Final Connections…Multiliteracies

Learning about mulitliteracies has been an interesting journey. From orality to the age of print, the way people have interacted with information has constantly changed over time. While people like Ong, believe that the art of the written word is becoming lost with new forms of media, others would say that it is not lost, but rather changed, becoming a world of multiliteracies. We have come from an oral society which eagerly accepted the integration of books, to an imagry stimulated world of digital media. In present time, we continue to be immersed in literacy, but through many new forms.  We may not value traditional forms of knowledge, such as the handheld book, as we used to and this may have to do with technologies of the past, such as the scroll or typewriter, which made knowledge more permanent. The nature of literacy today is much less permenent. It allows for knowledge to be changed, added to, and deleted through its digital nature; Different networks of people who are easily connected via the World Wide Web can create better information and therefore, impower people with quality knowledge. Having access to multiliteracies has allowed us to improve in many disciplines- everything from cooking to automechanics. This course has taught me that we indeed need to appreciate where we have come from, but also need to embrace our new journey that encompasses all forms of literacy.

I created this collage of photos representing multiliteracies to encompass my experiences and progression through this course.

Happy holidays everyone!

Amanda