The ‘Digital World’ refers to the everyday information and communications technology which pervades the modern existence. It overlays education, business and commerce, science, the arts and entertainment, and affects the way we relate to local and global communities. While previous generations grew up without the internet, mobile phones and home computers, the younger generation have never known anything else except instant access to information and entertainment, communication and social media. These ‘digital natives’ seamlessly integrate the digital and real worlds through their devices and expect this to occur in the classroom as well if they are to stay engaged and relate to the content as relevant to their own lives.
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Communications and social media present opportunities and risks to young people still finding their place in the world. Being able to make friends from all over the world and co-create meaning among a wider community exposes them to broader views, but also can restrict their world view to that which is confirmed by their own circles of influence. The constant connectedness can be addictive and there is little escape from it. Cyberbullying is a pervasive phenomenon that follows individuals to their real world at home and school and is harder to pin down or escape from. This is explored further in Digital issues and the nature of schooling in a digital age.
However, not all digital natives are necessarily fluent in using technology, and require guidance. A digital pedagogy takes advantage of the opportunities presented through technology to make learning more efficient, organised and engaging, and teachers role is that of leader and guide to keep young people safe and promote critical use of technology.
However, not all digital natives are necessarily fluent in using technology, and require guidance. A digital pedagogy takes advantage of the opportunities presented through technology to make learning more efficient, organised and engaging, and teachers role is that of leader and guide to keep young people safe and promote critical use of technology.
We need to change and adapt to the digital world in order to be able to engage as active citizens, become and remain employable, and meet the challenges presented in a global digital community. Employers expect candidates to be digitally literate at a minimum, and with a global shift to automation there are fewer jobs which do not require ICT skills, and increasingly fewer opportunities for individuals outside of the booming technology fields in manufacturing, agriculture, commerce and entertainment. (Howell, 2013)
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The Digital Technology curriculum reflects this expectation and seeks to meet the need for digitally fluent citizens, while ICT general capabilities are integrated throughout the curriculum, there is also a need for explicit teaching of the ways humans are interconnected and critical understanding of how this affects individuals. This is even explicit in some parts of the curriculum such as in Geography.
Curriculum Link:
The way transportation and information and communication technologies are used to connect people to services, information and people in other places (ACHGK066) (SCSA, n.d.)
The way transportation and information and communication technologies are used to connect people to services, information and people in other places (ACHGK066) (SCSA, n.d.)
(Source: Office of the eSafety Commissioner)
References
Anderson, M. (2017). Teacher
Cartoon #6298 ANDERTOONS TEACHER CARTOONS. Andertoons.com.
Retrieved from https://www.andertoons.com/teacher/cartoon/6298/i-appreciate-text-kate-but-next-time-you-can-just-raise-your-hand
Digital Citizenship. (2017). Office
of the eSafety Commissioner. Retrieved from https://esafety.gov.au/education-resources/classroom-resources/digital-citizenship
Howell, J. (2013). Teaching
with ICT: digital pedagogies for collaboration and creativity. Retrieved
from https://ebookcentral.proquest.com
k10outline - Humanities and Social Sciences.
(2017). K10outline.scsa.wa.edu.au.
Retrieved from
https://k10outline.scsa.wa.edu.au/home/p-10-curriculum/curriculum-browser/humanities-and-social-sciences