Thomas et al. (2007): Transliteracy: crossing divides

Another potentially valuable paper from EDC 10. Direct citation indented, followed by my comments in turn.

"Transliteracy might provide a unifying perspective on what it means to be literate in the twenty-first century. It is not a new behavior but has only been identified as a working concept since the Internet generated news ways of thinking about human communication." 

Comment:

"We live in a world of multiple literacies, multiple media and multiple demands on our attention."

and

"In this article, we explore a new concept - "transliteracy' - which is both very old and brand new and may help us shed light on how we, as human beings, communicate."

Comment:

"Transliteracy is the ability to read, write and interact across a range of platforms, tools and media from signing and orality through handwriting, print, TV, radio and film, to digital social networks."

Comment:

"...the concept of transliteracy calls for a change of perspective away from the battles over print versus digital, and a move instead towards a unifying ecology not just of media, but of all literacies relevant to reading, writing, interaction and culture, both past and present."

Comment:

"Is the internet really changing the ways in which we read, write, and think? Is the book truly dead? Is anything being lost in the frantic rush to get online? What has happened to the idea of literary value?"

Comment:

"Many people seem to feel that they should have a preference between the analogue and the digital, as it the situation really were so polarized."

Comment:

"However, it is important to note that transliteracy is not just about computer-based materials, but about all communication types across time and culture. It does not privilege one above the other but treats all as of equal value and moves between and across them."