What is Digital Literacy?

Prior to enrolling in this course, I never heard about the term digital literacy. This is a term that is referred to as utilizing technology in a safe environment in order to solve problems. In simpler terminology, digital literacy means using technology or the internet world safely and in a correct manner in order to solve problems or issues. Some examples of digital literacy consist of discovering files in multiple software applications, successfully navigating online research alongside having the ability to carefully examine the sources that are being used for research, and being able to properly use a keyboard. Taking note of the concept, digital literacy, is a critical one to firmly grasp as it enables individuals to process and monitor information, run things smoothly, and more. 

How to Teach Digital Literacy:

There are numerous ways to go about teaching digital literacy. One such method is underlining the significance of critical thinking. In simpler terminology, this refers to giving students the ability to grow by educating them with regards to utilizing the online world and technology with a well-mannered approach. For example during this week’s lecture, we took a glimpse about various individuals who utilized social media in negative ways. Some of these negative aspects included the individuals using social media as a tool for cyberbullying, racism, and negative comments overall. Not only were these examples listed, but more importantly, we were educated about the harmful effects of posting such negative comments online. Such aftermaths consisted of an individual losing their job as a result of a negative comment, and so and so forth. Therefore, teaching students about the harmful effects of social media paves the way for the youth to think critically about life decisions. 

Another crucial component consists of educating the youth with regards to controlling their online identity. Nowadays, there are numerous influencers and celebrities across the globe who all have large following bases and audiences across all of their social media platforms. When scrolling through these influencers’ social media accounts, one may genuinely believe that whatever celebrity he/she follows, that that celebrity genuinely portrays the same personality traits both on and off camera. Although some celebrities do represent a positive personality both outside and during their social media life, others influencers may use it as a gimmick. In a more formal tone, there is a trend of misconceptions occurring on multiple social media platforms. This is a great lesson to educate students about. Not only will they youth again, make beneficial life decisions, but more importantly, individuals will be more careful and responsive about what to hear and not to hear online. 

How might you incorporate the goals of the NCTE framework?

One of the NCTE framework goals that I plan on incorporating consist of the following: participate effectively and critically in a networked world. I strongly uphold that apart from maintaining a sense of professionalism, it is essential for community members to develop a networked world. By working alongside, individuals will not only have the opportunity to further aggravate their communication and socialization skills, but more importantly, people will be more willing and open with regards to sharing and opening ideas amongst each other. 

A second NCTE framework goal I strive to incorporate includes, promoting culturally sustaining communication and recognizing the bias and privilege present in their interactions. This goal is quite synonymous to the above-mentioned one. I believe that it is highly significant to promote culturally sustaining communication as it cultivates an inclusive environment for all. It does so because by allowing everyone’s voices to be heard, individuals’ opinions and ideas will gradually be prevented from having their thoughts and opinions brushed under the carpet. 

References

National Council of Teachers of English. (2019, November 7). Definition of Literacy in Digital Age. Retrieved June 10, 2025, from https://ncte.org/statement/nctes-definition-literacy-digital-age/. 

Ontario. (n.d.). Digital Literacy. Retrieved June 10, 2025, from, 

https://www.dcp.edu.gov.on.ca/en/program-planning/transferable-skills/digital-literacy. 

Smith, S. (2024, June 28). The Importance of Digital Literacy. DeVry University. Retrieved June 10, 2025, from https://www.devry.edu/blog/digital-literacy.html#:~:text=Your%20level%20of%20digital%20literacy,as%20smoothly%20as%20they%20should.

Team, L. (2023, April 20). 30 Examples of Digital Literacy in 2023. Learning.Com. Retrieved June 10, 2025, from https://www.learning.com/blog/30-examples-of-digital-literacy-in-2023/#:~:text=Find%20and%20open%20files%20in,computer%2C%20tablet%2C%20and%20smartphone. 

I Believe In Education:

As a person from an educated background, completing all schooling is ingrained within me. I believe education is crucial for several reasons. Initially, it paves the way for enhancing personal growth and organization. Finally, education provides students to embrace values including inclusivity and integrity.  

I Believe In Respect:

I believe that my purpose is to uplift underrepresented communities by preventing stereotypes from occurring in order for individuals to acquire their full potential.

I Believe In Making A Positive Change:

Goldberg’s (2019) book, Teach Like Yourself, I value the pedagogy of teaching like yourself (pp. 22-43). Goldberg’s concept enables me to embrace a difference as it helps individuals to understand their identity. This is the change I intend to make. Through these pedagogies, everyone’s voices will be heard regardless of their backgrounds or abilities. 

