Importance of Digital Literacy and Technology Security - ED 6381

 

       Our current society has become a technology-driven world more and more every day. Everywhere you go there is some sort of technology required or device to use. It is astounding to stop and reflect on how much we really rely on technology in so many aspects. Anywhere from daily life as far as all the devices and applications we use, to at work so many more devices and programs to maneuver. Now more than ever technology is ever more prevalent within our schools and educational journey. This is why digital literacy is essential in this day in time. While the word “literacy” alone generally refers to reading and writing skills, when you tack on the word “digital” before it, the term encompasses much, much more (Leowus 2016). Without the vital technological foundation necessary to build these digital literacy skills, there will be difficulties maneuvering through this technology-driven world. Educators must first focus on having efficient digital skills themselves in order to in turn teach their students to have the literacy needed throughout their educational journey and even well into their career. 

        A digital-rich world has led to concern when it comes to technology security. Especially when it comes to educational systems and schools. There is a vast amount of data held within these systems and it is vital to keep it safe and secure. Not to mention the array of confidential digital documents and information that needs to remain protected. Schools need to Provide adequate resources to protect information and information systems from unauthorized access, use, disclosure, disruption, modification, or destruction while keeping them highly available for student learning and education administration (SREB, 2018).

Digital Literacy

        
        When one thinks of “literacy”, one usually correlates it to reading and writing because the definition of literate is the ability to read and write. Generally, we do not think in a digital or technological sense. If one looks up the definition of digital literacy, most are correlated to each other, but nonetheless, it differs from definition to definition. There is not one simple clear-cut definition as there is to ‘literate” although literacy defined alone does state it is competence or knowledge in a specified area. I would say that digital literacy is being competent and knowledgeable in a specific area of technology and having the skills required to utilize it effectively. The term is so broad that some experts even stay away from it, preferring to speak more specifically about particular skills at the intersection of technology and literacy (Loewus, 2016). Digital literacy involves many aspects such as information, data, and media competencies, technical proficiency, creation and innovation, communication, and collaboration among many other areas.  

        Furthermore, educators must assure their digital literacy skills are up to par before they teach them to their students. Educators must be efficient and effective in their skills because if not then they will not be able to instruct their students properly. If this is not focused on, students are at risk of being taught these skills in the wrong matter.  As  we have seen,  there is a  pressing need for teachers to  engage with  digital  literacies throughout education,  and  increasingly the  understandings and  experiences that  learners and  their  teachers have,  and  need,  is  changing  as  technology  itself  changes ( Gruszczynska, A., Merchant, G., Pountney, R., 2013). In order to properly teach digital literacy, educators must have adequate professional development so they can be trained if they are lacking in certain areas. They also must have the support needed so they can assure they have good technical support if they need help with their own digital skills. I think that most of the time educators are told to teach certain things such as digital literacy and are not exactly shown hands-on how to do so or nobody takes the time to teach them how to do it efficiently. Which in turn can hinder their ability to provide the best instruction possible. 

        

“Ensure students have the fundamental skill sets they need

from the early grades through college to be fully engaged in

technology-mediated learning opportunities to develop lifelong fluencies for success in a digital world"

(SREB, 2018).

Technology Security

         Furthermore, with many of the aspects of the educational systems being run digitally, it creates concerns and weaknesses in their technology security. Schools hold a variety of data systems and confidential information within their systems. For instance students' personal information and records, IEP or special program documents, grades and reports, testing scores, and data analysis reports. In addition, today all technology systems, from learning management systems to institutional networks, access points, wi-fi networks, enterprise resource planning, and student information systems, need technology security extending from the user level to the network, institution, and beyond, including vendor partners. More schools and institutions now use third-party vendor networks, cloud-based services, and online educational tools than ever before, which makes them vulnerable to external access (SREB, 2018).  Schools must assure that only staff who are authorized to view and handle this sensitive information should do so. If others are able to have access to this there is a breach of the confidential policy. All staff must be efficiently trained to handle and secure all confidential information. They must also have accurate and updated data inventories and security plans. As well as have intruder detection and vendor management of digital data. When technology securtiy is at the main focus the educaitonal systems can run smoothly without risks of attacks, breaches, or malpractice.

       

         As technological advances continue to flourish especially within educational systems, it is evident that digital literacy skills are a necessity to have. In order to keep up with the wave of the future, educators and students alike must hone their digital skills and fine-tune them to meet their technological needs. Without the adequate skills, students will struggle through their educational journey and possibly even most careers. It is no longer a luxury to be technical savvy, it is a competency that all people need to have in order to thrive in this modern day technology driven world.         

“We are finding ourselves in a historically amazing moment. The digital revolution is profoundly modifying our lifestyle habits and our means of understanding the world. It seems evident that we are aiding the birth of a new stage in Western civilization” (Galan, 2018).

Why this information is important to me and my profession 

This information is important to me because I want to have the skills necessary to teach my students digital literacy accurately. I need to make sure my skills are at a mastery level where I can be equipt teach proper technical skills to my students. I want to assure them that I am exposing them to a variety of technologies and implementing a digital-rich environment where they may gain their foundation skills. I think this is crucial to expose them at school to this type of literacy because many times I find that some of my students are not aware of digital literacy skills at home. Most of the time it is due to a lack of resources such as no devices, computers, or internet at home for them to learn and practice these skills. So then, schools become the avenue in which they can gain these skills that are a vital part of the rest of their lives.

What I need to learn more about and why

        

        
        I feel that I need to learn more about technology security. As an educator, I have access to a vast amount of data and confidential information. This is why I would like to learn more about how this information is best maintained and secured. I would also like to know more about what is done with students' data when it comes to certain programs and educational applications. It seems that there are so many terms and conditions to agree to before you can access and use most of the programs and I tend to wonder what is really in the fine print. Who is having access to this data and where and how is it being utilized.

        

Future Reference

For future reference, I would use information from the US Department of Education Data Security: K-12 and Higher Education webpage. It has resourceful cybersecurity information for schools where it addresses these concerns in detailed explanations. 

 U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION. ( 2019). Data Security: K-12 and Higher Education. Protecting Student Privacy A Service of the Student Privacy Policy Office’s Privacy Technical Assistance Center. https://studentprivacy.ed.gov/Security 

References

Gomez-Galan, J. (2018, Mar 2). Media Education as Theoretical and Practical Paradigm for Digital Literacy: An Interdisciplinary Analysis. European Journal of Science and Theology, 2015, Vol. 11, No. 3, 31-44 ISSN 1842-8517. https://arxiv.org/pdf/1803.01677.pdf 

Gruszczynska, A., Merchant, G., Pountney, R. ( 2013, Aug 1). "Digital Futures in Teacher Education": Exploring Open Approaches towards Digital Literacy. Sheffield Hallam University, Sheffield, UK Vol. 11 No.3(2013).https://academic-publishing.org/index.php/ejel/article/view/1669/1632 

Leowau, Liana. ( 2016, Nov 16). What Is Digital Literacy? Digital Literacy: An Evolving Definition. Education Week Special Report. https://www.edweek.org/teaching-learning/what-is-digital-literacy/2016/11 

Southern Regional Education Board. February 2018. 10 Issues in Educational Technology.  

Readiness and Emergent Managemnt for Schools (REMS) Technical Assistance Center (TA). Cybersecurity Considerations for K-12 Schools and School Districts. CYBERSECURITY FOR SCHOOLS FACT SHEET pgs 1-8. https://rems.ed.gov/docs/Cybersecurity_K-12_Fact_Sheet_508C.PDF