ACTIVITIES
A. P. Harianah Zaidah
4. Benefits of Digital Literacy
According to Brian Wright (2015) in an infographics entitled Top 10 Benefits of Digital Literacy: Why You Should Care about Technology, the important benefits of digital literacy, namely saving time, learning faster, saving money, making it safer, always getting Up to date information, stay connected, make better decisions, can make you work, make you happier, and it can influence the world. Further explanation as follows:
a. It saves time
A student who gets an assignment for a teacher will know reliable sources of information that can be used as a reference for the purposes of his assignment. Time will be more valuable because in the search and find information it become easier. In some cases, online services will also save time because you do not have to visit the service directly.
b. Learn faster
In this case, for example, a student must look for definitions or important words in a glossary. Compared to looking for a printed reference, it will be faster to use a special application glossary that contain important terms.
c. Save money
Currently there are many special applications that contain the comparison of a product’s discount. For someone who can take advantage of this application, this can save expenses when making online purchases on the internet.
d. It makes us safer
The sources of value and available information on the internet are numerous. This can be a reference when looking at exactly what they need. For example, when someone is going abroad, it is safe to read various specific information about the country to be visited or to get fastest route to the nearest hospital, all of which can be found in the digital world.
e. It keeps us informed
The presence of a trusted application will keep someone up to date with new information makes the world move. That’s why the internet must continue to evolve.
f. Stay connected
Being able to use several applications that are devoted to the communication process will keep people connected. In matters that are important and urgent, this will provide its own benefits.
g. Make better decisions
Digital literacy enables individuals to make better decisions because they are able to seek information, analyze and compare it any time. If the individual is able to make decisions to act, then in fact he has obtained valued information. Priyanto (2013) said that in general, information is valuable if it influences the recipient to make a decision to act.
h. It can keep us employed
Most jobs today require some form of computer skill. With digital literacy, this can help daily work, especially those related
Point or even scientific document management applications such as Mendelay and Zetero.
i. It makes us happier
In Brian Wright’s view, the internet contains a lot of content such as pictures or videos that are entertaining. Therefore, accessing the internet can affect one’s happiness.
j. It can influence the world.
There are writing on the internet can influence the thinking of the readers. By disseminating writing through the right media, it will contribute to the development and change in the dynamics of social life. In a more macro scope, the contribution of someone’s thoughts that are spread through the internet is a form of manifestation that can affect a better life in the world in the future.
As a conclusion from some of the benefits of digital literacy above, digital literacy in its simplest form is learning to use various resources in the virtual world to improve and achieve various things in the real world.
Thus, requiring someone to have online access and know how to use computer basics. This is why everyone should care about digital literacy, 5. Barriers and solutions in implementing digital literacy.
Teachers need to know about how to help the students use technology effectively to enhance modern communication. Stanger (2018) have rounded up some examples of what digital literacy in education looks like in 7 Ways to Teach Digital Literacy
a. Emphasize the importance of critical thinking
According to Stanger (2018), the majority of media consumed
more credible than others. Of course, the fact is that there is a lot of information available to anyone with an internet connection. That means that today’s students are more vulnerable to subconscious messages, misinformation, and fake news. With this in mind, a large part of teaching digital literacy is helping students become critical consumers of information. Begin by encouraging students to ask questions and then find answers directly to the source and check their objectivity. The writer concludes that it is important to teach digital literacy to make students critical consumers of information, teachers should encourage students to always check the objectivity of information sources so that students avoid false information and fake news.
b. Use social media for learning and collaborating
Students in this era are already active on social media, and in many cases, they may be more adept at using it than their teachers.
So, the teacher’s focus should not be in introducing students to the ins and outs of social media, but on demonstrating how social media can be used in an educational context. For example, Pinterest boards, it can be used to provide and receive feedback during group projects, Twitter can be used to create polls for research purposes or find expert sources, and Facebook or LinkInd groups can be used to connect and collaborate with their peers.
c. Provide guidance on how to avoid plagiarism
Stanger (2018) stated that students now may be at risk for plagiarism even unintentionally. This is evidence by a study published in the journal Higher Education found that many students do not understand plagiarism, but they want more information about what
it is and how to avoid it. For example, students often ‘borrow’ ideas or use phrase they find online without properly citing the original work, and are then surprised to learn that this constitutes plagiarism.
