Digitial? New Media? Information? Whatever Literacy it is - let’s talk about it

October 20th, 2008

Josie Fraser says some really interesting things about new media literacy.

Her approach is great, she gives recognition to the e-safety issues and progress made on cyber-bulling and associate issues in the UK, but points out there has been very little discussion in the UK about the breadth of new media literacy.

Digital literacy then refers to a set of knowledge and competencies (including social skills and cultural competencies) required by technological, social and economic changes in society…It includes e-safety and wellbeing, but also includes collaboration and communication skills, rights and responsibilities, ethical and environmental issues, commercial practices, privacy and security issues, digital identity and citizenship, along with finding, evaluating and applying information.

Australia is even further behind than the UK. We haven’t got beyond food advertising and obesity. Our public policy makers will be left behind, as children and young people continue to change the way they interact and engage with the world.

I’d love to see some of the energy being put into social media innovations and marketing put into the development of ideas for changes to Australia’s primary and secondary curriculum to included new media literacy.

Tags: , ,

Posted by Daniel Donahoo Filed in Education

Leave a Reply