[r]evolution Digital Literacy Workshop Slides

[r]evolution:
Digital Literacy in
an Evolving World

Curricular Objectives
1) Enable students and patrons in Southeast Illinois to be
active, safe, and informed participants in digital media.
2) Enable students and patrons in Southeast Illinois to
use digital technology to advocate for themselves and
their communities.

Overview
• What is Digital Literacy?
• My Digital Footprint
• Feeling Safe and Secure Online
• Understanding Search Engine Results
• Recognizing Fake/Manipulative Content
• Digital Citizenship: Being an Online
Advocate

What is Digital Literacy?
Traditional Literacy: The ability to read and write proficiently.
What are the challenges associated with a lack of traditional
literacy?

Traditional Literacy: The ability to read and write proficiently.
What are the challenges associated with a lack of traditional
literacy?
• Inability to find/keep employment
• Inability to safely understand medicine labels/nutritional labels
• Significantly lower income
• Lower Self-Esteem
https://www.fondationalphabetisation.org/en/causes-of-illiteracy/consequences-of-illiteracy/

What is
Digital Literacy?
“Digital Literacy” can refer to the ability to:
• Use computer hardware/software.
• Find, use, and understand information
from the internet.
• Maintain one’s digital reputation.
• Stay safe and secure using digital
technologies.
• Avoid and counter false information
where and when it occurs.

Without Digital Literacy we are:
• Unable to fully participate in digital media/social media
• Missing out on social/familial connections
• Window of offline-available entertainment/culture is closing rapidly
• Unable to access to valuable information/opportunities
• Job applications/information mainly hosted online
• Valuable health/finance resources.
• Vulnerable to scams, phishing, and misinformation

With Digital Literacy we:
• Fully participate in digital society.
• Use social media to stay in contact with distant friends and
relatives.
• We have full access to existing online entertainment and
information.
• Use the internet to educate ourselves and pursue new
opportunities
• We are safeguarded against scams, phishing, and
misinformation.

Barriers to digital literacy include:
Lack of infrastructure.
Lack of education.
Lack of developed critical thinking skills.
Lack of support.
The Digital Literacy Paradox.

It is difficult to gain
experience with digital
technologies if you lack
digital literacy.
Digital Literacy
requires experience
using digital
technologies.
The Digital Literacy
Paradox

What can we do as educators to enable digital
literacy?
• “Fake it til’ you make it” - requires confidence and
a safe learning environment.
• Demonstrate the right ways to find an answer
when a question arises.
• Create a space for discussions and critical
thinking about digital media.

Stop and Reflect:
Think about a time in which a student or
patron suffered challenges due to a lack of
digital literacy.
What challenges did they face, and how did
you address it in a way that empowered
them?

My Digital Footprint
Think of everything that we use the internet
for nowadays; we use digital technologies
for:

Think of everything that we use the internet
for nowadays; we use digital technologies
for:
• Social Interactions
• Moderating our Health
• Navigating/Securing Transportation
• Keeping track of our contacts and their information
• Watching/listening to entertainment media
• Taking, editing, and storing pictures, videos, and audio
• Applying for jobs/clocking in and out of work
• Looking up information
None of this is free; we pay the price of our data.

Every website you’ve visited.
Every social media account you’ve created.
Every email you’ve sent.
Every post you’ve made, liked, or shared.
Every photo or document you’ve saved to the cloud.
Every review you’ve left of a product or business.
Every job you’ve looked at or applied for online.
Every life event you’ve shared online.
Every product you’ve purchased or looked at online.
Every Google or Bing search you’ve made.

What can be the consequences of a poor digital footprint?
• A 2017 survey found that up to 70% of employers now screen
applicants’ social media profiles.
• Using racial slurs or inappropriate language that violates terms
of service may result in permanent bans from social media.
• Because the US generally lacks privacy laws/regulation for use
of consumer data, there is no way of knowing who can see your
“private” content.
• Remember, even content that has been deleted from the
internet can still be searched, archived, and accessed; once
something is out there, it is out there for good.
https://www.ft.com/content/87cfe2ee-bfeb-11e8-84cd-9e601db069b8

What can I do to manage my digital footprint?
• See what information already exists publicly about you on the internet;
google your full name, email, and usernames and see what you find.
• Restrict privacy settings on your social media so that posts are only set
to “public” when absolutely necessary (preferably, never)
• Comb through followers/contacts on social media and remove individuals
you don’t know personally.
• Most importantly, think before you post. Would you be comfortable with
future employers or family members reading or seeing your content?

