Where Technological Literacy and Literacy Meet: New Terms for Old Competencies

Abstract

Abstract This paper presents a study of how, where, and what a group of young people (12-25 years of age) read and write and how their literacies and the affordances of their technologies affect the communicative networks that emerge, and the nomenclature utilized to describe reading and writing. The participants have very few arenas that demand long-form writing and reading. Just a few decades ago, reading and writing were the only sources for long-form input (books, newspapers, journals etc.). Traditional literacy (read books/letters, write on paper) has been a panacea for generally improving living conditions; however, it seems that the concept of literacy is changing and the technologies for reading and writing may have altered the general state of literacy. This study asks the questions; which arenas demand the ability to read longform, linear texts and which real-life context require long-form writing skills? Where is the relevant arena that demands traditional reading and writing skills? What is reading and writing to the youth of today, where do the youth utilise reading and writing skills? Which technological affordances are exploited to communicate in ways that foster learning, community and friendship? We map out and study the arenas, practices and technologies for reading and writing to understand possible changes in the pupils’ and students’ needs and purposes for literacy. The findings are presented in three cases that collectively show the arenas that emerged in the data. We raise the question, whether there is a discrepancy between the notion of what reading and writing is in school and maybe in education in general and the pupils’ and students’ actual need and purpose for literacy in technology-rich everyday lives? We suggest the concepts of the ‘rhizome’ and ‘arborescence’ to describe new and traditional literacies.