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Digital Literacy: An Evolving Definition

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."

Published in Print: November 9, 2016, as Digital Literacy: Forging Agreement on a Definition
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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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Design and share beautiful flyers just like this one!

Spread the word with an online flyer. They're easy to make and impossible to mess up :)

What is Digital Citizenship?

Digital Citizenship is being a safe internet user. We are all responsible to follow a few simple rules online. 1. Have a password for all of online accounts. 2. Do not post something that you would not want your parents or grandparents to see. 3. Do not share personal information such as your name, address, or phone number. 4. Ask an adult if you think something isn't right online.

Directions:

After watching the videos all about Digital Citizenship, find a group of 3 students to create a song, rap, poem, poster, or story to share what you have learned about how to be safe online.

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Design and share beautiful flyers just like this one! Spread the word with an online flyer. They're easy to make and impossible to mess up :) Digital Citizenship is being a safe internet user. We are all responsible to follow a few simple rules online. 1. Have a password for all of online accounts.

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What is Digital Literacy & why does it matter? 

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What is Digital Literacy & why does it matter? 

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What Is Digital Literacy & Why Does it Matter?

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This game site contains videos on a wide range of internet skills in home, school and community environments.

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Interland is an adventure-packed online game that puts the key lessons of digital citizenship and safety into hands-on practice. Play your way to being Internet Awesome.

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- digital footprints
- online privacy
- understanding fair use

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Teaching Channel Presents: Digital Literacy in the Classroom

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Teaching Channel presents an episode dedicated to digital literacy. Covering safe online behavior, finding reliable online sources, digital footprints and more, these 8 lessons align with the Common Core.

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What every teacher needs to know about digital literacy

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What every teacher needs to know about digital literacy

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Cornell University - Digital Literacy Resource

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Digital literacy is the ability to find, evaluate, utilize, share, and create content using information technologies and the Internet. As a Cornell student, activities including writing papers, creating multimedia presentations, and posting information about yourself or others online are all a part of your day-to-day life, and all of these activities require varying degrees of digital literacy.

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TED Ed Overview (3:17)

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TED Talk (13:22) about sorting through information on the Internet

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Markham Nolan: How to separate fact and fiction online

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By the end of this talk, there will be 864 more hours of video on YouTube and 2.5 million more photos on Facebook and Instagram. So how do we sort through the deluge?

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Aspects and principles relating to digital literacy and the skills it requires...

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Introduction

Today's youth are often called 'digital natives' by adults because of the seemingly effortless way they engage with all things digital. It's easy to see why: Canadian youth live in an interactive, "on demand" digital culture where they are used to accessing media whenever and wherever they want. Instant-messaging, photo sharing, texting, social networking, video-streaming, and mobile Internet use are all examples where youth have led the charge in new ways of engaging online.

But this enthusiasm masks a potential problem: although young people don't need coaxing to take up Internet technologies and their skills quickly improve relative to their elders, without guidance they remain amateur users of information and communications technology (ICT), which raises concerns about a generation of youth who are not fully digitally literate, yet are deeply immersed in cyberspace.

In order to be literate in today's media-rich environments, young people need to develop knowledge, values and a whole range of critical thinking, communication and information management skills for the digital age. As increasing numbers of businesses, services and even democratic processes migrate online, citizens who lack digital literacy skills risk being disadvantaged when it comes to accessing healthcare and government services and opportunities for employment, education and civic participation.[1]

A basic question, then, is what exactly is digital literacy?

This section looks at the various aspects and principles relating to digital literacy and the many skills and competencies that fall under the digital literacy umbrella.

What is Digital Literacy?

Digital Literacy Model

This model[2] illustrates the many interrelated elements that fall under the digital literacy umbrella. These range from basic access, awareness and training to inform citizens and build consumer and user confidence to highly sophisticated, and more complex creative and critical literacies and outcomes.[3] There is a logical progression from the more fundamental skills towards the higher, more transformative levels, but doing so is not necessarily a sequential process: much depends on the needs of individual users.

Use, Understand, Create

Traditional definitions of literacy have focused on skills relating to numeracy, listening, speaking, reading, writing and critical thinking, with the end goal being developing active thinkers and learners who are able to engage in society in effective and meaningful ways.[4] These skills are needed for full participation in digital society as well, but they are only part of a larger set of skills and competencies that are required.

Competencies for digital literacy can be classified according to three main principles: Use, Understand and Create.

