Digital Literacy Pathway

My Digital Profile

Firstly, I began by assessing my digital confidence through a profile that measures my comfort, competence, and confidence level in digital skills. I’ve gained a good competency in using digital tools and technology through a lot of practise and overcoming obstacles. Moreover, because I didn’t concentrate on a particular digital tool, I didn’t have much confidence in them; however, all of my confidence is based on real-life experiences. According to my profile results, my areas of strengths are in Create & Innovate, Identity & Wellbeing and Communicate & Collaborate. While, my areas of weaknesses are in Find & Use, Tech & Learn and Tools & Technology. I can do better in terms of effectively finding and using relevant facts and information based on the insights I obtained from both my profile findings and the article I read. To be flexible with creative ways of interpreting concepts, such as the use of editing tools, it is also essential for me to develop my creativity. Additionally, I want to improve my capacity for problem-solving when faced with technological difficulties.

Secondly, I read Dr. Maha Bali’s article on Knowing the Difference Between Digital Skills and Digital Literacies and Teaching Both. She started the article by emphasizing the importance of digital literacy rather than just digital skills for learners in the 21st century. Digital skills focus on the “what” and “how” of using technology, while digital literacy encompasses the “why,” “when,” “who,” and “for whom.” Digital literacy involves understanding the reasons behind using certain tools, making informed choices, and considering the implications of online actions.

Over the years, the rapid advancement of technology has required users to continually adapt and acquire the necessary skills to navigate digital platforms effectively. Dr. Maha Bali’s article on digital skills and literacies sheds light on the importance of understanding the distinction between the two.

Reflecting on my experience in the CORE 2096 course, I realized that while we learned how to use various digital platforms, there was a deeper need to develop digital literacies. In the course, we used Slack for work-related communication because it was well-suited for communication. However, in other classes, people used WhatsApp without considering if it was the right platform. This led to non-academic discussions interfering with our coursework. It shows that having digital skills without literacy can cause problems and a lack of understanding about when and why to use specific platforms.

Bali’s insights on social media usage encouraged me to reflect on the need for platform-specific literacies. Posting lengthy reflections or essays on Facebook, for example, may not engage users seeking quick and accessible content. As an alternative, using websites like WordPress for lengthy writing and Facebook for promotional purposes would ensure better alignment with the intended audience’s preferences.

Only depending on technical expertise is insufficient; we must also assess the appropriateness and significance of the tools we use. Misuse of tools like Chat-GPT serves as a reminder of the value of using them in combination with other sources of information rather than as a singular resource, further highlighting the significance of digital literacy. This resonates with a talk by Manu Kapur on active learning and productive failure, where students are encouraged to be proactive problem solvers and take charge of their learning through approaches that focus on investigations. This kind of involvement improves critical thinking and greater knowledge of digital tasks.

Moreover, Bali’s example highlights the importance of digital literacies when taking into account how our social media presence affects our possibilities for future work. Applicants are being evaluated by employers more frequently based on their online personas, placing a strong emphasis on the need to show professionalism and alignment with organizational values. To predict a positive professional image, it is essential to understand the implications of our online activities.

Lastly, Bali’s concern to use common sense when faced with the challenge of developing new technologies has a big impact. In conclusion, the combination of digital literacy and skills enables us to move around the digital world effectively and intelligently. The term “digital literacies” refers to both the technical and deeper understanding of the why, when, who, and for whom these abilities are used. We may actively improve our digital literacy so that we can make intelligent decisions, utilize platforms efficiently, and assess the effects of our online behavior.     

I decided to do the Taught Path (All Aboard Stations); accordingly, I did two interactive lessons.

Taught Path

Presentation skills & tools

In taught path, I decided to do a module “Presentation skills & tools” from the All Aboard Station. I understood the important part that presenting skills play in effectively communicating ideas because I have always been passionate about doing both. I wanted to improve my skills in this area because I think that developing these abilities will have a positive impact on both my personal and professional lives. Additionally, having great presentation abilities is essential for my academic and future professional interests as a business marketing major student. In the field of marketing, good communication is essential for conveying brand messages, selling concepts, and winning over stakeholders. Therefore, I need to know the tips and tricks for an outstanding presentation. 

One aspect of the interactive lesson that particularly resonated with me was the focus on presentation tools and media. The lesson introduced a presentation tool called “slideware,” which is a general term for application software used to create and display computer-based slide shows. Familiar examples of slideware mentioned were PowerPoint, Keynote, Slidesgo, and Canva, all of which I am already familiar with and utilize in my presentations.

Additionally, the lesson emphasized the significance of slide decks in providing a basic structure, layout, and design for different types of presentations. It highlighted the importance of selecting visible colors and fonts that can be easily read by the audience. Simple colors such as white, beige, and blue were recommended, while fonts like Times New Roman or Arial were suggested with a minimum font size of 28 pt. It was also advised to avoid using italics as it can hinder readability.

Furthermore, the lesson highlighted the use of multimedia to enhance presentations and emphasize key points. For example, it discussed using infographics, which are visual representations of data or information that can be quickly understood. Infographics are useful for presenting complex data and there are websites like Piktochart that can help create them. Including images in presentations also helps reinforce key points and connect with the audience emotionally. It is important to use high-quality images. Lastly, the lesson stressed the need to avoid overcrowding slides with text and instead use keywords, phrases, or quotations selectively to guide and reinforce important points. Including too much text can make the font size too small to read and the audience may end up reading the text themselves instead of listening to the presenter.

