Miles, Adrian. “Network Literacy: The New Path to Knowledge.” Screen Education Autumn.45 (2007): 24-30.

This reading outlines in simple terms what print literacy is and uses this to help explain network literacy. In today’s world everyone who had a proper education is print literate. You would think that in modern society we would be equally literate in terms of online networks. Although majority of us are quite decent at using online networks we do not have the same deeper understanding of the protocols and logic that we do of print. Firstly, its important to recognise that online content and its containers, for instance webpages, blog posts, videos, photos etc. are weaved together across the network using simple protocols. For example using RSS I can post a photo on Instragram and by using a particular set hash-tag the photo will be automatically uploaded to my media factory blog. Furthermore, this post will be automatically shared on my Facebook page. Although I am able to do things like this I am simply using services that do most the work for me. I am not literate in the code and nor should I have to. As long as I am able to do what I want to right? Admittedly though it is useful to have at least some knowledge of code and protocol as to ease communication with IT experts, software engineers and the like.  For instance in Luke Vanderzeils blog he talks of how when he was younger it was always him who had to communicate with the IT expert as he had greater computer literacy then his parents.

This blog is helping me improve my network literacy even though many of the functions are automated for me through third-party plugins.