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Book sees new media as enriching children's literature

February 15, 2006

PettigrewUns.thumb.JPGA Professor of Education from The University of New England has written a book that will help teachers in the 21st century to use children's fascination with the Internet and computer games to enrich their experience of children's literature.

Len Unsworth, Professor in English and Literacies Education at UNE, said his research in the classroom had shown him that, for today's children, "traditional literacy based on books, and literacy based on electronic media, are seamlessly merged".

"It is crucial that schooling acknowledge the continuum of traditional and multimedia narratives that now make up the story worlds of our children," he explained. Professor Unsworth was speaking yesterday at the launch of his book, "E-literature for Children: Enhancing digital literacy learning", in UNE's Faculty of Education, Health and Professional Studies.

The new Vice-Chancellor of UNE, Professor Alan Pettigrew, launched "E-literature for Children", placing the book within the context of the rapid, worldwide expansion of communication technology, and praising it for its combination of original research, comprehensive scholarship, and practical examples for teachers. He emphasised the breadth of the book's potential application - including even distance education programs at UNE. The book launch was an opportunity for Professor Pettigrew, who officially takes up the position of Vice-Chancellor on February 27, to meet members of the Faculty and the wider University community.

Professor Unsworth gave an example of multimedia literacy from his own family circle, saying: "My granddaughter, who has just started school, happily reads her favourite picture books - currently the 'Hairy Maclary from Donaldson's Dairy' series, delights in the ABC's DVD of the stories, and will no doubt soon extend her 'Hairy Maclary' story world to the famous scruffy dog's Web sites and those of his inventor, Lynley Dodd."

He thanked his colleagues in the Faculty - and particularly the Executive Dean, Professor Victor Minichiello - for their advice and encouragement "to move forward in new directions". Professor Unsworth's previous publications include "Teaching Multiliteracies Across the Curriculum" (Open University Press, UK, 2001) and (with co-authors Angela Thomas, Alyson Simpson and Jenny Asha) "Teaching Chindren's Literature with Information and Communication Technologies" (Open University Press, UK, 2005). "E-literature for Children" is published by Routledge in London and New York.

UNE's Pro Vice-Chancellor (Research and Development), Professor Peter Flood, while introducing Professor Pettigrew, acknowledged the substantial research effort of the Faculty over the past year, and remarked that yesterday's event was yet another opportunity to highlight the quality of that research and scholarship. Both he and Professor Unsworth mentioned the current establishment of a new research centre at UNE - the Centre for Research in English and Multiliteracies Education. The aim of this Centre will be "to enhance the quality of education by further developing a multiliteracies perspective in English teaching and in all curriculum areas in primary and secondary schools". From October 2006 the Centre will take over the editorship of the Australian Journal of Language and Literacy.

Media contact: Professor Len Unsworth, School of Education, UNE (02) 6773 2677 or Jim Scanlan, Public Relations, UNE (02) 6773 3049.

THE PHOTOGRAPH displayed here, showing Professor Alan Pettigrew (left) and Professor Len Unsworth at the book launch, is at:
http://photodatabase.une.edu.au/albums/incoming/2006/Book%20Launches/e%20literature.JPG

Posted by Jim Scanlan at February 15, 2006 04:39 PM