The New Age of Literacy— Digital Literacy vs. Media Literacy: What skills should you teach?
Why Every Teacher Needs to Incorporate Digital and Media Literacy in the Classroom
In today’s world, our students are growing up surrounded by screens, notifications, and a constant stream of information. I’ll admit, it wasn’t long ago that I found myself struggling to keep up. I’d see my students effortlessly navigating TikTok, jumping between Google searches, and sharing articles online, but when it came time to do research for a class project or analyze a news article, they were lost. They could use the tools, but they didn’t always know how to think critically about what they were seeing. That’s when I realized: digital literacy and media literacy are two sides of the same coin, and both are essential for our students to thrive.
Digital Literacy: Empowering Students with Practical Skills
Digital literacy goes beyond just knowing how to turn on a computer or use a word processor. It’s about equipping students with the skills they need to navigate a world that’s increasingly online. I’ve seen firsthand how students can struggle with even the basics, like saving a document or navigating a website without getting lost in ads. We need to give them the tools to feel confident and capable online.
My Turning Point:
I still remember the day a student came up to me after class, frustrated because they couldn’t figure out how to find reliable sources online. They’d clicked on ads, gotten lost on websites full of misinformation, and just felt defeated. I realized I’d been assuming they already knew how to do all this, but why would they? Digital skills aren’t always intuitive, and if we don’t teach them, who will?
That’s when I started incorporating digital literacy lessons into my curriculum. We talked about everything from how to recognize credible websites to protecting personal information online. And it made a huge difference. Students who once struggled to complete basic tasks online were now creating digital presentations, collaborating on projects using shared documents, and even troubleshooting their own tech issues. They weren’t just using the internet; they were understanding how to make it work for them.
Media Literacy: Teaching Students to Be Critical Thinkers
If digital literacy is about understanding how to use technology, media literacy is about understanding what you’re seeing and hearing. It’s the skill that allows students to look at a news story, an advertisement, or a social media post and ask: “Who created this? What do they want me to think? Is this information reliable?”
Why This Matters More Than Ever:
One afternoon, during a current events discussion, a student raised their hand and said, “I saw this thing on Instagram, and it said…” What followed was a statement that was completely false. But the student believed it, because it had been presented in a way that looked credible. That’s when it hit me: our students are consuming media all day long, but they’re not always equipped to question it. And in a world where misinformation spreads like wildfire, that’s a problem.
I started incorporating media literacy into my lessons. We analyzed advertisements to see how companies persuade us to buy things. We looked at different news stories about the same event to see how language and tone can change a narrative. We even explored the concept of “deepfakes” and how videos and images can be manipulated. Suddenly, students weren’t just passively consuming information—they were engaging with it, asking questions, and thinking critically.
Why Both Are Essential: The Reality of Our Digital World
Our students are digital natives, but that doesn’t mean they’re digitally literate or media literate. They can navigate a smartphone like pros, but can they protect their online privacy? They can scroll through endless TikTok videos, but can they tell when a video is misleading or biased? This is where we, as educators, come in. We have a unique opportunity to prepare them for the realities of the digital world.
A Personal Perspective:
I remember when I first started teaching, the focus was on traditional literacy—reading and writing. But today, literacy has expanded. Our students need to be able to “read” the internet, understand digital tools, and critically evaluate the media they encounter every day. If we don’t teach them these skills, we’re sending them into the world unprepared.
And let’s be honest, sometimes it’s intimidating. I didn’t grow up with the internet the way my students did. There were days when I felt like I was learning right alongside them. But that’s okay. In fact, I found that being open about my own learning process helped my students feel more comfortable with their own struggles. We figured things out together, and that made all the difference.
Practical Ways to Integrate Digital and Media Literacy in the Classroom
Start Small with Digital Literacy
Practical Skills First: Begin with simple lessons on digital tools your students will use often. Show them how to use word processors, create digital presentations, and safely browse the internet.
Digital Safety: Dedicate time to talk about online privacy, recognizing phishing scams, and understanding their digital footprint. The sooner they learn to navigate these issues, the safer they’ll be online.
Encourage Critical Thinking Through Media Literacy
Analyze Everyday Media: Use advertisements, social media posts, and news articles as teaching tools. Ask students to identify the purpose, audience, and any potential bias in these pieces. This gets them thinking beyond face value.
Compare Different Sources: Take a current event and look at how it’s covered across different news platforms. Discuss why the tone, language, and focus might differ from one outlet to another.
Combine Both for Comprehensive Projects
Project-Based Learning: Assign projects where students have to create their own media, like a blog post, video, or digital presentation, and ensure they’re using credible sources. This allows them to practice digital literacy while applying media literacy concepts.
Key Takeaways: Preparing Students for the Future
I’ve seen students go from overwhelmed and uncertain to confident and capable, simply by giving them the tools they need to navigate the digital world. I’ve seen them challenge a misleading headline, ask thoughtful questions about an article, and even teach their friends how to stay safe online. That’s why digital and media literacy matter.
Our students deserve to understand the world they’re growing up in, and that world is digital. By teaching them to navigate it safely and think critically about what they see, we’re giving them skills they’ll carry with them long after they leave our classrooms. And who knows? We might just learn a thing or two along the way.
So, to every teacher out there: don’t be afraid to dive into digital and media literacy. It’s okay if you don’t have all the answers—your students will appreciate the journey you take together. And the benefits? Those will last a lifetime.
