Educational practice must shift: Teachers and learners should not only critique texts but also engage with and become fluent in machine‑mediated literacies designing, exploring, questioning the assemblages of texts, tools, and actors. ​ #edu800fall25 #Leander

School standards need to keep up the changing landscape. Critical literacy must expand: It’s not only about who writes a text and what ideology it carries, but also about asking how machines and algorithms shape our texts and identities. ​
#edu800fall25 #Leander

Literacy today involves human and non‑human actors (machines, algorithms). This means we are no longer just readers of texts, but participants in networks where machines help produce, distribute, and interpret meaning. ​
#edu800fall25 #Leander

Students should be creators instead of just consumers Teachers to design lessons where students take an active role. Students should ask questions, gather information, & contribute knowledge to the class. This builds confidence & prepares them for learning in a digital world.​ #edu800fall25 #Knobel

New literacies involve both technology and the values behind how we use it. For teachers, this means technology should not be used just for repetition or entertainment. Instead, young students can use digital tools to express themselves and build understanding. #edu800fall25 #Knobel

The ideas from Knobel and Lankshear (2014) can strongly support elementary teaching. They emphasize that literacy is a social practice meaning students learn to read, write & communicate better when they are interacting with others and working on meaningful tasks.
#edu800fall25 #Knobel

Students must learn to think about where information comes from, whether it is trustworthy, and how it connects to what they already know. They should be able to explain why something makes sense.

#edu800fall25. #Leu

Students need to learn how to ask clear questions, search for the right information, and decide what sources will actually help them. This builds independence and confidence when they explore new topics. #edu800fall25. #Leu

Students benefit when teachers provide structured opportunities, peer interaction and gradual release when navigating information and trying to make sense of information. #edu800fall25. #Leu

Teachers can model and scaffold these skills so everyone can participate successfully. It’s important to give options for students who are less familiar with digital tools. With thoughtful planning, technology becomes a tool for equity instead of a barrier. #Mills #edu800fall25.

Children often experience more engaging literacy practices through games, YouTube, and digital storytelling. Mills says schools should connect to those experiences instead of ignoring them. When teachers value what students do outside school, kids feel that their skills matter. #edu800fall25 #Mills

Students today learn and communicate using more than just printed words. They make meaning through images, sounds, videos, emojis, gestures, and interactive tools. Mills emphasizes that teachers should treat these forms as real literacy, not just extras. #edu800fall25 #Mills
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