Digital nativesAre they really digitally literate?

Digital natives: Are they really digitally literate?

Introduction

Definitions

Digital native (DN)

Digital literacy

(DL)

Justification

DN myths

False assumptions about DN &

DL

Literacy skills

transfer

Discussion

DN in educat

ion

DL in educat

ion

Relating to DN

Introducing DN to ed tech

Resources

Educational

institutions

Libraries

Conclusion

References

Introduction

Infographic

Overview of the project and what is covered in this topic “By giving students a role in decision making about using technology in education, we empower them to

think beyond their own enjoyment of the moment” (Martinez, 2011, p. 7).

 

“. . . [the] future is no longer whether to use the technologies of our time but rather how to use them to become better, wiser people” (Prensky, 2012, p.9).

 

What are digital natives? What is digital literacy? Why are these topics important? How do they relate to each other in the field of education? Are digital natives digitally literate? This website takes the stance that being a digital native does not equal being digitally literate. This website will support this claim through research discussing what digital natives and digital literacy are, myths about digital natives and digital literacy, current research about digital natives and digital literacy in education, and resources for educators who interact with these students on a regular basis.

Website Overview on Introduction page

In the Definitions section, the concepts of digital natives and digital literacy are defined along with supporting graphics to provide a visualization of the concepts. In the Justification section, research is provided as to why this topic is important in the field of education. Issues surrounding the concepts of digital natives and digital literacy are discussed, in particular, myths about the idea of digital natives as well as digital natives and their digital literacy skills. In the Discussion section, current research about digital natives’ online behavior, examples of digital literacy in education, and strategies for relating to digital natives and introducing them to educational technologies is covered. While many of the examples are from higher education, the behaviors of digital natives is applicable to all ages. In the Resources section, I provide various digital literacy resources for both educators and libraries.

Definitions

What is a digital native?

Written explanation

Video – Marc Prensky (2013) on who digital natives are as our students, who they are in relation to technology and how do we engage with them.

Statista graphic

What is digital literacy?

Written explanation: An issue with digital literacy is that many definitions exist for this concept and one single definition has yet to be agreed upon (Nelson, Courier, & Joseph, 2012; Ng, 2012; Poore, 2011).

Video – Overview of digital literacy as a concept and why it matters in today’s world (IT Futures, 2014).

Graphic – Ng digital literacy graphic (Ng, 2012)

Justification

Myths about the digital native concept

Digital native vs digital immigrant dichotomy

Graphic showing generation breakdown by age

Harm it does

Alternative: digizens

False assumptions about digital natives and digital literacy

Digital divide

Internet access – socioeconomic status

Digital skills or digital fluency

Digital native does not equal digitally literate

Academic experience with some technical expertise

Domain knowledge

Ability to organize and evaluate information

Literacy skills transfer

Discussion

Digital natives in education Current examples from research

Online behavior

What do they do online

How do they use their time

Digital literacy in education Current examples

What are educational institutions doing in the classroom – digital portfolio, facebook article,

What are libraries doing – iPad video and article

Relating to digital natives Value of instructors

Digital skills needed

Introducing them to educational technologies Technology must have a purpose

Modeling behavior we want them to imitate

Resources

Digital Literacy Resources for Educators & Librarians International Society for Technology in Education – technology standards for

teachers and students

Microsoft Digital Literacy – free e-learning courses provided by Microsoft to teach people how to use technology

DigitalLiteracy.gov – digital literacy resource hub created by the U.S. government. Great for educators and libraries

JISC digital literacy website (formerly the Joint Information Steering Committee) – digital literacy resources with a UK focus but still helpful for libraries and educators

DigitalLearn.org – digital literacy resources for all types of libraries. Created by the Public Library Association and the Institute of Museum and Library Services

Public Library Association– digital literacy resources slanted toward public libraries

Digital Literacy – digital literacy resources for academic libraries by the University Library at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

DigitalLiteracy.us – Website about digital literacy created by teachers meant for teachers.

Merlot II (Multimedia Educational Resource for Learning and Online Teaching) – free online resources for teaching and learning that have been peer reviewed

Conclusion

“Students need to be taught how to produce as well as consume digital culture, and they need to be taught how to use digital tools for communication and collaboration purposes, and to contribute in ethical ways--through a greater knowledge of themselves and a shared knowledge of others--to the collective intelligence of the knowledge space” (Poore, 2011, p. 25).

As research has shown, it should not be assumed that simply because students have grown up surrounded by technology that they automatically know how to use it, especially for educational purposes. Although they may have more exposure to technology from a younger age, we as educators still have a duty to get to know our students and their comfort levels with technology tools we want to use in the classroom. We also need to teach them how to use those tools. Only after we have ascertained our students’ technology backgrounds, can we then move forward with integrating technologies that matter to students in our classrooms. Students can be taught digital literacy but it is up to educators to ensure that they are actually taught the skills.

Jisc digital literacy graphic (JISC Regional Support Centres, 2011).

References