Headnote
ABSTRACT
Objective: This study investigates the potential of emergent digital literary forms, such as The New York Public Library's InstaNovels, to challenge and reconfigure reading habits and foster a more inclusive reading culture. It aims to explore how digital technologies, through the lens of the technauriture paradigm, can problematise traditional definitions of reading, literacy, and reading culture, particularly within South Africa's multicultural and multilingual context.
Theoretical Framework: The research is situated within the technauriture paradigm first advanced by Kaschula (2011), which examines the intersection of orality, literacy, and technology. Supporting concepts, including multimodality, multiliteracies, and the complementary and displacement media models, provide critical tools for understanding how InstaNovels integrate diverse modes of information processing-linguistic, visual, and gestural-into the reading experience. These frameworks also highlight the interplay between new and traditional media, questioning whether digital formats displace or coexist with older literary forms, offering a deeper understanding of how digital platforms reshape reading practices.
Method: This study employs a conceptual and theoretical approach, analysing the InstaNovels project as a case study to explore its implications for reading culture. Secondary data sources, including academic literature, media reports, and the New York Public Library's tutorial videos, were examined to assess how this initiative exemplifies the principles of technauriture and challenges conventional approaches to literature.
Results and Discussion: The findings reveal that InstaNovels seamlessly integrate traditional textual foundations with innovative digital features such as visual animations and gestural interactions, enhancing accessibility and engagement. By situating literature within the familiar context of Instagram, the project fosters a culture of reading that is intertwined with social interaction and playfulness. These results align with the complementary media model, suggesting that digital formats can coexist with and even enhance traditional literary practices. However, the study also considers the displacement model, discussing whether the popularity of such formats might detract from the depth and critical engagement typically associated with traditional reading. The adaptability of the technauriture framework is further explored in its potential for integrating South African oral traditions into digital formats.
Research Implications: The research demonstrates the potential for digital platforms like Instagram to democratise access to literature, reimagining storytelling in ways that resonate with contemporary audiences. By bridging traditional narratives and modern technologies, the findings have implications for literacy initiatives, education, and cultural preservation, particularly in multilingual and multicultural contexts such as South Africa. Furthermore, the complementary media model underscores how these innovations can coexist with existing literary practices to enrich rather than replace them.
Originality/Value: This study contributes to ongoing discussions about reading culture by showcasing how digital literary forms like InstaNovels embody the technauriture paradigm. Its originality lies in analysing how these projects reimagine reading habits, engage new audiences, and integrate diverse cultural practices into the digital landscape. The inclusion of the complementary and displacement models provides a nuanced perspective on the coexistence of new and traditional media. The relevance of this research is underscored by its potential to influence how literature is accessed, disseminated, and preserved in the digital age.
Keywords: Technauriture, Digitality, Instanovels, Multimodality, Reading Culture, Literacy.
RESUMO
Objetivo: Este estudo investiga o potencial de formas literárias digitais emergentes, como as InstaNovels da Biblioteca Pública de Nova York, para desafiar e reconfigurar hábitos de leitura e promover uma cultura de leitura mais inclusiva. O objetivo é explorar como as tecnologias digitais, através das lentes do paradigma da tecnauritura, podem problematizar definições tradicionais de leitura, alfabetização e cultura de leitura, particularmente no contexto multicultural e multilíngue da África do Sul.
Estrutura teórica: A pesquisa está situada dentro do paradigma da tecnauritura, inicialmente proposto por Kaschula (2011), que examina a intersecção de oralidade, alfabetização e tecnologia. Conceitos de apoio, incluindo multimodalidade, multiliteracias e os modelos de mídia complementar e de deslocamento, fornecem ferramentas críticas para entender como as InstaNovels integram diversos modos de processamento de informações - linguístico, visual e gestual - na experiência de leitura. Essas estruturas também destacam a interação entre mídias novas e tradicionais, questionando se os formatos digitais deslocam ou coexistem com formas literárias mais antigas, oferecendo uma compreensão mais profunda de como as plataformas digitais remodelam as práticas de leitura.
Método: Este estudo emprega uma abordagem conceitual e teórica, analisando o projeto InstaNovels como um estudo de caso para explorar suas implicações para a cultura da leitura. Fontes de dados secundários, incluindo literatura acadêmica, reportagens da mídia e vídeos tutoriais da Biblioteca Pública de Nova York, foram examinadas para avaliar como esta iniciativa exemplifica os princípios da tecnauritura e desafia abordagens convencionais à literatura.
