What are the skills necessary to be digitally literate?

In her white paper Digital and Media Literacy: A Plan of Action, Renee Hobbs suggests that digital and media literacy is a five-part effort including the abilities to access, analyze, create, reflect, and act. In his article Attention and other 21st century literacies, Howard Rheingold names five literacies crucial to the digital world: attention, participation, collaboration, network awareness, and critical consumption.

In our exploration seminar at Queens University of Charlotte, our central question surrounds digital literacies. For our third weekly inquiry, students will investigate the skills of digital literacy. To do so, each student will complete the following:

1. From the list above, research Hobbs’ 5 processes and Rheingold’s 5 literacies.
2. Select from this list, the process or literacy that you think is the most important for a digital citizen.
3. Create a “viral-style” YouTube video that explains this concept in a creative way.

We’ll view and hear responses to this inquiry in our February 6th meeting. Be prepared to let us view your video.

If you choose to upload your video to YouTube publicly, post a link to it here. Responses are welcome from people outside the seminar as well on or before February 6th at noon.