The First International Literacy Conference held in 1997 in Penang, attended by more than 400 delegates, viewed global literacies in anticipation of the changes and challenges that the New Millennium posed and portended.

 

Today, the World has finally moved into the 21st century; the winds of globalisation and technological changes that started in the last phase of the 20th century have created urgent demands for New Literacies and New Practices in the New Times. In the wake of these changes educators are re-examining existing educational paradigms ­ curricula are being revamped and new forms of evaluation are being introduced with the aim of meeting the 'real world' needs.

 

Thus, there is a dire need today to examine research findings and new research paradigms to make language learning and literacy more meaningful, relevant and pragmatic. There is also a need to re-examine the roles of schools, colleges and universities toward the realisation of this purpose. This conference gives researchers, lecturers, teachers, administrators and managers of education the opportunity to contribute, cooperate and collaborate by sharing their ideas, experiences and findings on new literacies and new practices for the new times.