Digital Literacy for Teacher

Improving the ability and awareness of teachers to know and master information technology including the use of computers of course a positive and proud and 'quality improvement' by making computer-based learning media so that more interesting, communicative, adaptive and most principles can connect students in the understanding Real and meaningful. Here I will share information about digital literacy for teachers

 

What is Digital Literacy?

The ability to use digital technology, communication tools or networks to locate, evaluate, use and create information.

The ability to understand and use information in multiple formats from a wide range of sources when it is presented via computers.

A person’s ability to perform tasks effectively in a digital environment... Literacy includes the ability to read and interpret media, to reproduce data and images through digital manipulation, and to evaluate and apply new knowledge gained from digital environments.

 

It makes sense to assume that the more digitally literate our teachers are, the more they'll employ these skills in the classroom, which will in turn foster a strong sense of digital citizenship in our students. However, the importance and scope of digital literacy extends beyond this simple theory. Here, we've laid out seven reasons why digital literacy skills are important for today's teachers.

 

1. Moving Beyond Google

 

Google is a powerful tool. Students with access to a computer and the Internet are able to find the answers to not only simple questions, but also incredibly complex problems. 

Teach students to evaluate and question their sources.  Students need to know the difference between a trustworthy and untrustworthy source.

 

Is their source an academic website or a marketing company?

When was the source last updated?

How many other sites link to this source as a reference?

Is the information presented in objective or biased language?

Teach students how to draw a strong conclusion. Sure, students might find the right answer to a problem, but what use is that search if they’ve only memorized the logic to get them there? It’s up to teachers to teach that logic and to contextualize the answer.

 

Push students to new levels of creativity. Once students have a deeper understanding of the answers they’ve found, push for creative application of that knowledge. This could be anything from challenging students to pose related questions to having students use other digital platforms to create something new. Examples include:

 

Film a science experiment based on the answer they’ve found.

Record a history podcast that tells the story of how their answer came to be.

Write an investigative journalism piece on that same topic.

Again, digital literacy does not mean knowing how to use every piece of software students will encounter. Teachers should encourage students to seek out and learn the software they need to know in order to do what’s required.

Teach students to evaluate and question their sources.  Students need to know the difference between a trustworthy and untrustworthy source.

2. Teaching Digital Citizenship

 

Being a good digital citizen means understanding and applying appropriate and responsible uses of internet and technology. Two issues top the list when it comes to digital citizenship: academic plagiarism and cyberbullying.

 

3. Academic Plagarism

 

In a culture where students are constantly sharing content, they may not know what plagiarism is, let alone when they’re doing it. Teachers should set clear anti-plagiarism policies at the beginning of each year.

 

4. Cyberbullying

 

Cyberbullying is bullying that takes place through the use of electronic technology, and is a pervasive issue in schools and online communities. And while today’s students may be digital natives, they still need to be taught that social norms apply to online behavior. Resources should be in place to prevent cyberbullying and to help students who are being bullied.

 

4. Expanding Conceptions of the Digital World

 

While students may be adept at using digital tools, their understanding of what these tools can do is often limited.

 

For example, students use Instagram to post photos but don’t think to use the platform for art or history projects. They record themselves with a voice memo app but do not realize those apps could also be used for journalism projects or a historical narrative piece. Digitally literate teachers know how to inspire students to use today's technology as a powerful toolset to expand their learning opportunities.

5. Improving the Technology

 

There is a distinct lack of current educators working with education technology companies. This is problematic because it often means that teachers are consulted about a product late in the design process — or often not at all. While the technology created may be sound, whether or not it’s actually relevant to the classroom is debatable. And since teachers aren’t regularly consulted to see what tech solutions they need for their classrooms, there are a wealth of potential products that are never made in the first place.

 

Teacherpreneurs are starting to change this — and they’re drawn largely from the ranks of the digitally literate. These are teachers who saw the need for new digital solutions in their classrooms and made them on their own. While teachers should in no way be required or pressured to make their own digital solutions, when they do, they tend to be relevant and widely applicable.

http://nicenet.org/ICA/class/conf_topic_show.cfm?topic_id=962001