Encouraging Literacy Research Articles

Taking Responsibility for Meaning and Mattering: An Agential Realist Approach to Generative AI and Literacy

AbstractQuestions and concerns about artificial intelligence (AI) technologies in education reached a fever pitch with the arrival of publicly accessible, user‐facing generative AI systems, especially ChatGPT. Many of these issues will require regulation and collective action to address. But when it comes to generative AI and literacy, we argue that posthuman perspectives can help literacy scholars and practitioners reframe some concerns into questions that open new areas of inquiry. Agential realism in particular offers a useful perspective for exploring how generative AI matters in literacy practices, not as a unilaterally destructive force, but as a set of phenomena that intra‐actively reconfigures literacy practices. As a sociocultural (and as we argue, sociotechnical) practice, literacy arises out of the entanglement of bodies, spaces, contexts, positions, histories, and technologies. Generative AI is another in a long line of technologies that reconfigures literacy practices. In this article, we briefly explain how generative AI systems work, focusing on text‐based systems called Large Language Models (LLMs), and suggest ways that generative AI may reconfigure the sociocultural practice of literacy. We then offer three provocations to shift discussions about generative AI and literacy (1) from concerns about intentionality to questions of responsibility, (2) from concerns about authenticity to questions of mattering, and (3) from concerns about imitation to questions of multifarious communication. We conclude by encouraging literacy scholars and practitioners to draw inspiration from critical literacy efforts to discover what matters when it comes to generative AI and literacy.

THE STUDY ON THE IMPACT OF DIGITALISATION ON THE WOMEN (RURAL WOMEN) IN INDIA

Digitalisation is the use of electronic or online method of transactions in many was like financial transactions, education and in service and the social sectors like in social administration, digitalisation has made various job opportunities and empowerment of women in Indian states, Rural Education through mobile technology will allow rural women to stay updated with the latest developments encouraging literacy, improve skill capacity, establish and enhance financial independence and also prove to be a driving force in rising up to take part in societal activities that can help establish their dominance in the respective fields. What is Women Empowerment? Womens empowerment refers to the process of enabling women to have greater control over their lives and to be able to make their own decisions. This can include empowering women to participate fully in the economy and in the political process, as well as empowering them to make decisions about their own health and well-being. Womens empowerment is important because it can lead to a range of positive outcomes, including increased economic growth and development, improved health and well-being, and greater gender equality. The research article explains the benefits of the women empowerment, especially rural women in India. KEY WORDS: Digitalisation, Rural Women and women empowerment

Unveiling Multiracial Family Parenting Practices in Early Childhood Education within the Indonesian Context: A Case Study

Purpose – The presence of multiracial families in society has given rise to various questions regarding early childhood care practices. It is essential for children to develop a strong sense of identity, considering their diverse cultural and racial backgrounds. This research aims to investigate the parenting practices within multiracial families during early childhood. Design/methods/approach – This research adopts a descriptive qualitative approach. The study is conducted in West Nusa Tenggara, spanning from May to November 2023. The primary data sources involve three multiracial families. Data collection methods include observations, interviews, and document analysis. Findings – The results reveal that parenting styles are intricately intertwined with the cultural and racial backgrounds of the parents, whether both the mother and father's races are considered or if one race predominates. Parenting responsibilities are shared, and gender-related issues are not visibly prominent. The parenting practices encompass fostering independence and discipline, promoting tolerance, instilling good manners, emphasizing health and hygiene, scheduling activities, granting freedom, providing sleep training, developing life skills, and encouraging literacy. Research implications/limitations – This study utilizes qualitative research methods and focuses on three multiracial families as research subjects, thereby offering insights into early childhood care. Practical implications – This research contributes to the advancement of knowledge pertaining to early childhood care within multiracial contexts. Furthermore, it serves as a valuable reference for formulating appropriate policies and educational strategies for children in multiracial families. Originality/value – Future research can delve deeper into the caregiving practices of multiracial families, considering diverse cultural and social perspectives. Paper type Case Study

