Chapter 3: What is the Value of Digital Literacy for students?

Although I have been out of the classroom for many years, I can imagine one of the first questions from an administrator approached about the inclusion of a DST project would be, "What is the value of digital literacy for students at our school?"  This is a valid question in a time of standardized testing and focus on school improvement.  

The school I taught at used to have a career day each year.  On that day, we would have guest speakers from the community come into our classrooms and inform students about the job opportunities available to them and the qualifications necessary to be successful in these careers.  Although the students always enjoyed this day, it always left me wondering if I was doing the best job preparing them for the realities of the world outside our classroom.  In other words, educators do our best to provide students with the basic skills they need to graduate but are we truly preparing them for the real job market?

Ohler points out that students need to be provided with instruction on using the digital technology effectively, creatively, and wisely.  In talking about students being able to use digital tools intelligently and proficiently he says, "This includes knowing how to push the right buttons, use the Web efficiently as an information resource and collaboration tool, apply technical skills to problems with proficiency, and transfer learning from one situation to another." (Ohler, Kindle version, 860 of 2900).  

Having left teaching and now working for the government, I truly see the importance of introducing these technology skills early in students lives so that they may apply it to future situations.  As a budget analyst for the Department of Education, I have learned more about spreadsheets, databases, formulas, word documents, researching government databases in a year than I did in seven years of teaching.  Every interview that I have gone on focuses on the importance of having experience with Microsoft Office, Excel, Access, and Outlook.  This is often the deciding factor between candidates and I've been lucky to have acquired this skill set later in life.  By allowing DST in the classroom, students will get the hands on experience with computers, digital technology, computer software, and expressing themselves that will able to be applied to future endeavors.