Digital Literacy

Digital Literacy

Fundamental Concepts

Digital literacy: “the skills associated with using technology to enable users to find, evaluate, organize, create, and communicate information; and developing digital citizenship and the responsible use of technology” (Museum and Library Services Act of 2010, Pub. L. 111-340, 22 Dec. 2010).

The American Library Association’s Digital Literacy Task Force defines digital literacy as “the ability to use information and communication technologies to find, evaluate, create, and communicate information, requiring both cognitive and technical skills” (Digital Literacy Task Force, 2011).

FOUNDATION

    • operates hardware and employs software (technology) and/or digital tools/services to complete a task
    • applies the appropriate technology tools/services to the need/task
    • recognizes strengths, weaknesses, and limitations of technology and digital tools/services

COMMUNICATION

    • communicates in a manner understood by recipients and in a style acceptable for academic and/or professional settings
    • employs technology and digital tools/services appropriate to the context and need
    • acknowledges distinctions amongst technologies and digital tools/services

ASSESSMENT

    • evaluates accuracy/validity of sources and their content
    • judges relevancy of sources and their content to the need/task
    • applies appropriate information/material to the need/task

CONTENT CREATION

    • practices responsible content creation
    • locates information appropriate to the need/task
    • utilizes critical thinking and problem solving

ETHICS

    • practices empathy, inclusion, and proper netiquette
    • abides by stated policies, terms of use, laws and general expectations
    • avoids plagiarism and content theft

SAFETY

    • actively oversees personal online identity
    • recognizes potential risks/dangers of digital activity
    • aware of who collects, saves, and uses personal/activity data

Promoting Digital Literacy in the Classroom

How can instructors foster digital literacy in their (synchronous and asynchronous) classrooms?

LEARNING ENVIRONMENT

  • model the use of various technology, software, and digital tools/services for learners (saving files, acknowledging file differentiations, how to share digital content, reliable free tools/services, troubleshooting, etc.)
  • model the correct, polite, concise, inclusive use of various technology, software, and digital tools/services for learners
  • integrate the technology, software, and digital tools/services found in the expected professional area of study (if applicable) into course activities
  • require the use of technology (computers, cell phones, digital cameras, etc.), software (WORD, PPT, EXCEL), and free access digital tools (Grammarly, Canva, ZOOM, Calendly, ChatGPT-3.5, etc.)
  • tie attendance verification to a form of technology/software/digital performance
  • assign quality digital content (videos, databases, online research)
  • embed multiple approaches for communicating with students (ZOOM, email, Activity Feed widget)
  • practice evaluative, critical thinking, and fact-checking exercises throughout the semester in connection with class content and sources of information
  • ensure students adhere to stated expectations (instructor, institutional, stakeholder, profession) regarding academic and performance integrity
  • make students aware of who to contact for hardware, software, or digital tool support at the institution

LEARNING PROCESS

  • request citation/attribution of various digital tools/services used to complete assignments
  • incorporate questions allowing for reflection on some aspect of hardware/software or digital tool/service use
  • require multiple sources/source types (journals, online news sources, databases, videos, blogs) for successfully completing coursework
  • require students engage with multiple tools (audio, text, and visual) to produce coursework
  • provide opportunities for students to engage with each other via digital means (emails, ZOOM, discussion boards, online group work/activities)
  • have students constructively engage with ideas/positions they disagree with (pro-con discussions, critical case studies of opposing views, arguing from a position someone actually does not personally hold)
  • include examples of fabricated content (AI hallucinations, deepfakes/shallowfakes, etc.), biased/skewed content, and inapplicable/incorrect/weak sources to promote students’ evaluative skills

Digital Literacy Sources

 

 

License

An Instructor's Artificial Intelligence (AI) Handbook Copyright © by Laura Yost. All Rights Reserved.

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