final portion of information systems project- need done in 3 hours!!!
Heytheb.hage
Digital Fluency
WHAT DOES DIGITAL FLUENCY MEAN?
Rasmussen College defines Digital Fluency as “effectively employing and understanding digital tools to express ideas in appropriate contexts" (“Digital Fluency,” 2014, para.1). This skill involves a continual effort to ethically interpret information, uncover the context and content, synthesize the new knowledge, and clearly communicate it to an audience who is immersed in a digitally connected world.
Dictionary.com defines fluent as “able to speak or write smoothly, easily, or readily” (2014, para 2). People have communicated through writing and reading for generations, so being fluent is not a new concept. What is relatively new is the introduction of technology which evolves fluency further. The Internet allows vast amounts of information to be available to anyone with access to a digital device. This limitless access to information requires a different skillset in order to separate information from hearsay. Additionally, the web encourages more collaboration among a variety of partners. Let’s take Wikipedia for instance. It is generated by the users (or volunteers) from around the world, and the content is constantly vetted by the contributors. The ability to appropriately utilize Wikipedia with an awareness of its strengths (i.e., open and transparent content), weaknesses (content possibly written by amateurs), and differences with paper-based references requires digital fluency.
The difference between print and digital technology is that digital technology is interactive, immediate, and fluid. Our job as digital citizens is then to translate our current capacities to understand printed materials and prepare for digital fluency that will still require us to process and critically apply information.
WHAT IS THE VALUE OF THE DIGITAL FLUENCY SKILL TO THE WORKPLACE AND/OR YOUR CAREER?
The 21st Century Information Fluency Project (2014) states that “at home, at school, and in the workplace, digital information is beginning to rival print as the primary format for information” (para. 5). Only a small fraction of new information created today appears in print format. For that reason, the ability to locate, evaluate, and ethically use that information is fast becoming a skill as essential as traditional print literacy has been. In the new digital world, information enriches our lives, personally, socially, and economically. Those without the skills to use digital information will become increasingly disadvantaged at home, at school, and in the workplace (The 21st Century Information Fluency Project,2014, para. 1). What does this mean to you as you launch your career? According to iStart (2014), increasing computer competency by just 20 minutes a day adds up to 1.7 hours a
Figure 2. An image of the differences between digital fluency and digital literacy. Taken from: The Digital Frontline image. (2011). The Digital Frontline. Retrieved from http://thedigitalfrontline.com/2012/06/12/digital-literacy- dont-let-them-learn-it-on-the-streets/ Copyright 2011
week in gained productivity. This results in an annual savings of $1,820 per employee. Improving digital fluency isn’t only about saving money; it is also about greater productivity, or knowing how to work smarter and not harder. For example, inefficient processing of the flood of incoming emails slows down other tasks. Learning to use email software such as Microsoft Outlook to filter out junk email makes it easy to search for the right email you need to access to get the job done. Collectively developing digital fluency in the workplace is a sure way to succeed as an organization.
WHAT ARE THE CONSEQUENCES TO YOUR CAREER OR WORKPLACE IF THE DIGITAL FLUENCY SKILL IS LACKING? HOW IS THE DIGITAL FLUENCY SKILL DEMONSTRATED?
Literacy and fluency shape our ability to use technology to achieve a desired outcome. As an information consumer, this applies to our ability to use available digital resources to gather information that we intend to communicate, and it applies to our ability to use digital technologies to have the intended positive effect on people and situations. Note that a literate person is perfectly capable of using such resources. He or she knows how to use them and what to do with them, but the outcome is less likely to match the intention. It is not until that person reaches a level of fluency, however, that he or she is comfortable with using the resources to achieve the desired outcome. He or she can even appreciate why the resources being used are appropriate and likely to have the desired outcome at all (Christian, 2011). Lack of digital fluency will lead to poor research and shallow analysis of the information to be processed.
Digital fluency can be demonstrated in a workplace in a few ways. One example is how you interact with your colleagues online, such as personal email or discussion forums. Virginia Shea (1994), the author of Netiquette, defines it as “network etiquette, the do's and don'ts of online communication” (p. 20). She outlines ten rules and reminders of Netiquette in her book. Some of the rules include:
• Rule 1: Remember the human o Remember that behind every screen is a human being with independent
thoughts and feelings. It is easy to misunderstand or be rude to others when you are not interacting with them in person. Before clicking send or post, ask yourself: Would you say it to the person's face?
• Rule 2: Adhere to the same standards of behavior that you follow in "real life" o This rule is a reminder that the ethical standards and laws that govern our
society extend to cyberspace as well. This includes harassment and bullying, copyright regulations, and privacy.
• Rule 8: Respect other people's privacy o The Internet is an open forum. Remember not to share information about
others that could get them -- or yourself -- into trouble, both personally and professionally (Shea, p.33).
Mastery of rules such as these make employees dependable, trustworthy, and productive.
WHAT CAN STUDENTS DO NOW TO FURTHER DEVELOP THIS TRANSFERABLE SKILL?
Students can take advantage of many opportunities Rasmussen College offers to develop digital fluency skills. On campus, there is a computer lab with the latest software to learn and practice your skills. Online, there are Online Academic Guides available (http://guides.rasmussen.edu) at Rasmussen College’s website (Rasmussen College Website, 2014a 2014b) to help you learn how to research topics. The librarians are always available to answer any questions you have. Outside of Rasmussen College, your local library may offer a digital studio where, for example, you can learn to compose music on your computer. Computer programming is another avenue to develop digital fluency. Mitchel Resnick at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) argues that “coding is the new literacy. To thrive in tomorrow’s society, young people must learn to design, create and express themselves with digital technologies” (The Berkman Center for Internet & Society, 2014, para. 3). Scratch language developed at MIT teaches anyone to think creatively and use logic – both skills indispensable in the new digital world. The key is to embrace technology to build confidence in your ability to use technology.
References
Christian. (2011, February 5). The difference between digital literacy and digital fluency.
Retrieved from http://www.socialens.com/blog/2011/02/05/the-difference-between-
digital-literacy-and-digital-fluency/
Fluent [Def. 2]. (2014). Retrieved from http://www.dictionary.com
Rasmussen College Website. (2014a). Digital fluency. Retrieved from
http://guides.rasmussen.edu/digital
iStart. (2014). Digital literacy: Getting your workplace up to speed. Retrieved from
http://www.istart.co.nz/index/HM20/AL213/AR214189
Rasmussen College Website. (2014b). Home. Retrieved from http://guides.rasmussen.edu/
Resources. (2014, July). Retrieved August 13, 2014, from Resources website:
http://guides.rasmussen.edu/digital2
Shea, V. (1994). Netiquette. (Online ed., pp. 32-45). San Francisco: Albion Books. Albion
Books.
21st Century Information Literacy. (2014, January 7). Why is DIF important? Retrieved from
http://21cif.com/resources/difcore/dif_faqs.htm#important
The Berkman Center for Internet & Society. (2014, July 10). 21st century literacy: New initiative
makes the case that learning to code is for everyone. Retrieved from
http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/node/9222
The Digital Frontline image. (2011). The Digital Frontline. Retrieved from
http://thedigitalfrontline.com/2012/06/12/digital-literacy-dont-let-them-learn-it-on-the-
streets/