Saturday, September 29, 2018
ACQUISITION OF DIGITAL LITERACY: A POWERFUL TRANSACTION COMPETENCY OF TEACHERS IN DIGITAL LEARNING SPACE.
ACQUISITION OF DIGITAL LITERACY: A
POWERFUL TRANSACTION COMPETENCY OF TEACHERS IN DIGITAL LEARNING SPACE.
S.R.Prasanth
Research
Scholar
Dept. of Life Long
Learning,
Alagappa
University, Karaikud
Abstract
Digital literacy
of an educators is the most relevant criteria that decides learning outcome of
learners in the digitalised education system. Digital literacy is the ability
of an educator to use digital tools in classrooms. Most of us already aware of
the advantages of using digital medium in education. There are numerous
benefits students can get through digital medium. Same is the case with the
impact of digital literacy among teachers. Digital Literacy does not mean those
technology which can be used for teaching students alone. Digital Technology
helps teachers run class smoothly as well as acquiring necessary skills for
educating the future generation
Key
Words : Digital Literacy, Media Literacy, Informatics Literacy
INTRODUCTION
Digital
literacy plays a vital role in defining a child’s ability to succeed both in
school and throughout their lives. This is an inherent aspect of 21st century
education, which is the spine of our educational pedagogy. A good teacher focus
on applying innovative teaching methods that arm our students with the
skillsets they need to succeed throughout their education and as they enter the
workplace. Some educators still feel that we live in an ‘age of
distraction’ and that students must be pried away from their devices if
they are ever going to focus long enough to learn. Digital Literacy enables educators to use
technology to enhance, enrich, and augment classroom learning with active and
engaging learning activities. As technology is further incorporated into the
classroom setting, educators have the ability to expand children’s learning and
enhance their 21st century skills. When done correctly, educators can use
technology as a way to encourage learning and bring experiences to children in
a way that they will embrace, enjoy, and benefit from for the rest of their
lives.
DIGITAL LITERACY
"The ability to find, evaluate,
utilize, share, and create content using information technologies and the
Internet." -- Cornell University.
Digital literacy is the “ability to access, process,
understand and create information or media content in the digital environment”.
“A digitally literate person will possess a range of digital skills, knowledge
of the basic principles of computing devices, skills in using computer
networks, an ability to engage in online communities and social networks while
adhering to behavioral protocols, be able to find, capture and evaluate
information, an understanding of the societal issues raised by digital
technologies and possess critical thinking skills.” It involves a working
knowledge of current high-technology, and an understanding of how it can be
used. Further, digital literacy involves a consciousness of the technological
forces that affect culture and human behavior. Digitally literate people can communicate
and work more efficiently, especially with those who possess the same knowledge
and skills. Research around digital literacy is concerned with wider aspects
associated with learning how to effectively find, use, summarize, evaluate,
create, and communicate information while using digital technologies, not just
being literate at using a computer. Digital literacy encompasses all digital
devices, such as computer hardware, software (particularly those used most
frequently by businesses), the Internet, and cell phones. A person using these
skills to interact with society may be called a digital citizen.”
Digital Literacy and Education
Digital literacy is a new literacy and can
be decomposed into several sub-literacies. One such decomposition considers
digital literacy as embracing computer literacy, network
literacy, information literacy and social media literacy.
Previous conceptualizations of digital literacy focused on the practical skills
associated with using computers (now considered computer literacy). These
include hardware skills, such as connecting devices, and software skills, such
as using application packages. Contemporary conceptualizations of digital
literacy add to these traditional skills, and embrace knowledge, skills,
attitudes and behaviors, particularly with respect to networked devices (which
include smartphones, tablets and personal computers). Digital literacy differs
from computer literacy in a number of significant ways. While it embraces the
practical skills that computer literacy incorporates, there is a much greater
focus on sociological, political, cultural, economic and behavioral aspects of
digital technologies.
As a pedagogical approach in curriculum design, the
implementation of digital literacy affords far-reaching advantages. The
internet is both a source of information and communication that has increased
exponentially internationally. Subsequently, integrating technology into the
classroom in a meaningful way, exposes students to a range of literacy
practices called multi-literacies which broadens their outlook and widens
vistas of information and knowledge which is highly constructive. This
methodology embraces the constructivist theory of learning (Bruner, 1978)
wherein learners draw from their existing knowledge in order to construct new
learning.
