Image 1.3
Source: du Toit, P. (2017, Novembe 24). Digital Literacy vs Digital Fluency. FutureWork. https://www.futureworkiq.com/post/digital-literacy-vs-digital-fluency-2/
Description: A banner showing silhouettes of people combined with a variety of icons and images that are all connected together with lines demonstrating a network or digital connectedness.
Digital Fluency Definitions
What does it mean to be digitally fluent?
Digital fluency means that you have the knowledge and skills to use technology responsibly and securely to:
- Find information and evaluate its reliability.
- Communicate and create.
- Learn and work online.
When you are digitally fluent, you can confidently transfer digital skills for sustainable engagement with digital technologies, including operational skills, navigation skills, social skills, and creative skills.
Remember: images with the box and arrow icon underneath can be enlarged by clicking the image.
Image 1.4
Source: eCampus Ontario
Description: An infographic titled “What is digital fluency?” Digital fluency means that you can have the knowledge and skills to use technology responsibly and securely to: Find information and evaluate its reliability; communicate and create; and learn and work online.
When you are digitally fluent, you can use digital skills and technologies to solve complex problems or create new things. To develop digital fluency, you need to learn about and practice using various digital skills and technologies in your post-secondary or workplace context. It’s similar to learning a new language – you need to learn and understand the vocabulary and grammar rules of the new language and then practice reading, speaking, and listening before you become fluent in using the language to create a poem or a song (W3 Lab, 2023).
Developing digital fluency, or mastering, a new digital skill area or using a new digital technology looks something like this:
Image 1.5
Source: eCampus Ontario
Description: A banner that blocks of text on rectangular shapes that have a point on their right side demonstrating progression or movement. The first block of text reads: Emerging: learning new digital skills and associated technologies for various applications. The second block of text reads: Basic: Practicing using new digital skills and technology in your learning or professional context. The third block of text reads: Proficient (Digital Literacy): Using new digital skills and technologies to perform most tasks in your learning or professional context. The fourth block of text reads: Advanced (Digital Fluency): Using new digital skills and technologies to solve problems or create new things in your learning or professional context.
Digital Skills You Will Need
Our world is becoming more and more digital. As a result, using digital skills is a requirement for most learners and professionals. It is important to recognize that developing digital fluency is a lifelong journey that can be both challenging and rewarding.
Each of us will be at different proficiency levels with various digital skills and technologies throughout our lives. As new technologies are introduced, we must learn about and practice using them before becoming fluent. And because new technologies are always being created, we will always be learning new digital skills and technologies.
This micro-credential provides opportunities to learn about and explore digital skills and associated technologies that are relevant to your current post-secondary context and current or future workplace. In each of Modules 2 to 5, you will focus on a specific set of digital skills. You may recognize these skills from the self-assessment you completed at the start of Module 1.
Image 1.6
Source: eCampus Ontario
Description: An infographic titled “Digital Skills You Will Need” detailing what content is included in each of the four modules of this micro-credential. Module two is on digital operational skills. The first topic is digital collaboration: interacting collaboratively with digital tools, for the co-constructing of knowledge, meaning, and content. The second topic is digital communication: communicating effectively and ethically in different contexts utilizing appropriate digital tools. The third topic is social media management: managing social media profiles and digital community engagement for non-formal, informal, and formal learning. Module three is on digital navigation skills. The first topic is digital research: adopting digital tools and technology to effectively conduct research. The second topic is learner-specific digital skills: assessing and applying transferable digital skills in learning environments. Module four is on digital creation skills. The first topic is digital creation: implementing new or unfamiliar digital tools and emerging technologies for the purpose of creation. The second topic is digital problem solving: engaging in the inquiry process to represent data in various digital formats to inform decisions. The fifth module is digital socialization skills. The first topic is digital collaboration; the second is digital communication; and the third is social media management.
Let’s pause and reflect!
Thinking back to the self-assessment you completed at the start of Module 1, reflect on your current level of proficiency with each of the digital skills listed above (Emerging, Basic, Proficient, or Advanced).
Image 1.7
Source: eCampus Ontario
Description: Four columns. Each has a heading with an image below it, and below each image is a certain number of stars and some text. The first column is labeled “Emerging (Learning)” with a stack of four cubes arranged as if a corner; there is one star; the text reads: I am in the early stages of learning this skill. The second column is labeled “Basic (Practicing)” with a dumbbell weight; there are two stars; the text reads: I can use this skill to perform some tasks in my context. The third column is labeled “Proficient (Digital Literacy)” with a gear; there are three stars; the text reads: I can use this skill to perform most tasks in my context. The fourth column is labeled “Advanced (Digital Fluency)”; there are four stars; the text reads: I can use this skill for complex applications and problem-solving in my context.
As you move through Modules 2 to 5, you may want to spend a bit more time learning about and practicing skills that you self-assessed as Emerging or Basic. Or, if you know you will need specific digital skills for your current program of study or future workplace, you may want to prioritize becoming Advanced, or digitally fluent, in those skill areas.
Activity
Instructions
Let’s think about what each digital skill might look like in a post-secondary educational or workplace context. Match each digital skill with the correct application example. Drag and drop digital skills from the left column onto the application example on the right. The box will turn green when it is matched with the correct example.
These are just a few examples. We will explore many more in Modules 2 to 5!
But first, let’s discuss the types of course delivery models you may experience in post-secondary education, focusing on online and hybrid learning.