Blog 2, Week 1: Digital Literacy

Digital literacy is an important aspect of living in a technology focused society. Digital literacy helps us to develop a crucial set of skills that allow us to critically think about the information we are presented with, safely navigate internet spaces and effectively communicate with others in online environments. Brown (2017a), states that digital literacy is now an essential skill for living, learning and working in the modern day digital society.

In my previous blog post, I reflected on my experiences with using technology for learning in my highschool years (2013-2017). Throughout this period, there was significant growth and developments that shaped the digital learning environment at the time. Integrating technology into the classroom environment was used to enhance the teaching and learning experience. One notable difference I experienced was the increase in diverse educational resources and in the flexibility I had with my own learning journey. The integration of online learning meant that students could work at their own pace, develop a better understanding of the information presented and could easily communicate with their teachers no matter where they were. 

I was fortunate enough to have access to my own laptop through these years, making it easier for me to catch up on my learning in my own time, however this was not the case for every student. Brown (2017c), delves into the conversation that 52% of the population don’t have access to the internet. There is a growing conversation about the accessibility to the ever growing digitalized society we live in. Especially through our modern education systems, I believe digital literacy is crucial to ensuring that every student has the same opportunity for learning and progression to higher education. However, it raises the question on how we can provide each student with the tools and resources they need to succeed and learn regardless of social or financial status. 

Netsafe (2018), also touches on social media consumption during the younger years. I believe this is another crucial aspect in ensuring that digital learning can be done in a safe environment. Social media creates a whole new environment to engage in irresponsible behaviours such as bullying, sexual harassment, peer pressure and violence. I believe it is important to stay digitally literate and keep up with the online world, especially as an aspiring educator for this very reason. Netsafe (2018), shares statistics, stating that in New Zealand, 3 in 10 teenagers are aware of someone who has received sexual content they did not consent to, and nearly a quarter of teens have been asked to take sexual content of themselves. 

Reflecting on my previous blog, I have a better sense of what I want to take from this paper. As someone who holds a passion in youth mental health, I believe that digital literacy is something that I need to keep a growth mindset about, as well as sharing my knowledge with the people I interact with in my work. I believe there are incredible benefits to online learning environments, however without correct knowledge and digital literacy, I feel like a lot of educators may be unaware of the realities of their students in the digital world.

References:

Brown, M. (2017a). Critical review of frameworks for digital literacy: Beyond the flashy, flimsy and faddish – part 1. Retrieved from http://blog.ascilite.org/a-critical-review-of-frameworks-for-digital-literacy-beyond-the-flashy-flimsy-and-faddish-part-1/ 

Brown, M. (2017c). Critical review of frameworks for digital literacy: Beyond the flashy, flimsy and faddish – part 3. Retrieved from http://blog.ascilite.org/critical-review-of-frameworks-for-digital-literacy-beyond-the-flashy-flimsy-and-faddish-part-3/

Netsafe. (2018). From literacy to fluency to citizenship: Digital citizenship in education. New Zealand. Retrieved from https://netsafe.org.nz/the-kit/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/From-literacy-to-fluency-to-citizenship_July-2018.pdf