The Keepers of the Books

The Keepers of the Books Alice-Catherine Carls (bio) Click for larger view View full resolution I GENERALLY DISTRUST social media, but scrolling through the pages of Instagram offers unexpected musings. Between royalty displays, daredevil feats, and wildlife postings, opulent and dilapidated interiors of castles and villas remind us of the vanity of all things. The photographs of French designer-turned-advertiser Francis Meslet show abandoned libraries while others showcase stately British libraries. Surfing the internet further reveals hundreds of pictures of dilapidated or abandoned libraries and entire warehouses filled with discarded books. Fortunately, throughout history, for every book destroyed, one has been saved, and for every intentional or nonintentional, commercial or accidental destruction of books, there has been a loving devotion to preserve the written word. We must never lose sight of this cycle of book production and destruction. Some book-saving initiatives are respectful of form, content, and use, and some change one or all. After one century of mass production revolutionized the volume, cycle, price, and lifespan of book production, the digital revolution has opened endless possibilities. From selling used or discarded books online to creating worldwide digital book archives, a revolution in attitude has occurred. Reverence for physical copies is out, playful initiatives are in. Adding artistic or whimsical elements and deconstructing books give another visual dimension to the [End Page 66] written word and multiply the ways in which it can be seen and read, understood and used. We have come a long way from the early repurposing of leather spines, gold lettering, and gilded pages stuffed with empty blocks filling nouveau riche bookshelves. A modern reverse ekphrasis is repurposing book form and content with bewildering creativity. From DIY enthusiasts to renowned artists, aesthetic surgery repurposes pages into paper cups, saucers, wall art, or containers for flora sculptures. Laurent Niclot and Kailee Bosch's teapots made of laminated book pages pressed between turned wood pieces inspire a new reflection on the term "vessels of knowledge." UK-based Maisie Matilda draws gorgeous paintings on the edges of hardcover books, creating "magical-feeling settings" for the books. Isobelle Ouzman creates altered book sculptures from hardback novels, journals, and notebooks, creating "a mix of illustrated and carved sculptures" with dreamlike visual scenes, prolonging the storytelling in a fairytale genre. New York-based artist Brian Dettmer cuts into old books to create remixed works of art, carving around whatever he finds interesting. LA-based Mike Stilkey uses stacks of old books as his canvases to make small portraits and giant sculptural installations, and often paints in the margins of books. A spectacular version of the book stack concept is Matej Kren's Idiom book tower. This trend was even featured on the front page of the American Historical Association's February 2023 Perspectives. There is a lot to learn from giving books and readers a second chance to rethink literacy. The proliferation of multispatial, multiuse books raises a question, however: Will future generations no longer know how to turn pages (in the way prescribed by their native traditions), the way they no longer know how to read time on analog watches? Will the digital age find an Esperanto format for books? Turning to the "real" preservation of books, everyone can name private or state foundations with unique collections, from the Mazarin Library in Paris to Thomas Jefferson's Monticello; everyone has a favorite antiquarian bookstore or knows private book collectors, from the proud owners of priceless ancient copies to the managers of more democratic collections, such as Alberto Manguel. But these are local and have limited circulation. The real book preservation today is digital and global. UNESCO's World Book Capital Network, launched digitally in the fall of 2022, is committed to encouraging literacy, lifelong learning, and freedom of expression. A collaborative project with worldwide partner organizations created the World Digital Library to which all major national libraries have access. Its descriptive metadata of world libraries' holdings is available in seven languages including English. It features prominently on the home page of the Library of Congress and includes downloadable maps, texts, photographs, movies, and music as well as conference videos, podcasts, and museum artifacts and exhibits. Several bookstores such...

Implementasi Ukhuwah dan Literasi Dalam Peningkatan SDM Petukangan Utara, Jakarta Selatan

Implementation of Ukhuwah and Literacy Concepts in Increasing Human Resources. Communities in Petukangan Utara, South Jakarta have low Ukhuwah and Literacy. This is caused by various factors, starting from the fact that the surrounding community, especially teenagers, participate in community activities and the few people who are aware of a good environment. Based on the problems above, Darunnjah Jakarta University students in their KKN launched a program in the form of Implementation of the Ukhuwah and Literacy Concepts in Human Resource Development. To achieve this, various activities were carried out, starting from visits to the village government to encouraging literacy policies at the village level. Conducting Socialization of the Ukhuwah and Literacy Concept Implementation program to Village Officials. Counseling the Implementation of Ukhuwah and Literacy Concepts to the Community, and Implementing Ukhuwah by participating in community activities.