I Believe In Truth and Reconciliation:

The above pedagogies also resonate with truth and reconciliation. For example, understanding our own identity allows us to take a deep look into our history and culture, which are both vital steps in knowing the truth about oneself (Government of Canada, n.d.). Likewise, preventing people from being excluded allows individuals to be heard, which aligns with the reconciliation process.

I Believe That My Theories and Pedagogies Are Like A Woven Tapestry:

 A metaphor that might help illustrate my philosophies includes the following: my philosophies are like a tapestry. I find this is the best metaphor as the sole purpose of a tapestry is to weave in various colors, origins, and textures (Crane, 2024). A woven tapestry resembles my presence. As a person who comes from a diverse background, this thread will not only aid in fostering an inclusive environment, but more importantly, serve as mirror reflection. 

References 

Crane, N. (2024, July 19). Weaving Tapestry: A Woven Dive. Retrieved November 11, 2024, from https://threadcollective.com.au/blogs/weaving-looms/tapestry-weaving-deeper-dive#:~:text=Creating%20tapestry%20weaving%20involves%20a,to%20create%20a%20beautiful%20pattern. 

Goldberg, G. (2019). Teach like yourself: How authentic teaching transforms our students and ourselves. Crowin Press. 

Government of Canada. (n.d.). National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. Retrieved November 11, 2024, from https://www.canada.ca/en/canadian-heritage/campaigns/national-day-truth-reconciliation.html. 

Hello!

My name is Muhammad Azam.

Currently I am a fourth year student pursuing an undergraduate degree through the University of Regina. Personally, I view my university experience as more than just getting good grades. It is a critical journey in developing an individual’s’ character. Apart from constantly studying, I enjoy life on campus by participating in various student-led organizations. At the moment, I enjoy volunteering with the Muslim Food Bank and Community Services as well as the Souls Harbor Soup Kitchen. Being a food insecurity volunteer has made me more humble and thankful for those things that I do have.

Outside of being a student, I enjoy working part-time. I started my work experience in the fast food industry where I landed my first job at Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen. This experience has equipped me with many skills such as working in a fast-paced environment, cooking, and cleaning. Later on, I joined the retail industry. Working at a clothing store has built my personality in many ways. For example, this experience has provided me with a more customer-service oriented personality as well as it has improved my socialization and communication skills. Alongside working at a retail clothing store, I also hold two part-time tutoring positions. Both of these tutoring positions have taught me how to design unique lesson plans, consult with clients’ parents regarding the work and progress that occurred during their child’s sessions, and more. Finally, some of the hobbies that I participate in include playing video games, working out, and reading.

Thank you for reading my, about me section.

Cyber–Vigilantism:

According to academia, the internet began in the early 1980’s. During this time, the sole purpose for the production of the internet was for research, data-sharing, and computer accessibility (ScienceandMediaMuseum, 2020). Nowadays, the internet is widely used as a resource not only for studying and entertainment, but there are a variety of negative influences that occur throughout the online world such as cyber–vigilantism and cyber–shaming. Prior to the recent week’s class lecture, I have never heard about the term cyber–vigilantism. Before indulging in some research through articles as well as course readings and lecture slideshows, I perceived that the above-mentioned terms would somewhat refer to concepts along the lines of internet bullying.

Cyber–vigilantism is widely known as internet vigilantism. This widespread term is referred to as the process of an individual or group of people who utilize technology for the sole purpose of taking law into one’s own hands or possession (NordVPN, n.d.). The above-mentioned concept, cyber–vigilantism, commonly takes place across the online world. Some of the platforms that cyber–vigilantism can take place on is through online social media software applications and forums. In other terms, this wrongdoing can hinder people as it publicly discloses individuals, firms, or a country (NordVPN, n.d.). For example, if an individual asks “Hey Siri” on their iPhone, that individuals’ phone tends to listen to specific key terms of what was asked to Siri (TimesofIndia.Com, 2024). After hearing certain phrases or keywords of what was asked to Siri, the phone will disclose certain advertisements on other software applications either on the reels category of Instagram or on YouTube (uOttawa, n.d.). A final way to demonstrate an example of cyber–vigilantism is through TikTok. There are multiple community members and account users of the previously mentioned software application that strive to attack influencers either by asking the influencers’ information through their comments section or within their livestreams and public posts (uOttawa, n.d.). Not only this, but the TikTok app itself, has the ability to disclose a user’s data without that account user providing any information to begin with (uOttawa, n.d.). In essence, cyber–vigilantism is important to grasp as it tells us to be more aware regarding our time being spent on technology, the information individuals publicly reveal, and how daunting the online world is. 