Use represents the technical fluency that's needed to engage with computers and the Internet. Skills and competencies that fall under "use" range from basic technical know-how - using computer programs such as word processors, web browsers, email, and other communication tools - to the more sophisticated abilities for accessing and using knowledge resources, such as search engines and online databases, and emerging technologies such as cloud computing.

Understand is that critical piece - it's the set of skills that help us comprehend, contextualize, and critically evaluate digital media, so that we can make informed decisions about what we do and encounter online. These are the essential skills that we need to start teaching our kids as soon as they go online.

Understand includes recognizing how networked technology affects our behaviour and our perceptions, beliefs and feelings about the world around us.

Understand also prepares us for a knowledge economy as we develop - individually and collectively - information management skills for finding, evaluating and effectively using information to communicate, collaborate and solve problems.

Create is the ability to produce content and effectively communicate through a variety of digital media tools. Creation with digital media is more than knowing how to use a word processor or write an email: it includes being able to adapt what we produce for various contexts and audiences; to create and communicate using rich media such as images, video and sound; and to effectively and responsibly engage with Web 2.0 user-generated content such as blogs and discussion forums, video and photo sharing, social gaming and other forms of social media.

The ability to create using digital media ensures that Canadians are active contributors to digital society. Creation - whether through blogs, tweets, wikis or any of the hundreds of avenues for expression and sharing online - is at the heart of citizenship and innovation.

Given how quickly and frequently our media world is evolving, developing and maintaining one's digital literacy is a lifelong process. The specific skills that are needed will vary from person to person depending on their needs and circumstances - which can range from basic awareness and training to more sophisticated and complex applications.

The Multi-Literacies of the Digital Age

Digital literacy is more than technological know-how: it includes a wide variety of ethical, social, and reflective practices that are embedded in work, learning, leisure, and daily life.

The term "multi-literacies" is often used to describe the various aptitudes and abilities that are needed for us to use, understand and create digital media. Given this, it's helpful to think of "digital literacy" not as a concrete set of skills, but as a framework that draws from and expands on numerous literacies and competencies.

Under the "digital literacy umbrella" are a wide range of interrelated skills that traditionally fall under media literacy, technology literacy, information literacy, visual literacy, communication literacy and social literacies.[5]

Media literacy:

With its expanded notion of 'text' that includes images, audio and digital media, media literacy is closely associated with digital literacy. Media literacy reflects our ability to access, analyze, evaluate and produce media through understanding and appreciation of:

the art, meaning and messaging of various forms of media texts

the impact and influence of mass media and popular culture

how media texts are constructed and why they are produced

how media can be used to communicate our own ideas effectively

Critical thinking is central to both digital and media literacy. Learn more about media literacy in the Media Literacy Fundamentals section.

Technology literacy:

Proficiency with technology is most often associated with digital literacy. This ranges from basic computer skills to more complex tasks like editing a digital film or writing computer code.

We have to be careful, though, not to confuse proficiency with knowledge and understanding: a teched-up teen with superb technology skills may still trust much of the information he/she finds online, copy straight off the Web for school projects, and not give a thought to the privacy implications of his/her online activities. Digital literacy involves both skills and a set of good online habits that include reflection, critical awareness and responsibility.

Information literacy:

This is another important aspect of being digitally literate that includes the ability to assess what information is needed, to know how to find it online and how to critically evaluate and apply it. Originally developed for library use, this literacy translates well into the digital domain where, in a sea of unfiltered online information, knowing how to think critically about sources and content is essential.

Visual literacy:

At its most basic, visual literacy reflects ourability to understand and produce visual messages, whether through objects, actions or symbols. Visual literacy is essential to both learning and communication in modern society.

Communication literacy:

These competencies form the foundation for thinking, organizing and connecting with others in a networked society. In particular, today's youth need not only to understand how to integrate knowledge from multiple sources such as music, video, online databases, and other media[6]; they also need to know how to use multiple sources to disseminate and share knowledge.