Resultados e discussão: As descobertas revelam que os InstaNovels integram perfeitamente fundamentos textuais tradicionais com recursos digitais inovadores, como animações visuais e interações gestuais, aumentando a acessibilidade e o engajamento. Ao situar a literatura dentro do contexto familiar do Instagram, o projeto promove uma cultura de leitura que está entrelaçada com interação social e ludicidade. Esses resultados se alinham com o modelo de mídia complementar, sugerindo que os formatos digitais podem coexistir e até mesmo aprimorar as práticas literárias tradicionais. No entanto, o estudo também considera o modelo de deslocamento, discutindo se a popularidade de tais formatos pode prejudicar a profundidade e o engajamento crítico normalmente associados à leitura tradicional. A adaptabilidade da estrutura da tecnauritura é mais explorada em seu potencial para integrar tradições orais sul-africanas em formatos digitais.
Implicações da pesquisa: A pesquisa demonstra o potencial de plataformas digitais como o Instagram para democratizar o acesso à literatura, reimaginando a narrativa de maneiras que ressoem com o público contemporâneo. Ao unir narrativas tradicionais e tecnologias modernas, as descobertas têm implicações para iniciativas de alfabetização, educação e preservação cultural, particularmente em contextos multilíngues e multiculturais como a África do Sul. Além disso, o modelo de mídia complementar ressalta como essas inovações podem coexistir com práticas literárias existentes para enriquecê-las em vez de substituí-las.
Originalidade/Valor: Este estudo contribui para discussões em andamento sobre cultura de leitura ao mostrar como formas literárias digitais como InstaNovels incorporam o paradigma da tecnauritura. Sua originalidade está em analisar como esses projetos reimaginam hábitos de leitura, envolvem novos públicos e integram diversas práticas culturais ao cenário digital. A inclusão dos modelos complementar e de deslocamento fornece uma perspectiva diferenciada sobre a coexistência de mídias novas e tradicionais. A relevância desta pesquisa é ressaltada por seu potencial de influenciar como a literatura é acessada, disseminada e preservada na era digital.
Palavras-chave: Tecnauritura, Digitalidade, Instanovels, Multimodalidade, Cultura de Leitura, Alfabetização.
RESUMEN
Objetivo: Este estudio investiga el potencial de las formas literarias digitales emergentes, como las InstaNovels de la Biblioteca Pública de Nueva York, para desafiar y reconfigurar los hábitos de lectura y fomentar una cultura de lectura más inclusiva. Su objetivo es explorar cómo las tecnologías digitales, a través de la lente del paradigma de la tecnonaturaleza, pueden problematizar las definiciones tradicionales de lectura, alfabetización y cultura de la lectura, particularmente dentro del contexto multicultural y multilingüe de Sudáfrica.
Marco teórico: La investigación se sitúa dentro del paradigma de la tecnonaturaleza propuesto por primera vez por Kaschula (2011), que examina la intersección de la oralidad, la alfabetización y la tecnología. Los conceptos de apoyo, que incluyen multimodalidad, multialfabetizaciones y los modelos de medios complementarios y de desplazamiento, brindan herramientas fundamentales para comprender cómo las InstaNovels integran diversos modos de procesamiento de la información (lingüístico, visual y gestual) en la experiencia de lectura. Estos marcos también destacan la interacción entre los medios nuevos y tradicionales, cuestionando si los formatos digitales desplazan o coexisten con formas literarias más antiguas, ofreciendo una comprensión más profunda de cómo las plataformas digitales remodelan las prácticas de lectura.
Método: Este estudio emplea un enfoque conceptual y teórico, analizando el proyecto InstaNovels como un estudio de caso para explorar sus implicaciones para la cultura de la lectura. Se examinaron fuentes de datos secundarios, incluyendo literatura académica, informes de los medios de comunicación y los videos tutoriales de la Biblioteca Pública de Nueva York, para evaluar cómo esta iniciativa ejemplifica los principios de la tecnonaturaleza y desafía los enfoques convencionales de la literatura.
Resultados y discusión: Los hallazgos revelan que InstaNovels integra a la perfección las bases textuales tradicionales con características digitales innovadoras, como animaciones visuales e interacciones gestuales, lo que mejora la accesibilidad y la participación. Al situar la literatura dentro del contexto familiar de Instagram, el proyecto fomenta una cultura de la lectura que se entrelaza con la interacción social y el juego. Estos resultados se alinean con el modelo de medios complementarios, lo que sugiere que los formatos digitales pueden coexistir con las prácticas literarias tradicionales e incluso mejorarlas. Sin embargo, el estudio también considera el modelo de desplazamiento, y analiza si la popularidad de dichos formatos podría restarle profundidad y participación crítica típicamente asociadas con la lectura tradicional. La adaptabilidad del marco de la tecnología se explora más a fondo en su potencial para integrar las tradiciones orales sudafricanas en formatos digitales.
