Dr. Rochelle Rodrigo Wins Literacy in a Digital Age Book Award

Dr. Rochelle Rodrigo, Senior Director of the Writing Program and Professor in the Rhetoric, Composition, and the Teaching of English (RCTE) program, was named the winner of the 2025 Divergent Publication for Excellence in a Digital Age Research award by the Initiative for Literacy in a Digital Age. 

The award recognizes the most outstanding publications during the past two years that bring to forefront the importance and impact of those who diverge from traditional pedagogies and contribute to the theoretical and practical study of digital literacies. 

Co-authored by Dr. Catrina Mitchum, Associate Professor with University of Maryland Global Campus, Teaching Literacy Online: Engaging, Analyzing, and Producing in Multiple Media was published in January, 2024 by the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE).

The authors describe the book as a practical guide for secondary and college teachers of English in digital and online environments. 

Collecting insights from more than 38 years of combined experience teaching online courses, the text is organized into three major sections that guide teachers from theoretically grounded principles for teaching literacies online in part one to their practical application in digital environments in parts two and three. 

Throughout the book, Rodrigo and Mitchum share numerous learning activities for readers to adopt or adapt to the design and delivery of their online literacy instruction. They also include a reference list of websites and applications at the end of each chapter. 

“I hope it’s a book that most of my colleagues in the field of Writing Studies will find useful,” Rodrigo said. 

Rodrigo and Mitchum were chosen from a record number of nominees, according to Dr. Shelbie Witte, the founding director of the Initiative. 

They will share their work as part of the Literacy in a Digital Age lecture series in April 2025.