Therefore, another important aspect of being digitally literate is learning how to avoid plagiarism by taking good notes, using quotes and citation, and supporting discussions with the right references.
Same with Stanger (2018) idea, the writer argues that there are several ways to avoid plagiarism such us; first, cite the source from which you extracted the information by identifying the source’s full name, published date for words that are not your own. Second, to avoid plagiarism is to use quotation marks around the text to indicate that the words are not yours. Likewise, direct quotations must cite the source so that the reader knows who the quotation came from.
If you mention sources’ ideas or words to frame your own opinion, explore what you have to say about them. Ask yourself what unique perspectives or points you can contribute to your writing that are entirely your own. Third, Change the words and formatting of your writing in an original way, and avoid using too many similar words or phrases from the source. The key is to do this without changing the meaning of the idea itself. Have to remember that if we are still using other people’s ideas, we should include quotes to the source.
Four, using an online plagiarism checker tool can help you pinpoint this issue before submitting your work.
d. Teach students to manage their online identity
Stanger (2018) assumes that we all leave digital footprint and have online identities regardless of whether we consciously manage them or not. Students growing up using social media are more likely
think much about safeguarding their privacy by managing their privacy settings, reading privacy policies, and being respectful in online interactions such as when they meet face to face. Yet in the same way that not managing online identities can have negative implications, taking steps to build a positive identity can be of great benefit to students’ career prospects. In conclusion, teachers and students should learn how to maintain online privacy but also how to share appropriate information and content is an important aspect of a comprehensive digital literacy education.
e. Help students manage digital distractions
Digital tools and online resources have made learning more effective in many ways, but they’ve also brought new distractions with them. Research shows that many of us struggle with digital distraction, which can make us feel distant and drained, and even reduce our enjoyment of experiences. Juggling multiple media streams can also lead students to multi-task, which isn’t a good thing considering that research shows that students who multi-task tend to has lower grades.
So, the ability to manage distractions while utilizing digital tools for learning and professional purposes is another digital literacy skill that shouldn’t be overlooked. Some examples of distraction- management strategies include taking tech breaks throughout the day, muting notifications while studying, using productivity tools, and setting goals around technology use.
f. Provide authentic contexts for practice
Another important part of teaching digital literacy is finding
its real world uses, whether this means giving students opportunities to practice building their own websites and apps, or respectfully engage in online discussions. For example, when teaching students about the important of managing their online identity, you could have them research themselves online to find out what a potential employer would see. You could follow this up with a discussion about their findings, and have them list some of the things they were proud of as well as some of the things they’d like to change.
g. Guide students out of their comfort zone
We all have a comfort zone when it comes to technology, but if we want students to become innovative and well-rounded users of technology, it’s important to guide them out of their comfort zone whenever possible. Of course, thus will mean something different for each student. For example, some students may already be adept at communicating in short and distinct paragraphs and hashtags on Twitter or Instagram, so moving out their comfort zone might mean sharing their opinion through a more in-depth blog post. In other cases, students might already have experience with blogging, in which case they might be interested in trying something a bit more out-of-the-box such as video journals or podcasts.
Whatever the problem, teachers should give students more freedom to choose and encourage them to use technology in new and creative ways as one of the best ways to help them start working after entering the world of work in the future.
The implementation of digital literacy in schools needs to be embedded in a structured learning process, or at least integrated with the learning process. The goal is to monitor the use of digital media. These
skills must be accommodated in the classroom and school environment, so they must be maximally utilized for cognitive, social, language, visual and spiritual skills. The following is how to implement digital literacy in school, quoted from the blog of prometheanworld.com (2020);
a. Collaborate with colleagues
Consider an audit to find out who in your school is already teaching digital literacy as part of their lessons. Such collaborative planning has been shown to improve cross-curricular learning and maximize resources across departmental boundaries, as well as fostering cooperation and trust amongst teachers. Find out how to create more collaborative lessons with Class Flow.
b. Focus on the curriculum
It’s understandable that teachers might get frustrated at “yet another thing” for them to add to an already busy teaching schedule.
