What does it mean to be literature in the 21st Century?

Think Critically

Literacy in the 21^st century means that students are able to effectively absorb and report information using new and evolving technology sources. First, students need the skills necessary to decode information. This encompasses critical thinking and technology safety skills. We teach our students to make informed decisions, question content validity, and protect their personal information on the web. 

Through exploration, students develop the skills the need to navigate these sources. They search and select information that is relevant and applicable to the questions they must answer. Here, literacy is defined by the ability to understand.

Think Creatively

Second, our students use their experience with data collection in order to share their knowledge and new thinking. Our students activate their creative thinking skills, summarizing ideas and reporting their most important findings. This communication, when effective, has the potential to bridge diverse communities, using various communication platforms.

Creation calls upon a high level of thinking. Students pull in examples from the sources they explore and create new ways of reporting data. This expression of ideas is then assessed to determine if students were able to take in and decompress information. Here, literacy is defined as the ability to convert and report information in an interesting and effective way.