Moreover, using several strategies is necessary to make a presentation interesting, such as using appealing body language, the right voice tone, and building a solid connection with the audience. The TRAC approach, which entails thanking the questioner, repeating the question to ensure clarity, answering the question, and checking whether the question has been effectively answered, is one presentation technique that I have learned to use effectively.

To conclude, the lesson has provided me with valuable insights and objectives. One of the objectives that I have learned is understanding the key steps involved in planning a presentation. The second objective is knowing what is involved in preparing a slideshow using presentation tools and media. Lastly, I am now able to identify key aspects of effective presentation delivery. 

Lastly, I finished the entire reading and took the quiz to see how well I understood the lesson. I received a 90% on the quiz and received a badge for finishing the readings, videos, and questions. 

Referencing and Citation

I chose the module “Referencing and Citation” as it is a crucial aspect of our university education and understanding it is important. I was really interested in learning more about this topic since I understand how important maintaining ethical standards in academia is. One of the main reasons for choosing this topic is the direct connection I have to academic integrity and plagiarism. Being a member of the academic community, it is essential to confirm ethical and honest behavior. Failing to do so can result in accusations of plagiarism, which carry penalties and disciplinary actions. Plagiarism occurs when someone intentionally or unintentionally presents someone else’s work as their own without giving proper credit to the original author. To avoid plagiarism, it is necessary to cite the sources used. The lesson provided examples that demonstrate the serious consequences of plagiarism, such as the case of “Harvard University investigating a plagiarism outbreak involving 125 students” and “UK universities facing a “plagiarism epidemic” with nearly 50,000 students caught cheating over the past three years”. These examples highlight the importance of referencing in academic work. Moreover, the lesson provided several techniques that students could use to easily maintain their academic integrity and avoid the risk of unintentionally plagiarizing. The first valuable technique is to take effective notes during classes. This method has made a major difference in my ability to understand the course material. I’ve been able to remember the main ideas, significant facts, and relevant examples that the instructor mentioned by carefully taking notes. I can integrate information more quickly by taking notes, which helps in my concentration and active participation in class discussions. Additionally, it is a great resource for later review and study. When I think back on how I take notes, I understand how important it is to be organized and follow a certain process. This involves organizing my notes and making them more logical and simpler to understand by utilizing headings, subheadings, bullet points, and numbering. The second important technique is to paraphrase and summarize. I’ve learned how to analyze challenging concepts and deliver them in my own words while citing the source. Through this technique, I learned to avoid plagiarism while simultaneously improving my understanding. Furthermore, being able to paraphrase and summarize has been helpful for me during class discussions and tests because it allows me to remember knowledge better.  Moving on to the third technique, which is to make your voice heard. I have been able to understand the topic more thoroughly and form my perspective by actively participating and sharing my thoughts and opinions. Moreover, making my voice heard in writing, in my experience, greatly lowers the possibility of unintentional plagiarism. 
Lastly, it is crucial to attribute sources by giving proper credit to the original authors or creators of the information used.  

The lesson on referencing and citation has helped me achieve three significant goals. Firstly, I have gained a clear understanding of the concept of referencing and its crucial role in maintaining academic integrity. Secondly, I can now easily identify references from various information sources and comprehend the distinctions between a bibliography and a reference list. Lastly, I have acquired the skills to effectively implement proper citation practices, including accurate paraphrasing, quoting, and recognizing situations where citing may not be necessary.        

Lastly, I finished the entire reading and took the quiz to see how well I understood the lesson. I received a 100% on the quiz and received a badge for finishing the readings, videos, and questions. 

Final Reflection

I wanted to share my final reflection on the Digital Literacy Pathways assignment. I at first struggled to understand the assignment’s criteria while I watched the instructional videos. I felt overwhelmed as a result, especially given how busy my calendar already was. I began to doubt if I would have enough time to complete the assignment, and these doubts grew stronger. I understood, nevertheless, that I had to keep calm and look for solutions that would work. I decided to get started early, to give myself plenty of time to complete the assignment. It took three days to complete it, the first of which I kept rewatching the video instructions to make sure I understood them completely. Although I was still a little confused about the assignment after watching the video several times, I decided to trust the process and kept hoping that I would understand the task in time for submission. Choosing one of the four pathways was challenging, but after exploring each one, I eliminated the reading-related options because I don’t enjoy reading. I then found the Taught Path the most interesting and started working on it. It took me about 30 minutes to understand the assignment, and once I did, it became easier to proceed. On the first day, I created my digital profile and reflected on the article “the difference between digital literacies and digital skills”. The next day, I focused on the first taught path and completed the assigned lesson and the reflection. The following day, I completed the second taught path and wrote my final reflection. I first felt overwhelmed when I thought back on the assignment. But the process was made easier by giving myself time to understand it, having clear expectations, and following an organized strategy. The importance of self-care, adaptation, and allowing myself to grow were all lessons I learned from this experience. Overall, the assignment felt overwhelming at the beginning, but as I gave myself time, everything fell into place.  

Important:

1. Quillbot was only used to enhance my writing such as adding synonyms to the sentences and improve the flow (especially in the final reflection part).

2. I used grammarily to correct the grammer.