Digital Literacy
***Steps onto soapbox***
It is our job to prepare our students for a future that we are not sure what it looks like. When you look back on the last 10 years and how much the technological world has changed, we have to admit that we have no idea what will be available for our students when they enter adulthood. We have a tendency to believe that because a 2 year old can navigate an iPad, that all children who have grown up in this time are technologically savvy. It is imperative that we remember that just because our students are digital natives does not mean that they are digitally literate.
Consider: (Stats from Pew Research Center)
• 92% of teens report that they go online daily
• 71% of teens use more than one social network
• 86% of adults 18-29 own a Smart Phone (83% 30-49)
• 81% of adults 18-29 who prefer to read the news find their information online
Our students are going to reach adulthood in a time where they can find any information they need in their pocket. In. Their. Pocket. And they will be able to find someone who will tell them whatever they want to hear at that moment. Digital literacy is the ability to navigate media in all of its forms. It is the ability to not only find information, but to be able to know what information is valid and reliable. It is being able to use that information in all of its formats. What it means to be digitally literate changes every day and we have to work in order to change with it.
Technology integration is not about using technology for technologies sake. It is not a “check” that you need to mark in order to make sure that your lesson is complete. The technology should be enhancing your lessons. It should add excitement to your lessons. It should (eventually) make your life easier. It should be teaching your students how to use technology responsibly.
Last week we had a wind tunnel lesson in the library and students were asked to create a project that would hover between 2 lines for 10 seconds. 99% of the students brought their first version up to the wind tunnel and it failed the test. Did they cry? Goodness no. They went back to their tables, talked about what went right and wrong, modified their approach, and tried again. And sometimes it worked the second time. Most of the time it didn’t. But when they finally were able to meet that goal, the win was amazing. When we attempt technology integration it is not always going to work the first time. And that’s ok. But it is essential to try to model how to use technology appropriately. And if it fails, it fails. We can go back to our teammates, talk about what went wrong, modify our approach and try again.
We can do this. We owe it to our students and to our profession.
***Steps off of soapbox****
It is our job to prepare our students for a future that we are not sure what it looks like. When you look back on the last 10 years and how much the technological world has changed, we have to admit that we have no idea what will be available for our students when they enter adulthood. We have a tendency to believe that because a 2 year old can navigate an iPad, that all children who have grown up in this time are technologically savvy. It is imperative that we remember that just because our students are digital natives does not mean that they are digitally literate.
Consider: (Stats from Pew Research Center)
• 92% of teens report that they go online daily
• 71% of teens use more than one social network
• 86% of adults 18-29 own a Smart Phone (83% 30-49)
• 81% of adults 18-29 who prefer to read the news find their information online
Our students are going to reach adulthood in a time where they can find any information they need in their pocket. In. Their. Pocket. And they will be able to find someone who will tell them whatever they want to hear at that moment. Digital literacy is the ability to navigate media in all of its forms. It is the ability to not only find information, but to be able to know what information is valid and reliable. It is being able to use that information in all of its formats. What it means to be digitally literate changes every day and we have to work in order to change with it.
Technology integration is not about using technology for technologies sake. It is not a “check” that you need to mark in order to make sure that your lesson is complete. The technology should be enhancing your lessons. It should add excitement to your lessons. It should (eventually) make your life easier. It should be teaching your students how to use technology responsibly.
Last week we had a wind tunnel lesson in the library and students were asked to create a project that would hover between 2 lines for 10 seconds. 99% of the students brought their first version up to the wind tunnel and it failed the test. Did they cry? Goodness no. They went back to their tables, talked about what went right and wrong, modified their approach, and tried again. And sometimes it worked the second time. Most of the time it didn’t. But when they finally were able to meet that goal, the win was amazing. When we attempt technology integration it is not always going to work the first time. And that’s ok. But it is essential to try to model how to use technology appropriately. And if it fails, it fails. We can go back to our teammates, talk about what went wrong, modify our approach and try again.
We can do this. We owe it to our students and to our profession.
***Steps off of soapbox****
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