What is digital media literacy?
DefinitionDigital media literacy is a pedagogical framework which equips learners with the skills to participate in a 21st century society. These skills go beyond a learner's ability to use technology. Instead it teaches a student how to critically approach, communicate, wisely access, create and evaluate messages in a number of mediums (from print to digital devices). These skills are also taught through media literacy, however digital literacy appears to include media literacy according to Belshaw (2011). As a result of this digital literacy establishes a learner's awareness of the role of media in society, and develops/builds upon the students' sense curiosity and inquiry (Thoman & Jolls, 2005).
Other interpretations...According to Belshaw (2011) the definition for digital [media] literacy is met with ambiguity. The selection or determination of one specific definition is therefore a contested space. Belshaw (2011) acknowledges the importance of recognising that each definition is contextualised and must be revisable for our changing state of society. Once more, he stipulates that digital literacy should be recognised as a plural set of skills (eight essential elements of digital literacy), rather than a singular competency (Belshaw, 2011) He expands upon this in his thesis .
Cator (2011) suggests that digital [media] literacy has three sections. The first section is an individual’s ability to use information efficiently and effectively- to locate it, consume it, analyse, and utilise it to resolve a problem. Secondly, this section encapsulates a person’s ability to use media and digital technologies to collaborate and communicate successfully. Lastly, is the development of digital citizenship through the intentional teaching of how to behave in an online environment. This skill aims to develop a learner’s personal responsibility and awareness as they live in a globally networked society. In relation to this Netsafe (n.d.) and New Zealand educators devised a simple explanation outlining digital literacy and a model for a digital New Zealand citizen (in the next paragraph). "Digital Literacy is the ability to use ICTs as a tool to access, share and demonstrate learning" In this video the creators of digital programmes such as Facebook, Twitter, and Microsoft discuss the importance of individuals knowing how to write code. However these authors have an advanced level of digital media literacy, therefore they support the implementation of digital media literacy.
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In this video Doug Belshaw describes the eight essential literacies and provides understandable explanations to how an educator may approach digital literacy
Netsafe (n.d) maintain that digital literacy is the implementation and effective use of technical and social skills to equip an individual to safely and successfully participate in and understand the new ever-changing digital world. According to Netsafe and New Zealand educators (n.d) this twenty-first century competency has become an essential proficiency in order to be a “confident, connected and actively involved life long learner” (Ministry of Education, 2008, p. 7) In addition to this, they have devised a model to describe a New Zealand digital citizen
"A digital citizen is,
In this video, Stephanie Couch provides another digital literacy definition, and explains why it is important.
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