"Computer Literacy"
The very term "computer literacy" is itself quite problematic. As early as 1994, in an article on collaboration, Janis Forman gave a definition of "computer-supported literacy" specific to her purposes in which students manage "a complex set of competencies--the ability to work in groups effectively, to learn collaboratively, to create a high-quality written product, and to make intelligent choices and uses of technology that assist in collaborative composing."
Clearly, in Forman's model, and for the purposes of her article, collaboration is key and shapes her use of computers in her classroom. But, as she adds in the next sentence, "we should recognize that this definition is not value-free" (132).
It is not, and no definition of computer literacy will be value-free; as a result, many articles and conference presentations are currently arguing about what exactly we mean when we wish our students to be literate in this brave new world.
