New literacy

"New Literacy" by Clive Thompson addresses the issue of online literacy and whether its good or bad. Thompson displays a sort of intrigue on the topic holding no bias towards it whatsoever as opposed to the hard text, book experts who think it is the end of literacy. He believes that instead of wrong it is different. With the online world advancing every day comes a new form of literacy. In addition, Thompson states that in reality students write more than ever. Whether it be instant messaging or updating Facebook, the new generation is creating and thinking more than anyone previously. New Literacy is a revolutionizing idea that is going to change the way everyone writes.

Thompson brings up many great points about online writing. Online writing isn't wrong. if anything it should be encouraged. So many times are the words boring and dull associated when English teachers assign essays to be written or to read a book. With online writing and reading it appeals to the interests of students. It becomes more social than work related. Besides making literacy less of a burden to the new generation it actually helps educate students more. Online literacy provides a new way of thought, a different form of prose. Students now know how to persuade people to pick a side on a controversial topic. Online compositions are helping them create a smooth flow of organized ideas which in an essay that's handwritten seems to be so much of a struggle. Thompson's last conclusion from analyzing online writing is perhaps the most important. By taking several writing samples of students who belong to this "new online world," a Stanford professor couldn't find a single example of illiteracy.

Literacy is just like anything else in life. As time moves on it experiences advances. That is all the online world is doing. Providing another step for literacy. Just as the printing press revolutionized how people expressed themselves the internet will start another revolution that will have similar if not a bigger impact on writing. As it stands only good results can be seen but only time will tell.