This week was all about digital literacy. It was explained in this reading that digital literacy is the skill set needed to write, read, and communicate efficiently in a digital space or online space. Before reading and reviewing our class discussion about digital literacy I had the same ideas in mind as to what the definitions could be. The reading definitely clarified some things I was unsure of. I know that regular literacy is the ability to read and write so keeping this in mind, digital literacy couldn’t be that far from what I already knew.
Scholars
One thing that I did not know was that the definition can be so complex. The definition starts a debate between scholars. Some individuals say that it is a completely different realm than regular lit. Others say that digital literacy is another realm. It is a realm that is complex because it implements so many different forms of communication. As discussed in class, these different outlets are known as multiliteracies.
Knowledge
Some of the key takeaways I took away from this reading was that digital literacy is a term that is way more complex than I originally thought. It is mainly about being able to use and understand the different types of media to communicate on digital platforms. This then transitions into digital rhetoric. As discussed in class, digital rhetoric uses digital tools to influence other individuals. With this rhetoric it uses multiple mediums to relay rhetorical messages.
When comparing the two, rhetoric and literacies I found that rhetoric looks more convincing and aims to be visually appealing. One direct example of this would also be from our class discussion about the thermometer picture. Rhetoric displays information in inaccurate ways yet it convinces the audience. When it comes to literacy, it can be more subjective.
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