More than two decades ago, my first full-time teaching experience was at a business college in Washington, D.C. I taught English, typing, and an array of other classes. Today, I am still in the classroom, and while I am not teaching typing, teaching in a computer lab makes for several comparisons. When I learned that I would teach writing using the computer, I had a few anxious moments and many questions, such as, “What will I do while students are typing their papers?” It took only one class meeting to answer that question. I helped students with their writing while they were actively engaged in the process, but I also had to learn how to address various technical difficulties. In the last few years, I have also learned to teach online. Yes, it is a long journey from the typing classroom to the Internet.
Debra Holmes Matthews, Macon State College, Georgia
22 years of teaching
"The Shift to 21st-Century Literacies"
by Lorna Collier, The Council Chronicle, November 2007
Read the special issue of English Education, July 2006, focusing on reconstructing English Education in the 21st Century.
NCTE Consultant Workshops on 21st-Century Literacies
Click here for a listing of workshop topics related to 21st-century literacies and the consultants available to present a workshop at your school or in your district.
