If students are 鈥済lued鈥� 24/7 to their mobile devices, why is it necessary for schools to teach digital literacy? Who should teach it? And wait 鈥� what does it even mean to be 鈥渄igitally literate鈥�?
If these are questions you鈥檝e heard or asked, you aren鈥檛 alone. Many educators struggle to understand their evolving role in teaching and using technology in their classrooms. Most importantly, many of us wrestle with how technology is shifting the way kids learn.
The New York Department of Education as 鈥渉aving the knowledge and ability to use a range of technology tools for varied purposes.鈥� Digitally literate people are those who 鈥渃an use technology strategically to find and evaluate information, connect and collaborate with others, produce and share original content, and use the Internet and technology tools to achieve many academic, professional, and personal goals.鈥�
Most teachers recognize those skills as critical for 21st-century learning. But before teachers and students dive into using technology in class, we should discuss why a digital literacy curriculum is necessary.
The Myth of 鈥楧igital Natives鈥�
Many adults think that because children have been immersed in a technology since a young age, they are naturally 鈥渓iterate鈥� or skilled in using technology. Younger generations have been labeled 鈥溾�� while older generations are 鈥渄igital immigrants.鈥� this labeling is outright false鈥攕tudents are no more literate with devices than their so-called digital immigrant parents.
Creating a Digital Literacy Curriculum
Like traditional literacy, students and adults alike benefit from guidance, instruction, and practice. Educators should and steps for helping students navigate their devices (and the unfettered world of the Internet). It鈥檚 also important to take appropriate steps toward digital literacy based on children鈥檚 stage of development. Common Sense Media has developed a to help teachers and districts formalize digital literacy instruction.
Teachers should also help students develop healthy habits and attitudes when using technology. Educators need to take an active role in helping them understand the benefits, dangers, and opportunities technology provides.
Taking Responsibility
Many school districts and government organizations are taking a proactive stance on devices in the hands of children and teens. Here are some examples of ways that school districts and even the federal government are addressing digital literacy:
- In conjunction with their Bring Your Own Device Policy (BYOD), Hillsborough schools (Fla.) recently adopted a for middle school and high school students.
- Adams Five Star Schools (Colo.) has a .
- The Obama administration has created to help teachers and schools collaborate on best practices in digital literacy.
In addition, Google has created multiple resources for students and teachers to best navigate the Internet. These tools include lessons on digital literacy and :
- : This curriculum includes teacher鈥檚 guides and lesson plans, including pre-made slides. It covers topics like online reputation, cyberbullying, and privacy.
- : This page links Google鈥檚 lesson plans with activities for teachers who are looking to improve students鈥� search literacy.
- : Categorized by content area, these challenges help students practice how to narrow results from a Google search and find a specific piece of information.
Bringing Digital Literacy to the Classroom
My journey to embedding digital literacy in my classroom has been one of small steps, starts and stops, and lessons learned. I am passionate about helping my students understand powerful and transformative learning, but I am also hesitant to introduce a new tool or device before understanding how it will enhance learning.
Here are some ways I鈥檝e incorporated technology to help students understand their devices and the importance of digital literacy:
Search Literacy
- I鈥檝e used Google A Day challenges to teach my students advanced search strategies. I鈥檝e also printed out to remind students of the various strategies available when searching online.
- In my freshman research unit, students are required to evaluate digital resources for bias. To demonstrate their understanding of different types of bias, they collaboratively .
- To promote visual literacy and critical reading, I ask my students to read about debunking fake images online and watch this TED Talk: 鈥�.鈥� We then discuss strategies for evaluating information online before using it in our own writing.
Using Digital Tools
- I ask students to evaluate this , practice using various tools, and on which strategies they believe work best for them.
- To create powerful presentations using digital platforms, I ask students to watch this about PowerPoint fails and view on how to avoid 鈥淒eath by PowerPoint.鈥� We also discuss strategies for using visual images and text to impact an audience.
- Students in my Media Studies class analyzed their own demographics and associated stereotypes to understand targeted advertising and subconscious biases. To demonstrate their analysis, they using digital tools.
Social Media For Learning
As a prolific social media user, I鈥檝e been thinking for more than a year about how to use social media tools with students to expand their learning opportunities. I wrote about that journey in a that reflects (1) why social media in the classroom is so important, (2) how I requested parent permissions, and (3) the powerful learning experiences that resulted in just two months.
Here are three more resources that can help teachers understand how to bring social media into the classroom:
Protecting Students in a Digital World
There are a wide range of stories about the power of the digital world鈥攆or both good and harm. In danah boyd鈥檚 opinion piece titled 鈥�,鈥� she argues that our society鈥檚 response to kids with devices has been fear-based and reactive. 鈥淩ather than helping teens develop strategies for negotiating public life and the potential risks of interacting with others, fearful parents have focused on tracking, monitoring and locking,鈥� she writes. 鈥淭hese tactics don鈥檛 help teens develop the skills they need to manage complex social situations, assess risks, and get help when they鈥檙e in trouble.鈥�
Replace 鈥減arents鈥� with 鈥渟chools鈥� and it鈥檚 easy to see the obvious application. If instead of opportunities we see monsters, teachers and parents miss a chance to help children find their way in a digital world.
Your Turn
Take a look at your classroom, your school, and your district. Are you preparing students to use devices and technology successfully? Do you have a plan for the adults in your school to model strong digital citizenship?
If not, use the resources here to start the conversation with your colleagues, faculty, and community. Together we can improve digital literacy for all our students.
