Digital Literacy: What You need to know

The meaning of literacy has evolved over time. Literacy is usually defined as being able to read and write. In today's rapidly evolving society, literacy extends beyond its basic definition. According to US Digital Literacy, digital literacy is "the ability to use digital technology, communication tools or networks to locate, evaluate, use and create information." Digital literacy extends to student's ability to comprehend and use digital information to learn and communicate. People need digital literacy to be a productive in a digital environment. This skill encompasses, "the ability to read and interpret media, to reproduce data and images through digital manipulation, and to evaluate and apply new knowledge gained from digital environments." Digital literacy needs to be a content priority in the classroom.

Copyright is the author's legal protection for their work so that no one can steal their thought's or ideas. According to Digital Citizenship, Copyright protects, "original works of authorship including literary works (including computer software and compilation), music dramatic works, pantomimes, choreographic work, pictoral, graphic and sculpture works (such as maps and blueprints), motion pictures, and other audio/visual works, sound recording, and architecture." Teachers need to teach students what copyright is and how to cite their sources.

Photo credits to University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign-University Library