Mudharabah Linked Waqf:


 This study aims to formulate an innovative financing model and sustainable business assistance through the mudharabah linked waqf scheme. The method used is descriptive qualitative in the form of reviewing scientific journals, books, official news, reports and related regulations which are analyzed by content analysis. Mudharabah linked waqf is an innovation and integration of financing to Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) where the composition of the source of funds comes from commercial funds and cash waqf funds managed by Koperasi Syirkah Berkah Bersama (KSBB) through a collaboration with Indonesian Muslim Entrepreneurs Community (KPMI) chapter Surabaya. Funds will be channeled to low-risk MSME projects recommended by KPMI Surabaya with duration of fewer than six months. The surplus of cash waqf will be distributed to social, education, economy and da’wah activites in the form of sustainable business development and fiqh muamalah assistance by KPMI Surabaya and the rest distributed as an incentive to reduce murabahah margins for startups. Risk mitigation is carried out through collateral requirements, guarantor, incentive-compatible contract applications to determine cash flows and related parties in the project, as well as post-project financial audits. This model has implications for strengthening the roles of KSBB and KPMI Surabaya in encouraging literacy, inclusion, and innovation in deepening sustainable Islamic financial products, in order to strengthen the economy of ummah in the real sector.
 Keywords: msmes, ksbb, kpmi surabaya, mudharabah linked waqf, sustainability

Determinants of Coffee Marketing among Smallholder Coffee Farmers in Kogi State, Nigeria

The study assessed the determinants of coffee production and marketing on farmers’ farms in Kogi State. Two Local Government Areas (Ijumu and Kabba-Bunu Local Government Areas) were purposively sampled. These areas are known for the production and marketing of coffee. A total sample of eighty-four respondents was randomly selected from the two Local Government Areas. Structured interview schedules were used for data collection from respondents. The data collected were analyzed using inferential statistics analysis. Cobb-Douglas functional form regression model was chosen based on the value of the R2 and the number of significant variables. The result indicated that marital status, household size, educational level, variety of coffee planted, farm size and farming experience constituted the major factors that significantly determined coffee production and marketing in the study area. The study recommended that policies should be targeted at encouraging literacy among coffee farmers to have access to market information and as such will be able to sell the crop for more profits. Also, households with higher number of persons should be encouraged to use family labour effectively in coffee marketing than other economic ventures so as to improve the economy of the households in the study area.

Mudharabah Linked Waqf: Inovasi Model Pembiayaan Berkelanjutan untuk UMKM

This study aims to formulate an innovative financing model and sustainable business assistance through the mudharabah linked waqf scheme. The method used is descriptive qualitative in the form of reviewing scientific journals, books, official news, reports and related regulations which are analyzed by content analysis. Mudharabah linked waqf is an innovation and integration of financing to Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) where the composition of the source of funds comes from commercial funds and cash waqf funds managed by Koperasi Syirkah Berkah Bersama (KSBB) through a collaboration with Indonesian Muslim Entrepreneurs Community (KPMI) chapter Surabaya. Funds will be channeled to low-risk MSME projects recommended by KPMI Surabaya with a duration of fewer than six months. The surplus of cash waqf will be distributed to social, education, economy, and da’wah activities in the form of sustainable business development and fiqh muamalah assistance by KPMI Surabaya, and the rest distributed as an incentive to reduce Murabaha margins for startups. Risk mitigation is carried out through collateral requirements, guarantor, incentive-compatible contract applications to determine cash flows and related parties in the project, as well as post-project financial audits. This model has implications for strengthening the roles of KSBB and KPMI Surabaya in encouraging literacy, inclusion, and innovation in deepening sustainable Islamic financial products, in order to strengthen the economy of ummah in the real sector

On reversing language shift in Etulo

This study explores language shift and proposes ways of reversing it in Etulo, a language spoken by a minority group in Benue State, Nigeria. Data for the study were collected by means of questionnaires containing Lewis and Simons five key questions for language diagnosis and evaluation. The study applies Lewis and Simon’s Expanded Graded Intergenerational Disruption Scale (EGIDS) for reversing language shift to the Etulo language situation. The findings show that Etulo is at EGIDS level 7. Following from this, the study suggests training Etulo native speakers as teachers and creating teaching devices as ways of reversing language shift. The devices (books, audios) shall be used in teaching Etulo language as a subject in the school curriculum or as an after school program. The study opines that these strategies, apart from encouraging literacy in Etulo, will further endear Etulo native speakers to their language thus disrupting the shift to Tiv, which is the dominant language in Benue.

