Ricardo Camacho
Professor Moore
WRD 104
April 15, 2013
Reading Digitally: It’s Better For Now and the Future
As we progress in the coming years with technology and transforming in how communicate and how we interact, being coherent and digitally literate has become essential. With the conversion of reading the New York Times in a digital format, we would be progressing in the new era in how we receive and interpret information. With the conversion to a digital format, we would be exposing ourselves in transitioning in how we become literate in a new world of communication by a simple switch from the traditional print format.
Yes, reasons for maintaining a print format involves traditional aspects, being more attainable for the less privileged and provides a tangible access for those without devices and appliances for a digital format. Such reasons would provide justification for keeping a classic form of gaining information, but would halt the progress of individuals being digitally literate. Being digitally literate refers to the definition proposed as the awareness, attitude and ability of individual’s to use digital tools of communication, expression and social action in specific life situations (Martin & Grudziecki, 2007). With the skill to articulate oneself digitally, they would place themselves in the forefront in being able to communicate and interact more effectively.
Such transition would lead to interpreting and reading information digitally and using acquired skills for numerous other forms of expression. In the same aspect as one would learn to read and write, such conversion of reading the New York Times would be an opening to become knowledgeable and being digitally literate. The transformation of reading in a digital format of course would not enhance an individual’s digital literacy to a mastery level, but it would introduce them and expose individuals to such new form of literacy. With research and information guiding the transition to exposing individuals to being digitally literate-the conversion to digital format is essential.
Literacy is seen as a right, a privilege that must be taken advantage with every opportunity and resource at hand. With learning how to read and write being an essential part of surviving in today’s society, so has the emerging form of communicating and interacting in today’s society. With the right of being literate comes the benefits associate with such literacy. Benefits include gaining skills necessary to make well-educated and informed decisions and participation among one’s community and society. (Why Literacy Matters). Why wouldn’t we want to take advantage of forms of gaining and obtaining crucial information in a form that has evolved from the ordinary print format? Gaining the appropriate literacy to function in today’s society can be achieved by simply reading a newspaper online and not on paper like past generations. Such evolution from print to digital format has come and how we evolve ourselves as well will determine if we progress in our lives in how we gain and interpret information. With faster, accurate results and information at the tips of our hands, again the question is asked, why wouldn’t we? With these resources at hand, no point intended, we will be learning and gaining literacy and becoming educated on invaluable skills needed for today’s interactions and communication. With the proper education and advocacy for learning such emerging literacy, we would be emerging as individuals ourselves.
In the article Teachers’’ Perceptions of Integrating Information and Communication Technologies Into Literacy Instruction: A National Survey in the United States, the study found that teachers are on agreement in the regards on the need to address digital forms of reading and writing in literacy instruction. Looking upon such educative perspective, having encouragement to implement digital forms of reading and writing draws the possibility of promoting digital literacy through the simple action of reading the newspaper digitally. With factors obstructing the promotion of digital literacy, the simple action of reading the newspaper online gives way for students and people in general a possibility to gain digital literacy and be able to understand something if it wasn’t for the accessibility to read online. It is one thing to be able to read or write, but gaining the skills to do so digitally has become as essential. 
Regarding the topic of serendipity, some may view for the importance of being able to read or write without the use of digital applications creates an experience for creativity and imagination, but I disagree with such claim. To argue with this claim, one can say the same for reading or writing online, simply by viewing it in the perspective as an individual effectively using technology with the appropriate digital literacy and comprehension. Such literacy and comprehension has given me the opportunity to experience creativity and imagination opposing arguments being made against reading digitally. I personally have grown to become accustomed to the digital format and establishing myself in being digitally literate, therefore residing with such argument of going with a digital format that be of an opportunity for many. If one becomes exposed to the small doing of reading the newspaper digitally opens a door in gaining a new form of literacy.
Many arguments can be made as to why one format is above the other regarding the print and digital format, but one claim that is true is that resources are available. Needless to say how they can be helpful if one is on the go and doesn’t have time for the tangible newspaper and needs to read only what’s important and for the individual enjoying their nice soring day outside, discovering articles they wouldn’t find in an online read. Looking upon the individual, one would have their own perspectives on which format is a better functioning form of gaining and interpreting information. No one format will always be the victor in how we use the print or digital format and both providing unique characteristics. Both formats are there for our usage, while one format being an essential tool in being able to form a developing literacy needed to evolve with the coming changes to how we gain and interpret information. Going digitally would be better, for now and the future ahead of us.
References
Goodfellow, R. (2011). Literacy, literacies and the digital in higher education. Teaching in Higher Education, 16 (1), 131-144. Retrieved from
Hutchison, A., & Reinking, D. (2011). Teachers’ perceptions of integrating information and communication technologies into literacy instruction: A national survey in the united states. Reading Research Quarterly, 46(4), 312-333. doi: 10.1002/RRQ.002.
(2006). Why Literacy Matters Education for all global monitoring report. (pp. 135-145). Paris: e United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. Retrieved from http://www.unesco.org/education/GMR2006/full/chapt5_eng.pdf