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ISTE Standards for STUDENTS. (n.d.). Retrieved February 9, 2019, from https://www.iste.org/standards/for-students

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The ISTE Student Standards guide educators toward student-driven learning practices that prepare students to thrive in an evolving technological landscape.

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Padlet is a wonderful resource for teachers. It is a versatile way to organize and display things. My padlet includes links to the ISTE and CCSS Technology standards, Digital Literacy articles as well as links to fun technology-related websites for my students.

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1.  What do you think about these seven ISTE Standards for students?

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1.  What do you think about these seven ISTE Standards for students?

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2.   How well do you feel prepared to implement them in your own professional practice / classroom?

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2.   How well do you feel prepared to implement them in your own professional practice / classroom?

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3.   What skills do you want to learn more about?

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3.   What skills do you want to learn more about?

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(n.d.). Retrieved February 9, 2019, from https://www.brainpop.com/technology/

CCSS K- 12 Technology Scope and Sequence 2013 12 20. (n.d.). Retrieved February 9, 2019, from https://www.cde.state.co.us/cdesped/accommodationsmanual_ccss_k12_techscope

Heitin, L. (2016, November 8). What Is Digital Literacy? Retrieved February 9, 2019, from https://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2016/11/09/what-is-digital-literacy.html

ISTE Standards for STUDENTS. (n.d.). Retrieved February 9, 2019, from https://www.iste.org/standards/for-students

Keyboarding Online | Web-based Keyboarding | Typing Software for Schools - EduTyping.com. (n.d.). Retrieved February 9, 2019, from https://www.edutyping.com/

Khan Academy. (n.d.). Retrieved February 9, 2019, from https://www.khanacademy.org/

Murray, J. (n.d.). Technology in the Classroom: What is Digital Literacy? Retrieved February 9, 2019, from https://www.teachhub.com/technology-classroom-what-digital-literacy

Online Coding Classes & Game Design Lessons | Kids & Teens. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.idtech.com/online

PBS KIDS:. (n.d.). Retrieved February 9, 2019, from https://pbskids.org/games/engineering/

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 6.   Include your own definition of Digital Literacy. Please cite the source(s) you draw upon to support your definition.

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 6.   Include your own definition of Digital Literacy. Please cite the source(s) you draw upon to support your definition.

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4.  Considering the K-12 Classrooms you either work in or have observed, what type of student work have you seen that incorporates Digital Tools?

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4.  Considering the K-12 Classrooms you either work in or have observed, what type of student work have you seen that incorporates Digital Tools?

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5.   In your judgment, are we close to approaching the expectations found in the ISTE Standards for Students?

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5.   In your judgment, are we close to approaching the expectations found in the ISTE Standards for Students?

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Murray, J. (n.d.). Technology in the Classroom: What is Digital Literacy? Retrieved February 9, 2019, from https://www.teachhub.com/technology-classroom-what-digital-literacy

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"Digital literacy" is one of those technology in the classroom buzzwords floated by experts as being granular to 21st century students. It's everywhere, on everyone's tongue, but figuring out what it means can be daunting. "Literacy" is simple: The ability to read and write -- so " digital literacy" should be achieving those goals using technology in the classroom.

It's not that simple. Here are a few of the definitions of digital literacy that I found:
"The ability to understand and use information in multiple formats from a wide range of sources when it is presented via computers." -- Paul Gilster, Digital Literacy. "The ability to find, evaluate, utilize, share, and create content using information technologies and the Internet." -- Cornell University. "A person's ability to perform tasks effectively in a digital environment ... includes the ability to read and interpret media, to reproduce data and images through digital manipulation, and to evaluate and apply new knowledge gained from digital environments." -- Barbara R. Jones-Kavalier and Suzanne L. Flannigan: Connecting the Digital Dots. "The ability to use digital technology, communication tools or networks to locate, evaluate, use and create information." -- Digital Strategy Glossary of Key Terms.
Philosophically, these are all good definitions, but after 15 years of teaching K-8 technology and grad school, I know "digital literacy" is much more complicated than a couple of sentences, especially when we're talking about students baptized in iPads and smartphones.

