TABLE OF CONTENT

TABLE OF CONTENT .................................................................................................................. ii

LIST OF TABLES ......................................................................................................................... iii
LIST OF FIGURES ........................................................................................................................ iv
LIST OF ACCRONYMS ................................................................................................................ v
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ............................................................................................................ vi
1.0

2.0

Preamble .............................................................................................................................. 1
1.1

Digital Literacy (DL) ................................................................................................... 1

1.2

Media Literacy (ML) ................................................................................................... 2

1.3

Information Literacy (IL) ............................................................................................ 2

1.4

Digital Citizenship (DC).............................................................................................. 3

Adoption of Programme for Education in a Digital Society ............................................... 4

2.1

A Plan of Action: Recommendations .......................................................................... 5

2.1.1

Action Plans on Community Initiatives................................................................... 6

1.1.2

Action Plan on Partnerships for Teacher Education ................................................ 6

1.1.3

Action Plan on Research and Evaluation ................................................................ 7

1.1.4

Action Plan on Parent Outreach and Stakeholder Engagement ............................... 7

1.1.5
Action Plan to Schools on Why a Programme for Education in a Digital Society
Should be Adopted .................................................................................................................. 7
3.0

Curriculum Integration in a Digital Society ........................................................................ 8

3.1

Requirements for Curriculum Development ............................................................... 8

3.2

Curriculum Description ............................................................................................. 10

3.2.1

Purpose of Course.................................................................................................. 10

3.2.2

Course Objectives .................................................................................................. 10

3.2.3

Course Content ...................................................................................................... 10

3.2.4

Mode of Delivery .................................................................................................. 14

3.2.5

Instructional Materials and or Equipment ............................................................. 14

3.2.6

Reading List........................................................................................................... 14

REFERENCES .............................................................................................................................. 15

ii

LIST OF TABLES
Table1:Requirements for Modern Curriculum Development ......................................................... 9

iii

LIST OF FIGURES
Fig 1: Elements of Digital Literacy ............................................................................................... 1
Fig 2: Evolution of Digital Society ................................................................................................ 4
Fig 3: The UNESCO Framework for ICT Policies to Transform Education ................................. 5

iv

LIST OF ACCRONYMS
DC
DL
ICT
IL
IT
ML
UNESCO

:
:
:
:
:
:
:

Digital Citizenship
Digital Literacy
Information Communication Technology
Information Literacy
Information Technology
Media Literacy
United Nations Education Scientific and Cultural Organisation

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Todays world of a changing workforce, rapid advancements in technology and increased
global competition mean that learning is more critical than ever. At all levels, our
education system is seeing the need to change to meet the challenges of a rapidly
evolving digital society. The need to have a long-term vision for education that ensures
that all students experience success and have the knowledge, skills, abilities and
competencies to be successful in the 21st century was never more important. This
presentation discusses the key the distinction among digital literacy, media literacy,
information literacy and digital citizenship and makes recommendations for the adoption
of digital society in schools. This presentation also gives an overview of the nature of
these literacies, which show both similarities and differences with each other. The various
contexts of their functioning are outlined and additional literacies are mentioned.
Key words: digital literacy, information literacy, literacies, media literacy, digital citizenship

vi

1.0 Preamble
1.1

Digital Literacy (DL)

Digital literacy involves finding, evaluating, utilizing, sharing, creating content using IT
and the Internet. The activities may include writing, creating multimedia presentations,
and posting information about yourself or others online. All of these activities require
varying degrees of digital literacy. However, its amazing to be SMART while using the
internet in promoting digital literacy; (i) That its not quite good to give all your personal
details in terms of age, names or address. Keep some important features of yours
confidential, you will be safe; (ii) That there might be no need for you to meet someone
you talk to online. Let online conversation be online with exception of the people you
know; (iii) That restrict opening emails from untrusted sources. Do not accept; (iv) That
beware that not all information got online are reliable; (v) That Tell by communicating to
others what you could have found on line, good or bad.

