Title: “Toto, I’ve a feeling we’re not in Kansas anymore”: Constructing meaning with, from, and against texts in a digital and multimodal world.

 

 

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We need to “educate students for their future, rather than for our past” (OECD, 2021). The Internet and other digital technologies are powerful tools for literacy and learning in the 21st century classroom. This keynote presentation offers an overview of the changing digital landscape for literacy in a globalised world. Drawing on almost two decades of classroom research, it explores a range of practical classroom approaches and instructional frameworks to successfully integrate the skills, strategies, dispositions, and social practices that enable our students to leverage technology in meaningful ways as they construct meaning with, from, and against texts.

 

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Dr. Bernadette Dwyer is an Associate Professor in Literacy Studies in the Institute of Education, Dublin City University. For over forty years, Bernadette has served the field of education as a classroom teacher, teacher educator and researcher. Her research has focussed on multimodal/digital literacies; inquiry-based learning; and disciplinary literacies. She has published referred articles in high ranking journals, chapters in books, commissioned reports, and has edited conference proceedings. Her most recent book publication is Using technology to improve reading and learning. Bernadette is a regular presenter at both national and international conferences and has given a range of invited keynote addresses at conferences around the world. Bernadette has been awarded a number of awards including the DCU President’s award for Engagement in the Community (2016) and the Technology in Reading Research Award (2017) by the TILE-SIG of the International Literacy Association. A former President of the Literacy Association of Ireland (2005-2006), Bernadette was elected to serve as President of the International Literacy Association (ILA) in 2018. She chaired the ILA Global Taskforce on Children’s Rights to Read and Children’s Rights to Excellent Literacy Instruction. She may be contacted by email at Bernadette.dwyer@dcu.ie and on Twitter @dwyerbe