Implicaciones de la investigación: La investigación demuestra el potencial de las plataformas digitales como Instagram para democratizar el acceso a la literatura, reinventando la narración de historias de maneras que resuenen en las audiencias contemporáneas. Al unir las narrativas tradicionales y las tecnologías modernas, los hallazgos tienen implicaciones para las iniciativas de alfabetización, la educación y la preservación cultural, particularmente en contextos multilingües y multiculturales como Sudáfrica. Además, el modelo de medios complementarios subraya cómo estas innovaciones pueden coexistir con las prácticas literarias existentes para enriquecerlas en lugar de reemplazarlas.
Originalidad/Valor: Este estudio contribuye a las discusiones en curso sobre la cultura de la lectura al mostrar cómo las formas literarias digitales como InstaNovels encarnan el paradigma de la tecnología. Su originalidad radica en analizar cómo estos proyectos reinventan los hábitos de lectura, atraen a nuevas audiencias e integran diversas prácticas culturales en el panorama digital. La inclusión de los modelos complementarios y de desplazamiento proporciona una perspectiva matizada sobre la coexistencia de los medios nuevos y tradicionales. La relevancia de esta investigación se ve subrayada por su potencial para influir en la forma en que se accede, difunde y preserva la literatura en la era digital.
Palabras clave: Tecnonaturaleza, Digitalidad, Instanovels, Multimodalidad, Cultura de la lectura, Alfabetización.
1 INTRODUCTION
In "Ending the Reading Wars: Reading Acquisition From Novice to Expert," Castles, Rustle and Nation (2016) assert the importance of reading, defining it as the basis of knowledge acquisition. Their definition not only underscores the significance of the activity, it places reading as the process through which one contends with texts and access the information contained therein. This formulation of reading as an essential activity required to acquire knowledge is one which is echoed by Okwonkwo (2004), who positions it as an indispensable activity and tool for empowerment. Effiong (2016: 1) extends this relationship, going on to define the figure or subject who reads as one who is able to reason, think, imagine, discriminate, interpret and draw inferences.
Despite the recognised importance of reading and literacy, UNESCO asserts that it is one of the most neglected of all the Education For All goals,adopted by the Dakar Framework (2000); particularly in terms of public policy and political attention (UNESCO 2008). This is not to say that there has been no improvement in global literacy rates. According to the UNESCO Institute for Statistics, global literacy rates increased from 56% in 1950 to 70% in 1980, 75% т 1990 and 82% between 2000 and 2004. But there are still great strides to be made.
Despite the rapid increments, the distribution of the illiterate population has not changed. In fact, the remaining 28%, which represent approximately 774 million people - almost a fifth of the world's population- is located in the global South, specifically in South and West Asia, sub-Saharan Africa, East Asia and the Pacific (UNESCO 2008).
1.1 FRAMING OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN READING CRISIS IN LOCAL MEDIA
Much of the media discourse around the South African Reading crisis generates from the results of the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS); a standardised literacy assessment that comparatively analyses literacy rates and trends in literacy development across 50 countries across the globe. The study is conducted over 5-year intervals among learners in grade 4.
The results of the most recent PIRLS conducted in 2016, revealed that there had been no improvement in the overall local literacy scores in South Africa since the previous one conducted in 2011 (Howie et al. 2017: p.11). This resulted in South Africa ranking last out of the 50 participating countries (Howie et al. 2017: p.11). The study report further revealed that 78% of the assessed student were unable to meet the Low International Benchmark of literacy compared to only 4% internationally, which indicates that a majority of the local sample are unable to "read for meaning or retrieve basic information from the text to answer simplistic questions" (Howie et al. 2017: p.4).
Following the publishing of these results, local literacy rates became an immediate cause celebre among local news outlets, with many uprightly declaring a national reading crisis; proclaiming the "dire state of" local reading culture while some while The Conversation opted for a more sensationalistic angle, raising it from a mere 'reading crisis' to a 'cognitive catastrophe' (Aitchison 2016; Rule and Land 2017).
This crisis-centric discourse continued into later representations of the issues, and eventually even infiltrated political discourse. This is quite evident in President Cyril Ramaphosa's latest State of The Nation Address delivered early 2020, where he referenced the reading crisis in a manner which echoed many of the news reports preceding it, making specific reference to the plight of 10 years old not knowing how to read - which is in reference to the oft quoted statistic lifted from the PIRLS 2016 study. This is also evident in the title of a recent webinar hosted by the South African Literacy Association, which referenced the South African reading issue as "The Other Pandemic".
