Digital literacy is a broad concept that includes many facets including one’s ability to use technological devices, understand and evaluate information, and to create digital materials (“Digital Literacy Fundamentals,” 2019). Digital literacy goes far beyond simply being proficient at using technology and accessing information online. It also includes the ability to critically examine information you encounter which requires training and a basic understanding in the subjects examined. Another important part of digital literacy is the understanding that any information created is persistent and able to be viewed around the world and that anything posted should be information that can reflect on you for the rest of your life.
Digital literacy is increasingly important in our world as more and more of our lives are spent online and socialization and work alike are moving to digital platforms. This has been accelerated and made apparent the past year due to the COVID pandemic leading to more remote work, and the reliance on digital channels for friends and family to interact (Buchholz et al., 2020). It has become critical that students learn digital literacy as the enter society and the workforce. As a new educator I would like to encourage students to use technology in creative ways and to learn alongside them in new techniques and platforms, while providing support and advice in a safe space. I believe it would be helpful to have guided exercises, particularly in situations that a students work could be looked back on and re-evaluated at a later date to examine how it ages and what longer term impacts the content they create can have. I would also like to attempt to teach students how to evaluate information and sources they encounter. This would include quality of the material itself, as well as determining what the source of the information is and what biases and motivations these sources may carry (Breakstone et al., 2018).
Teaching digital literacy has many challenges including maintaining the privacy of students and continuing to keep up with a rapidly evolving field, although any help that I could provide my future students navigate digital society in a safe and productive way is worth any effort.
References
Breakstone, Joel., McGrew, Sarah., Smith, Mark., Ortega, Teresa., Wineburg, Sam. (2018). Why we need a new approach to teaching digital literacy. Phi Delta Kappen, 99(6), 27-32. doi:10.1177/0031721718762419
Buchholz, B. A., Dehart, J., & Moorman, G. (2020). Digital Citizenship During a Global Pandemic: Moving Beyond Digital Literacy. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 64(1), 11-17. doi:10.1002/jaal.1076
Digital Literacy Fundamentals. (2019, February 20). Retrieved September 24, 2020, from https://mediasmarts.ca/digital-media-literacy/general-information/digital-media-literacy-fundamentals/digital-literacy-fundamentals