Striving toward a critical theory of technology pedagogy in literacy education

UNCW Author/Contributor (non-UNCW co-authors, if there are any, appear on document)

Kristen Michelle Phaup (Creator)

Institution

The University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW )

Web Site: http://library.uncw.edu/

Advisor

Lu Ellen Huntley

Abstract: As the future unfolds and technology continues to develop at a rapid pace, it has become clear that technology will play a significant role in many facets of our daily existence. In addition to becoming conscious of new technologies, we must also learn how to maneuver these high-tech innovations. When we learn how to operate technology, we become literate; or, we understand how this piece of technology functions. Therefore, literacy now becomes a metaphor to encompass all forms of learning - no longer pertaining to the relatively simple definition of knowing how to read and write. Today, technology is being incorporated into all areas of literacy learning. While some may think the integration of technology will facilitate literacy learning, evidence is emerging to the contrary. Along with its benefits, unfortunately, as a result of the amalgamation of technology with literacy learning, complications regarding literacy acquisition are becoming prevalent. For instance, theorist Brian Street purports that the ideologies and practices of reading and writing are firmly rooted in the context of particular societies, and thus cannot be “isolated or treated as ‘neutral’ or merely technical” (1). Ideals and notions of literacy and what it means to be literate are found in texts, and now a plethora of media – all of which students experience in a variety of content-areas. Trying to understand what denotes literacy involves understanding how a society uses and values it. Technological advances are now complicating the way we think about literacy and literacy learning As technology is here to stay, arguing either for or against its use in literacy learning is not the focus of this thesis. However, it is pertinent to contend for a critical theory of technology in education, so that the complications will be minimized through various solutions geared toward successful literacy development.

Striving toward a critical theory of technology pedagogy in literacy education
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Created on 1/1/2009
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Additional Information

Publication

Thesis

A Thesis Submitted to the University of North Carolina at Wilmington in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirement for the Degree of Masters of Arts

Language: English

Date: 2009

Keywords

Educational technology--United States, Technological literacy--United States

Subjects

Technological literacy -- United States

Educational technology -- United States

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