Interestingly, while there are numerous other studies considering the state of literacy and book reading in South Africa, most notably the National Book Council's 'National survey into the reading and book reading behaviour of adult South Africans' (2016) published in the same year, the results of the 2016 PIRLS remain the most emphasized. This highlight the crucial issue of framing within the news coverage of the reading crisis. The import and power of news media, particularly with regards to perception is highlighted by Tuchman (cited in ArdevolAbreu 2015), who describes it using the metaphor of a window, whose frame limits the perception of reality. From this formulation, according to (Entman, cited in Ardevol-Abreu 2015: 424), framing can then be defined as "a process in which some aspects of reality are selected, and given greater emphasis or importance, so that the problem is defined, its causes are diagnosed, moral judgments are suggested, and appropriate solutions and actions are proposed".
Thus, the inclusion of only the 2016 PIRLS report can be read as a deliberate act of framing and agenda-setting by the media, which limits the scope of the critical discussions around reading and literacy in South Africa by focusing on the imperative issue of literacy rates among children, leaving the equally important issue of adult illiteracy and poor reading habit among adult and adolescents unattended.
In response to this formulation of the reading crisis, there has been a pronounced a rehashing of what can be termed 'post-literary panic' which appears to repurpose earlier arguments for the death of the book, or the death of literature as seen in seminal texts like Sven Birkirts" Guttenberg's Elegies and in Mcluhan's Guttenberg's Galaxy, where he advances the somewhat technologically-determinist idea that following the 'Electronic Age' - the invention of New Media - we will settle into an age of secondary orality - a phenomenon first identified by his fellow Canadian School counterpart, Walter Ong, in Literacy and Orality. Secondary Orality, according to Ong, has a basis in written culture and print, but sees heavier usage of the 'oral' and sonic, as seen in the prominence of news and radio during his time. Evident within this line of thinking is the underlying "displacement model" explanation, where upon the arrival of a new medium or media, older media lose prominence and import. This is reflective of a growing perspective inspired by the ideal of displacement rather than a complementary media model, where various media converge and produce new rhizomatic kinds of engagements. These two perspectives are unpacked below.
2 THEORETICAL FRAMEWORKS
2.1 CONVERGENCE AND DISPLACEMENT PERSPECTIVES
The advent and consequent popularity of a new medium often evokes fears of the displacement of existent media by the incoming one. This often results in the dissemination of an apocalyptic type of discourse chronicling the 'death of" said medium or communication technology at the hands of its predecessor (Nguyen and Western 2006: p.64). In fact, Nguyen and Western (2006) note that, at the time of publishing their article, a Google search returned "899 documents with the keyword phrase 'death of print', 368 with 'death of television' and [...] 4360 with 'death of radio" at the hands of the newer medium of the Internet (2006:64). However, as noted by Twenge and Spitzer, in their study on the trends in adolescent media use, it is unclear whether time spent on digital media has replaced time spent on older forms of media or merely supplemented it (2019: p.330). While some scholars (Bauerlein 2007; De Waal & Schoenbach 2010; Ha & Fang 2012; Kayany & Yelsma, 2000; Lee & Lee, 2015; Lee & Leung 2008), have argued for the former, there are also other who advance the latter (Dienlin, Masur, & Trepte 2017; Robinson & Martin 2009; Vergeer & Pelzer 2009).
The two academic perspectives draw from two distinct models of media use, namely media displacement model (Bauerlein 2007; McComb 1972) and complementary model (DuttaBergman 2004; Nguyen & Western 2006). According to Twenge and Spitzbgerg, the displacement model has two primary forms-functional and chronemic (2019: 332). Function displacement, it is argued, is predicated on an either an "individual-difference" or a mediabased explanation; the former hypothesizes that the incoming medium performs a function previously fulfilled by its predecessor, thereby resulting in its displacement (Twenge & Spitzberg 2019: p.332). As an illustrative example, books and magazines are positioned as older media whose principal entertainment function may be displaced by the arrival of online site and games (2019: p.332).
On the other hand, the media-use explanation relies on the perceived benefits and advancements offered by the new media form in relation to the older one; here the example of digital media is used and argued to fulfill existing needs and expectation "better and more enjoyably than older media" (Newell et al., cited in Twenge & Spitzberg 2019: p.332).
The second type of displacement model chronemic perspective is described relies on previous formulations of the attention economy (Ciampaglia, Flammini, & Menczer, 2015; Huberman & Wu, 2008; Jang & Pasek, 2015; Simon, 1971; Wagner, 2015; Webster, 2014) and advances time as a limited resource that precipitates a competitive media ecology where one medium is selected in lieu of another (Twenge & Spitzer 2019:p.332).
Complimentary theory is positioned in opposition to its subtractive counterpart. Rather than assert the privileging of a particular for of media over another, this model posits that an incoming medium may have the capacity to co-exist alongside older media, even functioning as a complement to them (Twenge & Spitzer 2019: p.334). In many ways, this complementary model or theory is more in line with more contemporary thinking in media and news media, which advances the concept of convergence rather than displacement. With this convergent perspective in mind, the notion of a singular form of 'literacy' versus a multiliteracy perspective is explored below.
