Because that’s all it’s is good for.
The BC Digital Literacy Framework seems to be cobbled together using bits and pieces of other works (ISTE, CommonSense Media, and European Comission… just three sources?) and is currently outdated according to one of the people who helped write it. On top of that, our BC curriculum just had a massive overhaul recently, switching from teacher-centered teaching to student-centered learning. This makes that framework worth even less, especially when you can easily find teachers whom they themselves are not digitally literate enough to “teach” digital literacy.
Another issue with the framework, as with most frameworks, is that it’s much too idealistic. For example, one of the competencies is that “A digitally literate person actively and constantly explores emerging technologies, integrates them in his/her environment and uses them for lifelong learning” (BC Digital Literacy Framework, n.d.). Forget emerging tech, even now there are very few individuals who have fully mastered both PC and Apple products (should I include Linux too?) despite them being around for decades. Furthermore, emerging technology is often riddled with issues and are NOT convenient nor user friendly due to lack of consumer feedback.
One more kick before I move on: even if teachers could somehow freeze time to explore all emergent technology, it’s still meaningless as policies would bar us from ever implementing them in the classroom (FOIPPA-oppa!).
On a side note, teaching digital literacy / citizenship is a complicated business. The majority of students are generally “minimally meeting” or perhaps “fully meeting” expectations, due to a combination of good parenting (it’s a verb!) and self/formal education on the topic. However, the concern are for those in the opposite category; the ones who endanger themselves because of poor role models, and lack of self-awareness, personal safety, or just foresight. Much like how teen smoking (and more recently, vaping) continues to exist despite all counter-efforts, those who are not interested will simply continue in their ignorance.
Last but not least – something about our Project for the course:
Hello 🙂
I agree with a lot of your reflections:) Are there some more current frameworks or guidelines that could guide teacher as they consider integrating digital literacy? Maybe check out OECD’s more recent work: https://www.oecd.org/education/teachers-as-designers-of-learning-environments-9789264085374-en.htm
I like your brainstorming web… maybe expand on what you plan to do within the project to give me an idea of how you see yourself in the project?
Kind regards,
Verena 🙂
In regards to brainstorming web, my role in the project was mentioned on the revised document under:
Research on digital citizenship
Barriers, challenges, limitations to the Project.
How to overcome project barriers, challenges, limitations.
Video editing.
Tl;dr = glass-half-full guy; find a way to fill it and make it look pretty.