When we advocate for digital literacy, we are really attempting to give people the tools for discernment. When we look at the society that we keep, and subsequently extended to the wider world around us, it is a question of what kind of filter do we absorb information. Digital literacy is more of a norm in our modern world more than ever before therefore it should be introduced in children's early development. This will help guide them through the noise as they mature into the workers of the future. With the spread of the internet, having such a broad reach, comes great responsibility with such a force of global connection. A great educational source on this topic for teachers and parents can be found on Common Sense Media. It gives direction on how to instruct different age brackets: Preschoolers, Little Kids, Tweens, and Teens. So, that by the time they get to college digital literacy is nothing new, and they are more prepared as young adults.
When I think about digital literacy, I am drawn most to media because it visually stimulates a narrative that immediately makes it easier for audiences to digest. I consider for example, as a movie lover I am all for a robust period piece realizing that writers of the screenplay, directors, or producers will take creative liberties in the telling of a historical event. They must do it to create drama, to build tension into the climax, and some people watch these films believing everything in it was true. We have to remember that dramatic (or whatever genre) movies are an expression of feelings and ideas being explored and not a documentary. This sometimes translates to our news stories as well to guide a certain public opinion and we have to be vigilant so that we do not get swept up. To have that type of discernment we have to consider propaganda how it is being used and for what purpose. Then we can think critically for ourselves about what information is being circulated accepting what is sound logic or if it is not we do not allow it to guide our judgment. There are some decently dated movies that I have watched that I believe give a good representation of media literacy. Broadcast News and Network that focus on televised news. The Truman Show illustrates the possible effects of reality television. The Player showcases the commercialization of Hollywood, and its agenda.
"Network" (1976)
"Broadcast News" (1987)
"The Truman Show" (1998)
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