This document summarizes a workshop on defining literacy and new literacies. Participants were asked to individually define literacy, new literacies, and then collaborate in groups to develop a joint definition of no more than 50 words. Groups then created visual representations of their definitions and presented them. Participants observed common themes around the connections between literacy, technology, art, narrative and other areas. The workshop aimed to further participants' understanding of literacy and new literacies.

1. Our Initial Ideas About
Literacy / Literacies:
What is it / are they? Where do we start?
Carl Young
NELA Workshop
Rocky Mount, NC
February 7, 2012

2. Get ready…

3.  To get ideas out of your head and onto
paper… quickly! 
 Your ideas!
1 Objective, 1 Rule

4.  Step 1: Define literacy or literacies in
your own words. Take 2-3 minutes to
freewrite or freetype what literacy is or
literacies are. (Can use your Participant wiki
page! )
◦ What is literacy? What does it mean to be
literate?
Literacy? Literacies?

5.  Step 2: What is/are new literacies?
Define new literacies in your own words.
Take 2-3 minutes to freewrite or freetype
what new literacies is/are.
◦ This definition may be an extension of your
first one or an elaboration to some degree.
New Literacies?

6.  Step 3: Now, in small groups designated on the wiki,
share your ideas about literacy and new literacies,
and... (4 minutes)
 Step 4: Collaborate on a common working definition
that incorporates both literacy/literacies AND new
literacies that is no longer than 50 words. Type this
on your group’s wiki space.
◦ (5 minutes)
 Step 5: Create a visual representation of your
working definition that includes your words and any
visual design elements that help convey your ideas.
Post-It poster paper and markers provided! (5 minutes)
Share & Collaborate

7.  Next, post them around room! Use 1 of
your flip cams to capture your group with
its poster! Let Carl have your camera!
 Walk and take a look at each other’s
work!
 Note any common themes or images, as
well as anything else that strikes you as
you take a look.
Initial Ideas About New Literacies
Gallery Walk

8.  Share: If time, …
◦ What are some of the common themes you noticed?
◦ What other observations did you make?
◦ Use these as a reference point to build upon over the
week!
◦ Post your initial and follow up definitions to the wiki and
consider Tweeting them and include #NELA12
 Archive: 1 volunteer from each group at table,
use Flip cam to capture group with your poster.
Bring camera to Carl so he can get footage to
post!
Common Themes / Observations?

9.  Literacy, specifically New Literacies, have connections
to technology, but also to art, narrative, gaming,
multimodality… being creative and creating!
Connections…

10. Preamble, 1987; Mike Wilkins
…help us to represent ideas in
new and dynamic ways…

11. NELA Participant Profile
http://www.wordle.net

12. NLI Team’s New Literacies Wordle
http://www.wordle.net

13. NELA Literacy Team’s Tagxedo
http://www.tagxedo.com/artful/785741dcd5704053

14. Xtramormal Video: Our Thoughts
in Progress on Literacy/Literacies

15.  Early Literacy
 Emergent Literacy
 TPACK
 Digital Fluency
 Digital Literacy
 And more…
 Use the workshop to further reflect
upon and refine your definition of
literacy/literacies/new literacies!
Additional Considerations

16.  Carl Young
 NC State University
 carl_young@ncsu.edu
Rocky Mount, NC
February 7, 2012
Thanks!