During last week's online class, Dr. Smirnova asked the class what "digital" means. There were many different answers, none of which were necessarily incorrect. The diversity of answers suggests that "digital" holds different meanings for different people.This led me to thinking about what digital means to me. When I hear the word "digital," I think, "information." Digital is a means of storing and transporting information.
What about "Digital Literacy?" What does this mean? Digital literacy refers to the ability to locate, access, and utilize this digital information. Why is this important? Why do we want our students to be digitally literate?
I envision a future world where all information is stored in the digital form. In fact, this transformation is occurring right this moment. How many of us have visited a library in the past year? How many of us have written a letter by hand in the last year? How many of us no longer receive a newspaper? How many times a day to we seek out digital information?
So, in order to participate in this digital world, our students need to be fully functioning members of this world. In short, they must be digitally literate. Why is this important?
The foundations of our country are built upon the concept of free exchange of information. The ability to produce, distribute, exchange and access information is not to be controlled by the government. Why is this such a vital right in our American society?
BECAUSE INFORMATION = FREEDOM
So, in order to remain free, our students must be able to access the information on the internet. This principal is so well-understood that there is an initiative to provide the children of developing nations with laptops. If these children are ever to escape the poverty into which they are born, they must have access to education and information. For more information, see:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rpRRivQgpjcIn previous generations, the library was the most accessible source of free information. As such, students were taught the organizational system of the library (i.e. the Dewey Decimal System), so that they could access and utilize the information. Today, the most accessible source of free information is the internet. Teachers must teach their students how to access, utilize, and exchange the information on the internet. To be able to do so is to be digitally literate.
Mary - I decided to pick this blog post to comment because I like how you connected Digital Literacy to Freedom. I did not think about "freedom" on the same level as you discussed in your blogging posting. I found it to be quite interesting. We as teachers need to give our student's the technological tools to free express themselves in an manner (i.e. Web 2.0 tools) they wish. We as students know it is important to become good, professional speakers, especially when we micro-teach, oral presentations in college, etc... But, when you really think about it more and more people express themselves now "behind the text" or "behind the screen". For example, we use text messaging when really do not want to actual speak over the phone to someone. We use FaceBook, and Myspace to connect, re-connect, and network with others. So, the face-to-face interactions are slowly fading away. Not to say it is a good thing. But, if you have a student that is shy, bashful, afraid to get up in front of the classroom - he or she maybe to express the point of view via Web 2.0 tools and save the stage fright for something else. Just another way to bring the "freedom" into the teaching and learning environment.
ReplyDeleteP.S. - Your blog overall is very impressive Well Done!
Sincerely,
Amy Perrego (your classmate)