LINKING RESEARCH, POLICY AND PRACTICE
When we talk about living in a "knowledge age," building a "knowledge society," and preparing for the "knowledge economy", we are recognizing a fundamental change in the role of information in our lives. The ability to access and process information has become essential to personal success, and the inability to do so carries greater repercussions than ever before. The demands of the "knowledge age " are forcing us to re-examine and re-define the concept of literacy.
Focus on Literacy, the second theme in the Canadian Education Association's Focus On… series, explores the debate over the changing definitions of literacy, examines literacy research and practice, and looks at literacy as a public policy issue. How do research, practice and policy relate to one another? How can we build stronger links among them? And how can we learn from each to better understand literacy issues?
Naturally, Focus on Literacy also considers the impact of the information revolution on literacy. It is an irony that most computer-based spellcheckers do not recognize the plural form of the word: literacies. And yet, in order to access the information on this website, you have made use of multiple literacies. You are, of course, reading and processing information; but before reading you have used the literacies peculiar to digital communications media to access the World Wide Web; and within the website itself you have clicked hyperlinks to move from page to page. Without those skills, you would not be reading these words. Clearly, literacy in the digital age has moved beyond books and pencils to encompass the rapidly changing world of information technology; it has become a multi-faceted and evolving concept.
In its multi-faceted form, literacy is the bedrock of the knowledge society. It supports both personal and national economic success. It is a necessary skill for most jobs, and it promotes active citizenship, community participation, good health, and personal wellbeing. Literacy provides the foundation for education and lifelong learning, opening the door to new and evolving literacies in the future.
Focus on Literacy was made possible by the financial support of the Ministries of Education of British Columbia and Ontario.
The debate about literacy involves different ideas of what literacy is. Here you will find more on various definitions of literacy and why they matter, an examination of the evolution of literacy, as well as what the CEA says about The Promise and Problem of Literacy in Canada.
Literacy is seen as a public policy issue on its own terms; it is also an integral part of almost all social, economic and cultural policies. Learn about the main issues that policymakers face and the current state of the 'policy landscape' - throughout Canada and internationally. You can access policy resources from all jurisdictions in this section.
Canadian researchers are pushing the frontiers of new knowledge and exploring what the foundations of literacy, as well as specific questions related to different types of literacy or for different groups of learners. Discover more about individual researchers and the topics and research questions they are working on.
Literacy in practice showcases exemplary literacy programs and initiatives across the country. Here you can learn more about how literacy programs affect learners and volunteers, including reading firsthand accounts of their experiences.
A rich database of critically screened research and information resources about literacy and many related issues can be found here. Over the coming months, this database will continue to grow, so visit the site regularly.
