Investigation of Middle School Science Teachers’ Preparedness to Practice New Literacies

• In Event: Science Instructional Interventions: Influences on Science Content and Scientific Thinking

Abstract

Due to the rapid advancements of information and communication technologies (ICTs), educational researchers argue that the multimodal and new literacies should become common practices in schools. The International Reading Association announced the New Literacies Position Statement posited that, “To become fully literate in today’s world, students must become proficient in the new literacies of 21st-century technologies (International Reading Association, 2009).” As new ICTs emerge and evolve, students need the new literacies skills and practices to successfully participate fully in the civic life in a global community. Are teachers prepared to integrate ICTs in the classroom to develop students’ new literacies skills? The purpose of the study is to investigate middle school teachers’ preparedness to practice new literacies in science classrooms.

Authors

• Hui-Yin Hsu, New York Institute of Technology

• Shiang-Kwei Wang, New York Institute of Technology

• Lisa Runco, New York Institute of Technology