LITERACY IN THE DIGITAL AGE: READING IN NEW MEDIA FOR SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH AT THE UNIVERSITY

Abstract

In this paper we present theoretical insights about the literacy practice of bibliographic review by undergraduate and graduate students, thought as a kind of reading comprehension. Our focus is on the implications of the Internet as a source for research and its relations with the literacy development. We also propose some parameters for improving this literacy activity. We follow the works of Cerutti-Rizzatti, Kleiman, Gasque e Soares on the concept of literacy; however, we reject the plural form of the term. For the reading comprehension background, we use the Vergnano-Junger’s multidirectional perspective. We advocate that literacy activities in the university setting challenge the students and demand specific learning processes that must be included in the academic curricula. The Internet is an important resource for carrying on researches and bibliographic reviews. Nevertheless, because of the virtual environment characteristics, these activities demand the ability to selecting, comparing, organizing, and criticizing that adds up to other abilities, strategies and knowledge already required by printed materials. We acknowledge that this systematic approach to reading comprehension and bibliographic review is seldom regarded in the academic curricula. Furthermore, it is even more rare the Internet to be regarded as a resource. Finally, we conclude that this reality is probably related to the transition moment that we live in regards to our relations with the information and communication technology and the practices that they establish.