2.2 LITERACY AND MULTILITERACY
Referencing academic literature on literacy, Walter (2010) contends that there is often a tendency to ascribe various consequences for literacy without initially defining what 'literacy' actually means. Admittedly, this is not a simple task. Scholars acknowledge the great difficulty and complexity of defining exactly what the term entails (Roberts, 1995; Bernardo 2000; Maposa & Wasserman, 2009). However, this is not true only for scholars who research the consequences of literacy. Keefe and Copeland (2011) note that many studies considering approaches to teaching literacy mention the concept or the relation of reading/writing without explicitly defining what is denoted when the terms are applied.
Some academics have provided reasons for the oversight, suggesting the ever-changing, protean nature of the concept as one of the major reasons for this occurrence (Roberts, 1995; Bernardo 2000; Maposa & Wasserman, 2009). Mkandawire (2018) echoes this perspective, noting the difficulties of defining literacy in a contemporary context owing to the polysemy and multitude of interpretations or perceptions associated with the term. This was also recognised by UNESCO, who also indicated dynamism of concept and the multiplicity of meanings that continue to be ascribed to the concept (UNESCO, 2008).
Due to this multiplicity and constant evolutions, Roberts (1995) asserts that many literacy definitions were advanced by various stakeholders such as scholars and adult literacy specialists over the past fifty years. Mkandawire (2018) notes that these definitions often appear different in terms of orientation but display a similar focus. According to Edwards and Potts (2008) these definitions are generally more conventional and often focus on technical skills aligned with schooling academic progression; namely, reading and writing. This technical focus is echoed by UNESCO, whose definition underscores tangible skills, specifically reading and writing (UNESCO, 2006).
It is important to note that UNESCO's definition was subject to change over the years. In fact, this definition has also been subject to evolution over time. In 1958, their definition simply encompasses reading and writing a short simple statement on their daily life (UNESCO 2008). With the establishment of the Experimental World Literacy Program in 1966, this definition evolves into a more functional definition. This coincides with the emergence of functional literacy in the 1960s. The new definition becomes linked to the realm of productivity and thus includes "all those activities in which literacy is required for effective functioning" and enables one to continue to use reading, writing, and calculation" for the development of their community (UNESCO, 2008: p.18).
In 2005, this conceptualisation evolves further and is described as "the ability to identify, understand, interpret, create, communicate and compute using printed and written materials associated with varying contexts" (UNESCO, 2008). During this time, it also comes to include the function of enabling one to reach goals and participate in broader society (UNESCO, 2008).
In a review article titled "Literacy and Literacies," Collins (1995:75) recognises that studies on literacy often present dichotomies such as "literate vs illiterate , written vs spoken, educated vs uneducated, modern vs traditional". The first of these dichotomies-literate vs illiterate-is often invoked in initial conceptualisations of literacy. In many ways, this is influenced by the linguistic origins of the word itself. Etymologically, both pairs derive from the Latin root, literatus, a term used by Cicero to describe a learned person (NACAE, 1989). During the Middle Ages in Europe, the term came to be used to describe one who could read Latin, a skill required to interpret common law and the Bible. Over time, this binarial construction came to be contested and cast as simplistic (Martinez and Fernandez, 2010). Other critiques suggested that binarial conceptualisation of the terms gave rise to certain value judgments such as identify whether one is literate, or literate, thereby producing a particular connotation (Scribner, 1984).
This illustrates what Roberts (1995) claims when he asserts that defining literacy is more than a case of competing definitions and conceptualisations, but as a case of political contestation (1995: 413). Wickert (1992) offers a similar view, arguing that this issue of competing definitions and constructs also involves broader concerns around inclusion and exclusion. The categorisation of who is considered either literate or illiterate, and the resultant rates and indices derived from this arise from the definition or construction of literacy (Wickert 1992: p.30). Therefore, in Wicket's view, arguments over literacy are arguments over whose construction and, relatedly, whose politics prevails (1992: p.30).
This observation is echoed by the National Advisory Council on Adult Education (1978:2) asserts that the task of defining literacy is more than one of mere definition, rather it is concerned with the "aspirational, psychological, educational, and political intentions" of the term. The term is described as an auto-positive term much like liberty. justice, and happiness, which are argued to be assumed to be simple owing to their simple, almost primal qualities that are "necessary" and "desirable" within our culture (1978:2).
This idealised conception of literacy beyond what can be empirically measured to constitute it veers into the realm of what is often described as a literacy myth (Graff, 1979; Graff, 1987). Scholars characterise this so-called myth as the belief that "the acquisition of literacy is a necessary precursor to and invariably results in economic, democratic practice, cognitive enhancement, and upward social mobility" (Graff & Duffy, 2014: np). This reflects what Scribner identifies when he asserts that despite multiple efforts to concretely measure and define literacy, these formulations reflect a certain sense of moral elevation and a purported state of grace.
