In today’s rapidly evolving digital age, digital literacy has become a fundamental skill, just as important as reading and writing. Digital literacy is no longer an option, but more of a necessity to prepare students for everyday life.
What is Digital Literacy?
Despite the fact that the term “digital literacy” is widely used in today’s vocabulary, there is often confusion relating to what concepts constitute “digital literacy”. Digital literacy is the ability to use digital technology effectively and responsibly. There are a wide range of skills, including the following:
Digital citizenship: Understanding digital rights and responsibilities, online safety, and ethical use of technology. Being a positive digital citizen and recognising the important aspects of “digital footprints” from our online presence.
Basic computer skills: Operating systems, word processing, spreadsheets, and presentations. The “digital” concept of the term – general use of computers.
Information literacy: Evaluating the credibility of online sources, conducting research, and citing sources appropriately. This also includes critiquing information and being aware of “misinformation” from unreliable sources.
Communication and collaboration: Using digital tools for effective communication and collaboration with others. This includes via email, shared documents and other collaborative platforms.
Why is Digital Literacy Important?
- Preparation for the Future Workforce:
Many jobs in Ireland now require strong digital skills. There are very few jobs that do not require the use of digital technologies. Even in everyday life, digital literacy is important for paying bills, online banking and communicating with agencies. Strong digital literacy skills are becoming increasingly necessary for students to develop as it can open more doors to a wide range of career opportunities.
- Enhanced Teaching & Learning:
In terms of education, the use of digital tools can make learning more engaging and interactive. Learning can be more active, as opposed to passive. However, it is important to note that technology should have a defined role within classrooms as an appropriate tool, rather than implementation for the sake of implementation. In other words, the reasons for using the technology should be well defined.
- Effective Communication and Collaboration:
Digital tools facilitate communication and collaboration with peers and teachers. We have seen this in schools with various Learning Management Systems such as Google Classroom and Microsoft Teams. Students can work on projects together, share ideas, and provide peer feedback on classwork and assignments.
- Digital Citizenship and Online Safety:
Understanding digital citizenship helps students navigate the online world responsibly. Becoming positive digital citizens is a priority for many students as they navigate the online world. It can become very difficult to ensure positive digital citizenship and online safety, but there are many programmes available to schools to provide resources and class materials when discussing digital citizenship. It also empowers them to protect themselves from cyberbullying, online predators, and misinformation.
By prioritizing digital literacy, Irish secondary schools can empower students to become confident and responsible digital citizens, ready to thrive in the 21st century. This blog is only a quick snapshot of the importance of digital literacy skills, but many of these aspects can be discussed in more depth.