| Abstrakt: |
In addition to skills in reading, writing, and computing, technological literacy has become necessary for people to participate fully in society. However, literacy classes for adults rarely include a technological component. This article describes a case study on the introduction of an interactive cable technology in beginner, intermediate, and advanced literacy classes during a school year. The goal of the study, guided by a transactional view of people and technology was to understand the importance of context and users personal visions in the appropriation of a new technology. Qualitative methods were employed, in particular participant observation and individual and group interviews. The paper documents how a system initially designed for the domestic sphere was used in a classroom setting. It also describes how literacy students view technology through the prism of their personal apprehensions and expectations, including their attachment to the traditional school model and the perceived devaluation of literacy skills suggested by the introduction of technology as a new means of communication. Several recommendations for the design of technology appropriate to the skills and needs of an illiterate clientele and for the creation of pedagogical aids for the literacy classroom are presented. The findings are also discussed in relation to a recent report on adult literacy and technology by the United States Office of Technology Assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
