The UCDSB Learning Commons defines Digital Citizenship as the culminating ability of students to demonstrate Information Literacy, Digital Literacy, and Media Literacy skills as outlined in boxes below.
As a responsible Digital Citizen, students will exhibit fluency in the following areas:
Digital Literacy is the ability to use information and communication technologies to find, understand, evaluate, create, and communicate digital information. This is an ability that requires both cognitive and technical skills.
Digital Literacy focuses on engaging students to participate in digital media in wise, safe, and ethical ways.
Sources: see the links below
Image Source: Media Smart, Digital Literacy Fundamentals
Information Literacy, is the ability to:
Source: see the link below
Media Literacy is the result of study of the art and messaging of various forms of media texts. It explores the impact and influences of mass media and popular culture by examining texts such as films, songs, video games, action figures, advertisements, CD covers, clothing, billboards, TV shows, magazines, newspapers, photographs, and websites.
Media Literacy engages students as consumers of media.
Sources: see the links below
Information is constantly growing in abundance and complexity as our networked environment provides continued access to new technologies, and with it increasingly diverse messaging and modes of communication. The opportunities for life-long learning seem limitless.
However, with increased access to this publicly produced and disseminated knowledge comes questions of reliability, credibility, accuracy, and appropriateness, particularly for junior audiences.
Student development of Information Literacy, Digital Literacy, and Media Literacy skills help in the navigation of this knew digital environment. By becoming a Digital Citizen students acquire the necessary skills to access, use, share, and navigate the the digital world safely, securely, and responsibly while making positive contributions.
