The face of literacy is changing. In 1955, being literate meant being able to read and write well enough to to do such things as read a newspaper and write letters. In the year 2005, however, many more demands are made on reading and writing skills. In addition to being able to read such things as magazines and books and being able to write letters or other short written communication, the majority of people now communicate extensively using computers in the form of email, news groups, instant messaging, mailing list, weblogs, and web pages. These methods, all of which rely heavily on writing, have put more emphasis on written communication than ever before.
The Smart Library on Literacy and Technology notes that literacy instruction has already begun to reflect emphasis on the computer in both reading and writing. In fact, computer technology has changed not only how we write but how we talk and teach about writing. Jack Pillemer (1997) first developed a technique to use email to teach written expression, first in tutoring sessions and the
All of these newer forms of communication have changed how we write and increased emphasis on the need to be able to write easily and effectively. It places new demands on what it means to be literate, or able to read and write for the purposes of everyday activities.
One of the most interesting developments in computer communication might be weblogs, or "blogs." A combination of the words "web" and "log," a blog is an online personal journal that the writer makes available to others who can read and then comment on the contents (5). This form of computer communication may be the closest to traditional written expression, as the writer of the blog often takes the time to revise what he or she has said and actively seeks for the personal writing to have some kind of impact on the reader.
n in the classroom. Then he created a Web site to share the techniques he had developed. The design of his Web site affected how he wrote the content, which was organized based on web design rather than traditional essay or research paper format. Nonethe
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