Social literacy:

Social competencies are also needed for full participation in digital society, which media scholar Henry Jenkins describes as a "participatory culture" that is developed through collaboration and networking.
In such a world, youth need skills for working within social networks, for pooling knowledge within a collective intelligence, for negotiating across cultural differences that shape the governing assumptions in different communities and for reconciling conflicting bits of data to form a coherent picture of the world around them.[7]
Jenkins identifies a series of "new literacies" that are built upon and reinforce these social skills. These include:

Play - the capacity to experiment with one's surroundings as a form of problem-solving

Performance - the ability to adopt alternative identities for the purpose of improvisation and discovery

Simulation - the ability to interpret and construct dynamic models of real-world processes

Appropriation - the ability to meaningfully sample and remix media content

Multitasking - the ability to scan one's environment and shift focus as needed to salient details

Distributed Cognition - the ability to interact meaningfully with tools that expand mental capacities

Collective Intelligence - the ability to pool knowledge and compare notes with others toward a common goal

Judgment - the ability to evaluate the reliability and credibility of different information sources

Transmedia Navigation - the ability to follow the flow of stories and information across multiple platforms (understanding a storyline that's told both on a TV show and a website, for instance, or following a news story through various different outlets)

Networking - the ability to search for, synthesize, and disseminate information

Negotiation - the ability to travel across diverse communities, discerning and respecting multiple perspectives, and grasping and following alternative norms.[8]

Globally, the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) frames its benchmarks for digital literacy around six standards: creativity and innovation; communication and collaboration; research and information fluency; critical thinking, problem solving, and decision making; digital citizenship; and technology operations and concepts.[9]

Where Does "Digital Citizenship" Fit In?
One of the big mission statements and themes of our school is building character today for communities of tomorrow, so we are always tying things back into good character and how we want to be perceived by others; how we want to treat others; and how we want others to treat us ... technology provides one more way to teach it, one more way to make it relevant to students. [10]
Digital Citizenship is "character education" in a networked world. As one teacher puts it:

Being a critically engaged user and consumer of media is an essential part of active citizenship in the 21 st century: we use media to inform ourselves, to help shape our opinions, to interact with our communities and to make our voices heard.

Models for digital citizenship are generally framed around elements such as rights and responsibilities, participation or civic engagement, norms of behaviour or etiquette and a sense of belonging and membership.[11][12]

Digital citizenship is closely aligned to civics in a traditional sense, where understanding digital media and being able to use it is becoming a vital part of active citizenship. As media messages dominate our political debates and tools such as Facebook and Twitter are used for activism and organizing political movements around the world, it's increasingly important for young people to be able to view media critically and be prepared to be engaged digital citizens who contribute to their communities in a positive way. To do so, they need the full range of skills we associate with media and digital literacy to be able to know and exercise the rights they hold as consumers, as members of online communities, as citizens of a state and as human beings.

Fostering Digital Literacy in the Classroom

Many teachers are using technology in their classrooms to support different learning styles and to engage students: what's missing are guidelines to help them do this in ways that promote innovative thinking and collaborative work, promote ethical practices and strengthen their own professional development.

Teachers, interviewed by MediaSmarts, identified several key factors that limit the ability of educators to help students build digital literacy skills. They also offered some solutions to these problems, including the need to:

provide students with authentic learning opportunities that are enhanced through technological tools;

position teachers as facilitators and co-learners, instead of "drill and kill" experts;

focus teacher training on how to use technology to enhance learning and meet curricular outcomes; and

create reasonable policies and less restrictive filters in schools so that teachers can better help students develop and exercise good judgement.[13]

Technology has shifted the traditional classroom paradigm that positions the teacher as the expert. This can be hard for many educators to accept, but it's not necessarily a bad thing. In our quickly evolving technological world, we are all learners, and teachers who are willing to share responsibility with students are more likely to be comfortable - and effective - in a networked classroom.

This is where our education system can benefit from models in the youth engagement sector, where young people are acknowledged as decision-makers, partners and agents of social change, and adults assume the role of trusted guides and lifelong learners alongside youth.[14]

One of the supporting principles of Manitoba's Continuum Model for Literacy with ICT is the gradual release of responsibility from teacher to student.[15] According to this principle, teachers act as facilitators and guides who provide scaffolding to help students develop higher-level critical and creative thinking and deeper understanding relating to ICT as they gradually become more autonomous users of networked technology.[16]

This principle fits well into effective programs for digital literacy and digital citizenship that:

Are holistic, building links between school, home and the community and taking into account both online and offline opportunities for engagement and empowerment

Are evidence-based

Are proactive, as opposed to reactive

Position digital technology as a right and a responsibility

Reinforce positive and pro-social uses of technology

Provide a wide range of tools and resources

Focus not just on safety, but the whole range of digital literacy skills and competencies

Are built upon traditional aspects of character and moral education as well as a broader interpretation of civics education

Are child-centred and youth-led - building on the reality of young people's lives and providing real and authentic experiences

Foster a gradual release of responsibility towards independent practice by youth - working with youth in building resilience, finding solutions and promoting positive engagement with technology

Position adults as supportive mentors and facilitators

MediaSmarts is working with academics and educators across the country to identify where digital literacy skills are situated in provincial and territorial frameworks and curricula - and to highlight the innovative ways that teachers are helping their students develop the critical thinking skills that are central to lifelong learning and citizenship in the digital age. With your input, this section will continue to grow and evolve.