How Can I Teach Cyber–Vigilantism:

There are several methods regarding how an individual can implement cyber–vigilantism within their classroom. One such way by explaining tips in order to stay safe (Poth, 2024). With respect to this, one of the lessons can consist of how to create strong and unique passwords. A second lesson can consist of explaining the process of two-factor authentication. Additional lessons can include navigating through the settings of your mobile device or laptop and delving into what each feature of the settings application is used for (Poth, 2024). This way students will have the ability to apply their safety knowledge to the real world.

References

NordVPN. (n.d.). Cyber Vigilantism. Retrieved June 9, 2025, from 

https://nordvpn.com/cybersecurity/glossary/cyber-vigilantism/#:~:text=Cyber%20vigilant

ism%20refers%20to%20the,people%2C%20companies%2C%20and%20countries.

Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada. (2023, February 23). Announcement: Commissioners launch joint investigation into TikTok. Retrieved June 9, 2025, from  https://www.priv.gc.ca/en/opc-news/news-and-announcements/2023/an_230223/.

P, Rachel. (2024, February 5). Teaching Students the Cyber Safety Basics. Retrieved June 9, 2025, from https://www.edutopia.org/article/teaching-students-cyber-safety/. 

ScienceandMediaMuseum. (2020, December 3). A short history of the internet. Retrieved June 9, 2025, from https://www.scienceandmediamuseum.org.uk/objects-and-stories/short-history-internet. 

TimesofIndia.Com. (2024, February 23). Is Your Phone Secretly Hearing all your conversations? Here’s what to do. Retrieved June 8, 2025, from https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/etimes/trending/is-your-phone-secretly-hearing-all-your-conversations-heres-what-to-do/photostory/107940821.cms. 

uOttawa. (n.d.). Recommendations regarding TikTok use and privacy risk. Retrieved June 8, 2025, from https://www.uottawa.ca/about-us/information-technology/services/security/tiktok-use-privacy-risks. 

Woods, M. (2023, February 27). This may be a 1st step’: Canada bans TikTok from federal government devices. Retrieved June 9, 2025, from https://www.ctvnews.ca/ottawa/article/this-may-be-a-1st-step-canada-bans-tiktok-from-federal-government-devices/. 

Overview of 4th Digital Tool Busuu:

For this week’s blog post, the new digital learning tool I discovered is titled, busuu. This is a free-to-use software application that enables individuals to learn a new language. The above-mentioned software application accomplishes this goal as it revolves more so around the significance of communication and socialization skills, interactive lessons, as well as applied learning. For a more information regarding the busuu online digital learning tool, please do kindly take a look at the attached hyperlink.

Learning Spanish on Busuu:

Immediately when I logged onto busuu, I was greeted through its welcome home page. Thereafter, I selected the language I strived to learn, Spanish, as it is the targeted skill for this learning project. Next, I delved into busuu’s prep tests page where it invited me to true or false questions regarding basic terminology I was already aware of. Some of these terms can be found in previous blog posts that will be attached with a hyperlink here. At the end of my first few Spanish terminology drills, I received an award of 10 stars on my busuu account. This is quite beneficial as individuals learning on the above-mentioned software application will gain motivation. Thereafter, I engaged in a training section that consisted of filling in the blanks. Here, I mastered the previous greeting vocabulary terms as I did in last week’s blog post. This was quite useful for me because now I feel a bit more confident with correlation to basic greetings as opposed to last week. Next, I participated in the “elementary A2” learning module. This is the category in which I had the opportunity to learn how to pronounce beginner conversation terms. 

Comparison Between Busuu and Duolingo:

When comparing duolingo with busuu, there are multiple setbacks. For example, duolingo does not offer a rewards system for users who strive to learn languages. As mentioned above, a rewards system is quite beneficial as it paves the way for motivation. Secondly, duolingo revolves more so around repetition. This is quite impactful because constant repetition can withdraw applied learning. 

Questions:

Some of the questions I would like to ask to in order to open room for discussion consist of the following:

• Are there any other tools than learning a language through instructional videos, practical learning (e.g., examinations and timed quizzes)?

• Other than online digital learning tools, memorization, repetition, and constant practice, what are effective ways of learning and mastering a new language?

