Literacy from the United States. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, 2004. Print.
The growing technological era has repositioned the value of certain literacies, altering the definition of literacy to include digital requirements. The workforce has become more and more dependent on technology, affecting the prospects of those individuals who may not be literate in digital practices. There has been a severe imbalance in how technological resources have been allocated, reinforcing illiteracy and poverty. Selfie and Hawisher bring this inconsistency to light when discussing the uneven development of digital literacy in the 1980’s and 1990’s.
Indeed, for the remainder of the 20th century, in U.S schools and in the cultural ecology in which these schools existed, computers continued to redistributed differentially along the related axes of race and socioeconomic status. Moreover, this distribution continued to contribute to intergenerational patterns of racism, poverty, and illiteracy. (Selfie and Hawisher, 57)
In other words, although advances in technology were prominent around this time, those with limited or no access to these technological materials, continued to be left in the dark. The effects of this unequal distribution affected educational and economic settings. As the book highlights, digital literacy was not made available to all, and is often congruent to socio-economic circumstances.
Societal conditions for women, was another cultural factor explored in connection to digital literacy. The women in this particular part of the case studies, which took place in late 1970’s and early 1980’s, were exposed to technology initially though video games, and later on through computer programs. This exposure led them to expand upon their computer skills, a feature that helped them in their careers. Although computer knowledge was considered more of a man’s skill, these women chipped away at such notions, allowing them to shape their identity through digital literacy. In addition, regardless of not being trained in school for such practices, the women took it upon themselves to become more efficient in technology, and therefore literate in digital practices. The accessibility of technology is continually analyzed in the concept of technology gateways. According to Selfie and Hawisher, technology gateways are the conditions that promote the access to computers, so that individuals can practice digital literacy. Environments that cultivate the digital growth of individuals can be self-made or found in the workplace, as the case studies in this section point out. Certain environments however, are often limiting for learners, and may protract the acquisition of digital illiteracies to some degree. This places tremendous weight on individuals to research and learn about digital practices, despite not having a strong support system that encourages this.
Support can be found in cultural practices. The book presents the cases of two individuals whose cultural values, hindered and fostered their digital literacy. This section also introduced the topic of interpersonal relations that are frequently considered to be lost due to the increasing dependency on technology. For one of the men interviewed, computing technology was a tool for writing, and not a necessary factor in reading and teaching skills. His belief placed a definite worth on past literacy practices, as it was congruent to his culture, which was heavily seeped in personal communication. This opposed the view of the second individual, who deemed technology as the bridge to communities, meaningful relations and cultural growth. Her encounter with academic culture transformed her thinking, and resulted in an acceptance of technology. Her experience was similar to the women mentioned earlier, who shaped their identity through digital literacy. Both these individuals have reinstated their identity under the influence of their culture and the culture of technology. Their case raises an important question on the public perception of technology and the continuous demand of digital literacy on the population. Keeping to the importance of culture, the book crosses over to generational lines and the patterns of literacy practices that are part of family structures. The cases in this segment focused on family guidance and modeled behaviors, which in many ways encouraged the acceptance of digital literacy.
Rather, they understood computers as literacy machines, and they valued these machines because they offered new environments for reading, writing and communicating. All three women, for instance, mentioned that computers offered spaces within which they could continue to practice reading and writing skills that they already valued. (Selfie and Hawisher, 159)
Despite having to face economic hardships, and encountering racial discrimination; literacy and the value of education, was monumental in the upbringing of these women. This ideology carried over to family practices, which transcended though the generations of women. For the younger women, technology was a tool that strengthened their views on literacy and allowed them to remain active participants in a digital world. Continuing on the topic of technologies influence on women, the following chapter explores digital literacy within the context of feminist social movements. The cases that are discussed reflect back on the power individuals have in shaping the cultural ecology, that either enforcers or obstructs their digital literacy. Although each case is different and circumstances are diverse, the women in this section illustrate the personal actions that individuals can take to acquire the literacies that are significant during that given time. Their resourcefulness and motivations, parallel the behaviors that continue to be seen in the growing technological era.
The last chapter of the book touches upon the future of literacy within online and technological platforms. Literacy is continuously changing, and the requirements that are needed for individuals to remain functional, are under frequent modifications. The authors make suggestions to educators on how to properly utilize new technological material to enhance learning in the classroom.
Teachers armed with these resources can then work collaboratively with students to develop meaningful assignments that will bring new literacies into composition classrooms in ways that both engage and challenge contemporary learners. (Selfie and Hawisher, 209)
In this technological era, students are often more equipped with digital knowledge than adults. Teachers can instruct classrooms concurrently learning from students, thus creating environments of constant learning. Digital literacy promotes this type of reciprocal learning, a consideration educators should take into account.
Literate Lives in the Information Age: Narratives of Literacy from the United States certainly provides a deep analysis on the cultural ecology that has affected the acquisition of digital literacy. Educators or anyone interested in this subject, who wants to further investigate or become acquainted with the topic, should incorporate this book as part of their research material. Each chapter can be utilized as independent articles, in given historical contexts that range from the Civil Rights movement to the economic situation of the United States. The book fluctuates between different time periods which made the reading a bit difficult, in terms of cohesiveness and repetitiveness. Large sections of the chapters detailed historical facts excessively, which took away from the implications posed by the narratives. However, this may be beneficial for readers who are approaching this issue from a historical lens.
Although the authors interviewed a diverse group of individuals, they mainly focused on middle class white women. The book failed to include second language learners not born in the United States. This is rather a significant population to exclude, as immigrant students compose a large percentage of students in US schools. More so, immigrants comprise a large portion of the workforce. How have these individuals acquired digital literacy? Are the barriers they have encountered similar to those from low socio-economic backgrounds presented in the book? This is a topic that could be further explored by the authors perhaps in a follow up article to the book.
The last chapter of the book truly highlights the impact of technology in the classroom, and therefore the magnitude of digital literacy. The authors emphasize the necessity of technology in education and the positive outcomes that will result in its implementation. Furthermore, the dichotomy between students and teachers is examined within a technological context. Technology affords a mutual learning environment of communication where digital literacy can flourish. The value the authors place in the acquisition of digital literacy resonates throughout book, but particularly in this chapter that discusses the future of education. This topic connects to the unequal distribution of technology in certain education sectors and the harmful repercussions it has in specific communities. If individuals hope to raise their prospects of better employment, then they must be able to access technology and acquire digital literacy.
Touching further on this topic, the authors do provide hopeful accounts of how some individuals were able to acquire digital literacy, despite restrictions within their cultural ecology.
“Thus, personal motivation and interests, individual actions and decisions, we believe, can play a substantial role in the development of electronic literacies”. (Selfie and Hawisher, 209) This point reasserts the agency that can be obtained through digital literacy, as well as the clear advantages it provides. However, this is not the case for all, an issue that policymakers should consider. As we are now further rooted in a digital world, digital literacy has developed into an important aspect of our culture. It is embedded in the economic market, by the means of technological products that will continually undergo modifications. It is present in the workforce, as a number of jobs require some type of digital literacy. It is a growing characteristic of education, a helpful tool in learning. The book truly does a remarkable job at demonstrating the progression of technology and the transformation of digital literacy in the United States.
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