Being media literate implies that you have a particular set of skills that allow you to participate in today's society across all mediums of the 21st Century's digital environment in a safe and effective manner. Not all of these skills are technical in nature, rather an abundance of social skills contribute to media literacy. Collaboration and connection with other people are essential aspects of media literacy, which require good social skills in order to be effective. Being media literate is not only understanding the digital environment, it also involves the ability to create and communicate information in an effective manner through various mediums associated with the digital environment. Furthermore, media literacy requires critical thinking to be able to evaluate and assess various forms of information in the digital environment.
The digital environment is quickly becoming one of the most diverse and interactive educational settings in the world, however, the new media of the digital environment is not being fully integrated into the education system in Ontario. This is largely due to safety issues surrounding the digital environment, especially for children. In order to overcome such issues, the idea of digital citizenship is on the rise. According to Anne Collier of NetFamilyNews.org, digital citizenship requires "Critical thinking and ethical choices about the content and impact on oneself, others, and one’s community of what one sees, says, and produces with media, devices, and technologies." As long as we take care in what we explore in the digital environment, new media can create seemingly unlimited possibilities in the classroom. Although there is some danger in the digital environment, it is outweighed by the positive possibilities that new media offers.
Related Links:
- Media Smarts: media literacy http://mediasmarts.ca/digital-media-literacy-fundamentals/media-literacy-fundamentals
- Digital Citizenship http://www.cyberwise.org
- Digital Citizenship http://www.netfamilynews.org
- http://www.educatorstechnology.com/2013/01/great-critical-thinking-map-for-your.html