Without thinking, we are immersed in digital literacy. In my opinion, by taking control of how we teach digital literacy, we can guide young learners and better prepare them for life.
“Hiller Spires, a professor of literacy and technology at North Carolina State University, views digital literacy as having three buckets: 1) finding and consuming digital content; 2) creating digital content; and 3) communicating or sharing it” (Heitin, 2016). I like Spire’s definition because it identifies the key areas that an educator can concentrate on when developing lesson plans. For instance, there is a significant demand on behalf of society to help guide young people when using technology. One example of effective digital literacy in respect to finding and consuming content is games like Prodigy, which are designed to help young learners practice and improve numeracy and literacy. For example, the Prodigy website cites a study that shows that learners who play Prodigy improve their math competency by significant margins (Mahimker, 2014). Directing young learners to effective content will enhance their ability to search out and use similar kinds of content. Second, young learners can improve their communication skills, creative abilities, and technological skills. My oldest daughter is thinking how she can build an app to organize COVID safe trick-or-treating for Halloween. I know a teacher who has her students write a blog, which helps them hone their writing skills as well as their ability to self-reflect. Parents are asked to be mediators, which helps build a wider community around a young learner’s education. When young learners are confident with technology in respect to finding sources, interpreting them, as well as in creating content, they are more likely to talk about it and share it. Conversations around technology keep young learners on a positive path. In summary, digital literacy is achieved when a learner is able to search out, consume, create, and share appropriate digital information. To have agency online is to be in control of the technology and not the other way around.
The potential consequence of relying heavily on digital literacy is an overdependence on the systems that support online learning. Not all communities have the same resources or accessibility to the online world. Also, digital literacy should be a tool, but teachers should also focus on the development of traditional literacy and numeracy. Online tools are a bonus that can help learners, but educators should remember that a young learner is a person of the world first and person with an online persona second.
References
Heitin, L. (2016, November 8). What Is Digital Literacy? Education Week. https://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2016/11/09/what-is-digital-literacy.html.
Mahimker, R. (2014, December 31). Can Game-Based-Learning Increase Standardized Test Scores? https://prodigy-website.cdn.prismic.io/prodigy-website/a2f4d243-2d21-4100-b7c4-85a38935df45_white-paper.pdf.
