Creativity

A second component of digital literacy is creativity. The definition of creativity varies from person to person but on a general consensus and when discussed with others on my course we found it was the originality of your ideas put into practice. John Kao (1997) defined creativity as ‘the entire process by which ideas are generated, developed and transformed into value. It comprises what people commonly mean by innovation and entrepreneurship.’

Everyone is creative even if we do not think we are. A person can be creative just by making something such as in a school children are creative through arts and crafts; teachers are creative with the methods they teach through such as PowerPoints and displays. The question is how can teachers create a digitally competent leaner through creativity using digital methods?

One digital skill which produces creativity is game creation. Most children play games whether it is on a game console or online. A website called Sploder.com allows anyone to create a game and it is easy to set up an account. The website guides you allowing you to pick a layout whether it is in the format of Mario or if it is a puzzle game. This is a useful digital skill, as it contributes to being digitally competent because through the creation of the game I could pick the features which allowed me to create the difficulty of the game. I was also able to pick an avatar, background, rewards and enemies which meant I could be creative and create a story which involved defeating enemies and making it to safety. This makes a digitally competent learner as they are learning through digital technologies to make a story involving the avatar as it advances through the different levels. Prensky (2001, PG 30&21) said that gaming and the whole process had 12 main benefits to everyone these here are some of the many benefits of games in education:

         ‘Games have rules. That gives us structure.
          Games have goals. That gives us motivation.
          Games are interactive. That gives us doing.
          Games are adaptive. That gives us flow.
          Games have outcomes and feedback. That gives us learning.
          Games have problem solving. That sparks our creativity.
          Games have interaction. That gives us social groups.
          Games have representation and story. That gives us emotion.’

Another website which can be used to induce creativity is Learning English Kids. This website is available to everyone and has many activities for children and students to use to develop their academic skills. This makes them digitally competent learners as they can learn grammar, reading and writing through story making, learn new sounds through the creation of making musical instruments which they make from stencils on the website. Also they become more self-efficient with their learning with the use of ICT which also allows for creative expression.

Reference:

Prensky, M. (2001) Digital Game-Based Learning. New York: McGraw-Hill

Journeytoexcellence (n.d) ‘Research summary - fostering creativity’ [Online] Available from: http://www.journeytoexcellence.org.uk/resourcesandcpd/research/summaries/rsfosteringcreativity.asp [Accessed: 29th November 2015]

Learnenglishkids - British Council (n.d) [Online] Available from: http://learnenglishkids.britishcouncil.org/en [Accessed 29th November 2015]

Sploder! (n.d) [Online] Available from: http://www.sploder.com/ [Accessed 29th November 2015]

Functional Skills

The mind map below (Image: Morgan, 2015) shows the components which are need to be a digitally competent learner. Whether the person links the component directly to the use of technology or just being aware of the impacts it can have and the effects it can bring. There are 8 components of digital literacy one being functional skills. There are digital skills which can be used to fulfil the requirements of the components, which then in turn links to being a digital competent learner.

Functional skills are the basic ICT skills which are essential skills a person inhabits. Barrett (2015) associated the word functional to also mean essential and ‘the word ‘essential’ not only implies practical applications for fundamental aspects of living, but also a better quality of life when we have gained these skills.’ Some examples of functional skills in education would be making a PowerPoint or the use of Microsoft Word in order to teach a lesson or to write an assignment. Another functional skill which can be easily taught is the making of a podcast which can be used to record a lecturer which can then be uploaded and listened to by students to further review the lecture. The use of podcasts in universities has risen in recent years with the use of PowerPoints being used to revisit the lecture becoming less common. Murphy (2008) stated that ‘Undoubtedly the main use to date of podcasting in a higher education setting has been in the recording of class lectures.’ There are many websites where podcasts are available from such as BBC Podcast. 

Within the module on my course we have had to use Microsoft and create a PowerPoint both of which I was not new to using. However, I further developed my skills just by being in university as I did not know about being able to select the length of my line spacing which is now essential to know as there are certain guidelines that my assignments have to follow. Microsoft Word plays a vital role when being a student as most assignments will involve the use of it which will then be turned in via an internet website of the universities choice. Microsoft is easy to download and easy to use and as time goes on you develop more skills associated with it.

If a person has essential digital skills like the ones talked about above then they could be said to possess general knowledge and functional skills, they use digital technology in everyday life, use technology to process information, have the understanding & awareness of the role of ICT in society and learn about and with digital technologies. This relates to the mind map which is above as the person processes, applies and demonstrates all with the use of technology.

References:

Barrett, E. (2015). ‘Digital Literacy: the third Essential Skill in Wales’ [Online] Available at: http://digitalcapability.jiscinvolve.org/wp/2015/02/17/digital-literacy-the-third-essential-skill-in-wales/ [Accessed: 22nd November 2015]

BBC The Forum. (n.d). ‘Podcast’ [Online] Available at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p004kln9/episodes/downloads [Accessed: 22nd November 2015]

Morgan, G. (2015). ‘Technology in Learning’ [Blog] [Image] ‘Defining Digital Competence’ Available at: https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE8Og7Vzh7cL9Ij7zcv-ANEJut1oCECxLnrQO3qAyfkZVfmNWyk9bwduia9UKYU-fa3T7dhitOhcdh_EGpkcY3HGj3u09XcA1kZt-4jSrEFZ2L_hxVT0dCz-wCmuCNoZBz9E9pQUVaKrw/s1600/Screen+Shot+2015-02-26+at+14.20.12.png [Accessed: 22nd November 2015]

Murphy, B. (2008). ‘Podcasting in higher education’ [Online] Available at: http://www.bcs.org/content/ConWebDoc/20217 [Accessed: 22nd November 2015]  

Hello!

Hi - thanks for taking the time to visit my blog. My name is Nicola Stones and I am studying education as a degree in university. As part of my course I have a module called Digital Literacy. This is how I have gained my skills and therefore become more digitally competent. This blog is all about digital skills which are easily gained and which can be used within the classroom to create a digitally competent learner. To be a digital competent learner you should have the digital skills which can link to fulfil the components as seen above (Image: Spoulsen,2010). From what I have learnt about digital literacies and the components is that a digital competent person is someone who has a sound knowledge and basic ICT skills which they use in everyday life and in their work place. They are also aware of the benefits technology yield and so from this a digitally competent learner is someone who learns from technology or from methods which use technology. Some components interlink and can be used alongside each other.

Reference:

Spoulsen, M. (2010). ‘A model for digital literacy’ [Image] Available at: http://www.mathiaspoulsen.com/a-model-for-digital-literacy/ [Accessed: 16th November 2015]