Introduction
scholarly
and
professionals
with
different
This eBook explorers the need for digital literacy
definitions from different perspectives.
education in KS1-KS4 in the UK's education
example, Gilster in (Pool, 1997 & Koltay, 2011)
system. The eBook will focus on the following
defines
questions 'What is digital literacy?', 'How has
understand, evaluate and integrate information
technology changed the way people learn and
in multiple formats that computers deliver.
teach?' and 'Why there is a need for digital
Digital literacy is skills that enable people to
literacies education?'. On the first question, the
collaborate and create competences that enable
definition of what is digital literacy and also
them to achieve and maintain competency in this
media, computer and information literacies will
technological world. Also, in 1990 digital literacy
be given. On the second question a discussion
was used to refer to the ability of being able to
of how technology has changed the way people
read and comprehend hypertext and multimedia
learn and teach will be made and briefly outlines
texts (Bawden, 2001). 'Digitally literate people
the need for new literacies on the curriculum.
are those who can use technology strategically
On the third question an explanation of the need
to find and evaluate information, connect and
of new literacies will be made and briefly gives
collaborate with others, produce and share
two issues with introducing digital literacies in
original content, and use the Internet and
the curriculum. Also, a discussion on the issues
technology tools to achieve many academic,
of research and scholarship in technology on my
professional, and personal goals' (Crowley,
own practice study will be made. Ultimately, a
2014).
conclusion that summarises the main elements
that enables people to be digitally literate
of the eBook will be given.
enables individuals to thrive in a digital society.
What is digital literacy? For many years, literacy has been used to refer to the ability of using language skills such as reading and writing.
However, in technology
literacy goes beyond being able to read or write, now digital literacy has been defined by several
digital
literacy
as
the
ability
For to
Thus, this means that achieving skills
However, Meyers et al (2013) points out that 'a lack of digital literacy increasingly hinders one’s full potential of being a competent student'. Digital literacy is a combination of different literacies such as Media literacy, information literacy, computer literacy, networked literacy digital scholarship.
However, this eBook will
focus mainly on the first three digital literacies.
sources
These digital literacies overlap with one another
surrounding the use of information and access
and the majority of digital literacies focuses on
the information ethically and legally. Information
web
and
literacy is a survival and important skill that
literacy.
enables people to be able to check the
search
participation
behaviour, for
example
creativity media
critically,
and
legal
reliability
issues
Accordingly, media literacy is an ability to access
authenticity,
the media, to understand and critically evaluate
information that they use in their studies and
different aspects of media and to create and
daily life.
produce communication in a variety of contexts
validity
understand
of
the
Also,
How has it change the way people learn and teach?
Aufderheide et al, (1993) stated that a media
Traditionally, most learning used to occur in
literate person is able to decode, evaluate,
classrooms where learning was dominated by
analyse and produce both printed and electronic
teachers, which as a result turned the whole idea
media.
of teaching into passive learning (Dufour et al,
in this culture of images, words and sounds (European
Commission
2007).
Moreover, computer literacy as defined by (Bawden, 2001) is skills and knowledge of knowing and understanding what the machine can and cannot do in terms of both software and hardware. It also means taking control of your computer
and
not
letting
it
control
you.
Computer literacy also is about knowing how technology works in order to be able to use it effectively and safely.
2011).
However, this has changed, nowadays
'...children are decoding and encoding across a wider range of media and developing concepts and ideas that are way outside the realm of the average child some years ago' (Younie et al, 2015, pg243). To elaborate, technology rules the 21st century which has led to teaching and learning approaches to be more active and interactive and it has also changed the way young
people
engage
with
subjects
like
Further, information literacy as defined by ALA
Geography, English, Maths and Science (Hague
(2000)
when
2009). Also, Greenhow et al (2009) explains that
information is needed, an ability to locate the
there are significant changes in the nature of the
information, evaluate the information and its
Web and the conception of classrooms, these
is
an
ability
to
recognise
changes have led to the learning becoming more
in order for learners to obtain digital competence
of a web-based learning that has affected the
that enables them to navigate, read, create and
construction of learning and has led to the role of
interact with digital tools effectively and safely,
teachers and students to change in to a form of
there is a greater need for new digital literacies
interactive learning. Also, Prensky (2001) stated
being adopted and employed into the curriculum.
that learners' brains have physically changed and they have become more native speakers of the digital language of computers.
