Martinez & López-Río (2015)

Just finished reading an assigned reading by these two researchers about the argument of reading on digital devices. I love this one.

1. First of all, this article is the first one I read that separates the e-readers (Kindle) from the other "general purpose computer devices" (tablets, phones, and TVs). Indeed, after doing the literature review for reading with digital devices in last July, I realized that the complexities do not only lie in the denotations of new literacy or digital literacy, the differences between the digital devices also complicate the reading practice. It is not limited to all these digital devices described above, other differences like a computer with a mouse vs touch screens, or desktop vs. laptops (movable) appear to have some extent of impact on reading. If we go back to the early stage of digital reading, all research referred to unmovable desktop and software reading. It would be something, in my opinion, to clarify at the beginning of what digital devices mean in a paper. Many up-to-date surveys are examining the perceptions of parents/teachers/ children's use of digital devices, and it could be seen that some are only focusing on mobile devices, while on the other hand, some include everything from TV, digital toys, to touchscreen tablets. One case study did conduct a research to compare a few e-readers, and its findings seem to suggest that devices do matter in the respect of enhancing motivation to read. 
2. I love how the authors use Gutenberg Galaxy to refer to the traditional print book reading. Actually, Google what it is and take a note in the article.
3. I agree with most of the view points proposed by the authors. In particular, the refute of cognitive disadvantage. A Chinese old saying is the same meaning that it is the person, the user, not the tools. Another one is that You would not stop eating because of the risk of choking. Reading with digital devices is a trend, and right now easier and convenient because it could be done anywhere, with or without internet. It reminds me of a topic of writing for CET-4 in China back about 15 years ago, which asks those who take the exams to write an essay about their preferences of print books or e-books. Most of the students, including me, as the instructor, favored more print books at that time. We have many reasons but 15 years ago, there were not many e-books yet. The pdf/epub was just about to develop and it took you some time to download. However, right now, e-books are everywhere. I do all my reading for pleasure online now, even some academic reading. As for writing, always with a laptop. People change with what is offered by the society. 
4. What I disagree is one part comparing the e-book and print book for tracking information. In my view, it is still easier to track information or notes in paper format, as the eyes could look much more compared with only one page each time in e-book format. Besides, the e-book doesn't give you the feeling of how thick the book is.

multimedia Reading

Last Wednesday, I was led to read a few articles on New York Times which demonstrates how multimedia or multi-sensory has developed in current literacy/reading. Well, those video links and "hotspot" do enhance engagement in reading, in my opinion. It absolutely holds me to read those articles longer compared with words only. We all think that pictures are more than words but here we see not only pictures, we have videos, animation, simulation, and some that I don't know how they did that. But it is no wonder a trend that what we are going to read online as a new format. Technology has made it is possible to happen.

When I think of the young readers, again, I am wondering what's going to happen to them. They may not think this is something new, or amazing, as this is their literary world, with technologies experienced everyday in their lives. But how this multimodal digital reading will challenge their cognitive development? I don't know? How it will have an impact on their reading and writing? I am not sure. What I do believe is this is what's happening now and the trend of multimodal reading will keep on going. What we have to do how to adapt to the change!

What is digital literacies?-TEAC951a/F17

I was intrigued by the changes of literacy with young children inspired by technology back in 2014 shortly after I joined the program. I think that the online reading has made challenges for young readers in a way and also facilitate learning to some extent. Technologies are tools and its success in teaching/learning depends on how they are used. I mean there is no good or bad criteria in a general sense. But I hold my viewpoint that tech has made reading/writing much more complicated for younger learners. For those who were born since 2010 when the tablet era poured in, mobile devices have experienced a big revolution moving from clicking the mouse to swiping on the screens. The swiping makes it easier for those small hands to work on those screens and thus make these devices more accessible. What's more, many apps and websites began to develop more user-friendly features in educational games, books, and videos. Researchers have done surveys to understand the perceptions of parents. pre-service teachers with those mobile devices. 

Leu and his colleagues have proposed the idea of New Literacy and new literacies a few years ago. I think that I feel that right now, the differences between the upper case and lower case is more conceptual than practical. When taking teaching and learning into consideration, we are talking more about TPACK. It is easier said than done though, as teachers are not only taking care of the individual differences of their students, the up-to-date content area, but technology is changing every day! 

The more I think of digital literacy, the more complicated I think the problem is. It is different reading on a laptop, a tablet, or a mobile phone. It is different to read on Kindle or Nook. It is different when multimedia is incorporated into reading. Reading on a desktop computer with mouse definitely involves different skills with touchscreen tablets. So how would we define digital literacies then?