Pedagogies and Literacies, Disentangling the Historical Threads: An Interview with Bill Cope and Mary Kalantzis

ABSTRACT

In this discussion with educational researchers and New London Group conveners, Bill Cope and Mary Kalantzis, we discuss the origins, life, and future of the New London Group‘s multiliteracies framework. We reflect on the initial goals the group had over 20 years ago for more equitable schooling opportunities, and what is yet to be done to reach these ideals. We consider how Cope and Kalantzis‘ work in schools since that time, and in the literacy field more generally, has been informed by multiliteracies, specifically how issues of equity, consequences of traditional views of language and literacy, and advancing technologies continue to necessitate shifts in educational policy and practice that will allow for teachers to engage in flexible, responsive, and transformative teaching.

Additional Resources

1. New Learning http://newlearningonline.com/

   This is a website Mary Kalantzis and Bill Cope maintain with up-to-date work and resources across a range of related topics, including new learning, literacies, multiliteracies, learning by design, e-learning, and Scholar (an online writing environment).

2. Cope, B., & Kalantzis, M. (2009). ‘Multiliteracies’: New literacies, new learning. Pedagogies: An International Journal, 4, 164–195. doi:10.1080/15544800903076044

   Cope and Kalantzis revisited multiliteracies and the changes in social and communication technologies that had occurred 10 years from the New London Group‘s first meetings. They address literacy pedagogy, representation, and communication in schooling practices.

3. Scholar http://cgnetworks.org/scholar and https://cgscholar.com/

   Scholar is an online writing environment and publishing suite designed by a team at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign led by Bill Cope and Mary Kalantzis. It employs principles of learning by design and multiliteracies to provide a space for multimodal creation and publication.