Exercise: Be the Employer!
For the next ten minutes, google different permutations of your full name
with your hometown, workplace, etc. and make a list of what information
about you an employer or advertiser could gleam with just a handful of basic
searches.
Were you surprised by how much information about you was publicly
available?
Are you comfortable with your current level of internet privacy?
Do you think your current digital footprint is a good representation of you?

Maintaining our digital footprints requires tough
decisions about our values…
Do we value our isolation or our ability to
participate online?

participate online?
Do we value our privacy or our desire for
fame/recognition?

participate online?
fame/recognition?
Do we value our digital reputation or our freedom
of speech?

participate online?
fame/recognition?
Do we value our digital reputation or our freedom
of speech?
Do we value our privacy or our ease of obtaining
information?

Stop & Reflect:
The previous slide discussed the value conflicts we can have in
making decisions about our digital footprint and online behavior.
As educators, we are often concerned with our students’ ability to
find employment and succeed in the career field of their choice;
is it right to enforce those values on their social media use?
If not, how can we ensure that students are not sabotaging their
futures through irresponsible use of digital media?

“OfficeMax once accidentally sent a mailing addressed to
“Mike Seay, Daughter Killed in Car Crash.” Seay’s
daughter had indeed died in a car accident less than a
year before. How or why this piece of creepiness could
have been relevant to OfficeMax’s marketing strategy is
anybody’s guess. The company is not telling. It’s not
revealing where it got its information from, either. Data
brokers can oblige customers contractually not to reveal
them as sources.”
-Frank Pasquale, The Black Box Society (2015)

Safety & Security Online
• While the internet is a vast resource of information,
entertainment, and opportunities, it is not without its risks.
Password Attacks

Malware is harmful software that steals information, slows or
renders your device inoperable, or attempts to use your identity to
spread additional viruses via email etc.
You can avoid Malware by:
• Installing antivirus software (Freebies include Avast and Sophos)
• Immediately closing pop-up windows, taking care not to click on
them.
• Deleting and not clicking on suspicious-looking emails.
• Only downloading software from safe, verified sites (https is a
good rule, but some cybercriminals have learned to use very
convincing/safe-looking websites!)

Phishing is an attempt by cybercriminals to install malware on your
device or gain access to your personal/financial information by
posing as someone/something else.
Phishing can take the form of:
Pop-up Ads
Spam Emails
Requests for access to notifications, location data, etc.
Emails/Messages from friends/family/coworkers whose accounts
have been compromised.

Phony “Virus”/Tech Support Phishing

Fake Notification/Clickbait Phishing

Phony Prize Redemption Phishing

Safety & Security
Online
Spear Phishing Emails

Adult entertainment websites
often contain pop-up/spam
ads that lead to phishing
websites.
Practice caution if accessing
these sites from your device.
Remember: it is illegal for
users under the age of 18
to access adult content on
the internet.

What are the consequences of
downloading malware?
• Your device/computer may slow to
the point of becoming inoperable.
• Your profiles/accounts may be used
to spread malware to your contacts.
• Your personal information, including
financial information, may be
permanently compromised up to
point of identity theft.

What can I do if I believe my computer or phone has been compromised
by malware?
1) Disconnect from the internet.
2) Using anti-virus software, run a scan for malware.
OR If you do not have anti-virus software installed, restart your
computer in safe mode by holding down the shift key while clicking
restart.
3) Put a hold on all of your credit and debit cards and request a credit
freeze; this makes it less likely that your money and identity will be
stolen or misused.

Password Safety Tips:
• Avoid common passwords such as “password”,
“pass1234”, “qwerty123”, etc.
• Do not incorporate personal information such as
your name or birth year in your password that might
make it easier to guess.
• Do not use the same username/password
combination for multiple websites/accounts.
• Store passwords in an encrypted document file,
secure offline location, or “password safe”
application.

Stop & Reflect:
Fear of malware and privacy violations can be a major
hindrance to individuals’ willingness to participate with digital
technologies.
Beyond empowering students and patrons to recognize
threats when they occur, what can we do to reduce these
anxieties?

Understanding Search Results
• When using a search engine such as Google or Bing,
results are presented based on a website’s calculated
relevance to the query typed into the search bar, but
sponsored results are placed above the actual “top
results.”
• When searching for important medical or financial
information, make sure to verify that the result you
are selecting is actually the most relevant and not
just a sponsored result.

Understanding Search Results
Remember, sponsored
search listings are not
inherently suspicious or
lacking in credibility, but they
are also not inherently
trustworthy or credible;
money was spent to show
you this content– keep that in
mind!

Recognizing Fake News
When we say the words “fake news”, what
comes to mind?
Is it biased political talk shows that I disagree
with?
Is it satirical articles that oversimplify an issue for
comedic purposes?
Is it information that goes against my beliefs?
Answer: It is none of these things!

