Digital literacy is extremely important today, meaning we need to reevaluate how we can include it in teaching. The issue is that we don’t just need to include it; we need to live with it. Students need to be taught how to always responsibly and safely use, create, and understand online media. This way, instead of trying to change our current digital community, we can create a new digital community by educating the new generation.

I am studying to become a high-school teacher so the way that I would go about teaching digital literacy would differ from younger grades. After doing some research on digital literacy in education; I would begin the lesson by giving the students a few introductory questions. I was given this idea by the KQED lesson plan: fighting fake news. I love this idea, simply because it gives a base point for the students understanding. Then I can ask about their ideas, and have an open class discussion.

A few of the questions I would ask:

  • What do you believe makes a responsible digital user?
  • What are some ways that you determine credible content online?
  • What happens when disinformation spreads?

After having a group discussion, I would give students a group activity to create a more comfortable discussion environment. I would personally do this by creating a game for the class, each group would be given a few articles, newspaper, any digital content to determine if the content is real or fake. Then the group with the most correct answers would win a prize, perhaps a little sweet treat (we all love a sweet treat). To tie digital literacy to the curriculum, I would give the class a small research assignment. I would ask that for each reference they use, they briefly explain how they determined the source and content was credible.

Now when teaching digital literacy, it is important to keep a few goals in mind. Reading NCTE’s statement of the Definition of Digital Literacy, it discuses how important it is for the teaching practice to evolve with the evolving world. NCTE has many goals for students, I find that the most important are that students need to…

  • analyze and evaluate various media
  • effectively work well with others digitally
  • have access to the tools needed to succeed in a digital society
  • create and share knowledge responsibly and ethically

In the classroom, NCTE’s goals need to be included. I would do this by focusing on promoting critical thinking, integrate inclusivity, and encourage communication. I would do this by integrating small digital literacy assignments into another assignments. Such as previously mentioned: having students explain how their sources are credible.

I believe that digital literacy is extremely important as it encompasses bringing society closer together by educating the new generation. We must remember that we are living in a constantly evolving world. While researching, I found a statement that truly encompasses the need for digital literacy “We have more access than ever. But access does not imply quality, and the vast information we’re being bombarded with demands a renewed emphasis on and teaching of media literacy” (Frank W. Baker). This is important as young students do not realize how much information/media there is. Hence, they don’t feel the need to even think that something is fake. It’s like saying- oh I saw it on TV so it must be real (and we all know how many things on TV aren’t real). I believe that there needs to be a greater focus on digital literacy in education because of how many dangers there are online and how it can affect your life. Not that we want to terrify students, but we want to inform them of the risks and consequences. As well as how to responsibly and safely use, create, understand, and share digital media.