Graff and Duffy (2014) argue that this perspective is not a novel one and has been repeatedly expressed throughout the Renaissance and Reformation, then again during the Enlightenment, where it was associated with notions of "progress, order, transformation and control" (2014: 32). Linked to this perspective is the conviction that none of these associated qualities can be attained via any other means, rather literacy remains the most vital of variables (Graff & Duffy, 2014). When considered in their entirety, these attitudes cumulatively characterise the "literacy myth" (Graff & Duffy, 2014; Graff, 1979; Graff, 1987).
Graff and Duffy (2014) further assert that the myth is often adopted by many researchers in the field as well as commentators. It is also purported to be reflected in popular contemporary discourses, notably book sponsorship initiatives, and celebrity-led reading campaigns by organisations linking the acquisition of the skill to other self-esteem, parenting skills, and social mobility. A major issue with this widespread adoption, identified by Graff and Duffy (2014) is how it begins its capacity to shape public and expert opinion, policymakers, and institutions concerned with international developmental work.
Another way in which certain literacy myths persist is the continued invocation of the singular 'Literacy' in assertions of its decline, despite the emergence and proliferation of other literacies. With the emergence of these novel technologies, there are attempts to extend the applicability of literacy as a term beyond its standard relation to the written word (Buckingham, 2015). Buckingham (2015) traces these efforts to as early as the 1980s, referencing the work of Margaret Meek Spencer, who is responsible for developing the concept of emergent literacies to describe young children's media-related play.
According to Maposa and Wasserman (2009), this shift towards breadth in terms of literacy definitions becomes solidified in the 1990s, where it is no longer only applicable to the field of language but is broadened to include other competencies. Consequently, this results in the proliferation of multiple literacies, thereby destabilising the cultural cachet and privilege of the singular invocation of the concept (Furedi, 2015). While a myriad of literacies is likely to exist, Furedi (2015: p.12) identifies the following emergent ones: visual literacy, aural literacy, computer literacy, emotional literacy, sexual literacy, ecoliteracy, media literacy, media literacy, multicultural literacy, and financial literacy.
These new forms he argues, call into question the previously attested uniqueness and authority of the singular conception of 'Literacy' (Furedi, 2015: p.12). This representation of this 'Literacy' as a single form of literacy amongst many, he further adds, renders it banal (2015: р.12). However, Furedi's (2015) perspective is not shared by all. As scholars like Buckingham (2015) offer an interesting critique of these proliferations, suggesting that they create confusion regarding the original meaning of literacy as a concept. To support this perspective, references are made to popular discussions of economic literacy, emotional literacy, and spiritual literacy. When applied beyond the written word, he asserts, literacy itself becomes vague and synonymous with the idea of competence or skill.
Despite the growing multiplicity of 'literacies', the narrow, singular usage of literacy retains its privilege and primacy; as evidenced by Castles, Rustle, and Nation's (2016) assertion that reading is the basis of knowledge acquisition. Their definition underscores the significance of the activity and places reading as the process through which one contends with texts and accesses the information contained therein. This formulation of reading as an essential activity required to acquire knowledge is echoed by Okwonkwo (2004), who positions it as an indispensable activity and tool for empowerment. Effiong (2016: 1) extends this relationship, going on to define the figure or subject who reads as one who can reason, think, imagine, discriminate, interpret, and draw inferences.
This linking of logical and rational faculties to the advent of writing technologies, reading, and literacy does not begin with recent scholars like Effiong (2016), but can be traced back to the work of a formative scholar and influential within Literacy Studies, Professor Walter Ong, whose seminal text, Orality and Literacy: Technologizing the Word (1982) is a mainstay within scholarly discussions on the subject of the changing role of literacy and its impact on society and civilization (Baumann, 1986: 2).
As Baumann notes, Professor Ong's work builds upon a body of existing academic literature, namely earlier studies of Renaissance thought and rhetoric, and extends existent pioneering ideas advanced by scholars like Harrold Innis (1950), Lord (1960), fellow Toronto School thinkers McLuhan (1962), Goody (1968), Parry (1971) and Havelock (1972) (1986). In Orality and Literacy (1982), Ong underscores the emergence of a written linguistic script and marks it as a "momentous departure" from what he terms primary orality and the social structures which underpin it. He further argues that the chirographic culture, which follows, is closely aligned with the practices of handwriting, and, in turn, the typographic culture of print. The arrival of print, Ong argues, is highly consequential and fundamental to the reorientation of human perception and thought (Baumann, 1986). In fact, this central proposition by Ong is captured in one of the oft-cited phrases from the text, writing is a technology that restructures thought (Ong, 1986; Ong, 1982). That is, as Baumann observes, writing is not a mere external tool but "a practice that alters human consciousness to the degree to which it is, as Walter Ong says, "interiorized" (1986). Writing, Ong further proposes, takes language from the ephemera of speech, and fixes it within time, as written signs and thereby objects in space (Baumann 1986). Further consequences of this separation, which he calls "diaresis", are the removal of thought from what is immediate, personal, social, and cultural, therefore allowing a degree of separation of "knowledge from interpretation, logic from rhetoric...of cumulative learning from the judgement and wisdom acquired from experience" (Baumann, 1986).