How to Navigate Through Busuu:

Mastering Spanish Greeting Terms on Busuu:

Applied Learning on Busuu:

References

Johansen, M. (n.d.). Busuu Review 2025 (Is This Language App Worth It?). Guide2Fluency. Retrieved June 7, 2025, from https://guide2fluency.com/languages/spanish/busuu-review/.

What is Digital Citizenship?

Digital citizenship is the concept of having the ability to aid individuals with regards to exploring the various digital environments that exist in today’s day-and-age (MediaSmarts, n.d.). The concept of digital citizenship is important to grasp as technology constantly changes and updates daily.

Reflection on 9 Elements + How to Implement the Elements Within The Classroom:

 I uphold that digital citizenship is of great use towards the youth. The very first element of the above concept is digital access. This element is significant in various ways. It teaches us that there should be a fair and equal distribution of technology. During my pre-internship placement, there was not a lot of technology used within the classroom. The only time students had the opportunity to gain access to technology was by working in pairs for a group project or a class presentation. A second element that piqued my interest was digital law. After reading this element’s definition, it did impact me. Digital law is a concept that fights against acts such as cyberbullying and other forms of online bullying. Furthermore, the element, digital law, tells us that with these harmful acts that are taking place online, rules and policies should be put in place in order to gradually prevent those acts from happening. This element piqued my interest as it related to an experience I went through during my pre-internship placement. At the school I was transferred to, all of the teachers had a safety box in order for their students to place their cellphones inside. This was quite beneficial for everyone because it does not only gradually prevent the above-mentioned acts from occurring, but, this method of a safety box also prevents classroom disturbance. These are some of the methods I strive to teach digital citizenship. As previously mentioned, implementing classroom policies for technology use is of great impact as individuals will feel welcome and learn in a safe environment.

References

MediaSmarts. (n.d.). What is Digital Citizenship? Retrieved June 1, 2025, from

https://mediasmarts.ca/digital-media-literacy/general-information/digital-media-literacy-fundamentals/what-digital-citizenship#:~:text=Digital%20citizenship%20is%20the%20ability,mindful%20of%20our%20actions%20online. 

Overview of Memrise:

For this week’s blog post, I will be utilizing Memrise. This free-to-use software application is a digital tool for those striving to learn languages. Memrise provides its users with various features that consist of: instructional videos, scenarios, as well as conversations. These features are quite beneficial because they revolve more so around applied learning. For more information regarding Memrise, please do kindly take a look at the PCMag reference link provided below. 

Learning:

Immediately when I logged into Memrise, I started navigating through its various features. The first learning mode I clicked on was titled “scenarios.” Within this channel of learning, there were numerous recommended paths for learning Spanish such as: basic greetings, days of the week, and more. When I delved into the basic greetings category, I learned how to initiate a conversation by asking how an individual’s day is going, and so and so forth. Afterwards, I participated in the education category in which I learnt how to pronounce school and exams in Spanish. Finally, I engaged in the food category. Here, I gained the opportunity to understand restaurant basics, how to order a menu item, as well as how to ask a waiter/waitress for the menu. Overall, these categories are essential, because as mentioned in a previous blog post, understanding these concepts will truly benefit me with regards to basic skills if I ever strived to enroll in a study abroad trip to Spain or Mexico.

How To Navigate Through Memrise:

Spanish Greetings Part I:

Spanish Greetings Part II:

Learning Education Terminology in Spanish:

Learning About Restaurant Basics in Spanish:

References

Duffy, J. (n.d.). Memrise Review. PCMag. Retrieved, June 1, 2025, from

https://www.pcmag.com/reviews/memrise?test_uuid=02LlF0iWKsilxYTJVF8uH5y&test

_variant=A#:~:text=Pros%20%26%20Cons&text=Memrise%20could%20be%20a%20decent,Pro%20account%20is%20insultingly%20pricey.

Overview of New Digital Tool Quizlet:

For this week’s new online resource, I will be using Quizlet. This free-to-download software application is widely used by students. The reason being is because Quizlet provides users with the ability to produce their own flashcards in order to prepare and memorize course material, lecture slides and notes, and more. This digital tool is useful as it provides a variety of studying modes, that is, true or false testing, multiple choice testing, as well as short-answer testing. Alongside these modes, Quizlet provides users with a variety of features to study that include audio, diagrams, and images. As previously mentioned, Quizlet is a free-to-download digital tool. However, if individuals strive to study online or remove pop-up advertisements during their studying sessions, they are required to pay an annual fee of $36. Alongside this, the paid version of Quizlet has the ability to grade your self-created exams. This information is necessary to underline if readers request to learn more about this digital tool. For more information regarding Quizlet, please do kindly visit the PCMag link attached here as well as down below. 