Fig 1:
Elements of Digital Literacy

This model (Digital Britain Media Literacy Working Group, 2009), illustrates the many
interrelated elements that fall under the digital literacy umbrella. These range from basic
access, awareness and training to inform citizens and build consumer and user confidence
to highly sophisticated, and more complex creative and critical literacies and outcomes
(Jenkins, 2006). There is a logical progression from the more fundamental skills towards
the higher, more transformative levels, but doing so is not necessarily a sequential
process: much depends on the needs of individual users.
1.2

Media Literacy (ML)

Media literacy is, shall and will always be involving the ability to access, analyze,
evaluate, and create media. The media mentioned here shall include among others:
television; music; books; internet; billboards and all other forms not mentioned here. In
this preamble, The Why Media Literacy question has been answered in the following
ways: (i) that the importance of information in society and the need for lifelong learning
has increasingly become significant in that we cannot be able to lead to the next step
without media literacy; (ii) that what about the increasing importance of visual
communication and information in day to day experience in and outside class room; (iii)
that media helps in shaping individual perceptions, beliefs and attitudes about the seen
and the unseen and that (iv) there is simply a high rate of media consumption and
therefore there is need to integrate it in learning/teaching process.
1.3

Information Literacy (IL)

UNESCO conceptualizes IL as being concerned with teaching and learning about the
whole range of information sources and formats. IL forms the basis for lifelong learning.
It is a commonality in all disciplines, to all learning environments and to all levels of
education. IL enables learners to master content and become more self-directed, and
assume greater control over their own learning, IL should be introduced wherever
possible within school curricula as well as in tertiary and lifelong education so that
learners are able to identify, search, locate, retrieve and above all critically evaluate
information from a range of appropriate sources. The skills implied by this conception of
IL require an understanding of amongst others; (i) The resources available; (ii) How to
find information; (iii) The need to evaluate results; and (iv) How to work with or exploit
results. IL provides some of the following benefits in school curriculum integration: (i)
learners produce better assignments; a wide variety of information resources; and a
method of evaluating information critically and systematically.

1.4

Digital Citizenship (DC)

Digital Citizenship (DC) is a literacy type brought about by The Digital Age. The DC
gives rights and responsibilities of an individual within the digital world. With these
developments in the digital age, we dare need not to go back to yesterday, because we
were different persons by then. The DC comes in nine elements viz: (i) Digital Access i.e
full electronic participation in society; (ii) Digital Commerce: electronic buying and
selling of goods; (iii) Digital Communication: electronic exchange of information; (iv)
Digital Literacy: process of teaching and learning about technology and the use of
technology; (v) Digital Etiquette: electronic standards of conduct or procedure; (vi)
Digital Law: electronic responsibility for actions and deeds; (vii) Digital Rights &
Responsibilities: those freedoms extended to everyone in a digital world; (viii) Digital
Health & Wellness: physical and psychological well-being in a digital technology world
and (ix) Digital Security (self-protection): electronic precautions to guarantee safety.
After evaluating hundreds of articles, books, and news broadcasts related to technology
use, misuse, and abuse by different authors, Ribble (2009) identifies nine elements of
digital citizen, these are:
1. Digital Access. This involves full electronic participation of people in society.
2. Digital Commerce. This refers to the electronic buying and selling of goods.
3. Digital Communication- The electronic exchange of information through cell
phones, social networking, and texting.
4. Digital Literacy. The process of teaching and learning about technology and the
use of technology.
5. Digital Etiquette-The electronic standards of conduct or procedure. Often
responsible digital behavior makes every user a role model for students.
6. Digital Law-The electronic responsibility for actions and deeds.
7. Digital Rights and Responsibilities. This defines the requirements and freedoms
extended to everyone in a digital world.
8. Digital Health and Wellness. This defines the physical and psychological wellbeing in a digital technology world.
9. Digital Security defines the electronic precautions to guarantee safety
1.5

Evolution of Digital Society

The transition digital society countries sit between the emerging digital society countries
and the advanced digital society countries. The key difference between transition and
emerging digital society countries is the personalisation of services in the former, which
leads to higher levels of engagement between individuals and institutions. For example,
in a transition digital society citizens can access private medical records or settle tax bills

online, in addition to obtaining basic healthcare or tax information from government

portals.

Fig 2:
Evolution of Digital Society

2.0

Adoption of Programme for Education in a Digital Society

As cited by Deirdre and Leahy et. al (2013), the UNESCO (2008) Framework for ICT
Policies to Transform Education (Fig: 3) identifies three complementary, somewhat
overlapping approaches that connect education policy with economic and social
development: technology literacy, knowledge deepening and knowledge creation:
1. Increase the technological skills of students, citizens, and the workforce by
incorporating such skills in the curriculumor the technology literacy approach.
2. Increase the ability of students, citizens, and the workforce to use knowledge to
add value to society and the economy by applying it to solve complex, real-world
problemsor the knowledge deepening approach.

3. Increase the ability of students, citizens, and the workforce to innovate, produce
new knowledge, and benefit from this new knowledgeor the knowledge
creation approach.

Fig 3:
The UNESCO Framework for ICT Policies to Transform Education

It should be noted that this representation of the learning eco-system is artificially divided
in order to capture many of the components involved. However, each component is just
one aspect of an interrelated and interdependent ecosystem and, for change to occur,
there must be movement across and between the components of the framework.
2.1

A Plan of Action: Recommendations

To support the development of the society into a digital world, we need a comprehensive
community education movement. Local, regional, state and national initiatives are
essential. It will take time to build the infrastructure capacity and human resources
necessary to bring digital and media literacy education to all citizens. There are some key
audiences and locations where this work must occur, including children and youth,
special education students and senior citizens, in schools, universities and colleges,
libraries, youth media and local access centers.

2.1.1

Action Plans on Community Initiatives

(i)

Map existing community resources into digital society and make some offers
to promote community partnerships to integrate digital competencies into
existing programs. The program should be able to identify young people from
diverse backgrounds and immerse them in certified technology training. The
training will help these young people build leadership skills necessary for the
workplace. The participants are expected to give back to their community by
training family members on how to use technology effectively.
Special holiday programmes in specified locations or centers for specific level
or grade be initiated to separately integrate education into the digital society to
fully realize the transformative potential of digitalizing the society. Such
programs may inspire teachers to engage students in enrichment activities that
capitalize on their interests in e.g. mass media, popular culture and digital
media, which would enable children to (i) build positive relationships with
their peers and adults, (ii) use digital media and technology for learning, and
(iii) develop critical thinking and communication skills.

(ii)

1.1.2

Action Plan on Partnerships for Teacher Education

(iii)

(iv)

(v)

Digitalizing the society cannot come into the classroom without teachers who
have the knowledge and skills to teach it. Most teachers are not familiar with
these instructional methods on the digital education which creates a gap in the
school. Hence forth, teacher training institutions should design curricula
which embeds digital education into the education system, such that graduates
from such programs automatically qualify to teach and instruct the learners in
a digital way. Thanks to CCTI online courses for teacher ICT integration, this
has been able to train a handful of teachers on technology integration.
To integrate digital and media literacy education into the curriculum, teachers
already in service must receive staff development. Schools should dedicate
some funding to support a fast-track one year staff development program in
digital and media literacy at the local level. Upon completion of the program,
teachers should receive a certificate that qualifies them to offer professional
development to others in their schools and elsewhere.
Among others, be able to partner with media and technology companies to
bring local and national news media more fully into education programs in
ways that promote civic engagement. Such programs can be powerful tools to
support citizenship education and strengthen digitalization process of the
education system.

1.1.3

Action Plan on Research and Evaluation

(vi)

1.1.4

Need to develop an online measure of assessing learning progression of

students and develop online video documentation instructional strategies
practices to build expertise in teacher education.
Action Plan on Parent Outreach and Stakeholder Engagement

Involve the entertainment industrys creative community in an entertainment

education initiative to raise visibility and create shared social norms regarding
ethical behaviors in using online and social media. To strengthen peoples
capacity for engaging with information, it is important to envision what digital
society practices actually look like in the context of ordinary life in the family,
workplace and community.
(viii) Organize school competitions (e.g in video, print, and online media
production) to increase visibility for digital education and to make digital
society a focus topic for community advocacy.
(vii)

1.1.5

Action Plan to Schools on Why a Programme for Education in a Digital

Society Should be Adopted

To prepare students to contribute in a 21st century society, some schools and teachers are
already using eBooks and digital curriculum. But this isnt the only benefit of digital
textbooks. The following are some of the recommendation why schools (both primary
and secondary levels) should adopt digital society.
(ix)
Engagement: it leads to improved student motivation from engaging content
and game-based strategies.
(x)
Time: extending the learning day and year; allowing students to learn when
they learn best.
(xi)
Location: anywhere anytime learning creates a new world of opportunity.
(xii) Pacing: allowing students to progress at their own rate.
(xiii) Individualization: customizing learning by level and modality.
(xiv) Content: rich, deep, and up to date.
(xv) Sharing: the difference between turn it in and publish it; the ability to
teachers to share what works.
(xvi) Data: instant and multiple forms of feedback; smart profiles that will drive
customized learning.
(xvii) Ownership: students choosing what to learn, how to demonstrate their
learning.
(xviii) Parent involvement: transparency and connections the classroom.
7

The recommendations listed above can easily be achieved by: (i) Redesigning learning
environments so that students can learn anywhere, anytime, at any place and at any pace;
(ii) Enhancing the ability of educators to support and guide learners in a networked
learning environment; (iii) Building an infrastructure that will connect students no matter
where they learn; (iv) Ensuring that digital resources can work together; (v) Adopting
policies that rank digital, media and social-emotional literacies as basic skills in the
Digital Age and (vi) Creating trusted learning environments.
3.0

Curriculum Integration in a Digital Society

A curriculum is more than a collection of activities: it is what happens in your classroom

with your students, library, assemble hall, laboratory, and the field work activities. This
intended curriculum must be coherent, focused on digital society integration, and well
articulated across the grades.
As cited by Bonneville (2009), there are certain basic principles of curriculum planning
which should form the basis for the formation of a good curriculum integration in a
digital society. These are: (i) The principle of child centredness: The curriculum should
be based on the present needs and circumstances of the child; (ii) Curriculum should
provide a fullness of experience for children; (iii) The curriculum should be dynamic and
not static; (iv) It should be related to everyday life; (v) It must take into account the
economic aspect of life of the people to whom an educational institution belongs; (vi)
The curriculum should be realistic and rationalistic; (vii) While forming the curriculum a
balance be struck between the education of nature and education of man; (viii) It should
lay emphasis on learning to live rather than on living to learn; (ix) In curriculum such
activities must be included, which help in preserving and transmitting the traditions
knowledge and standards of conduct on which our civilization depends and (x) It should
be able to serve the needs of community.
3.1

Requirements for Curriculum Development

As also outlined by Tom T. et al (2002), modern society wants to know that what it gets
is what it needs. Therefore a first, overall requirement for curriculum development is
accountability. Curriculum developers have to answer the following questions:
(i)
Why should the curriculum be developed?
(ii)
For whom is the curriculum primarily developed?
(iii) What will the curriculum address, and why?
(iv)
How will the curriculum be realised in an effective way?
These key questions can be refined, into requirements and are listed in Table 1 below.

Table 1:
Requirements for Modern Curriculum Development

Key Questions
Why should the curriculum be
developed?

For whom is the curriculum

primarily developed?

What should the curriculum

address?

How should the curriculum be

realized?

Curriculum Requirements
0. Meet Society's need to deal with new types
of problems.
1. Meet society's need for professionals.
2. Meet need of individuals for personal
development
3. Students who develop competencies (i) to
build up a broad knowledge base (ii) to
apply this base in professional context (iii)
to move along a path of personal growth
4. Application of knowledge
5. Core disciplinary competencies
6. Professional competencies
7. Personal growth achievements
8. Interdisciplinary characteristics
9. Globalization effects
10. Through a pedagogical and didactic
approach
11. In an effective and efficient process
12. With implementation flexibility
13. Combining sustainability and frequent
updating

3.2

Curriculum Description

Year I Term I and II

Course Title
Prerequisite
Hours Per week
3.2.1

:
:
:

Digital Society
None
1 Hrs Per Week

Purpose of Course

This course should provide students with a multi-disciplinary understanding of (i) The
impact of the digital society on individuals, organisations and society as a whole; and (ii)
The main issues and challenges of the digital society. The course further provides a
critical examination of the complex interrelationship between society and technology.
The course makes students aware of the pervasiveness of technology in our everyday
lives, creating and encouraging an understanding of how technology interacts with and is
embodied in society. Technology is both the driving force behind societal change as well
as the output of our technological imagination. It is this dichotomy that will be examined
in this course. Students will learn about how digital tools have led to the development of
a high-tech society characterized by customization, individualism, and privatization. The
course should cover topics such as innovation in the technology sector, Facebook, online
surveillance, digital inequality, and immaterial labour.
3.2.2

Course Objectives

By the end of the course students should be able to:

recognize, define, and understand core issues of The Digital Society.
creatively pursue areas of interest to them.
gain a working knowledge of the key elements of the content identified as critical
to this field of learning.
Learn about how digital tools have led to the development of a high-tech society
characterized by customization, individualism, and privatization.
3.2.3

Course Content

The History and Development of the Internet and Digital Communication

What is technology? What is digital technology? How do we communicate

today via digital technology?
How and for what purpose was the internet invented?
10

How has the internet and digital technology developed and changed over time?
How has digital technology transformed global communication and international
relations?
How does digital communication redefine human relationships and experiences
by connecting us in new ways to family, friends, colleagues, and even strangers?
How do our new modes of communication change the depth and frequency of our
interactions? What are the implications of these changes?
Does the immediacy of digital communication cause us to be less thoughtful and
reflective? Or does communication through technology allow us more time to
think and deliberate about our communication?
What are the consequences of communicating through technology instead of more
traditional forms of communication? What are we missing without facial
expression, body language, tone of voice, etc.?

Social Media and Interpersonal Relationships

What is social media and how has it developed over time?

How has social media transformed the way people and organizations interact?
How do social media and our uses of it help to define us as individuals and as a
society?
How do we craft an image for ourselves with what we share online? What is the
implication of this image crafting for ourselves and for others? (I share, therefore
I am)
What is personal branding, and how can it both hurt and help people in their
personal and professional lives?
Is the ability to express oneself publicly, and instantaneously, for such a wide
audience a good thing?
How is social media misused to cause harm? (Cyber--bullying, cyber--stalking,
etc.)

Social Media and Entertainment/Marketing

How is social media used as a form of entertainment?

How is the world of entertainment changing as a result of social media?
How has social media changed the global economy and the rules and expectations
of businesses?
How are businesses tracking and using our internet activity?
How are individuals becoming commercialized and commodified through the
internet? (i.e., how have we become both the consumer and the product?)

11

Social Media and Politics/Activism

How has social media changed the way events like Arab Spring, the Boston
bombings, and presidential elections are sparked, fueled, chronicled, and studied?
How have activist organizations and movements used social media to further their
cause?

Internet Censorship and Monitoring

Is the internet in the Uganda free or limited? And in other countries?

How has information been democratized through the internet?
What is freedom of speech in the digital age? Are the rules different?
What is the purpose and power of internet censorship and monitoring?
What type of censorship and monitoring is acceptable, and what is considered a
violation of rights?

New Ways of Recording and Studying the Human Experience

How does the internet change how we study society and the self?
What type of record are we leaving behind (individually and as a society), and
what are the implications of these records?
What will our digital footprints and communications tell future generations about
us?
Are we inadvertently leaving permanent records? How permanent are they?
What digital information is worth preserving?
Can we truly understand a current event without studying social media?

The Impact of Digital Technology on Physical Health and Brain Development

How do recent technological innovations improve our health and well--being?

How might technology make us unhealthier than previous generations?
How does the accessibility and presentation of information on the internet affect
our ability to think critically, retain information, and maintain concentration?
What do recent discoveries in neuroscience reveal about how our brains are
changing in response to our experiences with technology?

The Impact of Digital Technology on Mental Health

How is the internet and digital technology affecting mental health of its users?

12

How are people, especially adolescents, turning to the online world to find
fulfillment, self--expression, and to feel like they are being listened to?
How is the use of the internet as a public confessional therapeutic. How is it
dangerous?
Do we judge our personal worth based on the number of friends or likes we
have?
What impact does technology have on the important years of socialization?
What impact does technology have on our relationship with others and with the
environment if we use it to tune everything/one else out?
In the age of connectivity, are we losing the ability to be alone and to know
oneself?

Environmental, Economic, and Human Costs

How is the demand for digital technology affecting the environment and certain
populations of people connected with digital farming and/or waste? For example:
Technology waste landfills in Africa, Mining of rare minerals
What does the short lifespan of our technological gadgets say about consumerism
in our society?
Should capitalist competition be free to use resources and make waste that our
planet cannot handle without government intervention?
What impact does technology have on the economy and global competition?

Productivity and Expectations for School and Work

Is there equality of opportunity in schools and the workforce if not everyone has
equal access to the internet and digital technology?
What are the expectations of 21st century schools and employers in terms of
technological knowledge and use?
What are the expectations of 21st century students and employees?
What is the proper etiquette for digital communication in schools and the
workforce?
How has digital technology transformed collaboration in schools and the
workforce?
Are we capable of multitasking, or are we becoming jacks of all trades and
masters of none?

13

The Ethics of Internet Use and Academic Integrity

3.2.4

3.2.5

3.2.6

What are the powers and problems of the accessibility of information on the
internet?
What is academic integrity and honesty in the digital age?
How can we determine what information on the internet is valid and substantial?
How can we evaluate what information is of lasting value?
What are the differences between formal and informal discourse?
What are the advantages and disadvantages of the ability to just google it?
What are the rules of conduct and communication in the digital age?
Mode of Delivery
Lecture and discussion
Experiments and laboratory activities
Group discussion
Reading and problem assignments
Student participation
Instructional Materials and or Equipment
Chalkboards, Whiteboard and Markers
Flip Charts
LCD Projectors
CDs, DVDs and Tapes
Reading List

1. Gere, Charlie. 2008. Digital Culture (2nd Ed.). Reaktion Books.

2. Palfrey, John, & Urs Gasser. (2008) Born Digital: Understanding the First
Generation of Digital Natives. Basic Books.
3. Quan-Haase, A. (2013). Technology and Society: Inequality, Power, and Social
Networks. Don Mills: Oxford University Press. ISBN: 9780195437836.

14

REFERENCES
1. Collier, A. (2011). Making the Case for Digital Citizenship. Slideshare
presentation. http://www.slideshare.net/annecollier/making-the-case-for-digitalcitizenship-111104
2. Combes, B. (2010). How much do traditional literacy skills count? Literacy in the
21st century & reading from the screen.
http://www.slideshare.net/IASLonline/literacy-skills-challenged.
3. Daanen, H. and K. Facer (2007), 2020 and Beyond: Educational Futures,
Futurelab, Bristol.
4. Department of Education and Science (DES). (2008). ICT in Schools.
Inspectorate Evaluation Studies. Retrieved November 13 at:
http://www.education.ie/en/Publications/Inspection-ReportsPublications/Evaluation-Reports-Guidelines/ICT-in-Schools-InspectorateEvaluation-Studies.pdf
5. Eurydice (2011). Key data on learning and innovation through ICT at school in
Europe. Retrieved November 13 2014, from:
http://eacea.ec.europa.eu/education/eurydice/documents/key_data_series/129en.p
df
6. Jenkins, H. et. al. (2006). Confronting the Challenges of Participatory Culture:
Media Education for the 21st Century. MacArthur; Chicago Ill. p 4.
7. Shirley bonnevile (2009). Teachers handbook of physics. A Consultative Paper
Building Towards A Learning Society: A National Digital Strategy For Schools.
8. The Ministry of Education in New Zealand includes these elements for digital
citizenship in its curriculum. http://elearning.tki.org.nz/Professionallearning/Professional-development/Digital-citizenship-modules/Digitalcitizenship-and-cybersafety/What-is-digital-citizenship.
9. This figure is based on models from the Report of the Digital Britain Media
Literacy Working Group. (March 2009), DigEuLit a European Framework for
Digital Literacy (2005), and Jenkins et al., (2006) Confronting the Challenges of
Participatory Culture: Media Education for the 21st Century.
http://www.newmedialiteracies.org/files/working/NMLWhitePaper.pdf
10. Tom J. van Weert, Robert K. Munro (2002). Informatics and the Digital Society:
Social, Ethical and Cognitive Issues.
11. Wikipedia The Free Encyclopedia:
http://www.digitalcitizenship.net/Nine_Elements.html
12. Young Canadians in a Wired World, Phase III Teachers Perspectives at
english/corporate/media_kit/upload/YCWW-III-Teachers-Perspectives_EN.pdf

15