As we move beyond the turn of the 20 century to the 21 century our culture is finding that the literacies th needed

to make one successful in the 20 century have been added and subtracted from. These literacies are the knowledge of being able to use, communicate and understand new technological forms. th A sampling of 20 century literacies needed to make one successful might have been to know how to read print on paper, read print on computer screens, write in cursive and talk on a telephone. While some of these literacies like reading from printed paper are still needed other have been modified like talking on a telephone or in some cases the need is being lost like writing in cursive. This should not be viewed as a negative culture trend, but the ongoing evolution of our culture. To explain some of the relative terms of st the 21 century I have defined them below in both printed form, and using a mind map with embedded video. 21st Century Literacy: o Definition: This all-encompassing term is used to describe the new technology and the skills needed to work with them. These technologies involve both technical innovations such as computers, smart phones and software. They also involve the way we are modifying our social interactions such as blogging, networking with people in different countries and dealing with different media formats. Example from the classroom: Requiring a group of students from several different countries to research and write a paper, then present a PowerPoint presentation with multimode media such as a video and music.

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Digital Literacy: o o Definition: The ability to understand and use computer based applications. Example from the classroom: Receiving and posting assignments to a web site like Oncourse

Media Literacy o o Definition: The ability to work, create and review many different media formats. These formats include video, sound and print. It also includes the ability to understand, evaluate, analyze and synthesize media. Example from the classroom: Having students make video mashups and posting them to YouTube. Then having students review mashups that others have made and comment on them.

Information Literacy o o Definition: Being able to find information, evaluate the source of the information, analyze and synthesize the information to either solve a problem or gain knowledge on a subject. Example from the classroom: A teacher does an internet scavenger hunt based on gaining knowledge in a subject with their students. After the search the teacher can discuss with the students the information found and evaluate the type of source.

Computer Literacy o o Definition: Having the knowledge and skills to use computers, software and related technology. Example from the classroom: Requiring students to use the program Word to write a paper.

Visual Literacy

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Definition: Using graphic and video as a means to find information analyze and synthesize the information to either solve a problem or gain knowledge on a subject. Example from the classroom: Having students mark a story out of graphics or videos.

Social Media Literacy o Definition: Having the knowledge and skills to us social media platforms such as Facebook or Twitter. Specifically the knowledge and skills are finding and evaluating information. Using the information to solve problems or gain knowledge then passing this information on to other users. Example from the classroom: Having students meet in a network chat room then work as a group to solve a problem.

The mind map has the term 21st Century Literacy as the base and the rest of the terms growing from it. On the left side we have the information literacy area. These are the literacies that relate to gaining, evaluating and using information. A source for gaining more insight into the information literacies is http://www.medialit.org/. This source is useful for understanding information and the framework for how it should be managed. The right side has the literacies that related to how we use our technologies. A source for helping gain more knowledge in this area is http://www.digitalliteracy.gov/. This source has many tutorials designed to teach how to use many computer related technologies.

Reference: Lankshear, C., & Knobel, M. (2011). New literacies: technologies and values. New Literacies Everyday Practices and Social Learning. (3rd ed., pp. 52-92). Maidenhead: McGraw-Hill Education