The way we communicate and interact with others has been largely impacted by the advances in technology. Technology has not only altered the life of adults but it has brought about major changes in the way how children learn as well. This is why imparting digital literacy in the classroom has become all the way more essential.
What is Digital Literacy?
Digital Literacy can be defined as the ability to efficiently use digital tools and various technology platforms to solve problems, bring in collaboration, develop innovative solutions, and heighten communication. It also includes becoming aware of social responsibility and how one must behave in online environments.
The Need for Digital Literacy in the Classroom
- The Need for Digital Literacy for Learning
With digital literacy, students acquire the much-needed confidence in utilizing digital tools for their overall development. With the knowledge of how to use digital tools, students can easily look for meaningful content whenever needed. As an example; though it is easier to buy argumentative essay online; students with digital literacy will be more aligned towards finding the material online and constructing their own essays.
Furthermore, this aids and assists the students in developing their analytical capabilities. With all the material readily available online; students can build their own insights thereby creating and sharing their own content as well.
- The Need for Digital Literacy for Growing into Responsible Citizens
With almost everything going digital, there is a serious need for instilling the sense and the habit of positive and judicious use of digital tools and the content. Digital tools are a must to upgrade ourselves and get connected to the world. However, the same digital tools can be used for nefarious purposes as well.
That’s why the need for digital literacy starts in the classroom. Students must learn and imbibe in themselves the responsible, honest, and ethical utilization of digital tools and content. Moreover, the sense of social understanding that goes along with the positive use of digital tools can be best imparted right in the classroom when a student is just beginning to learn about the technology around him/her.
- The Need for Digital Literacy in Career Growth
The modern workplaces of today need its employees to be comfortable around digital tools. They not only desire that their prospective employee knows how to go along with the digital tools, but also has the ability to utilize these digital tools for the overall development of the organization. Furthermore, professional ethics come to play with digital tools as well. An employee must follow safe practices when utilizing the digital tools provided by the organization and endorse honest, responsible, and ethical usage.
All of this cannot be immediately inculcated by a person. This needs to start at an early age. Again, this clearly indicates how important digital literacy in a classroom is. Digital literacy, when imparted in the classroom, promotes lifelong learning and enables the student to take on the professional and career-related challenges that he/she has to face in the future.
- The Need for Digital Literacy to Protect Ourselves in Online Environments
Students are most vulnerable to online traps laid down by hackers and other negative elements in the online world. While there are agencies designated to track and prevent cybercrimes, there is a need to educate the young folks as well.
With their minds still developing, it is very easy for the students to fall into different kinds of online traps. Hence, imparting digital literacy right from the beginning is extremely essential so that a student knows what is right and what is incorrect in the online world. By becoming literate digitally, a student has the required knowledge to use the digital tools for his/her benefits and not fall prey to the seemingly attractive traps laid down by the nefarious elements in the online community.
- The Need for Digital Literacy to build modern classrooms
Last, but not the least, digital literacy is a must to build modern classrooms. This means that apart from students, even teachers must be digitally literate and competent enough to operate all the digital tools at their disposal so as to make the process of learning easier, fun, and more collaborative for the students. In a traditional classroom setup, a teacher cannot focus on every student; however, a modern classroom allows a teacher to be in touch with each and every student under their roll. Thus no one will be left behind.
Final Words
All of the above points direct at one thing. The process of becoming digitally literate must start at an early age as it plays a critical role in determining one’s quality of life.
