William Cope
Reda Sadki
May Thet Khine Nyein
Eugenia Arvanitis
Pinakini Shah
Jonathan deHaan
Alessandra Coutinho Fernandes
Ketan HeinLiteracy Teaching and Learning MOOC’s Updates
Section 2a: Literacies for Work
In this section of the Literacies learning module, we are going to examine the purposes of literacies. First: literacies for work. In the industrial economies of the twentieth century, most jobs were low skilled, and few workers needed more than basic literacy. However, today, we work in a context that is sometimes called the 'knowledge economy'. This demands higher and different levels of literacy to be effective in a wide range of jobs, including multimodal communications that include image and other modes, as well as text, and interaction with digital information and communication devices.
To explore these themes further, read the texts in the 'Literacies for Work' section of our supporting materials website.
Comment: How have workplaces changed over the past century, and what are the implications for literacy learning?
In my country, the use of technology is now prevalent. Most of the time, we are required to be well-versed in its use. It is possible to receive some training on how to use it; however, not everyone is skilled at using it. Also, we are in an era where technology advances rapidly, not everyone can keep up, so that's why the use of technology may not always have a positive effect on some employees.
As I've explored the history and learning, I observed that workplaces have evolved rapidly, and there's a large gap in differences from the past compared to today. Back then, the Industrial Revolution, like working engines, could work manually and didn't require any literacy skills. Minimal skills are already acceptable in the field of specialization, and you don't need to be skilled as long as you have a clear vision of the nature of your work. While today, technology is very evident, some workplaces rely on digital literacy. So you should be fully skilled in the workplace, you even require to being computer literate, have a communication skills, can work with individuals or teams, and have a pleasing personality, because in today's society not only the workplaces changed but humans too. People nowadays, even children, can learned quickly, can adapt immediately to the learning skills required because of the basic system of education influenced by technology.
In the Philippines, workplaces have changed so much too. Before, most people worked in farming or small local businesses, but now many jobs are in offices, call centers, and even remote work. For me, this means literacy learning should also include digital skills, good communication in English and Filipino, and knowing how to work with people from different places and cultures.
As the world continues to evolve in a more technological direction, knowledge and skills have become a vital part of employment. Why? Because they help individuals become critical thinkers in their own fields, making them valuable members of society. That’s one important thing we should focus on teaching to the next generations.
Working spaces have significantly evolved in the past century. Many jobs in the past were physically involved, such as agriculture, working in factories, or just plain office work. Today, many jobs rely on technology, communications, and problem-solving. Computers, the web, and then artificial intelligence have fast-forwarded the world but complicated work in the process.
The consequence of literacy learning is that it's no longer sufficient to read and write. Individuals require digital literacy and critical thinking (things that are true or useful). Education institutions and learning programs should adjust so that the learners can cope with the modern workplace that requires flexibility, working in teams, and lifelong learning.
Looking at the modern way of making a personal and work presence online to fit into society. This means making and managing an online identity that shows one's abilities, achievements, and hobbies on social media sites like LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram.
We have these Communication Characteristics or Features that we need to do or acquire:
1. Profile Creation: Building a strong online presence begins with making good profiles on popular social media sites. These profiles should show your skills, knowledge, and job successes.
2. Content Sharing: Sharing original work like blog posts, videos, or infographics that offer useful information to your network, exhibiting leadership and expertise in the field.
3. Engagement means joining discussions, commenting on posts, and sharing useful content to create important conversations and relationships.
4. Networking: Participating in online chapters, forums, and discussions that involve one's field or interests in order to build professional networks and opportunities.
We also have the different Effects upon Teaching Literacy:
1. Digital Literacy: Understanding how to effectively use social media platforms to build a professional online presence requires digital literacy skills, including navigating platform-specific features and audience engagement strategies.
2. Information Literacy: Checking if online contents and information are trustworthy and applicable is highly essential when producing and distributing beneficial information via social media.
3. Communication Literacy: Clear, concise, and interesting communication should be developed. This forms strong online content as well as creates good interactions.