[1] Hobbs, Renee (2012). "Hobbs: Info literacy must be a community education movement" http://www.knightcomm.org/hobbs-info-literacy-must-be-a-community-education-movement/
[2] This figure is based on models from the Report of the Digital Britain Media Literacy Working Group. (March 2009), DigEuLit - a European Framework for Digital Literacy (2005), and Jenkins et al., (2006) Confronting the Challenges of Participatory Culture: Media Education for the 21st Century. http://www.newmedialiteracies.org/files/working/NMLWhitePaper.pdf
[3] Jenkins, H. et. al. (2006). Confronting the Challenges of Participatory Culture: Media Education for the 21 st Century. MacArthur; Chicago Ill. p 4.
[4] Combes, B. (2010). How much do traditional literacy skills count? Literacy in the 21st century & reading from the screen. http://www.slideshare.net/IASLonline/literacy-skills-challenged
[5] Martin, A. (2008). "Digital Literacy and the "Digital Society" in Digital Literacies: Concepts, Policies and Practices: Lankshear C., Knobel, M. (Eds.) New York: Peter Lang Publishing, Inc.
[6] Bertram C. Bruce (2002) in Jenkins, H. et. al. (2006). Confronting the Challenges of Participatory Culture: Media Education for the 21 st Century. MacArthur; Chicago Ill. p. 19.
[7] Jenkins, H. et. al. (2006). Confronting the Challenges of Participatory Culture: Media Education for the 21 st Century. MacArthur; Chicago Ill. p 20.
[8] Jenkins, H. et. al. (2006). Confronting the Challenges of Participatory Culture: Media Education for the 21 st Century. MacArthur; Chicago Ill. p 4.
[9] International Society for Technology in Education (2007) iste.nets.s: Advancing Digital Age Learning. Iste.org/nets.
[10] Young Canadians in a Wired World, Phase III - Teachers' Perspectives at /english/corporate/media_kit/upload/YCWW-III-Teachers-Perspectives_EN.pdf
[11] Collier, A. (2011). "Making the Case for Digital Citizenship." Slideshare presentation. http://www.slideshare.net/annecollier/making-the-case-for-digital-citizenship-111104
[12] The Ministry of Education in New Zealand includes these elements for digital citizenship in its curriculum. http://elearning.tki.org.nz/Professional-learning/Professional-development/Digital-citizenship-modules/Digital-citizenship-and-cybersafety/What-is-digital-citizenship.
[13] Young Canadians in a Wired World, Phase III - Teachers' Perspectives at /english/corporate/media_kit/upload/YCWW-III-Teachers-Perspectives_EN.pdf
[14] Youth Infusion. "Continuum of Change". http://www.youthinfusion.com/
[15] Government of Manitoba, Ministry of Education, Citizenship and Youth (2006). A Continuum Model for Literacy with ICT Across the Curriculum. www.edu.gov.mb.ca/k12/tech/lict/index.html
[16] Ibid.

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This section looks at the various aspects and principles relating to digital literacy and the many skills and competencies that fall under the digital literacy umbrella. The relationship between digital literacy and digital citizenship is also explored and tips are provided for teaching these skills in the classroom.

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Essential Elements of Digital Literacies

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Essential Elements of Digital Literacies

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TED Talk

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The essential elements of digital literacies: Doug Belshaw at TEDxWarwick

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1-2 min video clip scenarios for students to use as discussion starters

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What are Cyber-Toons?

The Cyber-Toons are designed to introduce various security concepts in a fun and easy to understand format. The Cyber-Toons feature the Cyber Family along with a cast of characters (good and bad). Each Cyber-Toon is around 1 to 2 minutes in length and is prefect for starting a discussion during a class. The Cyber-Toons are divided into different topic areas where some topics have multiple Cyber-Toons. For each of the Cyber-Toons we provide in class discussion questions that can be used to help facilitate in class conversations about the topic. For each topic area we also provide a set of in-class activities and simple assessments.

