1. Frameworks for Describing/Constructing Literacy
Functional Literacy – baseline reading and writing skills to function competently in society.
Literacy as Personal Growth/aesthetic and reflective understanding. Think of journaling, diaries, the appreciation of creative works, and certain kinds of writing connected to therapy.
Literacy as Power – sometimes linked to Civic Literacy. Focused on understanding how society works and how dominant power relations can be challenged. Civic literacy (less radical) focuses on fostering capacities that enable citizens to participate fully in democracy, to make voices heard, mobilize groups and create change.
Rhetorical Literacy - contains elements of many of the frameworks listed above. Characterized by interest in production (as well as reception), power, change, the civic realm, persuasion, and understanding of the dynamics of particular discourse communities (for example academic discourse communities).

2. Frameworks for Describing/Constructing Literacy
Critical Literacy – the ability to a) evaluate and interrogate texts, b) detect how ideologies and values function in texts and influence readers/audiences, c) understand how texts construct reality and identities, and d) advance an “oppositional” understanding of texts.
Cultural Literacy (E.D. Hirsch). Refers to the idea that nations need a common cultural vocabulary and this should be taught in public schools. Hirsch claims literacy requires cultural background knowledge. Hirsch’s book included a list of 5,000 facts, dates, famous people, works of literature and concepts every American should know (‘core knowledge’).
(Mass) Media Literacy – the skills, competencies, knowledge and habits of mind required for analysis of (and participation in) media-saturated societies. (See handout.)
Visual/Multimodal literacies – reflects importance of visual texts, draws from above.

3. Digital Literacy – what elements of the above should be part of new media literacies?
Different groups define digital literacy differently. Often they will lean more heavily toward one of the major frames (Functional, Critical, Rhetorical, etc.) and suggest a different “ratio” of the criteria listed. Jones and Hafner (we read later) provide an additional framework based on affordances – how do technologies enable or constrain us from doing, being, thinking, knowing, meaning, relating). We can ask similar questions about these models of literacy

4. Note that some of these literacies are more focused on interpretation (critical, cultural, media) and others on production (rhetorical, civic, personal growth).
Some are more “oppositional” and “critical,” assuming that the social and political order needs radical change or merely reform.
When considering the “rhetoric” of these frameworks we can use J & H to ask how they enable or constrain doing, being, thinking, knowing, meaning, relating). We can ask similar questions about these models of literacy

5. Examining emergent models of digital literacy
We can see that different groups, stakeholders and organizations define digital literacy differently.
Often they will lean more heavily toward one of the major frames (Functional, Critical, Rhetorical, etc.) and suggest a different “ratio” of the criteria described by Jones and Hafner (do, be, think, mean, relate)

6. Jones and Hafner invite us to think about communication technologies in terms of what they allow (and constrain) what we can do, mean, think, be, and relate.
Such a framework is compatible with a rhetorical approach; it is broadly “dramatistic,” imagining communication in terms of action, performance and identity.
Literacy frameworks, and the “ratios” described by J & H, can be used to examine definitions of digital literacy.

7. Lisa Harris
Lisa is a Senior Lecturer in Marketing at the University of Southampton, Director of the MSc programme in Digital Marketing. She is an accredited tutor for the University of Liverpool online MBA programme, and has projects with Alan Rae investigating how ‘early adopters’ of new technology are using Web 2 tools to ‘punch above their weight’

8. Definitions
“Digital literacy is the ability to locate, organise, understand, evaluate, and analyse information using digital technology. It involves a working knowledge of current tools and an understanding of how they can be used”
“The active management of online activities such as collaboration, networking , content creation and curation in order to “stand out from the crowd” in today’s job market”
“an ability to respond positively to change”

10. What do we mean by Digital Literacy?
Collecting, managing and evaluating online information
Building an online brand for personal or career development
Creating and curating content in written, audio and visual media
Communicating effectively online for networking and collaboration purposes
Managing digital identity/ies with due awareness of privacy and security issues

11. The “digitally literate” student…
a proactive, confident and flexible adopter of a range of technologies for personal, academic and professional use
uses appropriate technology effectively to search for and store high-quality information
curates, reflects and critically evaluates the information obtained
engages creatively and productively in relevant online communities
Is familiar with the use of collaboration tools to facilitate groupwork and project management
is aware of the challenges inherent in ensuring online privacy and security
Develops appropriate communication skills for peer and tutor interaction within an ‘always on’ environment

13. Exercises
1. Write down what you see as the key elements of digital literacy for your area of expertise. Discuss what you have highlighted and then agree on a set of values for a digitally literate student
2 . Identify 3 aspects of digital literacy that you consider most relevant to you and your work. Explain why this is the case (Google Docs)