Defining Digital Literacy:

Digital literacy breaks down into four skills:

1: Usage

2: Communication and Interaction

3: Creation

4: Analysis (Lee, 2014)

In essence, to be digitally literate, one must be able to…

-operate technological devices to perform simple tasks
-communicate through the device on multiple digital platforms 
-create things on the internet
-and parse the information received or found via the internet (Lee, 2014)

These tools are crucial for managing online presence and reputation, avoiding phishing scams, researching for projects, and communicating with classmates and teachers.

Learning Digital Literacy

Acquisition of digital literacy appears to be most effective when learners “have opportunities to use those technologies in a wide range of contexts, and in pursuit of authentic tasks that are relevant to their chosen pathways of study.” (Littlejohn, 2012) Like any skill, practice must take place over a broad range of time and developed from many different approaches. The reason why this acquisition is so critical is due to the wide spread usage of digital platforms for communication, learning, and communication within school, life, and the workplace. To be considered desirable by the modern job market, digital literacy is essential.

Bringing Digital Literacy to the Classroom

Because repetition and exposure are crucial to acquiring skills, my goal in the classroom would be to incorporate technology into learning wherever possible. For example, I could encourage students to use recording devices when practicing their instruments to check learning goals such as “did I play all the right notes,” “did I play all the rhythms correctly,” and “do I feel this was an expressive or musical rendition of this exercise.” This kind of critical thinking and analysis not only would make the students responsible for their own learning, but it would also teach them critical auditory analysis skills along the way. Another program, Sibelius, could be used to encourage students to create their own music or arrange music for class from favourite artists or movies.

The Ups and Downs of Digital Literacy

Unfortunately, there are pros and cons to digital literacy. Using technology in the classroom can result in fixation with playing with the “toy” instead of using it meaningfully in the context of the lesson. Cyberbullying is also a concern for vulnerable youth. Careful and responsible management of our digital footprint “…requires ongoing analysis and interpretation to not only ensure that we make the most of our digital experiences but also that our practices are ethical and avoid the exploitation or manipulation of others” (Pangrazio, 2016). It is essential to impart these values and expectations to our students to insure the healthy development of our digital community in the future.

List of references:

Government of British Columbia. (2020). Digital Literacy. The Official Website of the Government of British Columbia. https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/education-training/k-12/teach/teaching-tools/digital-literacy

Lee, S.-H. (2014). Digital Literacy Education for the Development of Digital Literacy. International Journal of Digital Literacy and Digital Competence, 5(3). https://link-gale-com.prxy.lib.unbc.ca/apps/doc/A429759537/AONE?u=unorthbc&sid=AONE&xid=8e48d7ca

Littlejohn, A., Beetham, H., & McGill, L. (12/01/2012). Learning at the digital frontier: A review of digital literacies in theory and practice Blackwell Publishing. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2729.2011.00474.x

Pangrazio, L. (03/03/2016). Reconceptualising critical digital literacy Dept. of Education, University of Queensland. doi:10.1080/01596306.2014.942836