Introduction to 21 st Century Literacy

1. Introduction to 21st Century Literacy Resources and tools for 21st century teachers and learners

2. AGNEDA • Theories of 21st Century Literacy • Resources – Thinking, sharing and reflecting • Tools for 21st century teachers and learners

3. What is 21st C. Literacy? • The emerging information and learning society requires the building of learning societies and learning communities… Recent political and socio-economic transformations have caused the evolvement of the literacy concept into a more complex notion of literacy. Within the plurality of literacies, fundamental changes of attitudes of entire societies towards literacy and learning are increasingly important.

4. Cont’d… • A literate environment is more than the presence of written materials, it also requires opportunities to use and further develop literacy related skills and competencies in all kind of situations and contexts. Furthermore it includes the availability of continuing education. Exclusion and discrimination continue to contribute to pockets of illiteracy, even within developed countries. The making of literate societies is one of the crucial challenges of the 21st Century. -UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning (http://www.unesco.org/uil/en/themareas/literacy_at_uil.htm)

5. Cont’d • Media and information literacy may be summed up as being centred on five core competencies, referred to as the “5Cs”: Comprehension, Critical thinking, Creativity, Cross-cultural awareness and Citizenship. UNESCO: Teacher Training Curricula For Media and Information Literacy

6. Why is 21st C. Lit. an Emerging Issue? Several factors are precipitating a need for critical and coherent study of media and information literacy as part of the school curriculum. Those factors include: • the proliferation of global telecommunications and media organizations • a consequent exponential increase in media texts and messages (of varying authority, purpose, currency and accuracy) • the controls (overt and/or subtle) exerted on access to, and availability of, those texts and messages to citizens • the impact of media and information on society as a whole and on youth in particular UNESCO: Teacher Training Curricula For Media and Information Literacy

7. 21st C. Lit. and the world… • View Did You Know 3.0 • increase in opportunities for interaction within communities and beyond cultural boundaries via the media • increasing availability of mass media tools is creating a new environment that is changing the cognitive and affective setting for intellectual and cultural growth of young people • Mass media tools influence young people’s work, leisure and personal relationships • social and political imperatives for improving education and basic literacy are being amplified by the demands and opportunities of the new media

8. 21st C. Lit. and Students • youth may have little understanding of their own or the ethical responsibilitiesof others • they expect to get information, news and entertainment when they want it and to share opinions, experiences and lifestyles through social networking sites • Their world is dynamic, exciting, and ease of use and access to the new media are highly motivating of participation

9. 21st C. Lit. and Teaching • teachers focus on engaging critically with information, developing analytical, organizational and evaluative skills, problem solving and communication • learning about, with and through media and information literacy will require a pedagogical approach… student- rather than teacher-centred and resource-based rather than centred on set texts UNESCO: Teacher Training Curricula For Media and Information Literacy

10. Discussion topics… • MECY LwICT Creative Thinking, Critical Thinking, Ethical/Responsible Use What does this look like in your school? Your classroom? • Centre for Media Literacy Document New ways of learning, What a difference a Century makes, Why media lit. is important, Essential questions for teachers