McPheeters_DigitalLiteracy

8/9/2019 McPheeters_DigitalLiteracy

1/12

From Analogue to Digital the Journey to a New Literacy


Dallas McPheeters

ETC 647

10/11/09

From Analogue to Digital 1


2/12

Abstract

Digital literacy is defined as the understanding of the symbols used in digital media and their

meanings. This paper outlines the three main foci required by educators who wish to teach digital

literacy. A conclusion sums the issues with a call for new understandings of how this can be

accomplished.



3/12


"We must prepare young people for living in a world of powerful images, words and sounds."

UNESCO, 1982

The fast paced growth of technology in our networked world today is forcing educators toadopt and adapt for 21st century skill development. However, the struggle to keep up with rapid

changes is felt by schools and school districts who must provide access and training to all ages

everywhere or face a digital divide caused by inequities. An approach focusing on technology

literacy is the only sustainable way to avoid present and future technological divides (Amiel,

2006, p235). Amiel claims digital literacy is the solution but what does digital literacy entail?

What does it look like and how do we recognize its absence? How do we ensure its development

and learning and how can we assess it equitably?

Before we can define digital literacy we must agree on a definition of what literacy itself

comprises because, arethinking of what it means to be literate in the 21st century is well underway (Sinitskaya, Owston, & Sanaoui, 2009, p3795). For this reason, Kevin Rocap (2003) asks,

What do you think of when you think of literacy? That probably depends on who you are,

where you find yourself on the hierarchies of social status and privilege, the cultural spheres you

participate in and what you do day-to-day (p1). According to Rocap, literacy is

multidimensional involving social, economic and political values within ones cultural context.

Blisle (2002) defines literacy as a complex set of abilities to understand and use the dominant

symbol systems of a culture (p1180). Such a definition takes into account the whole spectrum of

cultures including those without written records such as Aboriginal. Therefore, Claire Blisles

general definition of literacy will be used throughout this paper.



4/12

What is Digital Literacy?

Digital literacy extends further, comprising multimedia literacy skills as a combination

of computer literacy (understanding of hardware and software) and media literacy (ability to

access, analyse, create and evaluate information through a variety of media (Blisle, 2002, p.

1180). Its more than just using software or devices. It includes reading instructions from

graphical interfaces (photo-visual literacy), utilizing digital reproduction in learning

(reproduction literacy), constructing knowledge from non-linear navigation (lateral literacy), and

evaluating information (information literacy) (Eshet, 2002, p493). Digital literacy involves

more than the mere ability to use software or operate a digital device; it includes a large variety

of complex cognitive, motor, sociological, and emotional skills, which users need in order to

function effectively in digital environments (Eshet, 2004, p93). These definitive statements

demonstrate the complexity of the issues encountered by educators when attempting to

standardize teaching to produce digitally literate kids kids Trilling and Fadel (2009) label,

info-savvy, media-fluent and tech-tuned (p61).

The Issues

The main reasons digital literacy is needed are threefold: information management,

plagiarism, and security (Blisle, 2002; Eshet, 2002). Being digitally literate means being

capable of managing the smog on the information superhighway (Rocap, 2003). Which

information is reliable and valid and which sources should be relied upon? As students sift and

sort through the mountains of information and aggregate the sights, sounds, and images for

assignments, how should they attribute their findings? How can they avoid accusations of



5/12

plagiarism in the new mashup culture. Finally, how can users learn to be safe in the metaverse

where predators and other dangers lurk? Each of these three issues is explained below.

Information Management

Huge amounts of information available on the Internet is a boon to education itself

(Blisle, 2002; Rocap, 2003). Information once buried in libraries is readily available and

searchable on the world wide web. However, the advantage of mass information can be a liability

as well. How can students decipher what is pertinent, accurate, and reliable? The web offers

knowledge that is under discussion, coming from varied sources and constantly being

updated(Blisle, 2002, p1181). Is user generated content making the Internet a vast storehouseof amateuer knowledge? Either way, teachers are faced with the daunting task of educating

students how to think critically about information and sources in order to capture real value from

the Internets databank. Its not just about learning how to use search engines but mainly of how

to evaluate the retrieved data and distinguish between its relevance and non-relevance (Eshet,

2002, p493). Loveless, Taylor, and Millwood (2002) echos this need to equip students with a

critical thinking capability.

