Customer Reviews

Literacy in the Cyberage

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This is a really practical book for teachers because it offers 'literacy challenges' that they can use with their students. What I liked most was the way that the author organized the challenges in chapters that discuss different types of literacy. As a teacher myself I appreciate books written by teachers for teachers. This one doesn't talk down to the reader or get carried away with theories that forget about the realities that we face. As a matter of fact, it makes a point of discussing the problems that teachers face when they try to introduce computer technology to their classrooms and it offers some very creative activities that you can use to solve some of those problems. I definitely recommend this for teachers who are concerned about teaching kids more than just a bunch of technical skills.

I attended two of the author's presentations at the EARCOS conference in Bangkok recently and found them both thought-provoking and practical. The same is true of this book, which I purchased at the book fair. It's a treasure trove of learning activities that teachers can use to teach students about more than just "how" to use technology. As an IB history teacher I was especially impressed with "The Why List" activity that helps students think critically about what they encounter online and off. I highly recommend this book, especially for fellow teachers of the IB programme.

I'm a librarian and middle school language arts teacher in San Francisco. I came across this book last spring and fell in love with it. I'm now using activities from it with my students and recommending it to all of my colleagues. I was especially excited to hear Dr. Burniske speak at the IRA conference in San Francisco! He's great on paper and in person! I can't say enough good things about this book or its author.

I just bought a copy of this book after attending a workshop that the author gave at the Texas PTA summer seminar. It was the best workshop that I attended and this book is undoubtedly the best thing that I am taking back to my school district from this year's conference. I'm going to encourage fellow PTA members to buy copies of this book and make it recommended reading for every parent and teacher in their school district. And if they don't like that idea then I'll go one better -- make it REQUIRED reading.

I discovered this book through my membership in the International Reading Association, which has listed it among their recommended readings. Although I'm a middle school reading teacher -- and a bit apprehensive about computer technology's impact upon student reading -- I found Burniske's ideas extremely valuable and practical. If nothing else, it was refreshing to hear someone discuss computer literacy as a form of critical literacy that requires higher order thinking skills -- rather than approach it like a functional literacy that requires only technical skills.

I'm not a big fan of "how-to" books, nor am I enthralled with instructional technology, but this is a very smart book that describes interesting classroom activities in response to legitimate classroom concerns. The author is obviously well-versed in the use of networked technology for pedagogical purposes, but he's not infatuated with it, nor does he turn a blind eye to the new problems that it presents. If nothing else, teachers need to read Chapter #2, "Civil Literacy," which suggests that we consider the moral and ethical responsibilities that accompany the acquisition of technical skills when we define "computer literacy." Many school districts are putting a lot of pressure on teachers to find ways to make use of the technology that policymakers have spent a lot of money on in recent years. Anyone who wants to see what a creative teacher can do when experimenting with information and communication technology should read this book. The author doesn't pretend to have all the answers or the "best practices" that will help others solve every problem. What he does have to offer, though, is a fundamental concern for teaching students how to read, write and think critically -- and some excellent ideas for making that happen with the aid of new technologies.