{"id":5,"date":"2023-12-19T22:22:03","date_gmt":"2023-12-19T22:22:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pressbooks.palni.org\/writingfordigitalmedia\/?p=5"},"modified":"2024-05-19T00:44:24","modified_gmt":"2024-05-19T00:44:24","slug":"chapter-1","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/pressbooks.palni.org\/writingfordigitalmedia\/chapter\/chapter-1\/","title":{"raw":"Introduction","rendered":"Introduction"},"content":{"raw":"

We\u2019ll begin our exploration into writing for digital media with a fundamental premise that is both obvious and profound: Digital media is ubiquitous<\/em><\/span>. Something that is ubiquitous is everywhere, all the time. Constant. Its prevalence in our lives has deep and enduring consequences, though it\u2019s easy to become desensitized and overlook what those consequences might be. Our devices\u2014our cell phones, smart watches, digital assistants (e.g., Echo Dots), laptops, iPads, smart TVs\u2014are ubiquitous. For many of us, there isn\u2019t a single moment of the day when our cell phone isn\u2019t within arm\u2019s reach so that we can quickly, if not compulsively, check our email, respond to a text message, scroll through social media, read the latest news updates, and so on.<\/p>\r\n

Certainly, we are in the digital age. Reports vary depending on demographics, but many studies, including this one<\/span><\/a><\/span> from<\/span> Forbes<\/em><\/span>, estimate that the average American spends nearly seven hours a day on some form of digital media (Koetsier, \u201cGlobal\u201d). This Forbes<\/em><\/span> article describes our usage as \u201cconsumption,\u201d which underscores the idea that we are perpetually compelled to engage in digital spaces and that we internalize those digital interactions as we form ideas about what is valuable or normal or true. So much of what we know about the world, from history to current events to every other subject imaginable, comes from the internet in some form. It not only provides information that helps shape our worldviews, beliefs, and identities, but it mediates most of our communication with other people, and it facilitates many of our daily activities, from ordering food to paying bills to finding the fastest route to our next destination. The word \u201cconsumption\u201d also highlights the commercial aspect of digital media. Not only is digital content a commodity, but users themselves have become commodities as organizations compete for more views, likes, shares, click-throughs, and subscribers.<\/p>\r\n

It\u2019s no wonder that digital literacy has become such an important topic. In this book, digital literacy is defined as the ability to engage with digital spaces in meaningful, productive, and ethical ways to achieve personal, professional, or civic goals. It includes the strategies we use to find and evaluate information. It also includes our ability to share information and respond to others thoughtfully, strategically, and respectfully. In other words, digital literacy is more than knowing how<\/em><\/span>. Yes, it\u2019s important to know how<\/em><\/span> to publish a website or how<\/em><\/span> to create a social media post. However, it\u2019s equally important to know why<\/em><\/span> you are making certain choices and to what effect<\/em><\/span>. Of particular importance are the ethical consequences of those choices. While many digital writers and designers leverage their rhetorical skills effectively in order to manipulate, dismiss, confuse, and control their audience, this textbook emphasizes digital literacy as an opportunity to develop a deeper awareness of complex power structures and social injustices that are often ignored and to challenge the status quo.<\/p>\r\n

The most recent student learning standards<\/span><\/a><\/span> published by the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) articulate the goals of digital literacy quite well. In acknowledging how important it is to prepare students \u201cto thrive in a constantly evolving technological landscape,\u201d ISTE identifies seven core objectives:<\/p>\r\n\r\n

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  1. Empowered Learner<\/strong>: Students leverage technology to take an active role in choosing, achieving, and demonstrating competency in their learning goals.<\/li>\r\n \t
  2. Digital Citizen<\/strong>: Students recognize the rights; responsibilities; and opportunities of living, learning, and working in an interconnected digital world, and they act and model in ways that are safe, legal, and ethical.<\/li>\r\n \t
  3. Knowledge Constructor<\/strong>: Students critically curate a variety of resources using digital tools to construct knowledge, produce creative artifacts, and make meaningful learning experiences for themselves and others.<\/li>\r\n \t
  4. Innovative Designer<\/strong>: Students use a variety of technologies within a design process to identify and solve problems by creating new, useful, or imaginative solutions.<\/li>\r\n \t
  5. Computational Thinker<\/strong>: Students develop and employ strategies for understanding and solving problems in ways that leverage the power of technological methods to develop and test solutions.<\/li>\r\n \t
  6. Creative Communicator<\/strong>: Students communicate clearly and express themselves creatively for a variety of purposes using the platforms, tools, styles, formats, and digital media appropriate to their goals.<\/li>\r\n \t
  7. Global Collaborator<\/strong>: Students use digital tools to broaden their perspectives and enrich their learning by collaborating with others and working effectively in teams locally and globally. (International Society for Technology in Education)<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"502\"]\"A Digital Literacy Graph, by Cara Miller (CC BY)<\/a>[\/caption]\r\n

    These standards underscore the deep critical thinking, developed from a strong sense of social ethics and personal values, that true digital literacy entails. And these skills have never been so important. In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, for instance, everything shifted to the digital realm\u2014classes, jobs, church attendance, doctor appointments, grocery shopping, conversations with family and friends. Digital media became our lifeline to the outside world and helped us maintain some sense of normalcy. Social media platforms exploded with chatter from people who were desperate to make connections with other people and to gain perspective on the ongoing crisis. While some of these interactions were positive, strengthening a sense of community and belonging, many were not. Fueled by the political and financial agendas of powerful media and commercial organizations, confusion, misinformation, conflict, and ultimately division have permeated social media. So many posts are hateful. So many people are unwilling (unable?) to listen to perspectives different from their own. Way too many people automatically accept or reject information that either coincides with or contradicts what they already believe\u2014what they want<\/em><\/span> to believe.<\/p>\r\n

    Recently, Tim Berners-Lee, the inventor of the World Wide Web, wrote an open letter<\/span><\/a><\/span> about the \u201csources of dysfunction\u201d on the web. He says, \u201cThe fight for the web is one of the most important causes of our time,\u201d advocating for the need to protect human rights, equal access, and the open marketplace of ideas and social progress that the web was designed to provide. It follows, then, that true digital literacy is about much more than scrolling, surfing, liking, posting selfies, gaining followers, influencing buying habits, and spreading your opinions with the intent to shut other people down. It\u2019s also not about being as active as possible on as many platforms as possible. In fact, given the ubiquitous nature of digital media, intentionality and selectivity are crucial. True digital literacy is about meaningful and thoughtful engagement that has a positive impact on you as well as the communities of which you are a part.<\/p>\r\n

    Writing for Digital Media<\/em><\/span> was written with these lofty ideals in mind. This first chapter focuses on the historical shift from legacy media to digital media, which gave rise to active participation and personalization by and for everyday citizens, who experienced significantly more control over their media experiences. Even more significant were the fundamental changes to communication patterns and social interactions. The second part of the chapter sets up the remainder of the textbook by describing the overall framework of the remaining chapters and how that framework relates to the definition of digital literacy discussed above.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

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    Learning Objectives<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/header>\r\n

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