Even without a pandemic forcing everything to go online, the internet would still be a huge part of everyone’s day to day lives. Digital literacy is defined in the British Columbia Digital Literacy Framework as “the interest, attitude and ability of individuals to use digital technology and communication tools appropriately to access, manage, integrate, analyze and evaluate information, construct new knowledge, and create and communicate with others” (BC Min. of Ed., 2015). This means that digital literacy encompasses a wide range of activities, from researching information, to engaging with social media, to creating and sharing content, and everything in between (Heitin, 2016).
With the extent to which digital literacy covers, it is important that people are able to effectively navigate the digital landscape. Communication is done over email, research is conducted online, and technology is intertwined in every part of our lives (Heitin, 2016). Teaching digital literacy in elementary and high school classrooms allows students to be prepared for this digital lifestyle (Creer, 2018). From Facebook, Instagram, and Tik-Tok, to finding information for projects, to keeping in touch with friends and families, students are already spending a lot of time in the digital landscape (Creer, 2018). It is important that they are taught to navigate these spaces safely, and that they are given the tools they need to effectively navigate and utilize them to the full extent.
Bringing digital literacy into my classroom is something necessary in today’s world. Technology is a tool that can greatly aid in students’ lives, but they need to be taught to use it successfully. In order for me to effectively teach my future students digital literacy, I need to work on my own digital literacy. I need to take advantage of learning opportunities to be able to put my best foot forward in teaching them the skills they need to navigate the digital world. It is also important to learn what parts of digital literacy are appropriate to teach to students of different ages. Resources like the BC Digital Literacy Framework (2015) will be helpful to determine that. Safety, however, is key. In these lessons, it will also be important to teach my students the ins and outs of privacy control and internet safety. It is important that they can utilize the internet as a resource, but making sure my students know how to safely access it and recognize the potential dangers has to be a priority.
References:
British Columbia Ministry of Education (2015). Digital Literacy Framework. https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/education/kindergarten-to-grade-12/teach/teaching-tools/digital-literacy-framework.pdf
Creer, A. (2018). Introducing Everyday “Digital Literacy Practices” into the Classroom: An Analysis of Multi-Layered Media, Modes and their Affordances. Journal of New Approaches in Educational Research, 7(2), pp. 131-139. DOI: 10.7821/naer.2018.7.265
Heitin, L. (2016). Digital Literacy: An Evolving Definition. Education Week. https://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2016/11/09/what-is-digital-literacy.html
