A Few Reflections on 'New Literacies in Action'

Even though I read the book a couple weeks ago, I decided to go back over my notes now that class is half over. Chapter One is a great overview and reenforces everything we've been discussing and many things I'm experiencing as I work on my projects. I can especially relate to a couple observations made in this chapter.

1. "Online reading has changed the act of reading since hyperlinks have changed sequence. Now it's an interactive/non-linear experience." Since working on both the Wiki and the Multi-Genre presentation,

I find that one link not only leads to another, but that I keep being reminded of more and more that I want to include. While this is a wonderful experience, it takes an enormous amount of time.

2. The Gee reference: "Literacy no longer seen as situated only in cognition...Literacy is deeply enmeshed in the culture, history, and everyday discourses of people's lives." Having read Gee's book , 'What Video Games Have to Teach us about Learning and Literacy,' during my 2005 National Writing Project experience, I remember being totally awed by it. Now, everything is resurfacing and becoming even more important than ever. I think I may need to review that book.

3. The idea that in school and out of school literacies must intersect. I totally agree and hope that my e-Zine idea will help give the students purpose and drive so they will be engaged and learn more than ever before. They will need to "read critically and write functionally" in order to have a successful e-Zine and that is at the heart of the matter.

Throughout the book, the idea of making sure the students feel that 'sense of community' is ever-present. Even though I always try to help students feel this, I think the e-Zine will work better  to help build a collaborative environment.