Here are the eight transformative technology in the classroom skills required of the digitally literate student:

Social Media

The power of social media cannot be denied. Although its usage continues to be controversial in some circles, including education, its immediacy and reach are hard to beat as a communications tool. Most students are aware of the benefits of social media - now it's your job to harness it by equipping students with the right knowledge to use it properly.

Cloud Computing

Today's classwork means starting a report at school and finishing it at home. It requires switching seamlessly between the Chromebook in the classroom and the student's personal PC. It means sharing a report with team members without worrying that you don't have email addresses or they can't read the format you published in. Cloud computing makes all that happen. It's accessible from anywhere with Internet or WiFi, on any device, by whoever you give access. Whether that's one document a week or ten, people expect you to be that versatile.

Students need to understand how cloud computing works and which "clouds" are used by their school.

Basic Technology in the Classroom Tools

Digital literacy implies the same reading-writing skills, but without paper, pencils, books, or lectures. It's purpose-built and student-driven. As a teacher, you'll want to provide the following:

Digital devices -- such as laptops, iPads, Chromebooks, or desktops, for daily use.

A digital class calendar -- with due dates, activities, and other events.

Student e-mail -- or some method of communicating quickly with students outside class time. This can be messaging, Twitter, or a dedicated forum.

An annotation tool (like Acrobat, Notability, or iAnnotate), to take notes.

A class Internet start page -- to curate websites, widgets, and other digital tools used for learning.

A backchannel device -- to assess student learning while it's happening (with tools such as Socrative, Today's Meet, or Google Apps).

A class website or blog -- to share class activities with parents and other stakeholders.

Student digital portfolios -- to curate and collect student work for viewing and sharing.

Vocabulary tool -- so students can quickly decode words they don't understand in their reading. Make this dictionary tool easily accessible from any digital device being used.

Digital Databases

Physical libraries are often closed when inspiration strikes. Plus, their supply of resources is dictated by how many shelves they have. The Library of Congress, while almost infinite (with a copy of every copyrighted tome) can only be accessed from Washington, D.C. Digital databases are the new library. They're infinite, everywhere, and welcome visitors at all hours. Students should learn how to roam these virtual halls as soon as they're expected to research classwork. This includes online access to their school library as well as dedicated databases like the Smithsonian and the History Channel.

Virtual Collaboration

Student study groups used to be hindered by finding a time that worked for all participants, agreeing on a meeting place, and then actually getting there (parents had to drive and pick up). Virtual collaboration has none of those problems. Documents can be shared with all stakeholders and accessed at will. Many digital tools (like Google Apps) allow students to collaborate on a document from separate personal devices. Meetings can take place in the student's bedroom or their backyard, through virtual sites like Google Hangouts and Skype. A wide variety of resources can be shared without lugging an armful of materials to the meeting and ultimately forgetting to bring half of them home. These get-togethers can even be taped and shared with absent members or rewound for review.

Students should become comfortable using these. Once they experience how simple they are to set up and attend, they will rarely opt for a physical meeting option.

Sharing to Build Knowledge

No one person can provide all we need to know on a subject. When everyone shares their knowledge and insights, the group grows in competency. That used to be attempted awkwardly with class presentations. Now, all it takes is a virtual curation of student work, presented through webpages, wikis, a YouTube stream, or another approach that fits the unique student group. Quickly and easily, everyone's work can be shared out, for the benefit of all.

Evaluate Information Found Online

Because students get so much more of their information online, they need the tools to evaluate reliability and veracity of what they find. This includes questions such as Is the:

Site legitimate, or a hoax?

Author an expert or a 3rd grader?

Information current or dated?

Data neutral or biased?

Digital Citizenship

Because students spend so much time online, they need to learn how to act in that neighborhood. This includes topics detailing the rights and responsibilities of digital citizens, such as:

Cyberbullying.

Legality of online material.

Buying stuff online.

Digital Footprints.

Privacy and safety while traveling the digital world.

Being a good citizen of the digital world is no different than the physical world. There are practical strategies that revolve around proper netiquette and an understanding of the culture that permeates a vast, anonymous, Wild West-like territory often defined by the accountability of those who visit it.

