We view new literacies with a dual theory approach as described by Leu and his colleagues. This dual theory describes New Literacies (with uppercase letters) and new literacies (lowercase letters).
They suggest that New Literacies (with capital letters) includes the common findings:
- The internet is a defining technology for this generation and requires new literacies
- New literacies are constantly changing
- New literacies are multiple, multi-modal, and multifaceted
- Critical literacies are necessary
- New forms of strategic knowledge and social practices are required
- Teachers are more important, but with a different role
New literacies (lowercase) include all the new skills required to effectively use and teach new technology as well as a disciplinary base and conceptual approaches to new technology.
For more information on this dual theory check out this article by Donald J. Leu, Charles K. Kinzer, Julie Coiro, Jill Castek, and Laurie A. Henry.
Teaching New Literacies 