" If you mean either a computer or a pen will increase literacy because these are tools that people use when they are learning by doing, that is more complicated."
David, I think that starting from the point that a lack of basic literacy means that people cannot read and write at all is a false assumption. We can't start at zero here, because functional illiteracy does not mean zero in my view. More than likely we are talking about second or third grade levels, with the possible exception of the ESL category. So what we are really talking about is building on something that exists, and self paced, and adaptive software can do this. The Jumpstart series is very effective for children. It can also be done thru exposure to reading and writing, albeit at a slower pace. So in the end do I believe, and does my experience teach me, that providing a computer and Internet access even absent direct instruction can improve literacy? Absolutely! Mike Michael F. Pitsch [EMAIL PROTECTED] -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of David Rosen Sent: Wednesday, January 04, 2006 10:54 PM To: The Digital Divide Network discussion group Subject: Re: [DDN] NAAL points to serious,ongoing adult basic skills problem in U.S. Hello Mike, I am not sure I understand what you mean. If you mean a computer by itself won't increase literacy, just as a pen by itself won't increase writing, I agree If you mean either a computer or a pen will increase literacy because these are tools that people use when they are learning by doing, that is more complicated. I agree that constructivist (project-based) and contextualized learning are valuable approaches, and that in many instances they are the way that adults (especially) learn best. However, we are talking about basic literacy, that is adults who cannot decode, who cannot get meaning from text. They need instruction. While some computer-assisted instruction for adults may be valuable together with direct instruction by a teacher or tutor, I am unaware of any research that shows that adults learn to read, that is -- using the language of the NAAL -- move from "below basic" to a "basic" level without the help of a trained teacher or tutor. I am also unaware of any argument that adults who cannot read at all will learn to read simply because they have access to computers. This was the point of my question. Has this argument been made, the argument that adult literacy -- that is, basic literacy -- could be achieved simply by increasing access to computers? Apparently not. Perhaps you meant something else. Steve Eskow may be getting at the need for human teaching or tutoring when he writes "It may be that other agencies, or even self- instruction, can teach the young to operate the radio, television set, the cell phone, and the computer, while we need schools to teach the far more difficult technologies of deep reading and writing." I would extend this observation to adults who cannot read, that they need trained tutors or teachers. I would add that most adults need to learn how to use computers, too. And I would add that they can learn basic literacy and how to use computers at the same time, as Toni Stone demonstrated so well in her book _Keystrokes to Literacy_ and Steve Quann and Diana Satin demonstrate in their book about immigrants learning English literacy, _Learning Computers, Speaking English_ ( see http://wiki.literacytent.org/index.php/ AleTechnologyESOLComputerIntro for discussion about these books. ) David J. Rosen [EMAIL PROTECTED] On Jan 4, 2006, at 9:53 AM, Executive Director wrote: > " but I don't follow why one would think that access to computers and > the Internet would by itself result in increased basic literacy. " > > No more or less than one would think that reading books and writing > papers with a Bic word processor would improve basic literacy. > Require that you subscribe to the theory that people learn by doing. > Mike > ************************* > Michael F. Pitsch > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > _______________________________________________ DIGITALDIVIDE mailing list DIGITALDIVIDE@mailman.edc.org http://mailman.edc.org/mailman/listinfo/digitaldivide To unsubscribe, send a message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the word UNSUBSCRIBE in the body of the message.
