Coiro.
7- Confronting the Challenges of Participatory Culture: Media Education for the 21st Century. By Henry Jenkins (Author), Ravi Purushotma (Contributor), Margaret Weigel (Contributor), Katie Clinton (Contributor), Alice J. Robison (Contributor)
8- Handbook of Research on New Literacies. By Julie Coiro (Editor), Michele Knobel (Editor), Colin Lankshear (Editor), Donald J. Leu (Editor)
9- New Literacies In Action: Teaching And Learning In Multiple Media. By William Kist (Author)
10- The Anti-Education Era: Creating Smarter Students through Digital Learning. By James Paul Gee
