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Unpacking Social Inequalities: How a Lack of Technology Integration may Impede the Development of Multiliteracies among Middle School Students in the United States

Unpacking Social Inequalities: How a Lack of Technology Integration may Impede the Development of Multiliteracies among Middle School Students in the United States
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Author(s): Laurie A. Henry (University of Kentucky, USA)
Copyright: 2010
Pages: 25
Source title: Technoliteracy, Discourse, and Social Practice: Frameworks and Applications in the Digital Age
Source Author(s)/Editor(s): Darren Lee Pullen (University of Tasmania, Australia), Christina Gitsaki (University of Queensland, Australia)and Margaret Baguley (University of Southern Queensland, Australia)
DOI: 10.4018/978-1-60566-842-0.ch004

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Abstract

This chapter is based on a comparative, qualitative study that explored social equity issues related to technology integration among middle schools located in the United States of America. Differences between economically privileged and economically disadvantaged school districts were explored to determine if inequalities related to technology integration generally, and the development of multiliteracies specifically, exist. Participants included middle school students from grades 5 to 8, and teachers and administrators from nine schools located in four different school districts. Data included transcripts from interviews and focus groups, observational field notes, and various school artifacts collected from the research sites. Using these data, an exploration of the contextual factors that might influence the inclusion of instruction for new literacies directly related to literacy activities on the Internet was conducted. The results suggest that a disparity does exist along economic lines and several contextual factors were identified that may impede the development of the new literacies including the use of the Internet as an information resource among middle school students in the United States.

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