TCR 5060 - Week 7 - Composition as Acquiring Multiple Literacies in the 21st Century

Yancey, K.B. (Dec. 2004) draws our attention exciting changes in the field of composition and English—innovation in the way we think of literacy.  Technological innovation and globalization have provided a rich context for multimedia and changes in the way we think of literacy.  I enjoy that Yancey reminds us that new writing is not restricted by the University (p. 300, 302), but rather, that writers are writing for the pleasure of writing.  This new context for creation of text is reminiscent of the 19^th-century wherein writers and readers created “their own social contexts” for reading and writing (p. 301).  Technology and innovation often leads to new ways of seeing and thinking and imagining the world.  This new context has contributed to changes in the field of education.  We do not think of composition or literacy in the same worn grooves.  We can think of new kinds of literacy, regardless of whether these literacies always were: cultural literacy, technological literacy, print literacy, screen literacy, digital literacy.  New kinds of literacy have their own terms which help us to think and see the world through a new lens.  According to Daley, screen literacy has the 21^st century reader thinking about life through film jargon (Yancey, 2004, p. 305).  Literacy is not merely restricted to print mediated genres.  Yancey raises a poignant question, “shall we teach print, digital, composition, communication, or all of the above?” (p. 306).  In order to provide a 21^st century ready education to college students, we must rethink composition.  According to Yancey, process and post-process thinking have prepared us well for this new globalized context (p. 309).  At the same time, I argue that before we can move into new genres of composition (Blog, website development, film, etc.), basic print literacy is needed.  Blogs, websites, film, still very much rely on the written word.  This makes our work more challenging, because in order to provide 21^st century ready classrooms in higher education, we must revisit and revamp the building blocks that lead to the college track.  Grade schools through high school need to consider new ways of thinking of education.  What are the implications for higher education leaders?  We must seek for ways to work with high schools, building bridges, so that education becomes more seamless, building literacies leading up to new and engaging literacy exposure in the First Year Composition classroom.  We must resist the notion that education must lead to the gatekeepers remaining in higher education.  In a hyperconnected global context, innovative minds may choose to hack their own education if not provided with sufficient challenges and opportunities to explore creativity and meaningful education.

References

Yancey, K.B. (Dec. 2004).  “Made not only in words: Composition in a new key.”  College Composition and Communication. 56(2).