Digital Literacy

5 Reasons Digital Literacy Is Important for Educators

Teachers combine the systems of education and technology by implementing digital literacy in the classroom. Digital literacy focuses on the ability to find, assess and use information with the aid of digital tools such as social media, web browsers and online discussion boards. Digital literacy is beneficial for students and teachers as it can promote academic growth and teach students how to effectively use digital tools in different areas of their lives. In this article, we discuss what digital literacy in the classroom is and why it's important for students and educators to use.

What is digital literacy in the classroom? Digital literacy in the classroom refers to having the knowledge and ability to use a broad range of digital tools such as smart phones, tablets and computers for a variety of educational purposes. While in class, students can use these tools to explore content for different subject areas, connect with other students regarding academic topics and to create their own digital content related to the curriculum they're learning in the classroom.

How is digital literacy beneficial to students? Digital literacy gives students another way to learn information in a classroom setting. Students can even use their digital literacy skills outside of school and continue to use many of them into adulthood. Here are some benefits of digital literacy for students in a classroom:

Digital tools are online resources that make completing tasks simpler. There are numerous digital tools available to students and educators alike. Using most digital devices, students can browse the internet and utilize email, social media, blog posts, networking and discussion boards. Digital literacy gives teachers the chance to teach students to use these tools to their advantage. It also gives students a learning environment where they can practice applying them in an educational setting.

Effective content searches Students can use the internet to search for a variety of information such as research for an upcoming report or looking up how to conduct an experiment in science class. Using digital literacy in the classroom even teaches students effective strategies for finding credible information. Teachers can help students identify when websites contain biased or misinformed material so they can avoid that information and find reliable content from relevant sources.

Proper citations Through effective teaching strategies, educators can teach students how to cite their sources and how to create citations online. Thanks to digital literacy, students can use online plagiarism checkers to verify that they've correctly cited their information. Using digital literacy in this sense gives students the opportunity to learn about the importance of giving someone credit when they use their published work in their own writing.

Respect for others' opinions and ideas There are numerous blog posts, podcasts and vlogs, or video blogs, on the internet that feature different opinions of people from around the world. Providing students with access to some of this content in an academic setting allows them to connect with the opinions of others who might have points of view that challenge their own. Teachers can use these instances to teach students how to respond to new opinions and ideas respectfully.

For example, if a class listens to a podcast that focuses on a topic where students have conflicting viewpoints, the teacher can model appropriate ways to discuss their own opinions in a way that's respectful to all parties involved. The teacher can then give students the opportunity to use technology to post respectful comments that express their views on the subject.

Prepare for interviews with practice questions and tips Five reasons digital literacy is important for educators to use Digital literacy gives educators a chance to combine their educational and technological expertise, which can help students become more familiar with digital tools. This helps students find and use information both inside the classroom and in real-world scenarios. Here are five reasons digital literacy is important for teachers to use with their students:

1. Enhances student engagement When teachers implement digital literacy in the classroom, it helps keep students engaged in their schoolwork. Technology is a common factor in their daily lives, so utilizing different digital mediums such as blog posts, podcasts and networking opportunities provides a modern approach to engaging students in the classroom curriculum. For example, rather than writing a summary on an article they read in class, students can create a video summary. This demonstrates their understanding of the article while also allowing them to create original content using digital media.

2. Improves academic performance Digital literacy can improve the academic performance of students by allowing them to create content such as presentations, videos and blog posts. When they use digital tools to create their own original content, many of them can understand the material better and are more likely to retain the information. Digital literacy in the classroom allows students to express their ideas and discoveries in inventive ways, all while improving their ability to perform well academically.

3. Creates more opportunities for collaboration Teachers incorporate collaboration in their lessons to engage students in the material and to help them have academic discussions with their peers. Digital literacy provides them with even more opportunities for collaboration. Students can create and edit presentations simultaneously on different computers, share and edit notes through cloud-based software, discuss classroom topics through group messaging apps and reply to one another's discussion posts on educational forums. These collaboration methods give teachers the opportunity to teach students how to communicate effectively through the use of digital literacy, which students can continue to use in adulthood.

4. Prepares students for the job market Many jobs in the workforce have technology-related requirements. After high school or college, students may need to meet these qualifications in order to secure employment. Using multiple forms of digital literacy in the classroom can help students feel comfortable completing different digital tasks that employers might ask them to perform in the workplace.

As a teacher, you can give your students digital assignments so they can experiment with different online programs and tools they may use in their future careers. Doing this gives your students a chance to familiarize themselves with tools like spreadsheets and word documents, and teaches them how to research credible content.

5. Applies to most subject areas and fields Teachers can use digital literacy in nearly every subject area. Depending on the subject area they teach, they can implement different digital literacy strategies tailored to the materials their students learn in class.

For example, students in a civics class can join full discussions in online communities where they post their thoughts on civics-related topics. This shows them what it's like to be part of a collective group of people, which is a skill they can use long after they graduate from school. Similarly, students in different science classes may need to conduct research on the validity of the information they learned in class. For example, they can learn how to identify biased media and learn which sources to use when looking for valid information.