The term digital literacy is nothing new, but for the most part it has acted as a separate entity from literacy altogether. Literacy is an evolving set of skills and with technology playing a bigger and bigger role in our lives it’s interesting to see how some technological tools can be used (sometimes quite creatively) to bring the worlds of technology and literacy together. Here are a few examples of how technology is helping advocate literacy.
Dragon
A voice-to-text software that was created to improve office efficiency, Dragon can help you type and execute commands by tailoring to your unique voice. Need to send an email? Just say “open outlook” and you’re on your way. So it came as no surprise when I witnessed this tool being used by those who are not familiar with computers and those who possess lower literacy skills to navigate through the digital world. At $99.99 it does have a substantial cost, but older versions have been on sale for as low as $40.
Cost – $99.99
VYou
Social connections are the buzz of the internet, so a tool like VYou should have no trouble making its mark. A video recording tool that portrays the image of a ‘live’ conversation, VYou (Virtual You) is unique in that it is inquisitive by nature. Viewers ask a question that will replay an appropriate response or email the recorder if none is available. Finding information can be tedious for folks in lower literacy levels and this tool has the potential to play a part in creating a central hub where anyone can attain and interact with information. Instead of writing lines upon lines of information, why not record them? Instead of a one-way avenue of posting information, why not encourage your audience to ask questions? At no cost, the only question is why haven’t you tried it yet?
Cost – Free
Literacy Link South Central’s VYou profile
Skype
If you have a friend, relative, pen pal or anyone you care about in another country, chances are you’re already using Skype. Essentially free (with a few paid features), Skype has made communication simple regardless of geographical distance. That’s why it was delightful to see the “Granny Cloud” initiative; a project that connects storytellers and educational mentors to children through the use of the VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) software.
Cost – Free
Bonus – Making Language Universal
Google Translate & Word Lens
Ever come across a document only to find there’s no English translation? Well, this is a barrier that is slowly but surely being removed thanks to a few helpful tools. Many web browsers now support the option to translate online information (if the website doesn’t on its own) and a free tool such as Google Translate can easily convert text from one language to another. Finally, for multiple language capabilities on the go, check out the mobile application Word Lens. It only supports Spanish and English at the moment (and is currently working on French and few other languages) but it offers a glimpse of what life could be like as a multilinguist.
Cost – Free
Have any examples of technology advocating literacy? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
Rita
xoxox
Tags: digital, digital literacy, Dragon, email, Google, Google Translate, Granny Cloud, information, language, literacy, Literacy Link South Central, Nuance, Skills, Skype, social media, Sole and Somes, technology, tools, VYou, Word Lens
