Digital Literacy Narrative

The primary skills a teacher will need to be effective in the 21st Century are Core Subjects, Life and Career skills, Learning and Innovation skills, and Information, Media, and Technology skills. In relation to technology, a few of the primary skills a teacher will need to be effective in the 21st Century are access and evaluate information and use and manage information. Teachers will need to use information accurately and creatively to solve problems. They will need to manage the flow of information from a wide variety of sources. And teachers will need an understanding to the ethical and legal issues that surround the access and use of information. Teachers will be integral in using classroom technology and modeling the use of technology for students. We live in a technology rich time with an abundance of information that is constantly changing and updating.

Some of the difficulties teachers who are not digitally literate may encounter in today’s teaching/learning environments are they may not be as informed. They may also be skeptical and fearful of the technology. They may miss out of the fun of using technology with its visual and sound embellishments and the interactive platform it provides. Most of all they may miss opportunities for talking and communicating with students and peers. Struggling students may miss opportunities to engage in the curriculum in ways that really support their learning. Another caution about technology is that teachers may not fully understand their ethical obligation when it comes to social media. Many schools and districts have policies in place that prevent teachers from commenting on social media. There have been stories in the news about teachers who have been disciplined because of their comments.

The ISTE Teacher Standards are a roadmap to develop skills to teach in the 21st Century. They are the skills and knowledge educators need to teach, work, and learn in schools that are more and more connected globally and digitally. Its one thing to have standards but it’s a whole another thing to know how to use them. When becoming a teacher, one can use the standards to design and implement learning experiences, engage students, and hopefully improve student learning. It lends an expectation for new educators to meet. It’s something to use to reflect on what one has learned and maybe areas one could grow.

Today, when it comes to teaching and learning, there is so much emphasis put on the access and use of technology because it is embedded in everything we do. The classroom is where students will learn safe, legal, and ethical behavior and teachers will promote and model digital etiquette and responsible social interactions for students. It isn’t always a good thing, though. We always want to assume positive intentions but kids will be kids and children may access inappropriate websites or send messages to friends that aren’t allowed. These moments can be used as teaching moments to teach students what happens when we use technology the wrong way. The important thing to remember is technology isn’t an “end all – be all.” It’s a tool that when combined with thinking, collaboration, and creative processes can advance student learning in face-to-face and virtual environments.