Literacies in a Digital Age

All teachers are responsible for teaching studies literacies whether they are traditional reading, writing and speaking or the new literacies we encounter. The idea of transliteracy was a new term for me. Transliteracy was defined as “the ability to read, write and interact across a range of platforms, tools and media from signing and orality through handwriting, print, TV, radio and film, to digital social networks” (Thomas, Joseph, Laccetti, Mson, Mills, Perril & Pullinger, 2007).

With these new literacies comes new skills that need to be unpacked and taught to students in order to succeed in this evolving digital age.

1. Critical Thinking & Questioning

As part of digital literacy, students need to think critically in conjunction with their digital tool knowledge (Anyangwe, 2012). Many students feel confident using technology but don’t truly understand the skills they need to be successful. So much of the content online is taken at face value by students and they need to understand who is saying it, why they are saying it and what are the other perspectives (November 2014). Students need to learn how to question the authenticity of content online and using these questions to drive their inquiries further.

2. Creating & Curating

With the rise of Web 2.0, it is no longer okay just to consume digital content. Rather, students need to learn how to create content and curate it. Not only that, they must be able to create content that effectively communicates a message. As a consumer of content, students need to take this content and sift through it, organising what is relevant and pertinent information and what content is not useful (Holland, 2013). These skills take time to develop and should be continually built upon.

3. Collaborating and Connecting

Working with others doesn’t come naturally to everyone. Building the skills and strategies to be effective with others takes time but the outcome of connecting and collaborating is phenomenal. Through collaboration, many ideas can be combined to create something better than any one individual’s ideas. In education, connecting with others allows you to learn from others and better yourself while being exposed to so much more knowledge and experiences that one could ever imagine. It is important to model appropriate ways to connect with others online in a safe and positive manner and how to make these interactions beneficial to everyone (Holland, 2013).

References

Anyangwe, E. (2012, May 15). 20 ways of thinking about digital literacy in higher education. The Guardian Newspaper. Retrieved from: http://www.theguardian.com/higher-education-network/blog/2012/may/15/digital-literacy-in-universities

Holland, B. (2013, November 18). Packing for the digital exploration. Tedx Talks [video]. Retrieved from: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wJBwe1HPTtw

November, A. (2014, May 6). Who Owns the learning? Preparing students for success in the digital age. [video] Retrieved from: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NOAIxIBeT90

Thomas, S., Joseph, C., Laccetti, J., Mason, B., Mills, S., Perril, S., & Pullinger, K. (2007). Transliteracy: crossing divides. First Monday, 12(12).

Postings on Others' Sites

Below is just a selection of some of the comments posted on other participants' blogs throughout the course of Classroom Technologies.

Image from: http://cdn.allbloggingtips.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/comment-on-other-blogs.jpg

Blog Site: http://mrmattheinrich.weebly.com/
Blog Post: Digital Natives and Digital Immigrants

Blog Site: http://mrmattheinrich.weebly.com/
Blog Post: Focusing on technology = waste of time
Blog Site:https://missmimblog.wordpress.com/

Blog Post: Our students and technology in the classroom









Blog Site:http://classroomtechnologies.edublogs.org/
Blog Post:Why Do We Have Digital Technologies in the Classroom?
 


Blog Site: http://alisonarmstrong10.blogspot.com.au/
Blog Post: Why should we use technology in the classroom and why we shouldn't?


Blog Site:http://lnewtonmed.blogspot.sg/
Blog Post: Is technology a waste of time?



Blog Site: http://valeriesmithesc515.weebly.com/
Blog Post: Instructional Software






Blog Site: http://mattkerr76.blogspot.sg/
Blog Post: Hardware at My School
 
Blog Site: https://classroomtechnologiesesc515.wordpress.com 
Blog Post: Concepts, hopes, beliefs and attitudes…

Blog Site: http://zoeboothesc515.blogspot.sg/ 
Blog Post: Module 2 - Post 1: Why should we use technology in the classroom and when shouldn’t we?


Blog Site: http://zoeboothesc515.blogspot.sg/ 
Blog Post: Module 2 - Post 3 Digital Immigrants vs. natives

Blog Site:  http://zoeboothesc515.blogspot.sg/ 
Blog Post: Module 5 – Post 1: Software choices and curriculum in Assignment 1

Blog Site:  http://zoeboothesc515.blogspot.sg/ 
Blog Post: Module 6 - Post 1: Potential problems with ICT

Issue: Illegal Downloads and Software Piracy

Choose one of these issues, relevant to the level you will be teaching, to investigate further. While you will have already investigated acceptable use policies there may be other issues related to safety you wish to explore further.