Consider these eight topics the organic workflow to be covered as soon as students start visiting the internet -- in kindergarten for many. Do it in an age-appropriate way and repeat as often as necessary until it becomes part of the student's DNA.

#DigitalLiteracy
#EdTech
#TechnologyClassroom
Oct. 11, 2019
has been teaching K-8 technology for 15 years. She is the editor/author of over a hundred tech ed resources including a , . She is an adjunct professor in tech ed, CSG Master Teacher, webmaster for four blogs, an book reviewer, Editorial Review Board member for , CAEP reviewer, CSTA presentation reviewer, and a freelance journalist on tech ed topics. You can find her resources at

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Technology in the Classroom: What is Digital Literacy?

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"Digital literacy" is one of those technology in the classroom buzzwords floated by experts as being granular to 21st century students. It's everywhere, on everyone's tongue, but figuring out what it means can be daunting. "Literacy" is simple: The ability to read and write -- so " digital literacy" should be achieving those goals using technology in the classroom .

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Keyboarding Online | Web-based Keyboarding | Typing Software for Schools - EduTyping.com. (n.d.). Retrieved February 9, 2019, from https://www.edutyping.com/

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Keyboarding Online | Web-based Keyboarding | Typing Software for Schools - EduTyping.com

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EduTyping is a revolutionary web-based software for teaching keyboarding to students. EduTyping requires no textbooks or paper and allows educators to teach a full keyboarding course or unit using 100% online technology.

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Khan Academy. (n.d.). Retrieved February 9, 2019, from https://www.khanacademy.org/

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A required part of this site couldn’t load. This may be due to a browser extension, network issues, or browser settings. Please check your connection, disable any ad blockers, or try using a different browser.

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CCSS K- 12 Technology Scope and Sequence 2013 12 20. (n.d.). Retrieved February 9, 2019, from https://www.cde.state.co.us/cdesped/accommodationsmanual_ccss_k12_techscope

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(n.d.). Retrieved February 9, 2019, from https://www.brainpop.com/technology/

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BrainPOP’s Engineering & Tech movies reveal the world of inventions and innovations, from simple machines to energy technology and even digital citizenship!

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PBS KIDS:. (n.d.). Retrieved February 9, 2019, from https://pbskids.org/games/engineering/

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Learn about building and engineering and play games with your favorite PBS KIDS characters like Elinor Wonders Why, Ready Jet Go!, Hero Elementary, and Team Hamster!

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Heitin, L. (2016, November 6). What Is Digital Literacy? Retrieved February 9, 2019, from https://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2016/11/09/what-is-digital-literacy.html

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While the word "literacy" alone generally refers to reading and writing skills, when you tack on the word "digital" before it, the term encompasses much, much more.

Sure, reading and writing are still very much at the heart of digital literacy. But given the new and ever-changing ways we use technology to receive and communicate information, digital literacy also encompasses a broader range of skills-everything from reading on a Kindle to gauging the validity of a website or creating and sharing YouTube videos.

The term is so broad that some experts even stay away from it, preferring to speak more specifically about particular skills at the intersection of technology and literacy.

The American Library Association's digital-literacy task force offers this definition: "Digital literacy is the ability to use information and communication technologies to find, evaluate, create, and communicate information, requiring both cognitive and technical skills."

More simply, Hiller Spires, a professor of literacy and technology at North Carolina State University, views digital literacy as having three buckets: 1) finding and consuming digital content; 2) creating digital content; and 3) communicating or sharing it.

Finding and Consuming

In some formats, "consuming" digital content looks pretty much the same as reading print. Reading a novel on a basic e-reader requires knowing how to turn the device on and flip pages back and forth, but other than that, it isn't so different from reading a book. A PDF of a New York Times article looks a lot like the page of a print newspaper, except that it appears on a screen.

Donald Leu, an education professor at the University of Connecticut and a recognized authority on literacy and technology, describes this sort of digital reading as "offline reading."

"It's not interactive, ... there's one screen, and you just have to read it," he explained. "It's the same as reading a [paper] page."

The added skills needed for this kind of reading take just a few minutes to teach.

