1. What sort of literacy is needed in the digital age?

A person who wants to participate in the literacy of today’s digital age has to be willing to participate in the now social norms and language of computers, phones, tablets, and smart-technology.

2. What are the characteristics of a technologically literate person?

It is no longer sufficient to just know how to read, write, speak, and listen. Now, one has to understand how to search the web, how to use computers, how to use smart phones and apps, how to utilize programs such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc., and how to use technology to connect to the world (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc.).

3. How do people’s technology practices shape their literacy?

Technology practices a vital in shaping a person’s literacy. If literacy is defined by a person’s ability to have a “knowledge of the world” within specific disciplines, technology practices, such as phone apps, news websites, online journals, research databases, google, YouTube, etc., can play a major role in allowing people to become literate in areas and ways that were not so easily accessible in the past. Technology practices and the world-wide web have made the knowledge man has about the world known to anyone who has and wants access to this knowledge.

4. How can we best teach technological literacy?

Similarly to other types of literacy, technological literacy requires some instruction (lecture style), a lot of hands-on application and practice, and sometimes, even remedial instruction or follow-up tutoring.

5. What are the greatest problems that technology causes?

I think that Technology’s greatest benefit is also its greatest weakness–the ability to connect an individual instantly to the world-wide web. The problem comes from the potential of invading privacy, creating multiple identities (“second life communities”), and cyber bullying.

6. What are the greatest benefits of technology?

Like previously mentioned, the greatest benefit Technology can offer to individuals and society is instant access to world-wide knowledge, research, literacy, and language.