Language learners' digital literacies

Focus on students' information literacy and reading practices online

Bibliographic Data

ID21499407
AuthorsOksana Vorobel (0000-0002-5700-6150, Borough of Manhattan Community College City University of New York New York New York USA, corresponding author), Terry Tuvi Voorhees (0000-0002-7142-2695, Borough of Manhattan Community College City University of New York New York New York USA), Deniz Gokcora (0000-0003-3709-8139, Borough of Manhattan Community College City University of New York New York New York USA)
Year2021
Volume37
Issue4
Pages1127-1140
Publication date2021-08-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueJournal of Computer Assisted Learning (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0266-4909 • E-ISSN: 1365-2729
PublisherWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1111/jcal.12550
OpenAlexW3156887165
LanguageEN
Citations received6
References cited57

The widespread use of technology and the Internet have changed many of language learners' everyday practices, including literacies. While there have been many studies with the focus on language learners' digital literacies, few, however, have explored language learners' digital information literacy and online reading practices with the use of social bookmarking tools, especially in a community college setting. We address this gap by investigating community‐college language learners' digital literacies when social bookmarking with the focus on digital information and online reading practices from an ecological perspective. In this qualitative multiple‐case study, the focal participants were five English learners, students in an English as a Second Language writing course in a community college in the northeastern United States. Data collection included interviews, observations, and researchers' e‐journals. Thorough within‐ and cross‐case analysis of data shows that language learners searched for digital texts and evaluated them based on relevance, reliability, interest, language, and importance for them and their learning community in the social bookmarking tool. The participants struggled with the number of results in search engines, keywords, and evaluation of digital texts for relevance and reliability. We show the need for more instruction, support, and guidance of language learners' digital information literacy practices as well as the benefits of providing students with opportunities to read digital texts. Our suggestions for future research include investigating the role of multimodality and other factors that influence language learners' evaluation practices when they look for and read information online

Bookmarking · Digital Literacy · Information literacy · Linguistics · Literacy · Mathematics education · Online community · Pedagogy · Political science · World Wide Web · Computer Science · Impact of Technology on Adolescents · Literacy, Media, and Education · Psychology · Social Media and Politics

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