Depending on who you ask, the internet is either saving literacy or it's damning it irrevocably. Here's a look at what both sides are saying in this important debate.
The Internet is Good for Literacy
Those who look upon the internet as a viable and modern way to promote literacy believe that regardless of the merit of the content people are searching the internet for, they are undoubtedly reading something, which results in higher literacy levels across the board. Factor in all those Google searches, news updates and social networking tools and they all add up to people reading more in their daily lives now than before the widespread availability of the internet.
Clay Shirky, teacher and author of the book Here Comes Everybody, recently said in an interview with the Columbia Journalism Review that the internet has "brought back reading and writing as a normal activity for a huge group of people."
The correlation between reading and writing has also been solidified due in huge part to online activities. Reading is no longer a singular activity. From blogs to hard-hitting news stories, most online media outlets allow for readers to participate in the exchange of opinions and ideas via comments. The shift in perception from reading being a non-participatory activity to one in which readers give a voice to the topic itself can be wholly contributed to the internet.
The Internet is Bad for Literacy
Opponents of the internet-as-redeemer-for-literacy claim that while people may in fact be doing more reading on the web, the content of their reading leaves much to be desired. One of the most outspoken proponents on the issue is Dana Gioia, who served as the chair of the National Endowment of the Arts under former President Bush (and whom later resigned from his post in late January 2009).
Primarily citing a 2008 U.S. Census Bureau study that said that more than 50 percent of adults read at least one work of fiction in the past year, it's difficult to distinguish what they characterize as a work of fiction (i.e. book vs. internet). Furthermore, Gioia draws no parallels between the internet and literacy, and does not believe that the internet is a mitigating factor for the increase in overall literacy rates. Instead he attributes this increase of literacy to such factors as "community-based programs" such as Oprah's Book Club and The Big Read and the popularity of series' such as Harry Potter and Twilight.
Despite its effect, the internet has made an unmistakable impact on literacy. While readers may have shifted their preference from traditional classics and physical books to a more modern and non-traditional method, more people are reading now than they have in previous years. Not only has reading in general increased, but the concept of literacy has shifted as well. Readers can now share ideas, thoughts and opinions with other readers world-wide, resulting in an exchange of ideas never before seen.
Lisa Rufle - If I had to describe myself in one word, it would easily be: curious. So as a natural extension of my curiosity, reading is my life's ...
