Technology plays a major role in today’s world, offering a plethora of information and benefits. However, it is vital to be able to use technology safely and efficiently.
In order to enhance one’s understanding of technology literacy, we will examine its definition, significance, and provide practical examples.
What is Technology Literacy?
Being technology literate means having the capability to use, understand, manage, and evaluate technology in a secure, efficient, and accountable manner.
This includes the ability to utilize technology to assess, create and combine information. Technology literacy encompasses more than just computers and the internet, it can extend to any type of technological tool.
Technology is defined as any equipment, system, or method created to address an issue or complete a task.
What is Technology Digital Literacy
Technological digital literacy refers to the ability to proficiently use digital devices such as smartphones, laptops and tablets to access the internet and navigate different digital platforms to find, create, evaluate, and utilize information.
It is important to note that the definitions of technological digital literacy, as well as other forms of technology literacy, can change and evolve over time.
In some cases, the term “digital literacy” may be used interchangeably with “technology digital literacy.” However, it’s essential to consider technological digital literacy as a specific subset of the broader concept of technology literacy.
The distinctions and definitions of technology literacy are still being refined.
Importance of Technology Literacy
Technology plays a pervasive role in our lives, affecting everything from our jobs to our leisure time and well-being. As technology continues to advance, it’s crucial that we learn to navigate it in a way that benefits us, rather than hinders us.
This is where technology literacy comes in. It enables us to make the most of technology while avoiding potential pitfalls.
However, with more features comes more challenges and potential for things to go wrong. A machine with 1,000 moving parts, for example, has a higher chance of malfunctioning than one with only ten.
Despite this, the former machine is often more desirable because of its increased capabilities. Technology literacy helps us navigate these complexities and mitigate risks.
Here are some examples of common technology pitfalls and how technology literacy can help avoid them:
- Over-reliance on technology: Technology literacy can help us strike a healthy balance and prevent becoming overly dependent on gadgets.
- Misinformation: With the abundance of media available today, it’s easy to come across misinformation, exaggeration, or outright lies. Technology literacy can help us discern credible sources and avoid being duped.
- Privacy concerns: With the rise of surveillance technology and the vastness of the internet, technology literacy can help us protect our personal information and maintain privacy.
In short, technology literacy helps us make the most of technology while avoiding potential pitfalls, it helps us strike a healthy balance, discern credible sources, and protect our personal information.
Benefits of Digital Literacy
There are six benefits of digital literacy described in a research journal entitled Benefits of Digital Literacy for Society and the Education Sector during the COVID-19 Pandemic (2020) by Eti Sumiati.
1. Searching for and understanding information that can broaden personal insights.
2. Increasing individual ability to think critically and understand information.
3. Increasing individual vocabulary mastery from various information read.
4. Improving individual verbal abilities.
5. It can increase individual focus and concentration.
Principles of Digital Literacy
Four principles of digital literacy are revealed in a research journal entitled Attribution of Digital Citizenship in Digital Literacy (2018) by Yudha Pradana.
1. Understanding
The purpose of understanding the principles of digital literacy is that people can understand the information provided by the media, either implicitly or explicitly.
2. Mutual Dependence
The purpose of understanding the principles of digital literacy is that media is interdependent and interrelated. Existing media must coexist and complement one another.
3. Social Factors
The purpose of understanding the principles of digital literacy is for the media to share messages or information with the community. Because the long-term success of the media is determined by the sharers and recipients of the data.
4. Curation
The purpose of understanding the principles of digital literacy is that people can access, understand and store information to read later. Curation includes the ability to work together to find, collect and organize information that is considered valid.
Technology Literacy Elements
Technology literacy encompasses a variety of critical elements including cultural, cognitive, constructive, communicative, confident, creative, critical, and civic. These elements include:
- Cultural: Understanding the online digital culture, netiquette, and privacy.
- Cognitive: Proficiency in using different digital devices, software, and interfaces, and being familiar with standard features such as navigation menus, profiles, hashtags, and settings.
- Constructive: Knowledge of how to create digital content, and an understanding of copyright and plagiarism issues.
- Communicative: The ability to communicate effectively in the digital environment.
- Confident: A sense of belonging and fitting in within the online community.
- Creative: The skill of creating valuable content online.
- Critical: The ability to evaluate and question digital content, and distinguish credible sources from less credible ones.
- Civic: An understanding of one’s digital rights and responsibilities and the ability to be a responsible digital citizen. It’s worth noting that different sources may have different ways of defining or grouping these elements, but the above mentioned are the general areas of technology literacy.
Technology Literacy Skills
To achieve technological literacy, it is important to master certain key skills, including:
- Adaption: Being able to quickly learn and adapt to new technology as it evolves.
- Communication: The ability to create and share information in addition to consuming it.
- Comprehension: Understanding how to make sense of information in the context of technology.
- Evaluation: The ability to critically analyze information and determine its accuracy, authority, validity, and reliability.
These are the critical skills necessary for technological literacy. It’s worth noting that different sources may have different ways of defining or grouping these skills, but the above mentioned are the general areas of technology literacy.
Examples of Technology Literacy
Technology literacy can be demonstrated in various ways, including:
- Creating content: Examples include posting on social media, making YouTube videos, and writing blog posts.
- Communication: Using technology to communicate with friends, family, associates, co-workers, and people who share your interests, such as through e-mails and texting.
- Research: Utilizing technology to gather information, ask questions, and conduct research, such as using search engines or visiting Wikipedia.
- Virtual and Augmented Reality: Engaging with technology such as VR and AR for gaming and learning, to immerse oneself in new technology. These are just a few examples of how technology literacy can be applied in everyday activities, and it is important to note that there are many other ways to demonstrate technology literacy.