In comparison, what Leu calls "online reading," in which a digital text is read through the internet, requires a host of additional skills. For instance, a New York Times piece viewed on the web may contain hyperlinks, videos, audio clips, images, interactive graphics, share buttons, or a comments section-features that force the reader to stop and make decisions rather than simply reading from top to bottom.

"The text is designed so that no two readers experience it in the exact same way," said Troy Hicks, a professor of literacy and technology at Central Michigan University.

The reader determines, among other things, when to click on videos or hyperlinks, how long to stray from the initial text, and whether and how to pass the information along to others.

The process of finding digital content to read also necessitates different skills than finding print texts. In seeking print materials, students might flip through magazines or head to the library and search through stacks of books. They learn to use a table of contents and an index to locate information within a book.

But part of digital literacy is learning to search for content in an online space. Students have to query a search engine using keywords and navigate those results, including assessing the reliability of particular authors and websites.

Creating Content

Digital literacy also refers to content creation. That includes writing in digital formats such as email, blogs, and Tweets, as well as creating other forms of media, such as videos and podcasts.

Renee Hobbs, a professor of communication studies at the University of Rhode Island, talks about digital authorship as "a form of social power." At a weeklong professional-development institute on digital literacy held at URI this past summer, she showed examples of student activists sharing their messages about the Black Lives Matter movement through YouTube videos.

Creating digital content is a "creative and collaborative process that involves experimentation and risk-taking," she said. There's more risk-taking than in print writing because digital writing is so often meant to be shared.

Sharing and Communicating

While traditional writing can be a personal endeavor, digital writing is generally intended to be communicated with others. And digital-writing tools are designed to make that easy to do.

As North Carolina State's Spires and her co-author, Melissa Bartlett, wrote in a 2012 white paper about digital literacy and learning, "Web 2.0 tools are social, participatory, collaborative, easy to use, and are facilitative in creating online communities."

That makes digital writing a potentially powerful lever for social good, allowing students to "actively participate in civic society and contribute to a vibrant, informed, and engaged community," as the ALA notes.

It also makes digital writing a potentially dangerous tool-decisions about when and what to share online can have repercussions for a student's safety, privacy, and reputation.

For that reason, learning about appropriate internet behavior is also a part of digital literacy, many say.

"We need to help kids see they can use digital tools to create things and put things out into the world, but there's responsibility that comes with that," said Lisa Maucione, who attended the URI institute and who is a reading specialist for the Dartmouth public schools in Massachusetts.

Evolving Technology

Because the term "digital literacy" is so wide-ranging, it can cause confusion. What exactly is someone talking about when he or she refers to digital literacy? Is it the consumption, creation, or communication of digital material? Or is that person discussing a particular digital tool? Do technology skills like computer coding fall under the digital-literacy umbrella as well?

Some experts prefer the term "digital literacies," to convey the many facets of what reading and writing in the modern era entails.

"The concept should instead be considered plural-digital literacies-because the term implies multiple opportunities to leverage digital texts, tools, and multimodal representations for design, creation, play, and problem solving," Jill Castek, a research assistant professor with the Literacy, Language, and Technology Research Group at Portland State University, wrote in an email.

Leu of UConn avoids the term altogether.

"Is someone who is 'digitally literate' equally literate when searching for information, when critically evaluating information, when using Snapchat, when using email, when using text messaging, when using Facebook, or when using any one of many different technologies for literacy and learning?" asked Leu in an email. "I think not."

He prefers the term "new literacies," which he said better conveys how rapidly technology is changing. Other experts have used terms like "literacy and technology," "multiliteracies," and "21st century literacies."

But for now, digital literacy seems to be the prevailing term among educators. "I understand this is the term that is popular today," Leu said, "just as I understand a newer term will appear in the future that will replace it."

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While the word "literacy" alone generally refers to reading and writing skills, when you tack on the word "digital" before it, the term encompasses much, much more. Sure, reading and writing are still very much at the heart of digital literacy.

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Online Coding Classes & Game Design Lessons | Kids & Teens. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.idtech.com/online

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Online Coding Classes & Game Design Lessons | Kids & Teens | iD Tech

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One-on-one remote learning where kids & teens build awesome STEM skills. Get started today & set your student on the fast-track to a lucrative career in tech.