Defining Digital Literacy
Lift a finger if you have done the following:
- Use digital technology (like a computer or smartphone) to communicate with others.
- Use digital tech to navigate online spaces.
- Use digital tech to find information.
If you lifted all of your fingers then, congrats! You are digitally literate.
To be digitally literate is the ability to use digital tech as a tool.
Some Digital Literacy Skills And How to use them
The previously mentioned activities that you have performed are known as digital literacy skills. However, communication, navigation, and research are not the only skills associated with digital literacy. There’s also digital well-being/safety and digital citizenship.
Digital well-being or digital safety is the ability to take the necessary precautions when interacting with online spaces. When writing online it’s best to keep the disclosure of your personal information to a minimum. This also includes personal information about others that isn’t public. If any sort of unwanted information is released to the internet it can be extremely difficult or even impossible to completely redact.
Digital citizenship is the ability to adhere to basic online etiquette. Online etiquette (nicknamed netiquette) is responsible and healthy online behavior. It can include not performing online harassment or not spreading misinformation. An example of good etiquette to practice when writing online is to not plagiarize. Content theft is an easy way to tarnish any sort of credibility you have as a writer and can break your audience’s trust in you. If you must rely on preexisting content or sources for your work make sure to credit and cite them as necessary.
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