New publication: Predigital, Digital and Postdigital English: Probing Alternate English Education Futures

Bacalja, A. (2025). Predigital, Digital and Postdigital English: Probing Alternate English Education Futures. English in Aotearoa, May, 32-35.

Abstract

This paper explores how national English curricula in New Zealand constructs the subject’s relationship with the digital. It begins with an overview of references to the digital in the current English curricula, suggesting that this iteration of English represents a predigital English. It then moves to analyse the Refreshed Curriculum recently released for consultation by the Nationals-led government. The paper argues that the inclusion of references to digital texts and the identification of specific digital technologies and digital literacy practices represents a shift towards digital English. In the discussion that follows the paper explains why the Refreshed Curriculum draft offers an inadequate education in the digital, and outlines how concepts associated with postdigital theory are useful for developing a more responsive and critical postdigital English.

The special issue where the article is located can be downloaded from: https://nzate.org.nz/product/english-in-aotearoa-special-edition/