Imagination and Inquiry: Creative Approaches to Encouraging Literacy Development

Find information about UTP Journals. University of Toronto Press is Canada’s leading academic publisher and one of the largest university presses in North America, with particular strengths in the social sciences, humanities, and business. The Book Publishing Division is widely recognized in Canada for its strength in history, political science, sociology, Indigenous studies, and cultural studies. Internationally, UTP is a leading publisher of medieval, Renaissance, Italian, Iberian, Slavic, and urban studies, as well as studies in book and print culture.

Imagination and Inquiry: Creative Approaches to Encouraging Literacy Development

Imagination and Inquiry:Creative Approaches to Encouraging Literacy Development Karen Magro (bio) Murris, Karin. The Posthuman Child: Educational Transformation through Philosophy with Picturebooks. Routledge, 2016. 277 pp. $53.95 pb. ISBN 9781138858435. A central aim in Karin Murris's The Posthuman Child: Educational Transformation through Philosophy with Picturebooks is to "disrupt dualistic metaphors that shape ageist pedagogical practices and curricula" (7). Too often, the voices of children are left behind, and they are not valued as individuals whose perspectives can help solve problems. Children are "rich, resilient, and resourceful" (36) from Murris's point of view, and education should provide a safe space where children can heal, imagine, and create (83). While the often dense references to poststructuralist philosophies may be unfamiliar to some readers, Murris's book offers many practical pedagogical insights that will resonate with educators from a range of backgrounds. The Posthuman Child is divided into two parts. The first part explores conceptions of post-humanist philosophies, diffractive methodology, the aims of education, and binary conceptions of children that limit and potentially harm children and their ability to be active agents of change whose voices are valued. Murris is critical of educational systems, theories, and pedagogies that "[fail] to do justice to the capabilities of individual children, especially their imaginative meaning-making capabilities when philosophizing" (82). The second part focuses on the application of post-humanist philosophy in the classroom. More specifically, Murris analyzes the Reggio Emilia approach to teaching as a catalyst for creative and reflective thinking (Rinaldi). The Reggio Emilia constructivist education philosophy is learner-centred, highlighting discovery, choice, and exploration. This philosophy conceptualizes the teacher as a guide, facilitator, and co-researcher who encourages emotional and cognitive skill development through self-directed and collaborative learning projects (Rinaldi 43). [End Page 194] Murris believes that children's literature offers one avenue into this approach to teaching, as it has the potential to correct inaccuracies, "portray oppression, speak to 'structural inequality' and 'open up for enquiry justice-based solutions like repair, redistribution or reconciliation'" (243). For example, when used creatively, picture books such as Anthony Browne's Little Beauty, Shel Silverstein's The Giving Tree, and David McKee's Tusk Tusk can encourage "inter-active" learning that creatively integrates affective, spiritual, cognitive, psychomotor, and imaginative dimensions. Murris's transformative educational perspectives share significant parallels with Paulo Freire's Pedagogy of the Oppressed, Carl Rogers's Freedom to Learn, David Kolb's Experiential Learning, Kieran Egan's An Imaginative Approach to Teaching, and Marjorie Faulstich Orellana's Immigrant Children in Transcultural Spaces. Collectively, these writers advocate for a transformative education system that is rooted in democratic discourse, social justice, inclusion, and an "asset" perspective of human capacity building. An asset perspective of learning and literacy values and validates an individual's existing experiences and literacy practices. Murris advocates a post-human curriculum rooted in the needs, aspirations, and talents of children, and the transfiguring of traditional power polarity between the teacher and the student to enable more democratic dialogue and collaboration. Murris's theoretical approach is interdisciplinary; she integrates ideas from developmental psychology, critical pedagogies and new literacies, transformative learning theory, Reggio Emilia inspired pedagogies, agential realism, and other dimensions of poststructuralist and post-humanist philosophies. According to Murris, a post-humanist conception of teaching and learning dismantles dualistic norms that limit, confine, and stereotype children and the potential of children to be "philosophers" who can think reflectively about their world and initiate positive change. Murris advocates for a "non-hierarchical monist philosophy of education that is critical of the anthropocentric gaze," which neglects, trivializes, and is dismissive of non-human forces at play (6). Her transformative vision also reflects an existential stance; individuals are viewed in a process of becoming and (e)merging through intra- and inter-personal relationships with others. Murris emphasizes that post-humanist epistemological changes and shifts in power require an "unlearning" of didactic teaching practices that undermine children's voices and aspirations: [A] deeper challenge … involves preparing teachers for the uncertainty and insecurity involved in planning for lessons that democratically accommodate children's own questions and ideas, and that draw on pedagogies with which they are unfamiliar. This includes a lack of...