However, as Baumann cautions, this perspective is not without its pitfalls. In fact, the discourse around literacy, particularly the reference to its potentialities, consequences, and effects 1s criticised and countered by Brian Street, who suggests that such a view implies that literacy is an independent variable, an autonomous entity unto itself (cited in Baumann, 1986: p.12). Contra this position, Street exposes the ethnocentrisms and ideological biases which belie this perspective and draws specific attention to the circular nature of its logic and its "selfvalidating equation of literacy and Western varieties of rational thought and define literacy ... as the source of rationality (ibid).
Rather than advance this detached ideal of literacy, Street proposes an understanding which considers the socio-cultural factors that inform the use and function of literacy, such as stratification, power differentials, and ideological hegemony (cited in Baumann, 1986: p.13). This is of specific importance for the African continent and much of the global South as the arrival of literacy is intimately related to the phenomenon of colonialism and cultural imperialism.
For Street, literacy can therefore not be discussed as a unified phenomenon but as a variable social practice (Baumann, 1986: p.13). As such, Street forgoes the singular term "literacy" and more appropriately refers to the more polysemic plural 'literacies' (Street, 1984: p.8). This shift, in many ways, echoes more recent discursive shifts within Literacy Studies where the advent and popularity of various communication and digital technologies have had an incredible impact and given rise to the recognition of various other media-related literacies such as media-literacy, digital literacies, and multiliteracies. One of the ways in which we can explore these multiplicities is by embracing new paradigms, which allow us to pivot from older, more rigid perspectives, toward more dynamic conception. One such example of this is the concept of technauriture, which is explained below.
2.3 BEYOND THE GREAT DIVIDE: INTRODUCING TECHNAURITURE
The term 'technauriture' first appeared in an article by Andrew Mostert and Russell Kaschula (2009), entitled 'Analyzing, digitizing and technologizing the oral word: The case of Bongani Sitole" The article analysed the oral Xhosa language poetry -izibongo- composed and performed by oral poet Bongani Sitole in both book and digital form. To conceptualise this novel interaction between the oral, written and technology, the scholars coined the term to refer to this process (Kaschula and Mostert, 2009).
In a later publication, 'From oral literature to technauriture What's in a name?', Kaschula and Mostert (2009) further embellish upon the previously coined term, historically placing it within the broader contention of the 'great divide' debate within literacy and orality studies. While not exclusively, the primarily centers on the seminal work of Walter Ong and Ruth Finnegan, whose work is concerned with literacy and orality, respectively.
The former position literacy as an ability that restructures thought and allows for the promotion of objectivity (Ong, 1982). Ong underscores the importance of the emergence of writing and marks it as a watershed moment that precipitates the advent of academic learning and highly organised abstract though to occur (1986:41). Contra this perspective, thinkers like Coplan (1994) have worked to undercut this privileging of letters and literacy over its oral counterpart, opting for a more neutral appraisal and discussion. Coplan (1994) achieved this by went on to coin the term 'auriture'; a neologism combining the terms "aural," 'oral' and 'literature'. In coining this collective term, Coplan (1994) avoids hierarchisation and opts for a more balanced appraisal of both. It is from this line of thinking that scholars like Kaschula and Mostert (2011) spring, further embellishing upon the 'auriture' concept by including the technological aspect. While technauriture is traditionally associated with the use of digital or web interfaces to disseminate and document oral performances, here it is expanded and utilised to also encompass the use of digital interfaces or applications to expand what it thought to be literature, or how 'reading' is conceptualised. This is in line with Kaschula and Mostert's conception of technauriture as a three-way dialectic between primary orality, literacy and technology" (2011:3
3 METHOD
This investigation employs a qualitative content analysis to scrutinise the New York Public Library's InstaNovels initiative as a case study. The inquiry explores how the initiative incorporates multimodal characteristics-including textual, visual, and gestural components- to augment engagement and accessibility, thereby conforming to the principles of the technauriture paradigm.
Data was obtained from publicly accessible resources such as Instagram, blog entries, and instructional videos disseminated by the New York Public Library, in addition to academic literature pertaining to digital media, literacy, and multimodality. Using a content analysis, the interaction between conventional literary practices and digital technologies was critically appraised.