The term capability encompasses far more than ability with particular ICT techniques and

implies an active, informed and critical approach to using technology appropriately and

purposefully (p2378). Mining the Internets information-rich veins requires the competencies

and skills of a critical thinker.

Plagiarism

Eshet (2002) labels todays students the copy and paste culture and warns us that this

new interpretation of creativity can lead to rampant plagiarism (p495). Students need to be



6/12

taught what Eshet calls reproduction literacy. This is no more evident than in the hypermedia

remixes found on YouTube. Rarely are attributions made or permissions sought by creators of

remixed videos. If students are to become digitally literate, they must be taught how to credit

sources and cite them accurately.

Security

Of major concern from all sides of the digital literacy debate is the issue of security.

Digital literacy requires a special kind of mindset; a special kind of thinking (Eshet, 2002,

p493). In another study, he further explains, Digital literacy ... includes a large variety of

complex cognitive, motor, sociological, and emotional skills, which users need in order to

function effectively in digital environments (Eshet, 2004, p93). The socio-emotional literacy to

which Eshet refers is important for security and identity issues when navigating the Internet.

How web surfers interact on the Internet requires an understanding of the limitations inherent in

a system where identities can be real or faked. Knowing these thresholds must be taught from a

young age to ensure the safety of students entering the metaverse for whatever reason. The place

connectivity offered by GPS along with the identity barriers offered by chat rooms must be

issues dealt with in the classroom as well as at home. Security is a critical component of digital

literacy in the 21st century.

The Barriers

Many barriers to the development of a digitally literate generation are spouted in the

literature but can be summed up in one word: Competencies. Are the teachers themselves

competent to instruct others in the use and understanding of digital media? Modern hypermedia

presents a challenge (Eshet, 2004) for teachers to maintain the skills needed to instruct learners.



7/12

New software developments and platform creations are being introduced everyday. How can

teachers stay informed? Furthermore, the hypermedia technology introduced computer users

with new dimensions of thinking (Eshet, 2002). Historically, linear thinking has been the

pedagogy du jour but hyper media is opening the doors to new ways of viewing data. Linear

thinking restrictions are eliminated with the new technology. This poses a big challenge for

pedagogical strategies to adapt to the new multi-dimensional learning platform.

Another more subtle challenge in equipping teachers to instruct may be their own

prejudices. Literacy can also be used to erect barriers, as was the case with discriminatory

literacy testing requirements in the U.S. South. So called literacy laws were designed to bar

African Americans from voting (Blisle, 2002). And discriminatory attitudes held by teachers

today may prevent their disseminating needed digital literacy instruction to their students.

For these reasons, therefore, making it (digital literacy) a competence of every ... teacher or

trainer is a new challenge (Blisle, 2002). Traditional attitudes can impede future progress as

has been demonstrated over and over again.

A final barrier is the lack of standards to determine what constitutes digital creation. Theconstant improvement in the capabilities of computers and digital editing programs presents a

growing challenge regarding the use of reproduction to create original, true, and creative work,

both in art and in academia, and opens new horizons for discussion of originality and creativity

in the era of reproduction (Eshet, 2004). Because teachers are uncertain what may be original

and what may be a mashup of non-cited materials, a looming whole in the digital media

stratosphere remains.

Recommended Solutions



8/12

For clear competencies to be targeted thoroughly, clear standards for digital literacy must

be established, covering the major sectors of information management, plagiarism, and security.

Additional concentration on helping teachers develop needed skills is required of schools and

districts. One example is confirmed by Sinitskaya, Owston, and Sanaouis study (2009)

concluding that a major roadblock to utilizing game development for learning in a school

context is the lack of expertise on the part of ... teachers who may not possess the complex skills

required to design computer games. Specific developmental skills related to technological

platforms need to be targeted in professional development curriculi.

And of course, critical thinking goals need clearly defined, standards-based performance

objectives since these competencies have been analysed as new analytical/critical thinking skills

and production skills (Blisle, 2002). Blisle goes on to conclude, Identifying them is part of

the solution, but the most difficult part is bringing them about, having them emerge in the

educational situations (ibid).

