Truly understanding digital literacy is not a task for the weak. With digital literacy encompassing so many different aspects, it’s easy to find yourself feeling lost or confused when trying to actually define it.
This blog is going to take a deep dive into digital literacy- in true “teacher” fashion, breaking apart the word and figuring out a way to better understand the term and define it as a whole.
Defining Literacy
What is literacy? Well, literacy can have two different kinds of definitions. In educational terms, literacy is the ability to read and write. However, in more general terms, it can also mean having competence and knowledge in a specific area or topic. For our goal of defining digital literacy, it would be more beneficial for us to focus on the latter definition.
We all are literate individuals; however, we are all literate in different things. For example, you may have financial literacy, where you understand credit and budgeting and are able to make confident financial decisions, but the person next to you does not have those same abilities. Instead, they have cooking literacy, where they know how to prepare meals, use kitchen equipment, and understand nutrition, something you may not have the same abilities in.
All this to say, to be literate in something is to understand (even at a basic level) the mechanics of that thing and have the ability to interpret and apply information in that area effectively.
So What is Digital Literacy?
In “Digital Rhetoric: Theory, Method, Practice,” author Doug Eyman explained that digital literacy requires its user to have the ability to read and write with a number of sign systems (for example, coded web pages, video, audio, image, and animation) (p. 45). This definition did not make much sense to me, so I conducted some outside research. The definition of digital literacy that I present to you is based on my own gathering of information from several sources.
Digital literacy refers to the ability to use technology tools responsibly, understand their essential functions, and create/evaluate digital content effectively. With this, digital literacy is not just about computers or smartphones; it also covers the importance of navigating the digital world critically and thoughtfully.
Understanding digital literacy is difficult, especially in today’s world where technology is ever-evolving. However, having the most basic version of digital literacy involves having the ability to keep your identity as safe as possible online, knowing how to compose an email or conduct a Google search, or even simply understanding how to turn a device on and off. Digital literacy is a complex topic whose definition is malleable and subjective, but I know for sure that you- yes, you- are digitally literate just by simply finding this blog in my tiny little corner of the internet. 🙂
Want to learn even more about digital literacy? Click here!
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