Hans Nielsen Hauge

In this article, the author examines the role Hans Nielsen Hauge (1771–1824) played in encouraging literacy in Norwegian peasant society in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, an aspect of his ministry rarely discussed. This poorly educated son of a peasant broke the unwritten rule of never publishing texts for a large readership without the necessary educational skills. Thus he opened up a new literate space where the common person could express him-or herself on paper. Hauge printed around 40 different texts, 14 of them books, in a language the peasants could understand. This inspired his followers not only to read, but also to write, mainly letters to Hauge and to Haugeans in other parts of Norway. Some even became authors. Women played a central role in this wave of literacy spreading throughout the country. Based on Hauge’s original texts, the author presents some crucial aspects of his mentality and shows how his ministry served as a catalyst to the growth of literacy among peasants during the period.

Pianos: Playing, Value, and Augmentation

Pianos: Playing, Value, and Augmentation

The Human Right to a Public Library

IntroductionAs a result of the global economic turndown, many local and national governments are disinvesting in public libraries. In the United Kingdom, over four hundred public are threatened with closure (Chilton 2011). In the United States, according to a recent study by the American Library Association (ALA), in the last fiscal year (2009-2010) public in thirteen states were shut down permanently, funding was cut to public in twenty- four states, and many are cutting hours and staff(ALA 2010). In the developing world public were already chronically underfunded prior to the economic turndown (Azubuike 2003; Baker 2006; Wani 2006), and the funding situation for public is expected to worsen (Ajegbomogun and Okorie 2010).At a time of limited resources and budget cuts, why should individual states and international organizations strive to ensure that people have access to a public library? Library and Information Science (LIS) researchers have suggested a number of rationales for the existence of public libraries. These include, supporting democratic citizenship (Berry 2006; Byrne 2003; Ditzion 1947; Hafner and Sterling- Folker 1993; Kerslake and Kinell 1998), educating the public (McCabe 2001), encouraging literacy and life long learning (Byrne 2003; Line 2000), forging a national identity (Byrne 2003), preserving the past (Taylor 1982), creating social capital (Goulding 2004; Johnson 2010; Varheim et al. 2008), protecting the right to communicate (Birdsall 2005), promoting economic development (Glass, Clifford, and Harris 2000), and bridging the digital divide (Bishop et al. 2000). The public library is undoubtedly a thing for all these and many more reasons. However, in a world of limited resources not all good things can be supplied by governments.It is not clear that the above rationales provide a sufficiently rigorous for public (Sturges and Gastiner 2010). Take, for example, one of the most prominent arguments in the literature-the argument from democracy. Certainly democracy is an important value, and do much to promote and enhance democratic citizenship (Hafner and Sterling- Folker 1993). Nevertheless, this rationale for the public library is too narrow. First, the democracy rationale offers no support for the existence of public in non- democratic societies. Given that such countries are frequently underdeveloped (Przeworski et al. 2000), their citizens arguably have an even greater need for access to the sorts of information services provided by public (Baker 2006). Second, even limiting the focus to democratic countries, enhancing democratic citizenship gives no reason to provide the services of to non- citizens. Third, even for citizens in democratic countries, this rationale does not justify many of the services offered by the public library today. Consider, for example, the increasing role of in helping people to find jobs. As the ALA reports, job- seeking resources are among the most critical and most in demand among the technology resources available in U.S. public libraries (2010, 3).1In this paper, I argue that there is a compelling case that states are obligated to create and fund public libraries, because access to a public library is a human right. The right to a public library is derived from the human right to information. 2 The human right to information access is a high priority right to a comprehensive range of information that the state has an obligation to provide. Public are proven effective institutions for securing the human right to information; thus, there is a human right to public libraries.3While this argument is easy to state, a full defense of it requires a number of steps. First, in order to clarify the claim that there is a human right to a public library, I start with a discussion of some key features of human rights. …

