ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the adoption of digital tools in literacy instruction in K-8 classrooms. The review is guided by the question: How is the work of classroom literacy teaching mediated by new forms of and practices for reading texts? The chapter introduces key tenets from sociocultural theory, new literacies, and Connected Learning to theorize practices related to literacy learning mediated by technology. Then key findings are shared from past literature reviews and empirical studies that describe the affordances of digital tools, and the implementation of classroom-based practices within U.S. schools—where digital tools were adopted to support literacy instructional goals. While most studies cited focused on the potential of features and scaffolds in digital devices and platforms to support reading skills, the chapter explains how teachers and students go beyond this goal to explore what is transformative and novel about digital tools. The chapter emphasizes the need to conduct research alongside teachers and nondominant students and families, to realize the goal of digital equity, and argues for theoretical approaches centered in cultural practices and critical literacy perspectives, to interrogate common assumptions about technology. This review also reveals the untapped potential of out-of-school research studies and their implications for instruction.