But digital literacy doesn’t exist in isolation. Context is key, and the best way to teach digital literacy is to figure out what that means to a particular discipline. For example, English teachers can use blogging to advance digital literacy while Citizenship teachers can present their class with real world problems and encourage pupils to use their computational skills to come up with solutions.
c. Create “modern” classrooms
New pedagogical methods -such as collaborative learning, student-led learning, and flipped classrooms- help teachers to instil deep learning, such evidence-based pedagogy supports digital literacy. Find out more about what makes a classroom modern.
d. Make your lessons digital
It is hard to teach pupils about what’s needed in the online world without using digital tools. So, teachers themselves must embrace digital literacy. Consider using Active Panels and free educational software such as Class Flow to help pupils become engaged in the art of learning online.
e. Create digital ambassadors
In any school, there are digital innovators. Harness their passion and knowledge by creating a digital literacy focus group to help drive and inspire change, while increasing awareness of digital literacies across your school.
f. Engage the teachers
Teachers are time poor, so many schools are avoiding their responsibilities to educate students about digital literacy due to anxieties about their own staff technical abilities. Engage with teachers early on in the process to find out what they need to teach digital literacy. This could be bite-sized guides, case studies, videos, training, or regular drop-in sessions. Ensuring buy-in is vital to your school’s overall success.
g. Engage the pupils
Build robust and productive student-staff partnerships to help develop your school’s digital environment in a way that adds real meaning to them. Encourage older students to express their views on what digital literacy means to them, and what skills they think they need to live, work and learn in an online world. To get your
students started, get them to test their abilities in this quick quiz:
what type of digital learner are you?
The conclusion is that with the implementation of digital literacy in schools, it is hoped that it will provide more benefits for teachers and students in being able to spread ideas and find reliable sources of information. In addition, the use of digital literacy is believed to be able to provide creative, innovative, and contemporary learning innovations.
Conclusion
When students being taught are digital natives who grow with technology in everyday life, this is a big challenge for teachers in teaching in this millennium era. So that this makes teachers have to be digitally literate so that the teaching process is better. In terms of incorporating digital learning into the teaching and learning process, it is not only the role of the teacher that is important, but also the government, online providers, and parents. They must work together to support and protect students in the face of the challenges and threats that come with technology. While digital tools and online resources have made learning more effective in many ways, they also bring about new distractions. So, the ability of teachers to manage distraction while utilizing digital tools for learning and professional purposes is a digital literacy skill that should not be ignored.
The implementation of digital literacy has many benefits. Some of the important benefits of digital literacy are that it saves time, learns faster, saves money, makes it safer, is always up to date with the latest information, stays connected, makes better decisions, can make you work, make you happier, and can influence the world. That’s the importance of teaching them the skills they need to stay safe and thrive in the future.
Bibliography
Amiri, E.(2012). A study of the application of digital technologies in teaching and learning English language and literature.
International Journal of Scientific & Technology Research. 1(5), 103-107.
Bawden, D. (2001). Information and digital literacies: A review of concepts. Journal of documentation, 57(2), 218–259
Bawden, D. (2008). Origins and concepts of digital literacy. Digital literacies: Concepts, policies and practices, 30, 17–32.
Cahyani, Hilda & Cahyono, Bambang Y. (2012). Teachers’ Attitudes And Technology Use In Indonesian EFL Classrooms. TEFLIN Journal.
Hal (23) 130-147. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.15639/teflinjournal.
v23i2/130-148
Calvani, Antonio., Antonio Cartelli, Antonio Fini, Maria Ranieri. (2008).
Models and Instruments for assessing Digital Competence at School. Journal of e-Learning and Knowledge Society Volume 4, Number 3, 2008 ISSN 1826-6223 e-ISSN 1826-6223 Publisher:
Italian e-Learning Association. Retrieved from: https://www.
