Students in the Post Literate society

I've just finished reading (well actually I read it ages ago but have been slack on blogging) for ETL503 "Resourcing the Curriculum", Doug Johnson's article "Libraries for a Post-Literate society" which discussed the ever growing post literate society and how libraries are catering for this group.

Johnson defined the post-literate society as "those who can read but who choose to meet their primary information and recreational needs through audio, video, graphics and gaming.

I've worked in both the primary and secondary setting. In the secondary setting, I've witnessed an explosion of post-literate students. However, older staff, and indeed the technology available and accessible at the time, have held students back.

Now, working as a primary teacher, I've seen teachers, experienced and beginning, begin to embrace new technologies. In particular, interactive whiteboards (IWB). We're now at the stage of teaching the students the information literacy skills required to effectively use, understand and comprehend this technology and what they gain from it.

Johnson also listed 10 critical attributes of a library that serves a post-literate community.

Of these 10 attributes, my school currently does the following well:

• stocking graphic novels and audio books
• supporting gaming for instruction and for fun (particularly on the IWB)
• allowing the use of personal communication devices (laptops) and allowing network access (though at this stage, MP3 players and handhelds have not been introduced)
• accepting and promoting non-print resources for research

In my opinion, areas for improvement include:

• budgeting for, selecting, acquiring, cataloguing and circulating as many materials in non-print formats as there are traditional print materials (including a similar circulation policy)
• the purchase of high-value online information resources
• programs that teach critical evaluation of non-print information
• teaching the skills needed to produce effective communication in all formats (e.g. podcasts)
• recognising the legitimacy of non-print resources and promote their use without bias.

My school is currently using Rudd's Education Revolution money to build a new library that will also include extensive technological advances. This will, hopefully, be a step in the right direction in accommodating for the ever growing post-literate society