The examination concentrated on three pivotal domains: the methods by which InstaNovels connect traditional and digital literary formats, the degree to which multimodal components enhance accessibility and engagement, and the broader ramifications for cultivating an inclusive reading culture. The outcomes were contextualised within the complementary and displacement media models, investigating whether InstaNovels coexist with or undermine traditional literary practices.
By analysing this initiative, the investigation aspires to showcase how digital platforms can reconceptualise reading practices, particularly in contexts where conventional access to literature may be limited.
4 DISCUSSION AND FINDINGS
4.1 MULTIMODALITY, ACCESSIBILITY AND SOCIALITY
One of the most prominent features of the #InstaNovel project, which aligns with both the technauriture framework, and the complimentary media model, is its multimodality. By this, what is meant is that the #IntsaNovel designs incorporates many modes of information processing, namely the linguistic visual and the gestural. In relation to the technauriture paradigm, these elements can be seen to exemplify the dialectic between auriture and technology presented by Kaschula and Mostert (2011), offering a dynamic means for readers to engage with texts in the digital world.
As noted in the New York Public Libraries tutorial video (2019:np), even though the classic novels are published serially via Instagram stories, they still retain their textual basis as one is expected to read the novels in a traditional sense. Given that the selected texts are pieces of classic literature, this allows these much-vaunted texts to be adapted for digital engagement without necessarily tarnishing what makes them exceptional cultural productions. With that being said, the text itself is updated and accompanied by stimulating visual animations which add an additional layer of engagement for the user (see figure 1). These change per part the reader is engaging with at any given time. At some point, the text itself is animated in a manner that leads the reader along, propelling them through the story.
The gestural is also incorporated using the Instagram application functionality, namely how the user is expected to tap left or right side of their screen to progress to the next page or go back. There is also a 'hold thumb here' prompt provided to the user as they are reading, this allows them to stay on the page they are currently reading. This incorporation of the haptic and gestural has the capacity to engage readers and keep them alert rather than passive, as they are expected to tap or hold, depending on their progress.
In addition to being multimodal, the InstaNovels are also quite accessible, owing to the fact that they are hosted on the social media platform itself, rather than somewhere the targeted user may not be familiar with. Moreover, the use of the application functionality also means that users are also already familiar with the layout and functionality of the Instagram Stories function as they would have used it in their own social capacity. Apart from ease of use, this aspect has the potential to boost reading culture as it positions reading as something that is firmly within the media ecosystem of the user. That is, they consume literature in the same place where they would be expected to go to escape it in search for less cognitive strenuous tasks. However, in placing these classic novels within the same interface one would use to post selfies, watch reels and interact with friends, the act of reading is more likely to be associated to sociality, community, levity and play, which, in turn, may result in more uptake.
InstaNovels project demonstrates technauriture by combining orality, literacy, and technology in a unified way. The project redefines reading by integrating classic literary texts into Instagram, creating an immersive experience that combines visual stimulation, interactive gestures, and social engagement. This triadic interaction embodies the central tenet of technauriture, which involves reimagining cultural artifacts using digital methods, thereby merging traditional and modern narrative forms.
The project reimagines reading as a collaborative and evolving process, prioritizing ease of access and broad participation. It situates literature within a well-known digital environment, making it more accessible to younger people who are naturally adept at using social media. By doing so, #InstaNovels challenge the exclusivity of traditional literary culture and make storytelling more accessible to everyone.
In contexts such as South Africa, technauriture provides a robust framework for digitizing and revitalizing local oral traditions, integrating them into globally significant yet culturally distinct platforms. #InstaNovels showcase the potential of technauriture to revolutionize literature not only in terms of its format but also in how it is accessed, disseminated, and reinterpreted in the digital era.
5 CONCLUSION
The #InstaNovel project illustrates the convergence of multimodal communication, accessibility, and social interaction, demonstrating a groundbreaking application of the technauriture framework. The experience of reading is redefined by incorporating linguistic, visual, and gestural components, ultimately resulting in a multisensory, immersive experience. A multi-modal strategy enhances participation by accommodating various forms of literacy and promoting understanding through visual and interactive indicators. Instagram, a widely available and well-known social platform, hosts #InstaNovels, which brings literature closer to everyone by combining classic texts with a shared online community, where storytelling is viewed as both a personal and collective experience.
Technauriture provides a comprehensive framework for South Africa, enabling the digitization and revitalization of oral traditions, thereby merging cultural heritage with worldwide accessibility. Further research is necessary to confirm whether #InstaNovels effectively boost the literary experience or instead cause it to suffer due to multimodality. This project brings together traditional and contemporary narrative styles, demonstrating the ability of technauriture to integrate digital media with timeless storytelling element
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The author acknowledges the Independent Institute of Education for their support.
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