4. Critical Thinking: Thought concerning how being online can affect personal as well as work life. Such as online reputation, digital footprint, and possible repercussions of what you post online.
By incorporating these teaching competencies, we would be in a better position to utilize social media in the development of ourselves and what we produce. The consequence would be being in a position to showcase our expertise and establish ourselves as thought leaders. Response to other people's posts and spark major discussions. Join online networks and groups. Managing a digital footprint and online reputation requires specific skills. These include digital skills, information literacy, communication skills, and critical thinking skills. If we acquire these skills, we can leverage social media to improve both our personal and professional lives.
TyroneParido. (n.d.). Prog. Elec Report (Impact of Social Networking on Cultural Diversity and Building a personal and professional online presence for social integration).docx. SlideShare. https://www.slideshare.net/TyroneParido/prog-elec-report-impact-of-social-networking-on-cultural-diversity-and-building-a-personal-and-professional-online-presence-for-social-integrationdocx?fbclid=IwY2xjawMtIZ1leHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHjMw6MpaNtyDTa3Nxh7xbL-1WLF6HozsSIZUkSz-LnNaSU75bsyUE_NzTsGF_aem_KvFLys_fdCQwj8sIzL9P_A
This is true! Literacy today is not just basic reading and writing anymore—it now includes digital skills and multimodal communication for work.
Work place nowadays is flexible and hybrid. The use of digital tools are also the norms replacing the manual practices. In education settings, the use of technology boosts the performance and learning outcomes of the students. Teachers are trained and equipped to adapt with the current trends in teaching. They have to be digitally literate and embrace the new trends in teaching which are interactive and collaborative.
Comment: How have workplaces changed over the past century, and what are the implications for literacy learning?
Over the past century, we have evolved into unexpected turns, from industrial, manual-labor–focused environments to technology-driven, knowledge-based, and service-oriented spaces. In the past, we couldn’t fully understand the blood, sweat, and tears people go through since we’re now living in a high-tech world where technology makes life easier. But upon searching, the old system was based on not very high literacy skills for the majority of the people who came out at the end. Now, what was really important was not literally skills of literacy but the skill of turning up to school on time, behaving yourself, doing as you’re told, the classroom became very much like the discipline of the factory, punctuality, reliability, doing as you’re told. It was a disciplinary practice that was essential; it didn’t matter how you learn, but it was more emphasized how you behaved, or so-called obedience. In the present time, workplaces are much more complex since there are requirements to apply for a job, you have to be multi-skilled, do problem-solving, troubleshooting, quality control, and a lot more. In this generation, literacy skills are much higher since we’re now relying on technology. In this kind of modern workplace, which is called the post-Fordyce workplace, people are critical thinkers, problem solvers, have the initiative, and are collaborative. In conclusion, both generations have a big difference when it comes to workplaces and literacy learning, but I have to be honest, I prefer the present time. I’m not being biased, but in the past, it looks like they’re just there to be dolls to be displayed, not to work to reach their best. Their literacy level is literally low, but I’m sure they’re grinning ear to ear since the seeds they planted in the past have finally grown and are still growing.
Reference: https://newlearningonline.com/literacies/chapter-2/literacies-for-work
@Cheska Charm Gallener, its really challenging to land job these days due to high level of competition brought by technology.
Update: WhatsApp Voice Notes as a Literacy Practice
A contemporary social practice I find interesting is the use of WhatsApp voice notes. Instead of typing, people often send short audio messages because they are quicker, more expressive, and allow tone and emotion to come through. Voice notes are multimodal: while oral, they exist inside a digital platform where they mix with text, emojis, and images.
What makes them unique is that they are asynchronous—you don’t need to reply immediately like a phone call. This creates flexible, layered communication where people can tell stories, share details, or plan together at their own pace.
For literacies pedagogy, this shows how oral and digital literacies overlap in daily life. Teachers could use voice recordings as a way for students to practice oral communication, reflect on tone and clarity, and explore multimodal meaning-making. Recognizing practices like this makes literacy education more connected to real-world communication.
Reference: https://www.whatsapp.com