As someone who is comfortable with technology, I found this article to be a thought-provoking reminder that digital literacy encompasses far more than just technical skills. The distinction between digital literacy and digital skills, in particular, resonated with me. While I’ve often focused on teaching others the “how” of using various technologies, this article emphasized the importance of also addressing the “why,” “when,” and “for whom.” This approach adds depth to our interactions and ensures that individuals understand the context and implications of their technology use.

On a personal level, this article prompted me to reflect on my own digital footprint. I’ve begun to consider what I share online, with whom, and the potential long-term consequences of my actions, a valuable exercise in digital literacy. Moreover, when guiding others in using new technologies, I’ll make a conscious effort to discuss the broader implications of their actions, not just the technical aspects.

Based on my results from the test, it seems that my knowledge of digital skills is general and not focused on specific areas. I hope that I can tackle and improve my weaker points and delve deeper into my interests in digital literacy. Hopefully, step 3 will introduce me to some of those interests, and I could use the features in step 3 in the future too, to keep developing my literacy

 

All aboard smartphone module:

This module was interesting and I learned a lot from it, especially the part that talks about the hardware. It is crazy how much a smartphone can do nowadays, and how small it can be at the same time. Learning about the hardware made me realize that there is so much crammed in this small metal box that we carry around everywhere and every day. I wish the module would’ve delved deeper into some areas, such as what determines the quality of the camera, it already says that it is not just the mega pixels but I want to know what else. I loved the little historical information, for example, I already knew what Bluetooth was but I had no idea that it was named after the 10th century Danish king. Also, there are some features we use frequently that we never think about the technology behind it, that are so complicated. For instance, the GPS and how our smartphones communicate with satellites that are 20,200 Km away from us. Another feature like the LCD screens too, I had no idea that my smartphone screen had liquid crystals inside of it that could detect where I’m touching it using electrical fields. Overall, the module was quite fun, but I definitely learned the most from the hardware part.

 

All aboard presentation module:

I always had trouble with doing presentations in general, developing and presenting them. This module taught me how to make a good presentation step by step. First I got to learn how to plan for the presentation and what are the different types of presentations. I also love the mention of the technical terms such as slideware, I never knew what those applications were called, I would always call them PowerPoint, but now this term could help me when I do google searches or in conversations that would make me sound more professional. When I develop a presentation, I would grab a template off the internet and replace the text with my own, this module taught me how to be the designer and pay attention to details such as colour contrast and font shape and size. I also almost never use multimedia in my presentations but now I can see how it would be better to use them in my future presentations. The module focuses on other details that I don’t usually keep in mind while presenting such as body language and vocalisation to show confidence and engage with audience, to avoid boring presentations.