Estimated study time: 30 minutes
...our physical world is rapidly changing under the influence of technica and technology... they are extending all over the physical world, including our bodies and brains and thus, even our minds. (Mičunović, Badurina and Bosančić, 2016, p.140)
Educators today must prepare students to cope with a world in which the digital and material, human and non-human are increasingly imbricated; cyberspace has become ‘coterminous with’ human society (Martin and Madigan 2006, p.xxvi). Furthermore, ‘Our digital world changes so quickly that we always feel we’re trying to catch up’ (Dodgson, 2018). So, educators must consider inherently uncertain futures.
An example of this unparalleled rate of change is ‘deepfake’ technology; Artificial intelligence (AI)-generated videos intended to deceive. Deepfakes have swiftly progressed from a novelty to being increasingly common and convincing (Venkataramakrishnan, 2019, p.13).
Task 1 [10 minutes]
Reading: 'Deepfake' technology
In this course, ‘deepfake’ is used as a metonym, a literary device deployed to describe a larger concept (Merriam Webster, 2019). As such, deepfakes symbolise rapid technological changes for which populations may be ill-prepared. AI systems ‘are evolving much faster than social systems can adapt’ (Kile, 2013 cited in Mičunović, Badurina and Bosančić, 2016, p.154).
Let’s take a closer look at deepfake technology and its potential risks. Using the link below, visit the article and read it. This will help contextualise our wider discussion about the importance of digital literacy in general. Dodgson, N., 2018, Face-swap on steroids: How 'deepfake' videos are messing with reality, The Spinoff [online] |
Task 2 [20 minutes]
Reading: The importance of digital literacy in education
...there is a strong need for policies that attempt to compensate for low levels of these skills, especially policies aimed at those with the greatest need… Thus, digital skills are a complex policy problem that calls for both technological and educational solutions. (van Dijk and van Deursen, 2014, p.93)
Now that we have considered the role of digital literacy in the wider context, let’s turn our attention to its importance in education specifically. You will read part of a handbook aimed at educational practitioners and school leaders titled ‘Digital literacy across the curriculum’. Chapter 2 of the handbook outlines the importance of digital literacy, focussing on young people and their interaction with digital practices and cultures.
As you read, consider the following questions:
Hague, C., and Payton, C., 2010. The importance of digital literacy, Chapter 2 (pgs. 6 to 17) in: Digital literacy across the curriculum, , Available through https://www.nfer.ac.uk/publications/futl06/futl06.pdf
As you read, consider the following questions:
- Why, according to the authors, is digital literacy important?
- Why is the term ‘digital native’ an overgeneralisation? In what ways is this problematic?
- Why do the authors recommend that digital literacy also needs to be tackled at the policy level?
Hague, C., and Payton, C., 2010. The importance of digital literacy, Chapter 2 (pgs. 6 to 17) in: Digital literacy across the curriculum, , Available through https://www.nfer.ac.uk/publications/futl06/futl06.pdf
Additional reading (optional) |
1. Venkataramakrishnan, S., 2019. Can you believe your eyes? How Deepfakes are coming for politics, FT Weekend Magazine, October 26/27. Available through https://www.ft.com/content/4bf4277c-f527-11e9-a79c-bc9acae3b654 (Note: It is possible that you may encounter a paywall e.g. if you have exhausted your number of free articles for the month).
2. Mičunović, M., Badurina, B., Bosančić, B., 2016. The occurrence of technological triad: descriptive concept of today’s totality of reality. Available through https://repozitorij.ffos.hr/en/islandora/object/ffos%3A2171
2. Mičunović, M., Badurina, B., Bosančić, B., 2016. The occurrence of technological triad: descriptive concept of today’s totality of reality. Available through https://repozitorij.ffos.hr/en/islandora/object/ffos%3A2171
Digital literacy for digital futures: Key implications for educators by Neenaz Ichaporia is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.