"Electronic Literacies" is an insightful study of the challenges and contradictions that arise as culturally and linguistically diverse learners engage in new language and literacy practices in online environments.
The role of the Internet in changing literacy and education has been a topic of much speculation, but very little concrete research. This book is one of the first attempts to document the role of the Internet and other new digital technologies in the development of language and literacy. Warschauer looks at how the nature of reading and writing is changing, and how those changes are being addressed in the classroom. His focus is on the experiences of culturally and linguistically diverse learners who are at special risk of being marginalized from the information society.
Based on a two-year ethnographic study of the uses of the Internet in four language and writing classrooms in the state of Hawai'i--a Hawaiian language class of Native Hawaiian students seeking to revitalize their language and culture; an ESL class of students from Pacific Island and Latin American countries; an ESL class of students from Asian countries; and an English composition class of working-class students from diverse ethnic backgrounds--the book includes data from interviews with students and teachers, classroom observations, and analysis of student texts. This rich ethnographic data is combined with theories from a broad range of disciplines to develop conclusions about the relationship of technology to language, literacy, education, and culture. Central to Warschauer's discussion and conclusions is how contradictions of language, culture, and class affect the impact of Internet-based education. While Hawai'i is a special place, the issues confronted here are similar in many ways to those that exist throughout the United States and many other countries: How to provide culturally and linguistically diverse students traditionally on the educational and technological margins with the literacies they need to fully participate in public, community, and economic life in the 21st century.

This important new book provides a critical collection of recent research on on-line communication for second language learning, including uses of electronic mail, real-time writing, and the World Wide Web. Chapters analyze the theories underlying computer assisted learning, explore the contexts that affect network-based teaching, and examine the linguistic nature of computer-mediated interaction in both textual and multimedia environments. Each chapter has been specially written for this collection by an individual who has done extensive research on the topic explored. The result is a highly readable but in-depth analysis of the way that on-line communication is reshaping language teaching.

Leading scholars from a variety of disciplines explore the future of education, including social media usage, new norms of knowledge, privacy, copyright, and MOOCs. How are widely popular social media such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram transforming how teachers teach, how kids learn, and the very foundations of education? What controversies surround the integration of social media in students' lives? The past decade has brought increased access to new media, and with this new opportunities and challenges for education. In this book, leading scholars from education, law, communications, sociology, and cultural studies explore the digital transformation now taking place in a variety of educational contexts. The contributors examine such topics as social media usage in schools, online youth communities, and distance learning in developing countries; the disruption of existing educational models of how knowledge is created and shared; privacy; accreditation; and the tension between the new ease of sharing and copyright laws. Case studies examine teaching media in K-12 schools and at universities; tuition-free, open education powered by social media, as practiced by the University of the People; new financial models for higher education; the benefits and challenges of MOOCS (Massive Open Online Courses); social media and teacher education; and the civic and individual advantages of teens' participatory play. Contributors Colin Agur, Jack M. Balkin, Valerie Belair-Gagnon, danah boyd, Nicholas Bramble, David Buckingham, Chris Dede, Benjamin Gleason, Christine Greenhow, Daniel J. H. Greenwood, Jiahang Li, Yite John Lu, Minhtuyen Mai, John Palfrey, Ri Pierce-Grove, Adam Poppe, Shai Reshef, Julia Sonnevend, Mark Warschauer

Contemporary Computer-Assisted Language Learning (CALL) is a comprehensive, one-volume work written by leading international figures in the field focusing on a wide range of theoretical and methodological issues. It explains key terms and concepts, synthesizes the research literature and explores the implications of new and emerging technologies. The book includes chapters on key aspects for CALL such as design, teacher education, evaluation, teaching online and testing, as well as new trends such as social media. The volume takes a broad look at CALL and explores how a variety of theoretical approaches have emerged as influences including socio-cultural theory, constructivism and new literacy studies. A glossary of terms to support those new to CALL as well as to allow those already engaged in the field to deepen their existing knowledge is also provided. Contemporary Computer-Assisted Language Learning is essential reading for postgraduate students of language teaching as well as researchers in related fields involved in the study of computer-assisted learning.

