Adolescents' perspectives about their digital and connective literacies

Abstract

As a term, “connective literacies” refers to the reading, writing, speaking, listening, viewing, and critical thinking skills necessary for students to engage and interact meaningfully, productively, and safely in a variety of digitally connected spaces. Using a critical literacies approach to honor the voices of adolescents as producers and consumers of online texts, in the present study, researchers conducted two focus groups of nine eighth-grade students. Adolescents shared their insights about their use of connective literacy skills in and outside of school, including how they use digital technologies, and how they connect with others in digital spaces. Researchers share and discuss five thematic findings, using transcript excerpts as illustrations to present adolescents' perspectives. Finally, we offer future directions for educators, policymakers, researchers, families, and students to advance adolescents' connective literacy skills.