Digital Literacy and the Importance of Copyright

Good morning readers!

What is Digital Literacy and why is it Important?

Having digital literacy in todays society is very important. Digital Literacy is having the knowledge and ability to use a range of technology tools for varied purposes. We are using a variety technology in our everyday lives for example: phones, computers, tablets, smart boards and those are just a few of the many that are out there.

Picture from: www.canstockphoto.com

There are many advantages for being digitally literate from a young age; students will develop healthy habits and attitudes when using technology and prepares students to safely technology in the future. Digital literacy is very important for students because it promotes higher order thought skill, it also breaks down the wall of learning and information and prepares students for digital post k-12 world.

Digital literacy is used throughout the classroom, at least a lot more then when I was in elementary school, and even more-so in the upper grades. Some examples may include using Google a Day Challenges to develop advance research strategies. Another way teachers can use digital literacy in the classroom is showing videos in class about a related topic and having a class discussion about it. Students can also use the computers to create a blogging site as journal entries as a way of updating their family members and friends what they are learning in school. 

Outside of school, children are engaging with these media, not as technologies but as cultural forms. If educators wish to use these media in schools, they cannot afford to neglect these experiences. On the contrary, they need to provide students with means of understanding them.  Some examples of digital literacy at home may include: social media, email, texting, calling people on the phone, research for a paper, watching television, and playing video games to name few.

Picture from: www.socialmediaexaminer.com

What is copyright and why is it Important?

Copyright is a "form of protection in the U.S. Constitution and granted by law for original works of authorship fixed in a tangible medium of expression. Copyright covers both published and unpublished works," Essentially, if I'm going to uses someone else's intellectual thoughts or art, I would have to credit them for the work and not pawn it as my own original idea. 

Teaching students about copyright is very important to them as well as protect them from taking someone else's work as their own. Therefore as teachers we want to teach students that they need to credit the other persons thoughts, ideas, or art and that it is not their own thought. Teachers also need to teach students that they can not copy and paste as well as use their own thoughts and if they do, it can possibly lead to consequences. 

Sources: 

"Copyright Kids!" Copyright Kids!Web. 18 Feb. 2016 http://www.copyrightkids.org/cbasicsframes.htm

Crowley, Brianna. "What Digital Literacy Looks Like in a Classroom." Education Week Teacher. 29 Oct. 2014. Web. 18 Feb. 2016

Google Doc. https://docs.google.com/document/d/15AzZGptODaoynhX9Zagy2L7atoEMvDHKnz9JCkWTkbo/edit --Completed by: Brittany Ledek, Jessica Kravchak, Jessica Cachia, Jasmine Dietiker

Pennington, Molly, PhD. "Tips to Help Your Child Avoid Plagiarism." Noodle. 4 Dec. 2014. Web.     18 Feb. 2016 https://www.noodle.com/articles/tips-to-help-your-child-avoid-plagiarism