Reading Don Leu (Handbook of Reading Research, Vol.3) made me think about how the publish-as-you-go literacy research that is at the heart of Blogtrax had a further rationale. Here’s Don:

Since literacy is so intimately related to the technologies of informtion and communication as well as the envisionments they inspire, rapidly changing technologies make it difficult, if not impossible to develop a consistent body of research within traditional forums before the technology on which it is based is replaced by an even newer technology. Unless this situation changes, and strategies for publishing research in traditional forums speed up their processes or new forums appear, it is likely that traditional research will play an increasingly less important role in our understanding of new technologies and new literacies.

(Leu, 2000: 24)


So I guess if we’re working in the field of new literacies, we need to fully exploit their potential ourselves. Of course, building on what Leu says here, the situation is liquid when the software updates regularly, the users’ skill levels and needs change. As we’ve observed before, the very topic you’re studying changes beneath your gaze. And, as you can see from that, the metaphor of the week is the kaleidoscope!