Thus, this
Why do we need digital literacy education?
transformation of learning and teaching has led
As today's students have inadequate digital
to schools expecting students to use digital
literacy skills. Thus, digital literacy education is
media to solve problems and complete project
needed because as pointed out by Newman et al
tasks during their formal learning. It has also led
(2008) digital literacy is relevant to the formal
to the connection of the internet to schools and
education sector, where students are often
communities to increase (Mills, 2010).
asked to look for information, solve a problem, or
Although
students
have
become
more
digitalised, many professionals are concerned that students' existing behaviours with digital tools are invariably found to be deficient (Meyers et al, 2013). In the same way, also the Newman and Limited (2008) study illustrates that most students from preschool to KS4 can locate and select information using ICT. However, they have poor digital and critical thinking skills when it comes to defining, accessing, understanding, creating effectively.
and
communicating
information
Consequently, as pointed out by
(Hague et al 2009 & Koltay 2011) students need to acquire an understanding and develop more skills rather than just their ICT skills. Therefore,
complete a project.
Also digital literacies are
profoundly important to young people because digital
literacies
interactions
and
facilitates
processes
participations
and
of
allows
students to become active rather than passive in interpersonal contexts (Hague et al, 2010). Besides, (Gui et al (2011) points out that the digital divide has led to the growth of attention to differences in skills, seen as an increasingly important part of social inequality in the use of new technologies.
Thus, digital literacies are
extremely important for learning and thriving in this digital world and they will help to bridge the digital divide gap.
More importantly, new
literacies are needed in the curriculum because
technology presents various possibilities for
literacies. Teachers' understanding is an issue in
educational
these
a sense that some may have a lack of
possibilities can only be accessed by users who
confidence and understanding of the way the
are digitally literate (Kady et al, 2014).
technology works (Prensky, 2011). Thus, they
engagement,
however,
Accordingly, dealing with information on the internet is different for many reasons. First, it's not all text and second, the way the information is found is different from the way people use a card catalog system (Pool, 1997). Thus students gaining
effective
digital
competencies
and
abilities helps to increase their awareness and overcome challenges that digital media brings. Additionally, 'developing the digital literacy of
may hesitant to introduce the literacies as their understanding is very limited of how the digital literacies can enhance learning and how to teach them. As a result, in order for this barrier to be overcome teachers need to be engaged and may
need
should too; not simply to keep up to date or to seem fashionable but because young people will need different kinds of skills, knowledge and understanding to develop their expertise in all of the subjects' (Hague et al 2009).
support
and
staff
development so that they can support students more
effectively
and
develop
their
own
professional competences.
young people within school subjects recognises that as the world changes school subjects
ongoing
Own study practice Accordingly, information is available from a variety of sources such as blogs, books, magazines, newspapers, journals and webpages. There is also an explosive growth in online publishing, with an increasing number of writers (Koltay, 2011). However, most students
Although digital literacies are important to
including myself struggle to determine which
students and needed in the curriculum, there are
information is trustworthy as most of the
two main issues with introducing them. Firstly,
information is of uncertain quality and integrity.
lack of resources can be an issue for introducing
For example, in the past I have used information
digital literacies because in order for children to
from none academic sources such as 'simply
learn about digital literacies they need digital
psychology' which affected me academically
tools that enable them to access the internet.
because
Secondly, teachers' understanding of digital
understanding
it
showed and
lack
of
knowledge
academic
skills.
Nevertheless, reading and listening to Howard
and abilities it will enable them to access,
Rheingold has helped me to overcome issues of
evaluate and effectively use digital technology. It
using information from untrustworthy websites
will also empowers them and enables them to be
and
and
connected world wide and interact effectively
authenticity of the information that I use in my
with multi-modal formats on computers. Also, as
study practice especially when I was producing
a result of technological advances and the
this eBook.
increasing use of digital technologies by young
having
to
decide
the
credibility
Rheingold (2012) stated that in
order to evaluate the credibility of the information
people,
from web-pages you need to look at who is the
generations to be taught digital literacies that will
author, look at the page if it provides sources for
enable them to navigate, create and interact with
factual claims and look at the web's URL.
the world around them effectively.
So I
did that for every website that I visited. Moreover, dealing with critical consumption was not very difficult for this project because after reading Rheingold I switched my search engine from using Google to academic search engines such as Sage, ERIC, Google scholar and Isearch. I believe that the information that I have used in this eBook is valid and reliable because all the journals from the mentioned search engines above are peer reviewed and reliable as most of them were journals and eBooks.
Conclusion To conclude, after examining and having read the
literature
concerning
digital
literacy
it
appears that digital literacy skills are important to all students from KS1 to Higher Education because once students gain new competencies
it
is
essential
for
the
younger
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