Technology and Literacy

Technology has revolutionized the way people learn. It has made learning more accessible and interactive, but it also has some drawbacks. 

Technology offers interactive learning through educational apps, multimedia content and online courses with the ability to cater to different learning styles. These types of tools can enhance literacy skills by exposing students to a wide range of reading materials and educational resources.

Resources From Your Local Library

• Online Literacy and Research Tools for Kids (virtual storybooks, online learning platforms, digital dictionaries and more)
• Online Literacy and Research Tools for Teens (online magazines, tutoring apps, digital encyclopedias and more)
• Online Research Tools for Adults (online encyclopedias, job boards, newspapers, test preparation tools, digital books and more)
• Washington County Library has Chromebooks and hotspot devices that can be checked out to help you access the internet outside of the library. 

While technology offers numerous benefits for literacy, it also presents challenges. Online distractions and excessive skimming can weaken literacy skills and shorten attention spans. Over time these habits can reduce students' patience for reading full texts, impacting their reading comprehension and ability to engage with challenging material.

Balancing the advantages of technology with the use of traditional literacy skills can help students thrive in a digital age.