Nipissing Literacy Conference rethinking Literacy

Nipissing’s Centre for Literacy is pleased to announce the Annual Spring Literacy Conference, March 30 – 31, taking place at the university’s North Bay campus.

The theme of this year’s conference is Multimodality and Multiliteracies: Rethinking Literacy Learning for Contemporary Classrooms.  It  will address contemporary approaches to teaching and learning with ‘new literacies’ and emerging digital literacies, as well as how to best integrate new and emerging educational technology in the classroom.

Susan E. Elliott-Johns is Chair and co-ordinator of this year’s conference.

Jennifer Rowsell is the keynote speaker on Friday, March 30, at 7 p.m. She will address the question, So What Is Literacy Today? Rowsell is the Canada Research Chair in Multiliteracies and an associate professor at Brock University.  She will also present a workshop on Saturday titled, Artifactual Literacies. Rowsell has published many articles and books related to multiliteracies including Artifactual Literacies: Every Object Tells a Story (with Kate Pahl), and Literacy and Education: Understanding the New Literacy Studies in the Classroom.

Rob Graham will deliver the keynote address on Saturday, March 31, at 9 a.m. The title of his address is, How do you know which drum to hit, Mr. G? — Reflections of a Multimodal Teacher Educator. Graham is an assistant professor in the Schulich School of Education at Nipissing. His research interests focus on the impact of technology on our understanding of learning, and the processes of learning. Recent publications include, Leveling the playing field: Assistive technology, special education, and a Canadian perspective and Smart Clickers in the classroom: Technolust or the potential to engage students?

Workshop topics on Saturday include a wide range of presentations including Oral to Digital Texts, ELLs and Digital Literacies, Literacy, Technology and Grade 8 History, Apps in the Classroom and explorations of Inquiry-Based Learning and The Hunger Games. Teacher candidates and teachers will learn many new skills and strategies for teaching and learning in K-12 classrooms and will have the opportunity to network with expert educators.

Registration for the conference is $100; or $50 for Bachelor of Education students.  The registration deadline is Wednesday March 28 at 4 p.m.