Writing the future in the digital age

Meaning making in new media presents new opportunities and challenges for those working in formal and informal educational contexts. How this impacts on a literacy curriculum that attempts both to deliver ‘the basics’ and to respond to new technology demands careful exploration. This paper examines what we mean by digital literacy and how it differs from traditional print literacy, identifying some key priorities for literacy educators. Drawing on the work of Gee, Kress and Lankshear and Knobel, it maps the field of digital literacy and locates areas for research and development. A discussion of the significant changes in materiality and textual form is followed by an exploration of the concept of critical digital literacy. The paper concludes with an overview of future trends in digital communication, which suggest that written representation will continue to be important and that digital literacy will continue to develop distinct registers.