Today, that world has moved into our classrooms, our lesson plans, and our students’ pockets. The question is no longer if we should use technology, but how. This is where digital literacy comes in, and for today’s educators, it’s not just a nice-to-have skill—it’s a non-negotiable.

What Is Digital Literacy for Educators?

At its core, digital literacy is more than just being able to use a computer or tablet. It’s a multifaceted skill set that encompasses a wide range of competencies.

Think of it as the modern equivalent of traditional literacy. Just as reading and writing allow us to consume and produce written information, digital literacy allows us to navigate, evaluate, and create content within the digital landscape. For a comprehensive framework of what this entails, you can explore the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) Standards for Educators.

Just as reading and writing allow us to consume and produce written information, digital literacy allows us to navigate, evaluate, and create content within the digital landscape.

It can be broken down into three key areas, each critical for K-12 education:

Technical Proficiency

This is the foundational layer—the hands-on ability to operate hardware and software effectively. This includes everything from seamlessly using a learning management system (LMS) like Google Classroom or Canvas to troubleshooting a projector or creating a professional-looking presentation.

This isn’t just about knowing what the buttons do, but about confidently integrating these tools into your daily workflow to maximize efficiency.

Information Literacy

In the age of endless information, this is arguably the most crucial skill we can teach. It’s the ability to find, evaluate, and synthesize information from digital sources.

For teachers, this means modeling how to identify credible sources, recognize misinformation and “fake news,” and understand the concept of bias. Our role extends beyond providing information; we must teach students how to think critically about the information they find online.

Digital Citizenship

This area focuses on the ethical and responsible use of technology. It includes understanding online safety, practicing good “netiquette,” protecting personal privacy, and recognizing the permanence of one’s digital footprint.

Teaching students to be responsible digital citizens is vital for their long-term well-being and success in a connected world. We are their first line of defense and guidance in this often-complex space.

Why Digital Literacy is Now a Core Competency for Teachers

Embracing digital literacy doesn’t just make our jobs easier; it fundamentally changes the learning environment for the better and aligns our teaching with the demands of the 21st century.

Enhanced Student Engagement and Learning Outcomes

Digital tools can transform a static lesson into an interactive, dynamic experience. Think about using virtual field trips to explore historical sites, or educational apps that provide immediate, personalized feedback to students.

When you’re digitally literate, you can leverage these tools to make learning more hands-on and engaging. Research from organizations like the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) shows that students who use digital resources often develop higher-order thinking skills and perform better academically.

Personalized and Differentiated Instruction

Every student has unique needs and learning styles. Digital literacy empowers you to create personalized learning paths. You can use platforms to assign different resources to different students, allowing them to work at their own pace.

For a student who excels at visual learning, you might provide a video tutorial, while another who prefers text might get a scientific article. This level of customization was nearly impossible in a traditional, non-digital setting.

Preparation for a Digital Future

The job market our students will enter is a digital one. Whether they become an engineer, a marketing professional, a plumber, or a painter, they will need to be proficient in using technology. By teaching them digital skills—from creating a compelling presentation to collaborating on a shared document—we are preparing them for success long after they leave our classrooms. We’re not just teaching content; we’re teaching lifelong skills.

Practical Steps for Teachers to Improve Digital Literacy

We understand that the idea of mastering new technologies can feel overwhelming. Many of us didn’t grow up with this tech, and the pace of change is dizzying. One of the biggest challenges for educators is a lack of adequate professional development and resources. It can be hard to implement new tools if you don’t feel confident using them yourself.

Practical Strategies to Take Action Now:

• Start Small: You don’t have to overhaul your entire curriculum at once. Pick one tool, like a collaborative whiteboard app or an online quiz platform, and try it out with a single lesson. Get comfortable with it before you move on to the next.
• Embrace Professional Development: Seek out training opportunities offered by your district. If they don’t exist, look for free online webinars, tutorials, or courses from reputable educational technology companies and organizations. For those just starting out, a great place to build foundational confidence is DigitalLearn.org, which offers simple, free tutorials on everything from cybersecurity basics for you to digital literacy videos for your students.
• Collaborate with Colleagues: You are not alone! Talk to other teachers who are using technology effectively. Share tips, ask for help, and create a support network within your school or a professional learning community (PLC).
• Model Lifelong Learning: Show your students that it’s okay not to know everything. When you try a new tool in class, be transparent about the learning process. This models adaptability and problem-solving, which are arguably the most important digital skills of all.

Digital literacy is an ongoing journey, not a destination. By committing to our own growth, we not only empower ourselves but, most importantly, empower the next generation to be critical thinkers, responsible citizens, and successful learners in an ever-evolving world.

