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DIGITAL MEDIA 101 A C YBER W ISE I NTRODUCTORY G UIDE
© CYBERWISE LLC, 2012
A C YBER W ISE I NTRODUCTORY G UIDE
Digital Media 101
The Digital Landscape TYPE
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USES
users) Aggregator
Digg Reddit
Let’s Get CyberWise! CyberWise (http://www.cyberwise.org) is a Learning Hub designed to help ease the fears of busy grownups who may be intimidated by today’s ever evolving digital landscape. Our easy-to-use CyberWise Guides, and other free resources on our website, help parents, educators (and even kids!) navigate the new digital world with confidence.
Why This Matters
Simon Blackley, Flickr
In order to fully participate in today’s newly hyper-mediated world, it is vital to become digitally literate, equipped with new skills, knowledge, and competencies. Not only does this empower us to engage with new digital media confidently, it also helps us become positive digital role models for young people who need us to help them navigate the digital world safely and wisely.
App
Blogs
Short&for&“applica.on,”&an&app&is&computer/dig.al&so9ware&designed&to&perform&a& specific&task&on&phones,&computers,&tablets&and&other&devices. Blogger&(undisclosed) Wordpress&(63&M) RSS
Web&syndica.on&allows&for&web&feeds&from&a&site&to&provide&a&summary&or&update&of&a& website’s&content&.
MicroFBlogs
Twiber&(200&M)
Photo)Sharing)Sites
Flickr&(51&M)
Users&send&“tweets”,&or&short&messages,&of&up&to&140&characters&to&“followers.”& Messages&can&be&sent&via&computer&or&mobile&device. Image&hos.ng&and&sharing&sites&where&users&upload,&share&&and&comment&on&photos.
Photobucket&(100&M) Podcasts
Search)Engines
A&blend&of&“ipod”&and&“broadcast,"&a&podcast&consists&of&audio&or&video&files&you&can& listen&to&or&watch&on&your&computer&or&portable&device. Google Yahoo
A&web&search&engine&enables&users&to&search&for&informa.on&on&the&World&Wide&Web& using&search&terms.
Firefox Social)Bookmarking)Sites StumbleUpon&(17.5&M)
Allows&users&to&organize,&save,&manage&and&discover&bookmarks&of&resources&online.&
Delicious&(5.5&M) Social)Networking)Sites) Facebook&(800&M) (SNS): Linked&In&(120&M)
Online&communi.es&that&enable&users&to&connect&with&and&share&common&interests& with&“friends.”
Google+&(32&M) Tex/ng)
Mobile
A&way&of&sending&informa.on&from&a&mobile&device.&Also&referred&to&as&messages&being& sent&via&“SMS”&or&short&messaging&service.
Video)Sharing)Sites
YouTube&(800&M)
Video&hos.ng&and&sharing&sites&where&users&&upload,&share,&view&and&comment&on& videos.&
Vimeo&(3.7&M) Virtual)Worlds
Second&Life&(20&M)
An&online&community&that&takes&the&form&of&a&simulated&environment&where&users&can& interact&with&one&another&and&use&and&create&objects.
Wikis
Wikipedia&(15&M)
A&wiki&allows&many&users&to&collaborate&on&the&crea.on&and&edi.ng&of&any&number&of& interlinked&web&pages.
Getting Started Start with the grid on the following page to get a broad view of the digital landscape and then watch the short video that accompanies this guide. Then move on to our other videos and ebooks (such as “New Media” - found under the CyberGuides tab on our website). Sign up for our newsletter to stay up-to-date with the latest news and trends on digital media. And learn how to use Twitter (we can show you how!) and get our Daily News sent directly to your email.
Blogs&are&websites&(or&parts&of&websites)&that&let&users&share&commentary.&They&are& usually&updated&regularly&and&encourage&dialogue&with&readers.
Content)Syndica/on
What is Digital Literacy? Digital Literacy is knowing how to use digital tools to connect, communicate, collaborate, and create. Equally important is understanding how to use these tools wisely, confidently, and safely. All of our resources are designed to help adults learn these essential skills.
Similar&to&Social&Bookmarking&Sites,&an&aggregator&“aggregates”&and&shares& informa.on&from&mul.ple&online&sources.
PB&Works
This list is by no means exhaustive. And, really, the only way to understand the benefits of digital media is to jump in and try it out for yourself. There’s no need to feel intimidated. The good news about things that are “new” is that we are all learning and experimenting together!
What About the Tools? The digital platforms listed on the previous grid can be accessed by digital devices like smartphones, laptops, Ipads and more, giving us “anytime, anywhere” access to information and each other. While this offers incredible opportunity, it can also be overwhelming. That’s why an important part of being digitally literate is knowing how to manage this digital deluge.
One More Thing... While terms such new media, digital media, social media, Internet, Web 2.0, online, etc., are often used interchangeably, what’s important to remember is that we are now living in a participatory culture (Jenkins, et al, 2009) which means new online tools enable us to be to be both producers and consumers of media. You’ll learn more about this in the “New Media” and “Media Literacy” videos and companion guides on our website!
THERE ARE LOTS OF WAYS TO STAY IN TOUCH! Visit our Website: www.CyberWise.org or follow us on Twitter: @becyberwise Be sure to check out and subscribe to our free publications:
The CyberWise Daily A daily paper full of trends and topics related to media literacy, digital citizenship, education and the responsible integration of technology into the classroom delivered to your email every day.
The CyberWise Newsletter A bi-weekly newsletter that keeps you up to speed on our new videos, guides, and other resources. You can also visit the:
We look forward to becoming CyberWise together! Hoot, hoot!
CyberWise YouTube Channel CyberWise Facebook Page Or send us an email: info@cyberwise.org
© CyberWise LLC, 2012
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