Week 3 reading – Network Literacy: The New Path to Knowledge

Adrian Miles’ reading attempts to explain what network literacy is exactly. He does this by first going through print literacy, using Penny borrowing a book from a library as an example. The things that are described in this example, such as ‘searching by author name and title’, are seemingly quite common to us due to this print literacy being ingrained in our lives, but as Adrian explains, it is something that requires a high amount of understanding.

Similar to the lecture in which Adrian spoke about the complex layout of a book, the many complex things that Penny is aware of in her scenario – such as knowing that a building exists where she can borrow books for a certain amount of time – are made apparent. These understandings are what make Penny print literate.

Having demonstrated what print literacy is, Adrian proceeds to explore network literacy, defining it as understanding the emerging knowledge networks that are now the product of the internet, and just as deep as the understanding of print.

I found this reading – as Adrian rightfully claimed – ‘very accessible’. Two quotes stood out to me most:

‘to be ‘good’ at network literacies is to contribute as much as it is to consume’ – Adrian Miles

‘Yes, it’s difficult.’ – Jill Walker