Storytelling across cultures: engendering literacy the ‘Papa Rudy’ way

This article examines the approaches to storytelling as a means of encouraging literacy employed by Professor Rudy Wilson across cultures of the United States and Nigeria. It discusses the opportunities storytelling provides for children to develop an interest in reading and to build language skills. A report on an interview with Professor Wilson (known as ‘Papa Rudy’ in Nigeria) is supplemented by observations of his storytelling activities in Nigeria. The researchers conclude that storytelling is a viable tool for teaching reading. Findings show that children across cultures love stories, but their level of concentration varies with the number of alternative activities to which the child is exposed. More importantly, the success of the storytelling session depends on the teacher’s creative ability and flexibility.

Order in the House! Associations among Household Chaos, the Home Literacy Environment, Maternal Reading Ability, and Children’s Early Reading

The current study examines whether associations exist between household chaos and children's early reading skills, after controlling for a comprehensive battery of home literacy environment characteristics. Our sample included 455 kindergarten and First-grade children who are enrolled in the Western Reserve Reading Project. We go on to test whether these associations are moderated by maternal reading ability. Results suggest that the degree of household order is significantly and positively associated with the expressive vocabulary, Woodcock Reading Mastery, and phonological awareness skills of children whose mothers are above-average readers. By contrast, the number of books a child owns or brings home and how often a child amuses self alone with books are significantly associated with the expressive vocabulary, Woodcock Reading Mastery, and phonological awareness skills of children whose mothers ore average-ability readers. These results suggest the potential for new approaches to encouraging literacy development in the home beyond those that depend solely on parental literacy.

From aula biblioteca to biblioteca aula

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to describe the integration of a school library program into the English language program of a Spanish school.Design/methodology/approachThe paper describes the development of an English Language Arts Library Classroom (ELALC) in the English Program at the Col‐legi SEK Catalunya, P‐12 school near Barcelona, Spain.FindingsAs schools in Spain do not typically have school library media centers or school librarians, the ELALCs are a way to bring the concept of a school library into a school culture where the idea is unfamiliar. The primary English language teachers at the SEK believe that the ELALCs will be a motivating environment for English language learning that will increase their students’ motivation and involvement in learning.Practical implicationsSchool library programs and librarians can and should take more active collaborative and instructional roles in language acquisition.Originality/valueThe paper presents an innovative concept in providing school library skills and encouraging literacy by development of a hybrid library classroom or biblioteca aula, for P‐12 schools that do not have library programs.

Issues in addressing children’s difficulties in literacy development through family–school partnerships

Many pupils experience difficulties in literacy apart from those whose individual learning needs are recognized for special resourcing. Their parents and carers are, potentially, an important source of additional support in encouraging literacy acquisition. Embedded within different home–school partnership arrangements are presuppositions about the ability and right of families and/or carers from a diversity of backgrounds and cultures to support the literacy development of their children. These presuppositions can serve to include or alienate both parents and their children. In addition, embedded within particular approaches and strategies for developing literacy are a variety of underlying assumptions about the process of literacy acquisition. This article will illustrate these issues with reference to particular programmes and techniques currently in common use in schools for supporting the literacy acquisition of children who experience difficulties. It will go on to outline the fundamental importance of schools recognizing these issues in order that they may negotiate effective home–school literacy programmes which can harness all available resources to address difficulties in literacy development.

Reading aloud: A way for parents to support their children's growth in literacy

Parents can form a vital link to literacy and later school success by encouraging literacy and language modeling in their daily communication with children. This article describes a study in Head Start classrooms in Florida and North Carolina where teachers used a book lending system and high quality books which they shared with children and families. Strategies for teachers to assist parents in providing support for emergent literacy are given. Ways to help families see the importance of their practices and encourage the use of these ideas as part of their daily routines are shared.