Digital Literacies as an Emerging Imperative in Higher Education

Lorayne Robertson

Definitions of digital literacies can often be located in the literature, but much of the focus has been on the technological advances of online learning tools and the ubiquity of access to information. As a result, less attention has been directed toward aspects of the ethos associated with new literacies and how learning can be impacted and improved. Some examples of ethos issues include the personalization of education, the design of more open, collaborative learning spaces, and the need for student assignments to have high degrees of authenticity and connection to applied settings. This paper explores digital literacy and provides a brief case study that is an example of digital literacy skills applied across disciplines. The author concludes that today’s higher education students need to be strong communicators who can navigate in spaces that are characterized by interdisciplinary discourses and digital literacy skills.

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