Given the many varied implications that digital
literacy has on students and educators, pedagogy has responded by emphasizing
four specific models of engaging with digital mediums. Those four models are
text participating, code breaking, text analyzing, and text using. These
methods present students (and other learners) with the ability to fully engage
with the media, but also enhance the way the individual is able to relate the
digital text to their lived experiences.
Elements of Digital
Literacy
·
Network literacy. Be able
to use computer networks. Network literacy is an emerging digital literacy that
deals with computer network knowledge and skills. It is linked to computer
literacy and information literacy.
·
Informatics
literacy. Be able to write computer programs and understand
principles behind computation
·
Media literacy: repertoire of competencies that enable people to analyze, evaluate,
and create messages in a wide variety of media modes, genres, and formats .
·
Social media literacy: is a
concept close to digital literacy.
Use of social medias for information exchange.
Web literacy: comprises
the skills and competencies needed for reading, writing and participating on
the web.
·
Communication and
collaboration literacy, very closely related to some
"networking" components of digital literacies and social literacy.
·
Scientific literacy:
Explaining phenomena scientifically, Evaluating and designing scientific
enquiry, Interpreting data and evidence scientifically.
Advantages of Digital Literacy for Teachers and
Students
Teachers should see digital technology as a medium for
learning something new. It is not necessary to be an expert in digital media at
first, but see it as a continuous process of learning. This will happen only
when the educational institution itself supports learning atmosphere for
teachers inside and outside campus. Only when teachers are given time and
freedom this can happen but the use of digital medium also need to be monitored
for over use.
Teachers should try learning through new mediums and
think outside their comfort zone for trying something new. Most of the learning
can get help through videos and tutorials available online. Only when teachers
take the digital media learning process as a challenge results will be
obtained. It should also be taken care that the learning process is not
limited inside the classroom alone. Teachers should also allow students learn
themselves instead of helping them for all their doubts. This can make the
students explore other possibilities and learn quickly. Following are the
benefits of acquiring digital literacy:
·
Increased Student Engagement
When
students get to use technology, they’re automatically more engaged. Kids love
technology, and incorporating it into lessons gets students excited about
learning. Adding technology to existing lesson plans can boost student
engagement without requiring teachers to do a lot of extra work.
·
More Collaboration
Technology
makes it easier for students to collaborate with one another. Students can work
on projects together, communicate effortlessly at home or in the classroom, and
share their work online.
·
Improve Digital Literacy
Digital
literacy is a fundamental skill for students in the 21st century. Knowing
how to use technology and the internet will be required in almost every job
that students might have in the future.
·
Automate Grading
In
the past, teachers have spent hours after school and on weekends grading
papers. There are tons of tools that can cut down on this time, automating
grading and making measuring student progress simple.
·
Get Student Data
Technology
can also make measuring student progress through data much easier. Many
programs can automatically give teachers data on students, quickly and easily
showing what skills students have mastered and what they need to work on.
·
Stay In Touch 24/7
With
technology and the internet, students and teachers can stay in touch all the
time. There are a variety of apps that allow students to communicate with
teachers (without teachers giving out their personal email or phone number).
Students can get homework help and teachers can send important reminders.
·
Keep Up With Classroom Management
There
are lots of tools designed to help teachers with classroom management. Teachers
can keep track of student behaviors and keep parents informed using technology.
·
Flip The Classroom
The
flipped classroom, where students learn through reading or lecture videos at
home then do projects or discuss what they learned in the classroom. This
innovative new way of teaching and learning is taking the world of education by
storm.
·
Have More Fun
Technology
can be used to make learning more fun. There are tons of educational games and
apps that get students excited and turn learning into a game instead of a
chore.
·
Get Creative
With
digital tools, students can do more creative work. Students can create online
presentations and digital art to showcase what they’ve learned.
·
Go Paperless
Going
paperless is a popular way for schools to save money. By putting more materials
online and utilizing technology, teachers can cut back on the number of copies
they make and save paper.
·
Publish And Present Student Work
Instead
of creating a presentation that no one outside the classroom will see, students
can use the internet to publish their work for the entire world to see.
·
Do More Research
Learning
how to do research is an important skill that teachers have always taught..
Students can complete research projects without spending hours in the library
and can even continue their research at home.
·
Learn To Code
Computer
programming is an increasingly in-demand skill. There are a variety of tools
for teaching students how to code, even in elementary school.
