Concepts on Digital Literacy

 Principles of Digital Literacy

Examples of Digital Literacy
Importance
How Can we Embed Digital
Literacy into the classroom?
 Digital literacy is when
students are able to
engage with multi-media
to read and interpret text,
sounds and images.
It is when students can 
manipulate and evaluate data
to construct their own
meaning.
 It is the ability to understand and
use Information in multiple formats
from a wide range of sources when
it is presented via computers. The
concept of literacy goes beyond
simply being able to read; it always
meant the ability to read with
meaning
• It is the awareness, attitude and
ability of individuals to
appropriately use digital tools and
facilities to identify, access ,
manage, integrate, evaluate, analyze
and synthesize digital resources,
construct new knowledge, create
media.
• Digital literacy encompasses
computer, hardware, software,
(particularly those used most
frequently by businesses), the
internet, cell phone , and other
digital devices. A person using these
skills to interact with society may be
called a digital citizen
Digital citizen
A person has ability to perform tasks
effectively in a digital environment.
Literacy includes the ability to read and
interpret media, to reproduce data and
image through digital manipulation, and to
evaluate and apply knew knowledge
gained from digital environments.
• Digital literacy represents a person’s
ability to perform tasks effectively in
a digital environment, with “digital”
meaning information represented in
numeric form and primarily for use
by a computer.
• Literacy includes the ability to read and
interpret media (text, sound, images), to
reproduce data and images through
digital manipulation, and to evaluate and
apply new knowledge gained from digital
environments. According to Gilster, the
most critical of these is the ability to make
educated judgments about what we find
online.
Digital literacy also includes a
student having knowledge about 
how to use technology to
construct meaning, but most
importantly in ways that are
appropriate to their needs
• Digitally literate people are those who “can
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.”
• Most teachers recognize those skills as
critical for 21st-century learning
• Students who know how to use
technology are also instructed by
parents and teachers on how to
use it effectively and
appropriately to communicate a
message.
4 Principles Of Digital Literacy
1. Comprehension
The first principle of digital literacy is simply
comprehension–the ability to extract implicit and explicit
ideas from a media.

2. Interdependence
The second principle of digital literacy is
interdependence–how one media form connects with another,
whether potentially, metaphorically, ideally, or literally.
• 3. Social Factors
Sharing is no longer just a method of personal
identity or distribution, but rather can create
messages of its own. Who shares what to whom
through what channels can not only determine the
long-term success of the media, but can create
organic ecosystems of sourcing, sharing, storing,
and ultimately repackaging media.
4. Curation
Storing, overt storage of favored content through
platforms such as pinterest, pearltrees, pocket and
others is one method of “save to read later.”
But more subtly, when a video is collected in a
YouTube channel, a poem ends up in a blog post, or
an infographic is pinned to pinterest or stored on
a learnist board, that is also a kind of literacy as
well–the ability to understand the value of
information, and keep it in a way that makes it
accessible and useful long-term.
Components of Digital Literacy

 ICT literacy refers to a set of user skills

that enable active participation in a society
where services and cultural offerings are
computer-supported and distributed on the
internet.
• Technological literacy entails a deeper
understanding of digital technology and
comprises both user and technical
computing skills.

• Information literacy focuses on one of the

key aspects of our knowledge society.
• There are many of them with direct
relevance to digital literacy – ICT skills,
civic skills, learning to learn skills,
participation of adults in lifelong learning.

• Digital literacy is a life skill because it

targets all areas of contemporary existence.
• The challenge school systems face today is to
embed digital literacy in all levels of the
educational system as well as in the professional
development of teachers and trainers.
  
DIGITAL LITERACY AND BASIC COMPETENCES
FROM THE TEACHER’S AND LEARNER’S
PERSPECTIVES
• Both educational theorists and practitioners agree
that digital literacy has to be defined and
developed in relation to general educational
objectives.
• Digital literacy seems to have a beneficial effect
on basic skills and competences.
• Digital literacy has positive effects on skills
important for successful learning also.
Examples of Digital
Literacy
Understanding how to use web
browsers, search engines, email, text,
wiki, blogs, Photoshop, Powerpoint,
video creation/editing software , etc.
to showcase learning.
Evaluating online resources for
accuracy/trustworthiness of
information.

Using online classes to enhance

learning in the classroom.
Choosing appropriate media to
showcase learning - understand
what platforms will best
illustrate your message and
learning to peers and educators.
Using an interactive whiteboard
in the classroom for lessons and
allowing students to use the
interactive whiteboard on a
daily basis.
Encouraging students to use
technology to showcase their
learning.
Using the web ( web sites video,
music) to enhance the learning of
your students.
Students and teachers
creating online content to be
utilized both in and out of the
classroom.
21 Century Classroom
st
Digital literacy is one component of
being a digital citizen - a person who
is responsible for how they utilize
technology to interact with the world
around them
• Digital technology allows people
to interact and communicate with
family and friends on a regular
basis due to the "busy
constraints" of today's world.
• Not only do white-collar jobs require
digital literacy in the use of media to
present, record and analyze data, but
so do blue-collar jobs who are
looking for way to increase
productivity and analyze market
trends, along with increase job safety.
     Computers have provided an
entirely new medium for literacy
(reading and writing).  Digital literacy
has led to great increases in information
that can be conveniently and quickly
accessed and facilitates the collaboration
and sharing of knowledge. 
• There is now the potential for global
access to knowledge and an interest
in creating more multilingual
and multi-literacy online
environments as digital technologies
facilitate global and intercultural
exchange.
• Digital and visual literacies are the
next wave of communication
specialization. Most people will
have technologies at their fingertips
not only to communicate but to
create, to manipulate, to design, to
self-actualize
The New Literacy and Education
• A common scenario today is a classroom filled
with digitally literate students being led by
linear-thinking, technologically stymied
instructors. Although funds may be plentiful to
purchase new equipment, wire classrooms, and
order current software, few educational
organizations have developed comprehensive
technology plans that specify technical learning
objectives or ensure successful integration of
technology to enhance students’ digital and
visual literacy.
•Taking precedence over
systematic planning is the
trial-and-error approach
to using technology in the
classroom.
• To approach the use of technology
differently, to enhance teaching and
learning across all departments, requires
change. This change will be slow in
coming, however, without vision combined
with practical, recognizable goals and
incentives that encourage people to
embrace new digital and visual literacy
skills individually and collectively.
 How Can we Embed
Digital Literacy into the
classroom?
 Motivates students in their
learning due to their
enjoyment and ease of use
with various technological
mediums.
Reaches students of various learning
styles. Technology use applies to and
compliments  Howard Gardner's
Multiple Intelligences.
Allows students to create and design
their own unique products reflective
of their personalities and learning
needs/styles.
Encourages students to
manipulate media to
construct their own
meaning.
Enables students to easy
share their learning with
teachers, families and peers.
Gives students the chance to
explore technological mediums
which in inevitable increase job
skills that employers look for in
the workforce.
 Just like text has different
genres, technology too
requires that students be able
to think critically about
different types of media to
evaluate purpose and to
construct their own meaning.
 The various Digital-Age
Literacies apply to the more
traditional academic
disciplines of reading, writing,
mathematics, sciences, social
studies, history and the
humanities.
The goal of all teachers is to
promote higher order thinking skills
in their students. Incorporating
Digital -Age Literacies and
technology into lessons and activities
is a sure way for teachers to facilitate
their student's construction of
knowledge and meaning.