Fake News…
is not a new phenomenon,
…is an existing term in print journalism since the 1890s,
is not tied to any specific political party,
…is shared across the political spectrum,
is not biased or satirical journalism,
…is false or misleading content presented as news.

What the scholars say…
Fake news represents “an existential threat to democracy.”
Fake news is given power and meaning through sharing and
discussion.
Fake news comes from a variety of sources and is created for a
variety of purposes, with a variety of consequences for our society.
(Higdon, 2020)

Bias in news is the inclusion of subjective
commentary or phrasing that imparts a value
judgment on the events or people being discussed.
Falsity is a purposeful maligning of the truth, or the
total fabrication of a news event.
Bias is not bad in itself! The problem? Biases so
strong that they enable the creation and consumption
of content that is patently false or misleading.

When a news story seems like it might not be legitimate, check
S.U.D.S.Y.S.
• Site –Does it have an about page? If so, what does it say?
• URL – Is it a real website, or an imposter?
• Date Published – Is this story current?
• Story – Does the content of the story match the headline?
• Yourself – Is the story reaffirming your own political biases?
• Sources Used – Do the sources used seem credible?

Let’s apply S.U.D.S.Y.S. to this
story.
How about this one?
Finally, this one.
Now let’s play this game to test our
fake news detection skills!

When addressing fake news:
1) Begin with a goal for the
conversation.
2) Frame your concern as a desire
to better understand.
3) Start from a place of agreement.
4) Don’t assume the worst of
someone.
5) If the argument turns personal or
reaches a sticking point,
disengage.
6) Attack ideas not people.

Why are memes used to spread fake
news?
1) Strong visuals.
2) Concise!
3) “It’s just a joke!” Defense.

Complicating Factors in Confronting Fake
News:
• “My friend wouldn’t lie to me” – Ethos
Defense
• “You can’t prove it’s false.” – Burden of Truth
Fallacy
• “You read YOUR news and I’ll read mine,
everything is biased nowadays”
How would you respond to these defenses of
fake news?

Stop & Reflect:
In recent years, a major problem in information literacy education
has been the politicization of “fake news” as a topic.
For some students and patrons, even resources like the Media
Bias Chart and Snopes.com will be considered invalid or “fake”
from the get-go.
As an educator, how do you respond in these situations?

Digital Citizenship:
Being an Online Advocate
Beyond Literacy (Informed Participation) to Citizenship (Positive)
How can I be an online advocate for myself and others?
• Stand up to and report cyberbullying when you see it.
• Use digital media to educate others about issues important to you.
• Use digital tools to organize with others and contact elected officials.

Recognizing Cyberbullying:
Overt Subtle
Cyberbullying is subtle far more often than it is overt. Victims of cyberbullying may
be hesitant to report it, especially when it is subtle. There is no age limit on
cyberbullying.

Be an upstander, not a bystander!
1) Stop the spread: Block abusive
accounts, end the rumor, call out the
bad joke, and encourage empathy.
2) Heal the wound: Apologize to the victim,
use report features to assist them,
reach out to them, and include them
elsewhere.
3) Be preventive: Adjust privacy settings
and tell an adult or trusted peer leader.

Brainstorm:
Take five minutes coming up with strategies to address
and prevent cyberbullying for three groups: peers,
educators, and parents.
As you develop your ideas, ask yourself:
Is this a strategy that I would actually implement in these
scenarios?

Being an Advocate – PSA Activity
Ask students to take time in groups to research a societal issue
that is important to them, instructing them to find at least 3 non-
profit organization that deal with the issue directly. Do those
organizations have social media presences? If so, what kind of
content do they post?
Next, show students examples of digital PSA videos, as well as
PSA images designed for Instagram/Facebook

Being an Advocate – PSA Activity (con.)
Finally, ask students to produce a PSA (either a :45 video, :60 radio
spot, or series of infographics) about their chosen issue. The PSA
might try to draw awareness to an issue, or prescribe a solution for
people to incorporate into their daily lives.
Students should design and produce this PSA so that they would
feel confident and comfortable posting it on their social media. It
should not feel formal and academic, but personal and honest. It
should speak both to their issue and to their audience, whomever that
might be.

Contacting Elected Officials
After completing the PSA assignment, students may use the “Find
My Elected Officials” web tool to access the contact information for
their elected officials, and choose one to send an email advocating
for their chosen issue.
Civics/Social studies teachers may wish to incorporate this into a
lesson on bills/laws by asking students to look up a proposed piece
of legislation that they can ask their elected official to
support/oppose.

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