Digital Literacy

In my own words, digital literacy is the ability to understand how to use modern technology properly. In my life, it is necessary for me to be digitally literate. I often come into contact with technology everyday and it is useful for me to know how to work with these technologies. If I did not know how to use common technologies like a computer I would have trouble completing homework and class assignments for school. Knowing how to use technology is a very important skill to have in today’s society. Today, we are exposed to technology more than ever. Everyday there are more and more advanced technologies being put on the market and if a person does not know how to use them they can become overwhelmed by the technology. One way of showing that knowing technology can help a person is as simple as knowing how to use a GPS. For example, my grandmother had a built-in GPS in her car but didn’t know how to use it so she always had to print out directions from Google Maps which weren’t always accurate. She grew tired of printing out directions and getting lost so she decided to learn how to use her GPS. Now she is glad she learned how to use her GPS and is satisfied with the directions that her GPS gives her. One thing I learned about digital literacy is the digital divide in America and around the world. A digital divide is when part of a population is not as technologically advanced as another population. In many places in America there are schools that don’t have enough computers for all of their students. This causes some students to not have the same technological opportunities that most have. Another effect of having a digital divide is falling behind the rest of the world. For example, countries in Africa are decades behind in technology compared to developed countries like America, England, and France.

Digital Access and Divide

Computer Talk by Anthony Ramos on GoAnimate

Digital access is participation in modern technology in day to day life. An example of digital access is a cell phone. My cellphone is the most important digital device that I own. I use it daily to get in contact with friends and family. Without my phone I wouldn’t be able to get in contact with people as fast or as easy as I normally do.

In education there can be a digital divide between students. Some students don’t have common digital devices like computers and cellphones. This can causes them to suffer in education since now many homework assignments and lessons require a computer or some type of internet access. Digital divide doesn’t really have an effect on me since I currently have most common digital devices.

There is somewhat of a digital divide in Bacon Academy because there are a few students that might do not have computers or internet access. These students lack educational resources that most students have and this can negatively affect their grades. These students may feel left out and depressed due to their lack of digital access.

A solution that can narrow the digital divide in Bacon Academy is if the school lends laptops to the students that don’t have computer access for the year. This could be very effective and can allow all students to complete computer homework assignments for the whole school year. Also, the students can be able to access the internet by going to Wi-Fi hotspots such as the school cafeteria, the town library, and even McDonald’s.
In today’s society, the majority of people are digital citizens even if they do not realize it. You are considered a digital citizen even if all you have is a social network profile such as twitter, facebook, instagram, etc. If you regularly use modern technology and digital devices you can be considered a digital citizen.