Implementing Quizlet to Learn the Targeted Skill: 

With respect to my targeted skill, I will implement the above-mentioned modes in order to aid my journey of gradually learning Spanish. Quite recently, I have created personal flashcards on Quizlet. These cue cards include definitions regarding Spanish terminology. On the front page of the flashcard, I wrote the Spanish terminology of what I want to learn. On the backside of the cue card, I translated the Spanish terminology into English. This method is useful because after memorizing the translated answer several times, the Spanish term will gradually become engraved within my brain. 

A good example of this is memorizing the following Spanish terms: mother, father, and sisters. I have placed the Spanish translation of these terms on the front page of three separate flashcards, and the English translation on the backside of the cue cards. When learning any new language, I find that memorizing is a critical part during this process as it allows me to retain the information (e.g., both Spanish and English translations of terminology as well as the definitions).

Getting Used to Quizlet:

Learning Family Names in Spanish Through Quizlet:

Testing the Audio Tool in Quizlet:

Please do kindly see the instructional video of this learning journey pasted below:

Please feel free to view the reference provided below that provides a brief overview of the above-mentioned software application:

References

Duffy, J., and Vatu, G. (n.d.). Quizlet Review. PCMag. Retrieved May 23, 2025, from 

https://www.pcmag.com/reviews/quizlet?test_uuid=02LlF0iWKsilxYTJVF8uH5y&test_

variant=A#:~:text=Quizlet%20is%20a%20powerful%20study,find%20sets%20from%20

others%2C%20too.

The first 20 minutes of the YouTube video presented by Michael Wesch that we viewed during the class lecture broadened my lens not only for YouTube, but the social media world as a collective. In the first half of the video, Michael Wesch provided great insight towards the timeline of YouTube. First, Wesch provided historical dates for the first few videos that were ever uploaded to YouTube and which country the videos were uploaded from. Afterwards, Wesch delves into the term, trends. He does this by not only explaining the definition of the term, but more importantly, the function this term serves as well as how it is used within the social media world. 

What piques my interest the most is the fact that back when YouTube was first launched, individuals back then produced videos similar to how influencers are currently are. In other terms, back when YouTube first began, the above-mentioned term, trends, still existed. In his video, Wesch displayed videos that resemble various trends consisting of funny dances and singing. These videos alongside the method of following a trend are widely uploaded on numerous social media applications in order for users to gain publicity.

This can mean multiple things for schools. Specifically, for students, social media and technology as a whole is quite distracting. This is evident as Radcliffe states, “children who reported more than two hours a day of screen time got low scores” (2018). This insight is significant to underline because it indicates the downfall that technology serves with respect to its balance between entertainment and individuals using it as a resource for studying. 

References

Augenthaler, T. (2018). How to Get Your Video to Trend on YouTube. The Influence Marketer. Retrieved May 25, 2025, from https://theinfluencemarketer.com/blog/how-to-video-youtube-trending/

Radcliffe, S. (2018, December 19). How Does Screen Time Affect Kids’ Brains? Healthline. Retrieved May 24, 2025, from https://www.healthline.com/health-news/how-does-screen-time-affect-kids-brains. 

For a portion of my learning project, I will be using Duolingo. This is a free to use software application that is able to be downloaded on any form of technology (e.g., Apple, Android, Windows, and Mac). The purpose of this software application is for users to learn languages through a game-based platform. Some of the game-based activities provided on the app consist of: translating sentencing, correctly matching the image with the terminology, and more.

Although the above-mentioned software application is quite user-friendly, I would recommend using Duolingo on a wide screen device such as a computer or tablet, as opposed to a phone. From my experience, I find that doing any task whether it may be school work or for entertainment, using a wide screen device is beneficial as the screen is easier to visualize which gradually prevents me from making simple mistakes. A second tip I recommend implementing while using Duolingo, is to always turn the volume on. This is primarily due to the fact that if not all, but most, of the game-based activities require auditory learning. 

There are several ways an individual can implement the Duolingo software application in a variety of ways within the classroom. For example, if an individual plans to deliver and teach the subject, French, he/she is able to as French is an option to learn on Duolingo. Another way that Duolingo can be implemented within the classroom is through the projector. The teacher has the ability to present Duolingo lessons on the projector. This way, if the students receive individual laptops or work in pairs, the students are still learning collectively as a whole. These are some of the methods I would implement Duolingo within the classroom.