Notes:

Overall lesson plan (will be a link to current lesson plan with descriptions of the Cyber-Toons)

We are always looking for ideas for new Cyber-Toons. If you have an idea please contact us or post it on the support page.

Here is a link to a folder containing all of the Cyber-Toons and in-class activities to make it easier to download them all. (Cyber-Toons Folder)

You can watch the Cyber-Toons through the web site, however we have found the video player does not always work. It is recommended that you download the Cyber-Toon(s) to your computer and play them from there.

There is one link to all the in-class materials folder [We are working to finish these materials]. (In-class Materials)

List of current Cyber-Toons:

Cyber-Toons

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What are Cyber-Toons? The Cyber-Toons are designed to introduce various security concepts in a fun and easy to understand format. The Cyber-Toons feature the Cyber Family along with a cast of characters (good and bad). Each Cyber-Toon is around 1 to...

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Every educator is familiar with the concept of literacy-the ability to read and write. A person who is illiterate, who cannot read or write, will inevitably struggle to get along in society. It's impossible to go on to higher education or get a high-paying job without the ability to read and write. Even daily tasks, like reading a newspaper or filling out job applications, are difficult for an illiterate person.

In today's world, literacy goes beyond just the basic ability to comprehend text. Today's students will also need to master a new skill-digital literacy. Cornell University defines digital literacy as "the ability to find, evaluate, utilize, share, and create content using information technologies and the Internet."

Digital literacy, by this definition, encompasses a wide range of skills, all of which are necessary to succeed in an increasingly digital world. As print mediums begin to die out, the ability to comprehend information found online becomes more and more important. Students who lack digital literacy skills may soon find themselves at just as much of a disadvantage as those who cannot read or write.

Because digital literacy is so important, educators are increasingly required to teach students digital literacy in the classroom. In many ways, this is similar to what educators have always done in teaching students to read and write. In other ways, however, digital literacy is a brand new skill.

Most students already use digital technology, such as tablets, smartphones, and computers, at home. Many students already know how to navigate the web, share images on social media, and do a Google search to find information. However, true digital literacy goes beyond these basic skills.

One of the most important components of digital literacy is the ability to not just find, but also to evaluate, information. This means finding the answer to a question or a bit of needed information and then judging whether the source is reliable. Educators can, and should, teach students how to tell whether information on the internet is true. The ability to weed out false information and find reliable sources is a key part of digital literacy and a crucial life skill in the 21 st century.

Educators can start by teaching students how to find author information, dates of publication, and other information that can reveal whether an online source is reliable. Students should also learn to tell the difference between different types of websites. For example, a .com site may be less reliable than a .edu site. Understanding these differences is one example of digital literacy.

Learning how to locate information is just one part of digital literacy. Knowing how to share information is another. Students today are constantly warned about the dangers of posting inappropriate images or text online, but it's still important for teachers to discuss. The ability to create and share online is considered a part of digital literacy and should be taught in schools.

Students should know how digital writing differs from traditional writing-for example, how to include images and links in writing. They should also have an understanding of what kind of audience they're sharing with online. Just like a personal narrative essay differs from a research paper, a post on Facebook is different from an article for a website or blog.

As technology becomes a part of daily life, it's more important than ever for educators to teach digital literacy. Whether they plan on going to college or not, students will need digital literacy to be successful in their personal and professional lives.

How can educators help their students navigate the digital world? Let us know what you think about digital literacy and education!
Matthew Lynch is the editor of The Edvocate, www.theedadvocate.org and The Tech Edvocate, www.thetechedvocate.org.

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Every educator is familiar with the concept of literacy-the ability to read and write. A person who is illiterate, who cannot read or write, will inevitably struggle to get along in society. It's impossible to go on to higher education or get a high-paying job without the ability to read and write.

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14 Resources to Bookmark for Digital Literacy

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14 Resources to Bookmark for Digital Literacy

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Whether you're new to the concept of digital literacy or are a seasoned expert, it's easy to feel overwhelmed by all the educational technology out there. You can take your professional development into your own hands with these 14 essential resources for creating (and supporting) digitally literate teachers.

This nonprofit's education arm provides digital citizenship lessons and activities as well as reviews of apps and websites for teachers.

In its assessment section, Diigo.com offers links to digital literacy assessments and self-assessment tools.

