*Below, you will find Dr. Mimi Ito's, professor at UC Irvine, webcast titled Transformational Literacy: Prepraring Users for Life's Transitions and my response to her presentation.
Michael Stevens, a professor of Library Science at Dominican University, challenged us to reflect on our various experiences throughout our lives. As we grow older, our interests change, as do our responsibilities. Some of the things that we go through will bring us much joy; others will cause us a great deal of sorrow. No matter what life brings us, or when, we have to learn new skills to successfully deal with unpredictable and inevitable change.
Libraries can play a key role in the way information changes, how it is accessed and how we use it to keep up with life’s changes. Stevens reminded us that at different stages in our lives, for different reasons, we use different types of libraries. Elementary school students may be more familiar with school or public libraries, whereas college students become familiar with their universities’ libraries. The question is: how can those of us who are Library and Media specialists prepare users for these pending and diverse life changes?
Dr. Mimi Ito, Professor in Residence at the University of California at Irvine, offered invaluable insight into the transformational properties of literacy, or as she stated, literacy in transformation. As a cultural anthropologist, she gave many examples of how individuals, namely young adults, use digital media in their everyday lives. Dr. Ito spoke of how new popular technology brings about a sense of hope as revealed in how people are discovering their skills, talents and interest through authentic, meaningful learning. Not surprisingly, there is also a looming sense of fear that online gaming, social networking and so forth are destroying our culture. The professor took a balanced stance on the issue, expressing that both points of view should be considered simultaneously—seeing the good that can be afforded by new opportunities while being cautious of things that seem to be counterproductive.
Of particular interest to me was how young adults are using technology/digital media to create and share growing bodies of information. Gamers, writers, film makers and others have spaces that allow them to voice how they feel about what interests them, bonding through video games, literature (created by them, for them and others) or commentary on the sociopolitical issues of our day. Individuals who may be reluctant to speak out in class or express themselves traditionally with pen and paper now have the tools to share what is on their minds and get instant feedback, primarily from their peers.
As librarians, classroom teachers and otherwise concerned adults, we can foster young adults’ desire to learn, grow and share by supporting their efforts. Allowing them to complete projects in the form of blogs, videos and other media-related formats will give our youth opportunities to exude creativity and disseminate finished and on-going products quickly, as well as create a sense of community with like-minded individuals. This can only be effectively done if we become more comfortable with and knowledgeable about advances in technology, all the while encouraging the youth to use new resources in ways that challenge them and us.
Dr. Ito mentioned several programs that encourage young adults to express themselves through various forms of media as they interact with their peers. The You Media program at the Harold Washington Library in Chicago is a space for young adults to express themselves. They have access to laptops, recording studios, game machines as well as ample support from the adult community. Evanston Public Library has The Loft, a homework and writing center, which I have visited on several occasions. Along with many programs and activities, the Loft has a blog, podcasts and an eZine, the latter being an arena where teens can share their writing and connect with other writers. What amazing opportunities for children of all ages to work with and learn from their peers in non-threatening environments! Imagine how they can transfer what they learn in those creative spaces to “real world” situations throughout the rest of their ever-changing lives.
