Friday, January 15, 2010

Digital Literacy

Literacy can be defined as an ability to read and write; however, this definition would have seemed plausible only until a couple of decades ago. Over the last few decades, the modes of communications for human beings have changed drastically, mainly from print and face-to-face verbal conversation to digital technologies. Most of the modern people with some knowledge about and access to computers would turn to the Internet search engines instead of traditional -printed- encyclopedia; e-mails instead of hand-written letters; and weblogs instead of paper-based journals or diaries. Such digitally presented information is extremely influential because they can not only be reproduced but also be modified at a rapid rate and reach out enormous number of audience. Therefore, to be able to appropriately use the technologies as well as digital information, one needs to be digitally literate – has the knowledge and skills to intelligently use and apply the digital technology in useful and efficient ways in daily life, and more importantly, critically evaluate the information, its source and its validity.

As deeply as the digital technology is embedded in the modern life, one could put him or herself at a high risk if digitally illiterate. Such person is likely to unknowingly pass on personal information to complete strangers, or blindly trust any information offered online. Moreover, not knowing how to cleverly utilize the digital technology and information can hinder one’s learning and limit his or her opportunities to broaden the knowledge and perspectives. On the other hand, a digitally literate person would be capable of filtering out legitimate information from the Internet, communicate efficiently with others and even use the technology in novel and multiple ways to enhance the learning experience. Therefore, it is vital in this era of information technology to possess digital literacy, especially when digital technology will only grow in the future.

Works Cited
Freedman, Terry. "What is digital literacy?" Web log post. Digi Teen. Vicki Davis, 6 Apr. 2009. Web. 11 Jan. 2010. .
"What is Digital Literacy?" Computer Education Group Australian Capital Territory, 2008. Web. 11 Jan. 2010. .
Posted by at

2 comments:

  1. Eric RaynalJanuary 17, 2010 at 9:18 PM

    Well written! A couple of personal recommendations for your writing.

    Try to avoid the use of the ambiguous 'one' as a person. Try to figure out another way to write what you want to say, or pick a specific group of people that you are targeting that statement to. Same comment to the use of 'him or herself.'

    Good job tying in the consequences of being digitally illiterate, and then comparing it to the advantages of being digitally literate.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Jason DoJanuary 17, 2010 at 9:50 PM

    I like the approach that you took, being digitally literate to be able to use the information databases that are strewn across the internet. It is true that in today's world, a materialistic medium such as paper and books are being gradually phased out of existence with the onset of technology. Since one can search for various databases and articles to obtain particular information, I would agree with your point that being digitally literate allows one to verify whether a source is trustworthy or not. Thus, having this definition of "digital literacy" further pursues one's desire to gain reliable information by being well versed in an understanding of technology.

    ReplyDelete

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)