Use the links listed in the text as a starting point for your research.

Post a brief summary of your findings to your blog.

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As an educational institution, our schools are responsible for leading the way as digital citizens. This includes providing staff and students with legal software. Piracy and illegal downloads are not uncommon. According to one article, 1 in 10 Europeans admit to illegally downloading, with the number likely to have been higher (Debating Europe). 

Image from: http://www.debatingeurope.eu/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/15-Illegal-downloading-3.png

There are two organisations whose roll is to police the illegal downloads of music and video. These organisations are: Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA). Doug Chappell said that people need to "understand that digital theft does not only hurt the artist or the record label but also every one who works for them or is a supplier to them ie: couriers, recording studios, graphic artists, office workers, accountants, press and promotion people. The list goes very deep of those that will lose jobs or income due to the theft" (Wolfe-Wylie, 2012).

It is also important to know that copyright laws vary from country to country. While living in China, the copyright laws were very loose and didn't really exist. One of the main search sites in China, Baidu, actually supported and to some extent encouraged illegal downloading. It always boggled my mind that Google was blocked, VPNs were blocked but yet downloading music was so easily accessible in such a country. 

Nowadays, options such as Netflix and Spotify provide users with a wide range of songs and videos for a minimal monthly fee for unlimited views. Using these options also moves people toward a legal option of paid streaming with Spotify paying royalties (Spotify Artists, 2015). This ensures that these industries are properly being supported. 

We should continue to educate our students about illegal downloads, the impacts on industries and the impact on us if it is continued. Our students need to know that while one song downloaded may not seem to be an issue, one song multiplied by many times and many individuals definitely does add up. As educators, we should be the role models for our students and teach the alternatives to illegally downloading with legal options. 

References 

Debating Europe (2015). What would save the music industry from piracy? http://www.debatingeurope.eu/2015/06/26/what-would-save-the-music-industry-from-digital-piracy/#.Vp4LcVN97RQ

Spotify Artists. (2015). How spotify is contributing to the music industry. http://www.spotifyartists.com/spotify-explained/

Wolfe-Wylie, W. (2012). Music piracy hurts. Toronto Sun. http://www.torontosun.com/2012/05/12/music-piracy-hurts

Citizenship in a Digital Age

Digital literacy is about helping our students develop the skills and behaviours to be successful in a digital age. This includes supporting our students in how to find, access, and use information they find online, communicating through various digital medias, collaborating with others and making smart decisions while using technology that demonstrates being a good citizen. 

As technology becomes more accessible to the masses, digital tools provide educators and students with an unlimited amount of resources and access to information. Students need to be able to not only access the internet but be critically analyze what they discover, the source of information and its validity.

With Web 2.0, the user experience has gone from just consuming digital content to engaging and interacting with it. The ability to connect and collaborate with someone from across the globe has become easy with the various social media platforms. Through this, students can connect with experts to raise the quality of their work by getting information from the source. In doing so, students need to be aware of how their online communication really should not be that different from their offline communication. Respect, kindness and common sense should continue no matter if you blur the lines of communication to a virtual platform. 

Above all, we must continue to educate our students with how to be a good citizen with how to be a good digital citizen simply as an extension of citizenship. Our students should understand that the choices they make online will remain present for all to see in the future. The pictures they post give insight into the type of person they are and their identity that extends offline. As they continue to build their online relationships, they must think about how this impacts their lives on a greater scale. 

Perhaps calling referring to as 'digital citizenship' is too narrowing. Being a good person is being a good person. Rather, we are educating our students of how to be a good citizen in an increasingly more digitalized world. As we educate our students for an unknown tomorrow, we must provide them with the appropriate skills and behaviours that allow them to be successful in a digital age - not only online but in every day life as well. 

Image from: https://www.iste.org/explore/articledetail?articleid=192

Digital Literacy

Digital literacy is helping our students develop the skills and behaviours to be successful in a digital age. This includes supporting our students in how to find, access, critically analyze, and use information they find online, communicating through various digital medias, collaborating with others and making smart decisions while using technology that demonstrates being a good citizen.