Literacy, culture, and creativity in a digital era | Culture and communication in digital worlds

Author(s): Martha C. Pennington

Year of publication: 2017

Keywords: Digital literacies, Little-l literacy, Big-L literacy, Popular culture, Creative activity, Writing space, Electronic technologies, Cultural transformation, Digital era pedagogy, New literacies

Methodology/Sample: _/_

Reference: Pennington, M. C. (2017). Literacy, culture, and creativity in a digital era. Pedagogy: Critical Approaches to Teaching Literature, Language, Composition, and Culture, 17(2), 259-287. https://doi.org/10.1215/15314200-3770149

Abstract

Changing constructions of literacy in online contexts are situating reading and writing within everyday and popular culture activities while also facilitating highly specialized literate and creative activity. I define these two types of literacy as “little-l” literacy and “Big-L” literacy, drawing on distinctions of “Big-C” versus “little-c” culture and creativity, and then show how digital environments are changing writing space and creating new literacies of a third kind. The effects of electronic technologies on the processes and products of literacy, culture, and creativity require a rethinking of traditional views of culture and creativity to bring them up-to-date in the digital era, with implications for pedagogy.

> Summary

The paper discusses the evolution of literacy in digital contexts, emphasizing the blending of Big-L and little-l literacies.
It highlights how digital media democratizes creativity and literacy, fostering communal engagement.
The author critiques traditional distinctions between high and vernacular cultures, advocating for a more inclusive understanding of creativity.
The abstract notes that digital affordances both level and delevel cultural opportunities, reshaping literacy practices.
Overall, the paper argues for a redefinition of culture, creativity, and literacy in the digital age.

> Problem statement

The paper discusses the fading relevance of traditional cultural distinctions in a participatory and interconnected world.
It highlights the challenge of assessing creativity and culture amidst competing narratives and standards.
The misconception of a strict dichotomy between creative and noncreative writing is addressed.
The impact of digital environments on cultural standards and writing practices is examined.
The paper notes the dual effects of digital media on culture, leading to both homogenization and innovation.

> Methods used

Not addressed in the paper.

> Practical implications

The paper emphasizes the need for interdisciplinary interaction in writing pedagogy, blending writing studies, creative writing, and media studies.
Students should analyze and emulate new digital rhetorics in their writing, enhancing their creative processes.
It advocates for a focus on design in document production, offering new insights into writing.
The paper highlights the importance of understanding genre conventions, encouraging students to innovate within and across genres.
The abstract discusses how digital media reshapes culture and literacy, impacting writing practices in online contexts.