One of the unquestioned cornerstones of education is literacy. The ability to read and write has stood as a fundamental marker of learning across much of the world for millenia. As we enter the modern age it has taken digital literacy some time to gain equal footing in the space of education.

Just as books continue to serve as a crucial teacher resource so to do websites, blogs, videos, guest speaker powerpoints and a host of other digital resources. Treating these sources with the same scrutiny and professionalism as books is crucial to maintaining the high standards of academia and the teaching profession.

Students keep an increasing amount of their lives and self identity in digital form, and there is no model of learning that will speak to them that does not take this fact into account. This has significant safety implications as we teach students how to protect themselves online, as well as teach them how to identify biases and ulterior motives in what they read. For that matter, it is crucial that we ourselves do not overlook our own biases in consuming digital content and in choosing what we present to the class.

Digital media holds much promise and relevance for a lot of students. For some it is their preferred field of employment going forward, and an inability to talk about the field will immediately disengage them from the conversation. For other students digital media represents their best chance at learning, a combination of different learning styles rolled into one in a way the traditional media cannot accomplish. Regardless of one’s comfort with digital media it is a crucial area in which to develop competency and interest.

And it’s not optional either! The government of BC has laid out the Digital Literacy Framework and six key points:

  • Research and Information Literacy
  • Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, and Decision Making
  • Creativity and Innovation
  • Digital Citizenship
  • Communication and Collaboration
  • Technology Operations and Concepts

My favorite summary of digital literacy comes from the University of Derby, both for its concise message and delightful accent:

Digital literacy and why it matters – YouTubehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p2k3C-iB88w

University of Derby. (2014, November 5). Digital literacy and why it matters [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p2k3C-iB88w