Teach students how to create a bibliography with EasyBib.com, the automatic bibliography maker. MLA, Chicago, APA and other styles are available on the site.

Facebook provides interactive lesson plans designed to help young people learn to navigate the digital world, critically consume information and responsibly produce and share content.

Google offers guides, remote-learning tips, lesson plans, video tutorials and more, designed to help educators teach digital skills.

Lessons include how to teach students to become good digital citizens and how online information can be manipulated to mislead or even harm users.

Lesson plans, videos, online platforms and curriculum resources are available to help educators integrate digital and media literacy education into their curriculum.

Canada's Centre for Digital and Media Literacy offers a roadmap for teaching digital literacy skills to students in different grade levels.

Microsoft offers various resources on digital literacy that explore how to use devices, software and the Internet to collaborate with others and how to discover, use and create information.

The National Association for the Education of Young Children offers a roundup of articles and resources related to integrating digital and media literacy lessons into education plans for children.

National Center for Missing and Exploited Children's online safety education program provides age-appropriate videos and activities to help teach children how to be safer online.

This nonpartisan education nonprofit provides videos, lesson plans, infographics and more to offer teachers guidance on how to help students become news literate and how to vet online sources.

Veteran educator Alan November offers quizzes, guides and other tools to help teachers demystify the web for their students.

With this tool, teachers can copy and paste student work to check for any copied text. Teachers can also show students this site when discussing just what plagiarism is and why they should avoid it.
Graduate Degree Programs From USC Rossier School of Education
USC Rossier offers a range of online graduate degrees for aspiring teachers and experiences educators. Request information to speak with an admissions counselor.

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14 Digital Literacy Resources to Bookmark

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Perfect for your #DIYPD toolkit. Keep these bookmarked!

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Knowing the Difference Between Digital Skills and Digital Literacies, and Teaching Both

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Knowing the Difference Between Digital Skills and Digital Literacies, and Teaching Both

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Knowing the Difference Between Digital Skills and Digital Literacies, and Teaching Both

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Literacy Daily-the blog of the International Literacy Association (ILA)-features education stories, teaching tips, book reviews, and more.

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Educational Games for teaching Digital Citizenship

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Educational Games for teaching Digital Citizenship

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In this section, you can find...

Educational computer games that introduce kids to key ideas in media and digital literacy. These games are a great way to start a conversation on media issues in the home or classroom, and you can play most of them right here on our website.

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Educational computer games that introduce kids to key ideas in media and digital literacy. These games are a great way to start a conversation on media issues in the home or classroom, and you can play most of them right here on our website.

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1. Digital Literacy: include deeper questions about content, context, and finding appropriate resources and tools for specific tasks.

2. Digital Skills: more concrete skills regarding technology (understanding different file formats, how to perform specific tasks in various applications, attach a file, etc.)

3. Digital Citizenship: very similar to digital literacy, but more focused on appropriateness and awareness of the "social media" aspect of our digital environment.

This whole idea of distinguishing between those 3 facets of our digital environment made it so much clearer in terms of being able to compartmentalize different topics.  At the same time, it made it more difficult to figure out  which area to focus on.  As a technology teacher, I frequently spend a lot of time in the digital skills realm, but the other 2 areas are just as important.  One of the biggest take-aways is the fact that technology is changing so rapidly, it's difficult for educators to properly keep up in terms of balancing out traditional curriculum while adding in components of digital literacy, skills, and citizenship.

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None-- Created using PowToon -- Free sign up at http://www.powtoon.com/ . Make your own animated videos and animated presentations for free. PowToon is a free tool that allows you to develop cool animated clips and animated presentations for your website, office meeting, sales pitch, nonprofit fundraiser, product launch, video resume, or anything else you could use an animated explainer video.

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The Power of Breakout EDU - Breakout EDU

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Breakout EDU is a revolutionary new product that brings gaming into the classroom in a meaningful way. Learn more at BreakoutEDU.com

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BreakoutEDU is a game that will have your students thinking critically, problem-solving, troubleshooting, working collaboratively and having so much fun they won't even realize how much they are using their brains!

Attribution: Most of the content for this self-paced PD course come from BreakoutEDU creators James Sanders and Mark Hammons from their site breakoutedu.com

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BreakoutEDU is a game that will have your students thinking critically, problem-solving, troubleshooting, working collaboratively and having so much fun they won't even realize how much they are using their brains!