 In this video, we'll discuss the concept of digital literacy, and we'll debunk some common myths about what it is and why it matters. Beginning in childhood, you've gained experience with reading, writing, and communicating information in a variety of ways. All these skills constitute your literacy. Over time, you've also applied your literacy skills online or using digital technologies. Digital literacy is an expanded way of thinking about literacy. It encompasses how we read, compose, and connect with others through online spaces and digital platforms. But to fully understand and practice digital literacy, we need to debunk some of the myths often associated with it. Myth number one, digital natives are automatically digitally literate. You may have heard the idea that so-called digital natives, or those who grew up with access to the internet and computers, are automatically tech savvy and proficient with digital media. There are some problems with this line of thinking. First, this assumes that a whole generation of people have had the same level of access and experience with technology. But in reality, access and experience differs widely. And for those who have grown up with a lot of access to technology, it can still be challenging to transfer skills from personal or social settings into professional or academic ones. For example, even if you have a lot of experience communicating through social media, you may not automatically transfer those skills into writing an email to a professor or a supervisor. Complex digital literacy practices like communicating online differ based on context and can actually take a while to learn. Myth two, digital literacy is just about being able to use technology. Often people think about digital literacy as the ability to use digital tools, like being able to add an attachment to an email or typing words into the search box of a search engine. But digital literacy involves a lot more than that. It's more about what we do with our tools and why we decide to use them. Some examples of digital literacy in action include determining what sources of information to trust, deciding how you'll spend your time online, and knowing your rights and responsibilities as you share and create media. Myth three, digital literacy replaces traditional literacy. Digital literacy does not replace reading and writing or what we might think of as traditional literacy. Instead, it offers an expanded or complementary way to think about literacy. Imagine that you are creating a video narrative to share a story about your life experience. You might draft a written script, create a visual plan for how you want your video to look, spend time looking online for images to use in your video, and use video editing software to put your story together. This project builds on reading and writing, but also includes searching, designing, and video editing. The digital aspects of this project expand your options as a storyteller. In practice, digital literacy expands your opportunities for reading and composing. Digital literacy encompasses a variety of practices that connect to exploring, creating, connecting with others online. And ultimately, digital literacy is something that we can all continue to develop.