Contemporary Computer-Assisted Language Learning (CALL) is a comprehensive, one-volume work written by leading international figures in the field focusing on a wide range of theoretical and methodological issues. It explains key terms and concepts, synthesizes the research literature and explores the implications of new and emerging technologies. The book includes chapters on key aspects for CALL such as design, teacher education, evaluation, teaching online and testing, as well as new trends such as social media. The volume takes a broad look at CALL and explores how a variety of theoretical approaches have emerged as influences including socio-cultural theory, constructivism and new literacy studies. A glossary of terms to support those new to CALL as well as to allow those already engaged in the field to deepen their existing knowledge is also provided. Contemporary Computer-Assisted Language Learning is essential reading for postgraduate students of language teaching as well as researchers in related fields involved in the study of computer-assisted learning.

The number of laptop computers in U.S. schools is growing at a rapid rate. This timely book analyzes the types of learning that take place in one-to-one wireless classrooms where all students use laptop computers. With a particular focus on students' literacy practices, the text covers reading and writing, information use, and multimedia development. Featuring critical analysis and practical examples, this book is essential reading for everyone concerned with making effective use of new technology to meet the educational needs of culturally and linguistically diverse students. This book: looks at the literacy challenges of the 21st century and examines whether and how laptop use contributes to meeting them; draws on extensive research in schools that have implemented one-to-one computing and provides details from those that are successfully using technology to enhance learning; uses rich examples from urban, suburban, and rural areas, with children in regular classrooms as well as in ESL, gifted, and special education programs; and, provides details from schools that are successfully using technology to enhance learning.

Much of the discussion about new technologies and social equality has focused on the oversimplified notion of a "digital divide." Technology and Social Inclusion moves beyond the limited view of haves and have-nots to analyze the different forms of access to information and communication technologies. Drawing on theory from political science, economics, sociology, psychology, communications, education, and linguistics, the book examines the ways in which differing access to technology contributes to social and economic stratification or inclusion. The book takes a global perspective, presenting case studies from developed and developing countries, including Brazil, China, Egypt, India, and the United States.A central premise is that, in today's society, the ability to access, adapt, and create knowledge using information and communication technologies is critical to social inclusion. This focus on social inclusion shifts the discussion of the "digital divide" from gaps to be overcome by providing equipment to social development challenges to be addressed through the effective integration of technology into communities, institutions, and societies. What is most important is not so much the physical availability of computers and the Internet but rather people's ability to make use of those technologies to engage in meaningful social practices.

"Electronic Literacies" is an insightful study of the challenges and contradictions that arise as culturally and linguistically diverse learners engage in new language and literacy practices in online environments.
The role of the Internet in changing literacy and education has been a topic of much speculation, but very little concrete research. This book is one of the first attempts to document the role of the Internet and other new digital technologies in the development of language and literacy. Warschauer looks at how the nature of reading and writing is changing, and how those changes are being addressed in the classroom. His focus is on the experiences of culturally and linguistically diverse learners who are at special risk of being marginalized from the information society.
Based on a two-year ethnographic study of the uses of the Internet in four language and writing classrooms in the state of Hawai'i--a Hawaiian language class of Native Hawaiian students seeking to revitalize their language and culture; an ESL class of students from Pacific Island and Latin American countries; an ESL class of students from Asian countries; and an English composition class of working-class students from diverse ethnic backgrounds--the book includes data from interviews with students and teachers, classroom observations, and analysis of student texts. This rich ethnographic data is combined with theories from a broad range of disciplines to develop conclusions about the relationship of technology to language, literacy, education, and culture. Central to Warschauer's discussion and conclusions is how contradictions of language, culture, and class affect the impact of Internet-based education. While Hawai'i is a special place, the issues confronted here are similar in many ways to those that exist throughout the United States and many other countries: How to provide culturally and linguistically diverse students traditionally on the educational and technological margins with the literacies they need to fully participate in public, community, and economic life in the 21st century.

This comprehensive and cutting-edge book portrays a vision of how digital media can help transform schools, and what kinds of curriculum, pedagogy, assessment, infrastructure, and learning environments are necessary for that transformation to take place. The author and his research team spent thousands of hours observing classes and interviewing teachers and students in both successful and unsuccessful technology-rich schools throughout the United States and other countries. Featuring lessons learned as well as analysis of the most up-to-date research, they offer a welcome response to simplistic approaches that either deny the potential of technology or exaggerate its ability to reform education simply by its presence in schools. Challenging conventional wisdom about technology and education, Learning in the Cloud: Critically examines concepts such as the "digital divide," "21st-century skills," and "guide on the side" for assessing and guiding efforts to improve schools. Combines a compelling vision of technology's potential to transform learning with an insightful analysis of the curricular challenges required for meaningful change. Discusses the most recent trends in media and learning, such as the potential of tablets and e-reading.