Abstract of

The Journey Ahead: Thirteen Teachers Report How the Internet Influences Literacy and Literacy Instruction in Their K–12 Classrooms

Rachel A. Karchmer

The purpose of this study was to explore 13 K–12 teachers' reports of how the Internet influenced literacy and literacy instruction in their classrooms. The teachers, including ten women and three men, represented 11 different states in the U.S. and were considered exemplary at using technology by their colleagues. Labbo and Reinking's (1999) notion of multiple realities in relation to new technologies provided a framework for understanding the participants' perspectives of the Internet's relationship to literacy and literacy instruction. Constant-comparative analysis of data, including e-mail interviews, participants' reflective journals, Web pages, online articles, and lesson plans revealed three areas of focus: (a) the appropriateness of Internet material, (b) evaluating the accuracy of Internet material, and (c) publishing student work on the Internet. Findings indicated that the teachers viewed the Internet's influence on reading as an extension of traditional literacy skills. In addition, the elementary teachers noticed an increase in their students' motivation to write when their work was published on the Internet for a greater audience. However, the secondary teachers did not find this the case. Implications for teacher technology preparation and literacy research are discussed in light of the lessons learned from this study.

Abstract from Karchmer, R.A. (2001). The Journey Ahead: Thirteen Teachers Report How the Internet Influences Literacy and Literacy Instruction in Their K–12 Classrooms. Reading Research Quarterly, 36(4), 442–466. doi: 10.1598/RRQ.36.4.5