Challenges and Barriers to Teaching Digital Fluencies |
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“If it were possible to define generally the mission of education, it could be said that its fundamental purpose is to ensure that all students benefit from learning in ways that allow them to participate fully in public, community, creative, and economic life”
(New London Group)
Challenges for Students in the Twenty-First Century
The rapid emergence of modern technologies had drastically changed the way the world works and the way in which information and knowledge is acquired. The internet generation (net geners) have begun to absorb information in new ways and have a limited tolerance for absorbing information which they could easily find through a Google search. Growing up digital “has encouraged this generation to be active and demanding inquirers - not passive consumers of media created for a mass audience” (Tapscott, 2008, p.18). The development of of these skills has been a coping mechanism to handle the information overload in the digital age.
However, effectively preparing students to be successful in the twenty-first century involves a development of digital fluencies that go beyond just being able to use digital tools - they must become producers of content and be able to take advantage of peer-to-peer learning opportunities, have a changed attitude toward intellectual property, develop the skills valued in the modern workplace, and have a more empowered conception of citizenship.
The rapid emergence of modern technologies had drastically changed the way the world works and the way in which information and knowledge is acquired. The internet generation (net geners) have begun to absorb information in new ways and have a limited tolerance for absorbing information which they could easily find through a Google search. Growing up digital “has encouraged this generation to be active and demanding inquirers - not passive consumers of media created for a mass audience” (Tapscott, 2008, p.18). The development of of these skills has been a coping mechanism to handle the information overload in the digital age.
However, effectively preparing students to be successful in the twenty-first century involves a development of digital fluencies that go beyond just being able to use digital tools - they must become producers of content and be able to take advantage of peer-to-peer learning opportunities, have a changed attitude toward intellectual property, develop the skills valued in the modern workplace, and have a more empowered conception of citizenship.
Challenges for Educators Regarding Digital Fluencies
There are some significant challenges schools are facing which are preventing the widespread effective implementation of technology and the development of digital fluencies for students. Many of these challenges are outlined in The New Media Consortium’s 2014 Horizon Report: K-12 Edition which biannually charts the emerging technologies for teaching and learning.
Professional Development
At the epicentre of challenges in education is a lack of adequate professional development for teachers who are required to integrate technology into the classroom. Teachers must learn about new digital tools, evolve their teaching practices to meets the needs of a rapidly changing digital world as well as the underlying theories which support the effective use of tools for to enhance learning opportunities. A familiarity of digital fluency and technological knowledge among teachers is required before such skills can be fostered in students.
Resistance to Change
Resistance to technology comes in many forms and in varying degrees. Teachers often report feeling overwhelmed by a full teaching load and that they do not have the time to drastically alter their teaching practices. However, the rapid influx of new technologies requires a rethinking of approaches to education to prepare students for success in the digital age. The development of digital fluencies is a crucial part of preparing students to be able to navigate a data-saturated world and be producers of creative content. These skills are not taught in traditional schooling approaches and require a drastic paradigm shift in pedagogy.
Outdated Curriculum / Policies
A major concern for education in the twenty-first century is that policy cannot keep up with the rapid growth of new technologies. Teachers who experiment with new technologies and learning approaches often feel restricted within traditional schooling structures. Curriculums often focus on specific tools and not the overarching skills identified as digital fluencies. Similarly, education policy makers have long struggled to stay current with the way emerging technologies have altered education environments. Significant education reform is needed to address how, what, where and when people learn in the digital age.
References
Johnson, L., Adams Becker, S., Estrada, V., and Freeman, A. (2014). NMC Horizon Report: 2014 K-12 Edition. Austin, Texas: The New Media Consortium.
New London Group (2000). A pedagogy of multiliteracies: Designing social futures in Literacy Learning and the Design of Social Futures, ed. Bill Cope and Mary Kalantzis. London: Routledge, p 9-38.
Tapscott, D. (2008). Net Geners Relate to News in New Ways. Nieman Reports; Winter 2008, Vol. 62 Issue 4, p 18-19, 2p.