Digital and Media Literacy in the Age of the Internet: Practical Classroom Applications

Today’s educators are confronted on a daily basis with the challenges of navigating digital resources, tools and technologies with their students. They are often unprepared for the complexities of these challenges or might not be sure how to engage their students safely and responsibly. This book serves as a comprehensive guide for educators looking to make informed decisions and navigate digital spaces with their students. The author sets the stage for educators who may not be familiar with the digital world that their students live in, including the complexities of online identities, digital communities and the world of social media. With deep dives into how companies track us, how the Internet works, privacy and legal concerns tied to today’s digital technologies, strategies for analyzing images and other online sources, readers will gain knowledge about how their actions and choices can affect students’ privacy as well as their own. Each chapter is paired with detailed lessons for elementary, middle and high school students to help guide educators in implementing what they have learned into the classroom.

Table of Contents:
Foreword Dr. Alec Couros Acknowledgements Introduction Part I: Digital Literacy Chapter 1- Defining Digital Literacy Chapter 2- Living in the Digital World Chapter 3- How Does the Internet Work, Anyway? Chapter 4- How Search Engines Work Chapter 5- Social Media Chapter 6- Targeted Online Advertising Chapter 7- Privacy in the Digital Age Chapter 8- Laws in the Digital Classroom Part II: Media Literacy Chapter 9- Defining Media Literacy Chapter 10- Analyzing Sources Chapter 11- Deconstructing Images Chapter 12- Fake News in the Digital Age Chapter 13- Free Speech in the Digital Age Conclusion Appendix- Sample Lessons Endnotes About the Author Index

About the Author :
Mary Beth Hertz has been teaching young people for over 15 years. She has been on the forefront of technology integration in the classroom through local, national and global connections with other educators and leaders in the educational technology field for the last decade.

Review :
This work offers general and practical applications for digital and media literacy for educators in K-12 settings. Part 1 ("Digital Literacy") discusses how search engines work, the use of social media, online advertising, user privacy, and legal issues. Within this section, the chapter on social media describes top social media sites used by young people, including a list of common social media abbreviations and terms, and considers the impact that social media can have on young people's mental health. The chapter on online advertising then details how viewers respond to clickbait and how their data is collected, which is followed by a discussion of student privacy and what happens with user information. Part 2 ("Media Literacy") analyzes the veracity of online information, manipulated images, how to detect fabricated news stories, and issues relating to the First Amendment and free speech. Text boxes in each section provide helpful resources for teachers, and detailed lessons located in the appendix provide background information for educators teaching new types of literacies in their classes. This volume covers social media, privacy, and legal issues in greater depth than the MLA Guide to Digital Literacy (CH, Jun'20, xx-xxxx). Summing Up: Recommended. All readership levels. Digital and Media Literacy in the Age of the Internet is an excellent resource for teachers at all levels to think about and apply effective technology use in the classroom. Providing sample plans and free resources, Hertz’s works to break through the noisy, confusing literacy advice out there today. Whether teaching at the primary, secondary, or collegiate level, Digital and Media Literacy in the Age of the Internet could help readers at all levels of digital expertise create or expand literacy education efforts. As Hertz writes, “Educators play an important role in modeling and guiding young people toward responsible and thoughtful use and consumption of digital technologies so that they can be leaders in creating the best version of the future we can imagine.”Hertz’s Digital and Media Literacy in the Age of the Internetprovides the blueprint for building this visionary future in classrooms across America. Digital and Media Literacy in the Age of the Internet provides guidance for teachers who recognize they have had a very different learning experience than their students. There are statistics on screen time, social media use, what you should watch out for, and ways to support young people in becoming responsible content creators. There’s advice on what you should know about privacy, laws, and holding companies accountable. There’s information on topics such the implications of teaching with technological developments like the Internet of Things. There’s also material to help teachers understand and explain to parents what their children should know at each grade level. This includes essential questions written in plain language to help guide student learning.Mary Beth Hertz’s book provides practical examples, lessons, research, and the benefits and challenges teachers face in the exciting and always-changing landscape of digital teaching and learning. With thorough research and practical lesson ideas, Mary Beth Hertz gives educators a foundation for building media literacy skills in today’s classroom. As the education space becomes increasingly crowded and confused with advice on the best ways to teach in the digital age, Mary Beth’s work stands out in relief. Instead of acronyms and buzz phrases, this book delivers straightforward definitions and instruction based off the edtech gold standards from the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE). From fake news to students’ privacy, educators should consider this a terrific primer for dealing with digital literacy.