Saras reflections

Just another Sola @ KAU site

DO i need digital literacy?

Are we assuming digital literacy these days? And is it fair to do so? In our course descriptions, we write that students need computers and wifi. That seems fair given the era we live in. But we do not write that they must possess some kind of digital literacy, that is assumed. And it seems that it is not just general literacy that we assume but also the will to explore and take responsibility for their own digital knowledge. And maybe sometimes we even equate student responsibility for their learning with their responsibility of digital knowledge. 

Or is it really equal to expect that all the students are digital native (Prensky 2004)? Are we not discriminating against those that just want to learn the subject but not the platform? If the learning goal of the course does not include the literacy of digital platforms then is it fair to require it? Do Universities include everyone, including those that are digitally illiterate? 

I often feel like I’m not coping up with the digital tools and platforms, I have a basic digital literacy and very low motivation to increase it. This goes both for my private and professional life. I’m a visitor on all platforms except for on google scholar. On google scholar I’m a resident, Why? 

Having recently finished my PhD studies, I have had the motivation to engage in learning how I can fine tune my search for literature so that I can find the most relevant articles as fast as possible. As such, one can say that my motivation has been high, not toward google scholar per se but toward finishing my PhD. So, the digital use has just been a tool, a part of my process to reach my goal. 

When reflecting on this, I think that my biggest challenge for enhancing my digital literacy is to understand the use of it. I often see a digital tool as a separate platform, a platform that I don’t want to learn, that I don’t have time to learn. But what if I change my angle of approach? What if I start to see digital platforms as an ingredient in my learning and teaching. 

Having learned about the role of motivation on our digital literacy (White & Le Cornu 2011), and having reflected on what influence my motivation, I think that if I add the use of digital platforms in the constructive alignment when designing a course, I can increase both my own as well as my student’s motivation for increasing digital literacy on the platform. Then, the digital platform and the use of it is no longer an add-on rather a possibility and a necessity to reach the learning goals.

References

Prensky, M. (2004). The emerging online life of the digital native. Retrieved August7, 2008.

White, D. S., & Le Cornu, A. (2011). Visitors and Residents: A new typology for online engagement. First monday.

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