Digital Literacy

Our students have more access to technology in their everyday lives than ever before. This brings educators to think about digital literacy and its importance. So what is this thing people call digital literacy?

The American Library Association's digital- literacy task force defines digital literacy as "the ability to use information and communication technologies to find, evaluate, create and communicate information, requiring both cognitive and technical skills." To me, digital literacy means being fluent with technology. Being able to not only find, create and communicate your digital content but also the ability to teach someone else how to do so is an indicator of being fluent. Digital literacy can range anywhere from small tasks like copying and pasting information into a document to big tasks like creating your own movie.

There are skills required for our students as well as ourselves to be digitally literate. They are: knowledge of basic tech, social media, cloud computing, digital databases, virtual collaboration, sharing to build knowledge, evaluate info found online, and digital citizenship. To me, the most important of these skills is digital citizenship. With so much access to technology it is important to not only be knowledgable in rules, regulations, and conduct but it is vital to pass this information along to our students.

Why is digital literacy so important? Everything we do is connected to technology in some way. With society so connected to each other it is important to be knowledgeable about different forms of technology and their intended purposes as well as the proper way to conduct oneself.

If you'd like to learn more about digital literacy and its importance check out these two videos as well as the links I've included!

http://pomo.com.au/blog/digital-literacy/
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2016/11/09/what-is-digital-literacy.html
http://www.teachhub.com/technology-classroom-what-digital-literacy