Students come to school knowing how to use several technologies that parents/teachers never had access to. They know how to use cell phones, the internet, video games, digital pictures, messaging systems. They are called the digital natives. They have the ability to use, to consume to be fluent with technology tools. However, being able to USE video games, for example, is not at all the same as being able to CREATE video games, even as a child using a basic programming language like SCRATCH. When the student learns to understand, to write, to create, to contribute to his digital community, he has started to be digitally literate.
A quick Google search provides the answer to what is the fundamentals of digital literacy in a form that is geared to everyone learning’s style. The auditory learner can listen to TED talks about digital literacy:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A8yQPoTcZ78
The visual learner can read about digital literacy and in a language of his choice:
http://habilomechdias.ca/principes-fondamentaux/quest-ce-que-leducation-aux-medias
Those who like interaction can learn about digital literacy through interactions and discussion with other people, through blogs. This example has ALL the aspects of digital literacy.
We can see the example of a 6th grader who has become digitally literate. He has learned to create APPs for Apple products and shows adults his work through TED talks. He has mastered for his age the cognitive, creative, confident and cultural aspect of digital literacy.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ehDAP1OQ9Zw
In other countries, in Egypt for example, a nation used social media in a novel fashion, to create a social movement to protest and restore democracy in their country. This is an example of civic, cultural, and communicative digital literacy.
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2011/01/2011128102253848730.html
Critical digital literacy is quite fundamental. Students search the internet and many times assume that what they find is correct, not knowing how to assess information, being able to verify sources of information, not being able to see that what is written invariably comes with a bias. Students need to learn to see what is missing from the information. Students need to learn if they can trust the information on a website. I remember discussions of the tree octopus website that had been completely fabricated. Students need the tools to recognize false information.
http://macoun.edublogs.org/2009/01/10/getting-my-digital-literacy-presentation-figured-out/
Given the very large selection of tools (smart board, blogging, podcasts, video production, digital story writing, Scratch, music production) , the contexts in which these tools could be used, the changing nature of technology and the changing nature of where learning takes place (inside and outside) the classroom, teaching digital literacy is a complex project. I liked the idea of using intrinsic motivation in combination with important issues to teach digital literacy.
This is how the Egyptians liberated their country, how Steve Jobs created Apple computers, how the Thomas Suarez developed Apps, how political parties are now developing, how scientists communicate between them.
Something quite important. Digital literacy has the ability to offer learning opportunities anywhere and anytime. It can be personalized to each individual needs and interests.
http://olivieralfieri.sharedby.co/share/R9TrvD