Digital Literacy in the 21st Century

A look into how digital literacy and digital citizenship work together

Image by vectorjuice on Freepik

In today’s 21st century classrooms, technology is no longer considered an accessory to learning, but rather a necessity to learning. The fact that technology encompasses almost every aspect of our day to day lives means prioritizing the dire need to create digitally literate students should begin as early as kindergarten. Success in tomorrow’s world relies on a person’s ability to navigate technology in purposeful and impactful ways. Because our world relies so heavily on various technologies across various manners, it is critical that we begin instilling digital literacy in students early on in order to establish foundational understandings about technological uses and advances.

What is Digital Literacy?

The ability to read and write has, and always will be, one of the most important components our children are taught in school. However, exhibiting digital literacy is quickly becoming just as necessary. It can be argued that in today’s fast paced digital world, educating students on digital literacy has never been more crucial (Roquet, 2022). It is important to understand that digital literacy is no longer just understanding softwares and devices, but rather developing a “set of skills and understandings to prepare (for) the workforce or citizenry for a changing, interconnected world” (Burnett, et al., as cited in Burnett & Merchant, 2015, p. 271).

Instilling digital literacy in our students from the very beginning is a “lifelong competency” that addresses their approach to technology and makes sure they understand all components of how it can benefit them in their education, work, and everyday life (Herescu, 2021). The importance of teaching foundational digital skills must be prioritized. “Digital literacy belongs beside reading, writing and math as a fundamental skill in the modern world” (SREB, 2018).

Traditionally, digital literacy has been referred to as competency revolving around the use of digital technologies. However, as the term ‘digital’ has quickly evolved, so has the definition of digital literacy. As new technologies emerge, it is important to constantly redesign the term digital literacy in a more critical perspective that evolves with the times. “Critical digital literacy is the ability to seek context, imagine alternatives, and build agency to create change. This approach is not the replacement for skills instruction; rather it can be added to any lesson” (Roquet, 2022).

Image by vectorjuice on Freepik

Why is Digital Literacy Important?

Tomorrow’s jobs are relying on today’s students. There is currently a substantial digital divide happening that educators can begin narrowing by prioritizing digital skills in their everyday instruction. It is important that educators begin viewing digital literacy as a backbone that can greatly enhance student performance, engagement, and outcomes. Technology and media are deeply ingrained into most of the businesses and companies our students will eventually work for. Students need to be rooted in basic technology application as early as preschool or kindergarten, and then begin layering skills on top of those roots as they grow. Understanding how technology works and the ways it can be applicable to day to day life allows students to become universal critical thinkers.

In teaching digital literacy in 21st-century learners, it is important to understand that these skills are not planned practices; rather “they are normalized as an accepted part of daily life” (Burnett & Merchant, 2015, p. 272). Promoting and reinforcing these types of literacies does not include teaching concrete sets of learning goals, however it recognizes the need for students to demonstrate the importance of using technology for richer communication and more flexible learning opportunities in all environments. Students need to know that becoming digitally literate means to obtain “an evolving set of skills and practices with implications for identity (Pangrazio & Sefton-Green, 2021, p. 21). By becoming flexible learners that evolve with change, we are creating future ready citizens that can take on the jobs of tomorrow.

Connections Between Digital Citizenship and Digital Literacy

Digital citizenship encompasses the character of a person’s use of technology. As the role of educational technology continues to increase within learning, it’s not only important to teach students to be digitally literate, but also to show outstanding character when it comes to becoming a digital citizen. Prasetiyo et al. (2021) describes digital citizenship as “the ability to uncover information and interact with people digitally, which requires the skills to evaluate information and realize the consequences in a responsible manner.” As a digital citizen, it is important for students to know how to conduct themselves in a manner that is appropriate for the digital environment, as well as practice safe practices when it comes to interacting virtually.

Knowing that digital citizenship is the display of one’s character and responsibilities within technology creates the connection between the importance of both digital literacy and digital citizenship. Because our global society will continue to gravitate towards more technological injection as time progresses, it becomes even more vital for students to be taught the importance of understanding the inner workings of their technological world (literacy) and inhibit the ability to properly address and solve problems that arise through the presence of technology (citizenship) ( (Prasetiyo et al., 2021, p. 1193). Becoming digitally literate is the first step in developing the appropriate skills needed to become a productive digital citizen

Image by vectorjuice on Freepik

Simple Ways to Instill Digital Literacy in Students

Knowing everything technology entails and then adding on the responsibility to educate our students to become digitally literate can seem like an overwhelming task for educators-especially when many educators don’t consider themselves digitally literate. However, understanding that our student’s entire world is engulfed in technology and realizing that their resiliency towards many digital components is unmatched, can help relieve pressure. As educators, we don’t have to know all of the answers, we just have to be willing to try new things and learn alongside our students with an unnerving confidence and believe that these skills are crucial in the success of our students.

Before any construction can be made on the establishment of these skills, a digital foundation must be laid. Students must learn very basic foundational computer skills that are incorporated into relevant learning scenarios in order to begin absorbing and retaining this literacy (Roquet, 2022). By presenting students with authentic opportunities to learn these skills, students can begin to gain confidence in digital literacy and that confidence can transpire into the development of stronger skills. Because these foundational skills are so incredibly important, it is vital that learners not just work on them during scheduled computer class times. Rather, these types of skills need to be woven into the pedagogy of instruction happening in classrooms.

As digital literacy skills are evolving, it is important to begin modeling and practicing the roles of a productive digital citizen. Students need the opportunity to collaborate in online environments that safely foster the character skills we want them to withhold as digital citizens. While digital literacy teaches students to use the internet safely and responsibility, digital citizenship teaches students how to be ethical in their use.

Conclusion

In order to address the literacy needs that 21-century learners need, the conception of these literacies must be continually revisited and the definitions must be sculpted to fit the evolving times. Without this evolving mindset of change, we are teaching traditional customs to a world that will no longer exist for our students. “Our students are the activists, programmers, and CEOs of tomorrow” and it is important that we view them in those manners as we prepare them for the future (Roquet, 2022). In everything we do, we should be empowering our students to become agents of change in the world they will create.

References

Burnett, C., & Merchant, G. (2015). The Challenge of 21st-Century Literacies. Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy, 59(3), 271-274. https://ila-onlinelibrary-wiley-com.wmlsrsu.idm.oclc.org/doi/epdf/10.1002/jaal.482

Herescu, D. R. (2021). What is the value of teaching digital literacy? | Cambridge English. World of Better Learning | Cambridge University Press. https://www.cambridge.org/elt/blog/2021/10/29/value-teaching-digital-literacy/

Pangrazio, L., & Sefton-Green, J. (2021). Digital Rights, Digital Citizenship, and Digital Literacy: What's the Difference? Journal of New Approaches in Educational Research, 10(1), 15-27. 10.7821/naer.2021.1.616

Prasetiyo, W. H., Naidu, N. B. M., Tan, B. P., & Sumardjoko, B. (2021). Digital citizenship trend in educational sphere: A systematic review. International Journal of Evaluation and Research in Education, 10(4), 1192-1201. 10.11591/ijere.v10i4.21767

SREB. (2018). 10 Issues in Educational Technology (pp. 8–9). Southern Regional Education Board.

Roquet, M. J. (2022). Rethinking Digital Literacy. American Libraries, 53(3/4), 48. https://web-s-ebscohost-com.wmlsrsu.idm.oclc.org/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=7&sid=280d36be-b7ae-4938-9157-8e87f995c044%40redis