It is easy to assume that because most college students use phones, social media, and the internet every day, that they know how to use technology in an academic or creative way. However Technological Familiarity & Multimodality, shows that being familiar with technology does not automatically mean that someone is digitally literate. There is a difference between using technology for entertainment and actually knowing how to create something meaningful with it.
Knowing how to scroll through Instagram is not the same as knowing how to make a video, edit an image, or create a website. The amount of time someone spends online does not reflect their level of technological skills.
There is a general assumption that young people understand technology very well because they’ve grown up with it. But, teachers should also not assume that every student that enters their classroom has the same amount of technological experience. Some students will find tasks simple while others may need more guidance.
Writing in digital spaces is not just about using technology. It is about understanding how to use digital tools effectively to communicate. Digital literacy is something that people develop through practice and experience.
Students are expected to complete digital assignments without being taught every single step. If a student is struggling with a specific digital tool, their difficulty with the technology can distract them from the actual purpose of the assignment. So instead of focusing on their ideas, they will be struggling to understand how to use the technology required for their assignment.
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