Part 1: Introduction
Digital literacy “literally” means a new way of being literate – not with books and printed materials, but now with digital materials.
These skills are becoming increasingly important in an ever more digitally connected world. Digital literacy involves many aspects such as how to be a good “Digital Citizen” and how to be safe online while creating an engaging yet safe online persona and striking the right balance between sharing and engaging versus privacy. It is helpful to understand how to differentiate between the various types of literacies (digital, informational, visual, media, critical, global etc.). It is also important to be aware of some of the downsides of the digital world and be aware of some common pitfalls that one can encounter when trying to traverse this world. Examples include empathy traps and the “fear of missing out,” which happens when you feel that everyone else is having fun online.
When reading or considering articles for the classroom, consider:
- author (source / website source)
- commercial vs. educational
- accessibility (design vs. user)
- date of publication
- any broken links (or outdated links)
- any inappropriate ads or content that might pop up?
Digital Citizenship Skills:
In today’s world, most of us become digital citizens whether we realize it or not! Being a Digital Citizen can come with its downsides and knowing how to identify red flags and pitfalls is important. For example, unwanted online interactions can turn into criminal harassment in situations where proper boundaries have not been set. Visit the Digital Citizenship post in the Scarfe Digital Sandbox to learn more about:
- caution and cyberbullying – exercising caution to avoid behaviours associated with cyberbullying
- social media guidelines prepared by ERASE Student Advisory in BC
- privacy concerns
- ISTE standards – and how they help
- interactive games to help build skills – Digital Passport, Digital Compass and Educational games
MediaSmarts is a Canadian not-for-profit charitable organization for digital and media literacy. Among the wide variety of resources that they develop (searchable by provincial curriculum), are some introduction videos and tips on how to stay safe online. Here are three resources to get you started:
MediaSmarts: Digital Literacy in a Time of Fake News
MediaSmarts provides some important concepts of digital literacy:
- In digital media, there are no one-way connections. Instead, everyone is involved – as producer or consumer – and linked via a multidirectional, interconnected network.
- Digital content is permanent: everything that is transmitted is stored somewhere and can be searched for and indexed. This includes things that may seem temporary, like Snapchat photos.
- Digital content is shareable, and what you post online may be seen by people you didn’t intend or expect to see it. Once content is shared, you have a limited ability to control who sees what.
- What happens via digital media is real but it doesn’t always feel real. When we’re online, it can be easy to forget that laws, morals and rights still apply, and that online actions can have real world consequences.
- Digital media, like traditional media, reflect the beliefs, unconscious biases and unquestioned assumptions of their creators, which in turn can influence our own experiences and behaviours.
Applicability Across Subject Areas:
How does developing digital literacies support learning across subjects? Different areas of studies have preferred online portals and ways of looking up information that are more optimal for those subject areas. As per “Digital Media Literacy Fundamentals” by Media Smarts, there are two important aspects of digital literacies when engaging with digital technologies across subject areas:
#1 – Find (seeking) and evaluating information
#2 – How to use digital information and tools (content creation and design)
Here are just a few examples:
- Health and Physical Education – the impacts that Photoshopped images can have on body image and the “fear of missing out.”
- Social Sciences – learning to distinguish bias, misinformation and propaganda
- Civics – using online tools to become engaged citizens
- Arts – arts courses need to reflect the impacts of digital technology
- Music – creaing works using multi-modality is now something that can be achieved
- Technology – courses should expand to include understanding and creating with technologies (including programming and other means to actually ‘create’ technologies)
- Digital Maker Technologies – encompass a wide range of tools and technologies and can be used to create in digital and non-digital environments
Part 2: The Different Types of Literacies
When we refer to literacies in the digital world, in addition to ‘digital literacy’, we use the following terms: media, critical, global, visual and informational
Media Literacy articles:
https://scarfedigitalsandbox.teach.educ.ubc.ca/tag/media-literacy/
- Add more of a description here about what Medial Literacy is.
- information on privacyy
- QuietTube – An app that teachers can use to eliminate unwanted ads while showing video content to a classroom.
Critical Literacy:
- The term critical literacy refers to the use of print and other media technologies to “analyze, critique and transform the norms, rule systems and practices governing the social fields of everyday life” (Luke, 2012, p. 5 in BEd Digital Literacies Module).
- Critical digital literacies (CDL) acknowledge power differentials, strive for equitable access to diverse resources, and the reconstruction of transformative potentials (Spante et al., 2018 in BEd Digital Literacies Module).
- This definition requires that those within a field of study examine how, why, and where norms, rules, ways of doing, ways of being in relationship to topics, processes, procedures, and each other, are critiqued with a social justice view, examining the spaces and places where those who are marginalized and disenfranchised can find intentionally equitable hospitality (Bali et al., 2019 in BEd Digital Literacies Module).
Global Literacy:
- Data literacy, interacting & sharing, content creating, safety, problem solving across different regions of the globe (elaborate – see section in BEd Canvas module)
Part 3: BEd Resources on Canvas Overview
A series of non-credit modules has been developed to support Faculty of Education students, including teacher candidates, in developing their digital literacies. All registered Faculty of Education students have access to the “Welcome to Online Education: Digital Literacies” modules in Canvas.
“TCs in the BEd program may wish to consult the hyperlink for this module.” To access, navigate to the “Navigating the BEd Program” on Canvas, then in the Overview section scroll down to the module titled “Online Education & Digital Literacies.”
Here are some highlights of what you will find in this module:
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- “Online learning has come a long way from previous mail-in courses”
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- Sherry Turkle video: “modern technology has become like a phantom limb…it is so much a part of us.”
Begin here:
- Explores the idea of having an online persona
- On being a digital citizen (inclusive, informed, engaged, balanced, alert)
- Striking a balance – what to share versus what to keep private
- Alone Together video:
- https://canvas.ubc.ca/courses/65308/pages/making-sense-in-digital-spaces-and-places?module_item_id=1968709
- BC Digital Literacy Framework – part of the revised BC Curriculum.
- Online Safety – use the Privacy Matters @ UBC Guide; check out the “Data Defenders” resource by Media Smarts
- Multimodalities:
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- “Multimodal” describes communication practices in terms of textual, aural, linguistic, spatial, and visual resources
- Digital Maker Technologies – includes Digital Storytelling – elaborate can include short media productions, digital storytelling, concept mapping, digital portfolios, visual images, infographics and photo voice.
- Visual Literacy and also Information Literacy (different types) – elaborate (short blurb)
Conclusion
As you can see, there is a plethora of different types of digital literacies as described above (critical, global, visual, information, media etc.). Categorizing the different types of digital literacies in this way, allows you to assess online content with a more critical eye as you engage with the digital world. Multimodal videos are an excellent type of artform to engage with in this new connected world, as are digital storytelling apps such as Digital Maker Technologies. Safety and privacy are concerns, which is why it’s important to be aware of your legal rights and be able to set appropriate boundaries. Everyone should also have some working knowledge of the Fair dealings and copyright act in Canada – and the BEd Module describes what is OK to share without an attribute versus what is automatically protected by copyright etc.
