As a part of the topic for the first two weeks during the ONL course, we discussed the idea of being a digital native and what it could mean for us. The workshop facilitators connected this term not necessarily with the personal age, but with the motivation and our need to engage with digital tools, spaces and other people online. Also, the discussion of how we behave in digital space took place and a model of Visitor-Residence was introduced for the workshop.

In the image above, you can see my attempt to picture the relationships I have with apps and platforms I use regularly (on a weekly or daily basis). I did this graph during the sketching workshop run by David White, where we were asked to think about our behaviour and user patterns online. I grouped a few digital tools to be presented as one in a graph (Coursera and other learning platforms or Public transport apps clustered together) as I use them similarly, and the user patterns I choose there are not that different.

It is quite challenging for me to align myself with the Visitor – Resident model. The reason for this might lie in the fact that I used to think in terms of consumer-creator rather than visitor-resident when I think about digital spaces and using digital media of any kind for communication purposes. I think that the boundaries between polarities we use to define our digital spaces behavioural patterns are blurred and can never be easily defined as the fine line between consumer and creator or between visitor and resident of a digital world starts shifting as soon as you enter it and establish the connection.
Merely browsing through a platform like Facebook for instance, might seem passive, yet from the application’s perspective, it generates data that could prove invaluable to the algorithms at work, diligently studying which posts you devote the most time to, which ones capture your attention, or whether you click on ‘read all comments’ to join discussions and track their progression. Thus, even when in ostensibly ‘leave no trace’ mode, it is nearly impossible to truly evade data collection; algorithms will collect even the tiniest datasets to enhance your future experience, recommending the most compelling topics and providing additional materials for your perusal, thereby prolonging your stay on the platform.

Is it even possible to leave no digital trace? It is quite challenging to assume or wish for someone who enjoys all the perks of urban life, such as contactless payment systems, well-connected public transportation, available online medicine, subscription to a variety of e-services, e-shopping, and the possibility of occasional remote work, which is far from a solitary experience. What has to be the good base, the best practices, the must-do start kit we need to foster and promote to feel comfortable and assured in the digital realm? How does our discussion about digital literacy help us when it comes to teaching and learning?

When we talk about information, then digital literacy could assist us with tools that help not just to look for any information available, but critically evaluate what is searchable and delivered, evaluate what can be reliable, and being able to interpret various forms of information.

If we talk about accessibility then we need to think about the ability of our teachers and students to use computers and other digital devices to get access to the information as well as using software applications and its UI.

When we mention security in connection with digital literacy, then we will have to talk about understanding of students and educators of how to operate safely online, how to recognise online threats, and how to protect sensitive personal information while working and studying online.

Digital literacy is a multifaceted term and is becoming a routine reality for many of us, even for those who do not think about it in the terms we discuss here. How can we ensure to maintain good habits and practices when it comes to digital literacy in education?

We have to provide a safe and supportive learning environment for our students. Where it is easy to ask questions, experiment with new tools and methods or new tech, and share with others the results and experiences or feedback.

We need to remember and admit that educators are the core and the most crucial component of the educational system: their professional development, regular skills upgrades, and support will provide opportunities to create more engaging materials and support their students in developing their own way on the digital track.

We need to provide clear instructions and be mindful with our instructional designs: tutorials, templates, hands-on practices on how to use digital tools, what to avoid, and what to employ have to be easy to reach and simple enough to follow through.

Finally, a few very important components have to be included when we want to develop digital literacy in our educational practices: critical thinking (I touched on this when I discussed information in general), accessibility and inclusivity (language, diverse learning needs, alternative formats, etc,), and ethical use of technology and information available ( this includes copyright, security, privacy issues, and responsible use of your access).

More related terms to think and read about: