Final reflection for CI4312
This week’s reading from Dr. Howard Rheingold is a somewhat familiar topic to me, as one of the other learning technologies classes I am taking has already discussed digital literacies. I found Dr. Rheingold’s emphasis on building digital literacy and mindfulness when it comes to using technology and social media to be particularly interesting. I like how he emphasizes the idea that it is important to understand how to mindfully and intelligently navigate social media and technology, rather than just focusing on the negative effects of these digital platforms. Understanding the negative aspects of social media and technology can be helpful to know and be conscious of, but ultimately it is the actionable steps and practices that we can take as consumers of these mediums that is truly important. Therefore, being aware of the five core competencies of digital literacy (collaboration, network awareness, critical consumption, attention, and participation) can help users to develop a healthier relationship with technology and social media and become active digital citizens.
Reflecting on my past semester in this class, I can see the ways that we have been practicing digital literacy and becoming more conscious and mindful users of social media and technology. From the content about the creative and social dimensions of the Internet to the use of VR in education, all of these practical topics allowed for me to critically analyze the ways that technology and social media can affect us as users. Personally, the weekly content about digital privacy stood out in particular for me as privacy is a big concern for me. I have always been warned about the different ways that my personal information can be easily accessed through the internet but not being quite sure how. But after learning about what digital privacy is and also applying that knowledge to my own technology use, it allowed me to have a deeper understanding of the importance of digital privacy. Even after this course ends, I think I will still be able to carry what I have learned into my daily life.
Now that I am equipped with more knowledge and a better understanding of digital literacy, my next step as I move on from this class is to apply this knowledge to my daily life. Whether that be being an active participant of social media through content creation or being a critical consumer of digital content, I will always be working on learning to be a more mindful consumer of social media and technology.