Digital Literacy: an Introduction

while waiting – please complete the self- assessment (for your eyes only)

Broad Valleys Federation MeetingMarch 1, 2013 – Butte, MT

presenter: Jo Flick, Montana State Library

Outcomes

• Define digital literacy• Identify the role of libraries in promoting a

digitally literate community• Find useful resources

What is literacy?

• “…ability to identify, understand, interpret, create, communicate and compute, using printed and written materials associated with varying contexts.”- UNESCO, 1998

• “…to be able to gather and to construct meaning using written language” - Steelman, Pierce, & Koppenhaver, 1994

Literacy is

• Enter definition accepted by the group here…

Digital Literacy

• “ … people's ability to demonstrate the skills, utilize the tools, and understand the standards and practices required to successfully find, use, manage, evaluate, create, and present digital information affects their lives.” - Syracuse University’s Center for Digital Literacy, 2013

• “Digital literacy is the ability to find, evaluate, utilize, share, and create content using information technologies and the Internet.” - Cornell University, 2013

Factors

Internet use: United States

Internet use: United States

Rapid Broadband AdoptionDigital Nation: Expanding Internet Usage; NTIA research report (2011)

Adoption by ageDigital Nation: Expanding Internet Usage; NTIA research report (2011)

Internet use by incomeDigital Nation: Expanding Internet Usage; NTIA research report (2011)

A Concept Map of the Library’s Role in Digital Literacy

• Discuss the 3 Factors and the roles of libraries to address them

• Identify the skills and knowledge librarians must have to fulfill those roles:– SKILL – yellow post-it– KNOWLEDGE: blue post-it

• Place post-its on the chart; group similar responses together

Resources for Libraries

• Connect2Compete http://www.connect2compete.org/: free digital literacy training, discounted high-speed Internet, and low-cost computers – partners with IMLS and ALA along with lots of commercial entities such as BestBuy, Microsoft, Cox Cable, and TimeWarner.

Resources for Libraries

• DigitalLiteracy.gov http://www.digitalliteracy.gov/ – online learning – links to resources (including local library look-up under “learn the basics” an IMLS service – I couldn’t get it to work).

Resources for Libraries

• EDGE Initiative http://www.libraryedge.org/ Benchmarks to help libraries evaluate and continually improve their public technology services for their communities.

Resources for Libraries

• Digitallearn.org A PLA initiative to create self-guided resources for libraries to learn digital literacy skills.

Under development with launch set for later this Spring…here’s a sampling: http://digitallearn.org/mw/

Literacy vs. Fluency

• Digital Literacy is:– Computer literacy – ability to utlize computer

technology– Information literacy – ability to find and use

information– Online literacy – ability to search for and find

useful resourcfes– Media literacy – ability to recognize message

manipulation and to make informed choices about the consumption and use of media