learntechlib.org/p/43442/
Durriyah, Tati Lathipatud & Zuhdi Muhammad. (2018). Digital Literacy With EFL Student Teachers:Exploring Indonesian Student Teachers’ Initial Perception About Integrating Digital Technologies Into a Teaching Unit. International Journal of Education & Literacy Studies
Eshet-Alkali, Y., & Amichai-Hamburger, Y. (2004). Experiments in digital literacy. Cyberpsychology and Behavior, 7(4), 421–429. https://
doi.org/10.1089/cpb.2004.7.421
Gerrits, Hendrickus., Saur Tampubolon., dkk. 2015. Analisis Pemanfaatan Internet untuk Meningkatkan Profesionalisme Guru. Access on http://ejournal.unpak.ac.id
Gilster, P. (1997), Digital literacy. New York: Wiley Computer Publications Hobbs, Renee. (2011). “Empowering Learners with Digital and Media
Literacy.” Knowledge Quest 39 (5): 12–17. Retrieved from: http://
Jimoyiannis, A., & Gravani, M. (2011). Exploring Adult Digital Literacy Using Learners’ and Educators’ Perceptions and Experiences:
The Case of the Second Chance Schools in Greece. Educational Technology & Society, 14 (1), 217–227.
Johnson, Barbara L. & Sadaf Ayesha. (2017). Teachers’ Beliefs About Integrating Digital Literacy Into Classroom Practice: An Investigation Based on the Theory of Planned Behavior.
Journal of Digital Learning in Teacher Education. doi:
10.1080/21532974.2017.1347534
Martin, A., & Madigan, D. (2006). Digital Literacies for Learning. Facet Publishing.
Marty, F. Paul, Nicole D. Alemannea, Anne Mendenhallb, Manisha Mauryab, Sherry A. Southerlandb, Victor Sampsonb, Ian Douglasc, Michelle M. Kazmera, Amanda Clarkb and Jennifer Schellingerb.
(2013). Scientific inquiry, digital literacy, and mobile computing in informal learning environments http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/17 439884.2013.783596
Mccord, Samantha Shanon. (2015). Digital Literacy in The Classroom:
Teachers’ Attitudes Towards Technology And The Language Curriculum. (Master’s thesis, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada). Retrieved from https://tspace.library.utoronto.ca/
bitstream/1807/72246/1/McCord_Samantha_S_201606_MT_
MTRP.pdf
M. Tayebinik & Puteh, M. (2012). Mobile Learning to Support Teaching English as a Second Language. Journal of Education and Practice, 3, 56-62. Retrieved from https://www.iiste.org/
Olsson, L., & Edman-Stålbrant, E. (2008). Digital literacy as a challenge for Teacher Education. Learning to Live in the Knowledge Society, 281, 11–18. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-09729-9_2 Oriogu, Chuks Daniel. (2018). The Use of Mobile Devices in Learning
Foreign Languages: Survey of a Private University. [PDF file].
Library
Özden, Mehtap. (2018). Digital Literacy Perceptions of the Students in the Department of Computer Technologies Teaching and Turkish Language Teaching. International Journal of Progressive Education, Volume 14 Number 4. pp. 26 – 36. doi: https://doi.
org/10.29329/ijpe.2018.154.3
Priyanto, Ida Fajar (2010), Era Zettabyte dan Matinya Etika: https://
www.academia.edu/4095654/Era_Zettabyte_dan_matinya_
Etika. retrieved: 20 Juli 2020
Sequeira, A. H. (2017). Introduction to Concepts of Teaching dnd Learning. National Institute of Technology Karnataka, Surathkal, India https://www.researchgate.net/publication/272620585 Solikhati, Hana Amri and Pratolo, Bambang Widi (2019) The
Implementation of Digital Literacy in EFL Learning: A Case Study in SMP Muhammadiyah 1 Temanggung. bachelor thesis, Universitas Ahmad Dahlan. http://eprints.uad.ac.id/14803/2/
T1_1500004135_NASKAH%20PUBLIKASI.pdf
Stanger, Marianne (2018). 7 Ways Teach Digital Literacy. https://www.
opencolleges.edu.au/informed/edtech-integration/7-ways- teach-digital-literacy/. retrieved: 20 Juli 2020
Wright, Brian (2015). Top 10 Benefits of Digital Skills. http://webpercent.
com/top-10-benefits-of-digital-skills/, retrieved: 5 Oktober 2020 ---, Digital literacy in the classroom. How important is it? https://
resourced.prometheanworld.com/digital-literacy-classroom- important/ retrieved 20 Juli 2020