·
Teachers Save Time
Teachers
spent long hours creating lesson plans and grading papers. With technology and
the internet, teachers can find lesson plans and free materials online. Plus,
apps and programs designed to grade student work can save even more time.
·
Raise Test Scores
Digitalisation
helps to improve student achievement and
raise test scores. Tools that help with test prep and measure students’ progress
can help teachers bring up scores.
·
Bring The Classroom Home
With
technology learning doesn’t have to stop when students go home. Students can
continue their learning at home using the internet.
·
Find Free Materials
Teachers
don’t have to pay for workbooks anymore. There are tons of free materials
online that can help busy teachers throw together lesson plans in minutes.
·
Turn Review Into A Game
There
are tons of apps available that turn review activities or test prep into fun
games for students. This can make otherwise boring review fun and exciting.
·
Personalize Learning For Every Student
Digital
literacy helps teachers differentiate learning. Students can each work on
something different on their individual devices, with each student focusing on
their own areas of weakness.
·
Stop Buying Expensive Textbooks
Thanks
to the internet, schools no longer have to spend money each year on new
textbooks. Information is readily available online, and it’s more up-to-date
than with old print books.
·
Provide Remediation
There
are lots of resources available to help remediate students using technological
gadgets. Students who are below grade-level can use digital tools to get caught
up.
·
Provide Acceleration
Technology
isn’t just for remediation—it can also be used for acceleration. Students who
are bored with the material the rest of the class is working on can complete
additional projects and accelerate their learning using digital tools.
·
Bring Your Classroom Into The
21st Century
It just makes sense to incorporate more technology
into the classroom. Teachers are responsible for preparing students for a
21st century world, and exposing them to technology is a part of that.
Preservice teachers need to be disposed to digital
literacy learning themselves, which means they must master the digital
competencies they would like to foster among their students. Preservice
teachers must experience the digital composing process from a student
perspective. That means they experience a mélange of frustration and wonder as
they become immersed in digital learning and incorporate new digital inquiry
methods that match essential questions to authentic tasks.
The supply of digital applications and sources for
instructional purposes is far-ranging, indeed, and a
bit overwhelming for preservice teachers. Yet, because digital
literacies inspire educators to reconsider what it means to be
knowledge-holders in society, they also validate the real-world forms of
literacy that students possess. When preservice teachers are required to find,
understand, evaluate, create, and communicate digital information in a wide
variety of formats, they inspire learning in their students. Preservice
teachers need to complete their undergraduate programs with the skills to
engage, participate, and teach in a world in which literacy must keep pace with
rapidly changing technologies.
In-service education can play a significant role in
the professional growth of teachers and function as an agent for change in
school-related practices. It helps teachers gain confidence to use digital
gadgets, by engaging with their practices and reaffirming their experiences. It
provides opportunities to engage with other teachers professionally and to
update knowledge. The Education Commission (1964–66) recommended that
in-service education for teachers should be organised by universities and
teacher organisations to enable every teacher to use digital tools in the
classroom; that such programmes should be based on research inputs and organise
programmes like refresher courses, seminars, workshops and summer institutes.
The Report of the National Commission on Teachers (1983–85) mooted the idea of
Teachers' Centres that could serve as meeting places, where talent could be
pooled and teaching experiences shared. It suggested that teachers could go to
centres of learning on study leave. The NPE (1986) linked in-service and
pre-service teacher education on a continuum; it visualised the establishment
of District Institutes of Education and Training (DIETs) in each district,
upgradation of 250 colleges of education as Colleges of Teacher Education
(CTEs), and establishment of 50 Institutes of Advanced Studies in Education
(IASEs), and strengthening of the State Councils of Educational Research and
Training (SCERTs). The in-service and refresher courses should be related to
the specific needs of teachers, and training must be given to enrich digital
literacy level of teachers.
Conclusion
Acquiring maximum level of digital
literacy will help the teachers to mould the learners to become highly talented
digital citizens. Teachers must show keen interest to develop maximum digital
literacy by reading journal and books related to e-learning tools, they must
watch video tutorials and conduct practical sections by themselves in the use
of modern educational gadgets, also must take participate in seminars and
workshops related to use of digital tools in classrooms.
Bibliography
1. Belshaw, D. (2014).The Essential
elements of digital literacies. Retrieved from http://digitalliteraci.es/
2.
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/318508429_Digital_Literacy_for_the_21st_Century/download
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)