Conclusion

This paper has outlined the complexity of the issues encountered by educators when

attempting to standardize teaching to produce digitally literate kids. By citing the research, we

have touched on various aspects of the impact of digital information on our society in general,

and our education systems in particular (Eshet, 2002). Mainstream society agrees generally

children are excited about using multimedia and are enthusiastic about using them in order to

creatively express themselves and that Through the use of ... technologies, media literacy can

easily and effectively be incorporated throughout the curriculum as children learn to become

competent members of our increasingly complex world community (Robbins & Bedell, 2000).



9/12

Because students ... are much more likely to learn through listening and viewing, ...

multimedia tools are becoming an integral part of the teaching and learning process (Robbins &

Bedell, 2000). Accordingly, children do not present the principle obstacle on the journey to

digital literacy. Rather, teachers must be trained in the use of modern graphic intefaces; the

meaningof the new non-linear ways of thinking about our digital world; how to thinkcritically

about the digital representations we encounter today; and the appropriate ways students should

represent their learning digitally (Eshet, 2002).

The old paradigms are insufficient to produce a proper view of the digital literacy

challenge. New understandings are emerging from the research. New strategies should logically

follow. This means that standards-based, critical thinking strategies must be developed and

aligned with digital literacy objectives in order to generate a starting place for adequate

professional development to begin. This paper calls for new understandings of how this can be

accomplished.



10/12

Appendix A

Figure 1

Figure 1. Wordle image of paper text.

http://www.wordle.net/createhttp://www.wordle.net/create


11/12

References

Amiel, T. (2006). Mistaking Computers for Technology: Technology Literacy and the Digital

Divide. AACE Journal. 14 (3), pp. 235-256. Chesapeake, VA: AACE.

Blisle, C. (2002). Digital Literacy and Reflective Competencies. In G. Richards (Ed.),

Proceedings of World Conference on E-Learning in Corporate, Government, Healthcare,

and Higher Education 2002 (pp. 1179-1182). Chesapeake, VA: AACE.

Eshet, Y. (2002). Digital literacy: A new terminology framework and its application to the design

of meaningful technology-based learning environments. In P. Barker & S. Rebelsky

(Eds.),Proceedings of World Conference on Educational Multimedia, Hypermedia and

Telecommunications 2002 (pp. 493-498). Chesapeake, VA: AACE.

Eshet, Y. (2004).Digital Literacy: A Conceptual Framework for Survival Skills in the Digital

era. Journal of Educational Multimedia and Hypermedia. 13 (1), pp. 93-106. Norfolk,

VA: AACE.

Loveless, A., Taylor, T., & Millwood, R. (2001). CREATIVE USES OF DIGITAL

TECHNOLOGY: DEVELOPING VISUAL LITERACY AND ICT CAPABILITY. In J.

Price et al. (Eds.),Proceedings of Society for Information Technology and Teacher

Education International Conference 2001 (pp. 2376-2380). Chesapeake, VA: AACE.

Robbins, J., & Bedell, J. (2000). Read, Write and Click: Using Digital Camera Technology in a

Language Arts and Literacy K-5 Classroom. In D. Willis et al. (Eds.),Proceedings of

Society for Information Technology and Teacher Education International Conference

2000 (pp. 2474-2479). Chesapeake, VA: AACE.



12/12

Rocap, K. (2003). Defining and Designing 21st Century Literacies. In C. Crawford et al. (Eds.),

Proceedings of Society for Information Technology and Teacher Education International

Conference 2003 (pp. 624-631). Chesapeake, VA: AACE.

Sinitskaya, R., Owston, R., & Sanaoui, R. (2009). Voulez-Vous Jouer? [Do you want to play?]:

Game Development Environments for Literacy Skill Enhancement. InProceedings of

World Conference on Educational Multimedia, Hypermedia and Telecommunications

2009 (pp. 3795-3802). Chesapeake, VA: AACE.

Trilling, B., & Fadel, C. (2009). 21st century skills: Learning for life in our times. San Francisco:

Jossey-Bass. Retrieved online September 30, 2009, from Google Books: http://bit.ly/

3dbD15

http://bit.ly/3dbD15http://bit.ly/3dbD15http://bit.ly/3dbD15http://bit.ly/3dbD15

Documents

McPheeters_DigitalLiteracy