New Literacies of the Internet
“New Literacies on the Internet” is a free, online professional development workshop from the Annenberg Foundation. It is part of a professional development strand focused on teaching reading in grades 3-5. The workshop features Dr. Donald Leu, Professor of Education at the University of Connecticut, who is an expert in the literacy skills and strategies that students need to navigate and read information on the Internet. The workshop resources and activities: introduce how reading on the Internet involves a unique set of comprehension skills and strategies, present approaches to teaching these skills and strategies, and provide activities and lesson suggestions to try in the classroom.
This online workshop is a well-organized and presented professional learning resource. Before watching a video about the new literacies, participants complete reflection and reading activities that prompt them to reflect on how they currently use the Internet in their classrooms, and provide some foundational understanding about online reading comprehension. The video, which Dr. Leu narrates, includes extended clips of classroom instruction and interactions. There are opportunities for teachers to extend what they learned in the video (e.g., practicing how to evaluate a website), as well as suggestions for incorporating the strategies and skills in their classrooms. Educators could complete the activities on their own or as part of a study group with colleagues.