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There are a plethora of definitions, info graphs, explanations, and interpretations of digital literacy. Most of them have commonalities. According to the ALA (American Library Association), digital literacy is the ability to use information and communication technologies to find, evaluate, create, and communicate information, requiring both cognitive and technical skills. To be deemed digitally literate, you must encompass specific skills. Those skills are as follows:

Creation and Creativity

Students need to be able to create. Not just for now, but for the future. We have a responsibility to teach them how to use their knowledge to create meaningful things and ideas. This requires creativity. Giving students the freedom to be creative and incorporate their interests and personal style in their assignments is empowering and prepares them for the world ahead.

Communication/Netiquette

Effective and appropriate communication is vital for digital literacy. In order to fully learn digitally, students must possess the skills to communicate what they have learned, their thoughts and questions, and collaborate with their peers. Students will communicate verbally during live sessions but will also communicate through essays, projects, presentations, assessments, and other assignments.

Netiquette is all about internet safety. Students may not realize that their digital footprints follow them forever. It’s important we teach them to communicate in a respectful manner at all times. They should also know what is considered inappropriate, how to identify it, and who to report it to.

Collaboration

Collaboration is another life skill that students will carry into their future. Collaborating digitally requires students to understand the task and how to use the resources given for that task. Collaboration does not have to be face to face to be effective. Once students understand the platform, the sky is the limit. Communication for digital literacy entails sharing, listening, note taking, and understanding each person’s role.

Functional Skills

Most children are very comfortable with technology. It is a part of their generational norms like my Walkman and Nintendo were for me and my peers in the 80s. No one had to teach me the basic functions of these devices. It was natural. Children nowadays seem to be born with basic functional skills. They use skills like searching the web, downloading, opening and closing documents, using apps, recording and editing videos, posting to social media, and more. This happens during their leisure time while on social media, watching YouTube, or messaging with friends. Even smaller children are prone to knowing how to manipulate V-tech toys, iPads, cell phones, and Osmos. The number of child YouTubers is massive. Some have their own channels, blogs, vlogs, podcasts, etc. These skills translate to class and schoolwork and force our teachers to also understand these skills in order to add value to the skillset they already have.

Although students have these innate skills, there are still other functional skills students should have to reach digital literacy which are related to the platforms and devices used by the school system. Universally, it is important that students gain keyboarding skills. Using a laptop or desktop is much different than the touchscreen on a phone for texting. Many aspects of technology have changed over time but one thing that remains the same is the arrangement of the keys on a keyboard. Our students will work in job positions that don’t exist yet and work to solve problems that we don’t have now. Having sound functional skills for technology is vital.

Critical Thinking

Critical thinking is a given for any classroom setting. Students are to be challenged with rigor and the right amount of productive struggle, which forces them to think further than they would normally.

Why is Digital Literacy Important?

The swift change from face-to-face to virtual learning during the COVID-19 pandemic has proven why digital literacy is important. Now, virtual learning is the only means of teaching and learning in many school districts. Students and parents are learning how to navigate new systems and complete assignments with accuracy. Even for students who are hybrid or are still attending school face to face daily, computers and other devices like Clear Touch boards, Parmethian boards, iPads, clickers, and a multitude of applications and websites are used to complete assignments.

Think about it this way, if all the tech devices that you own and use each day stopped working for one week, what would you do? How would you function? How would you communicate, teach, and learn? How would you pay your bills, order food, listen to music, or watch entertainment? Having the competencies to thrive with digital literacy is paramount.

Ways to Promote Digital Learning in Your Classroom

Assess what your students already know and are able to do. Assign groups of students with varying abilities to work together for assignments. We know students learn from one another. Teach students how to properly use the internet and determine which sources are credible and valuable.

Allow student choice in how they would like to complete assignments. Offer a choice board with multiple options. For example, for any given assignment, students would have the choice of completing it with a video presentation, a PowerPoint or Prezi presentation, a brochure, a journal entry or blog, a song they created, etc. Allow students to share with you the skillset they hold. The highest form of learning is teaching.

Promote the Ps of digital citizenship. These are: Passwords, Private Information, Personal Information, Photographs, Property, Permission, Protection, Professionalism, and Personal Brand. It’s essential that students understand the protocol; responsibility to be smart, safe and kind; and possible penalties that come with using the internet and other digital sources.

Digital literacy is not only important for students. Teachers and other school staff must also possess these skills in order to give their students the best and most comprehensive education possible. Many teachers struggle with technology and just don’t understand it. It can be intimidating for some. Degreed teachers from 20 years ago or more did not learn about digital literacy and how to use it in their classrooms in college. This is why teaching is and has always been about continuous personal and professional growth.

*Updated January, 2021

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