literacy is problematic

Literacy is a word drenched in political meanings. For most it is a gateway from non-educated social status to a more educated social status with the economic rewards. For others it is a highly contested space where hierarchies are reinforced and certain ways of thinking and being are privileged over other ways of thinking and being. Most notably, the question and response (Homeric) way of learning is privileged within the school system. This is not the same learning style taught to many non-white kids in their homes. That makes schooling difficult. But, when we add technology to the mix, this whole equation becomes even more problematic because we now have issues of access as well as know how.

Recently I read an article that called for increased digital literacy as a way to empower digital users in managing with the copious amounts of information now provided by various sources via the web, including news sources, blogs, and special interest group websites. Rheingold finds that literacies are ways that humans make sense of (transmit and receive) information that helps them understand power and knowledge, and can eventually lead the individual to understand and participate in community. For starters, redefining literacy for the millionth time is problematic to me. There has to be another way to think about these things. Most importantly he calls for increased awareness about the different technologies and the information afforded in different spaces, and the communities that evolve in those spaces. He finds that literacy is the link between technology and sociality. What I wonder is if we really need another call for increased literacy. If we as humans are being expressing sociality in these spaces, we will probably flock to spaces of groups with interests similar to ours so the time between finding the community and being able to participate in the Discourse is small. As we find that community we will probably be exposed to various media that are new to us, and we’ll learn how to use them to remain a current participant in that community, or we’ll find a new one to join. But, we’re not hyper-aware of the literacies we’re developing. In Gee’s terms we’re acquiring Discourses instead of learning Discourses. So, when we call for increased attention to, focus on, and specific teaching of digital literacies (which presumably are held by the teacher transmitting the knowledge) are we really helping more people participate, or are we simply drawing attention to what we as researchers are studying? Am i validating what i do by teaching it to my students, or am i actually helping them acquire the skills they need to participate in democracy in the new shape it has taken online?