On November 4, the Atwater Library’s Digital Literacy Project marked MEDIA LITERACY WEEK. We held an event on this year’s theme of Internet privacy in collaboration with James Lyng High School and The Community Learning Centre. Dr. Shanly Dixon gave a talk on her research on Internet privacy at James Lyng High with remote communities in Quebec participating via video conferencing.
Dr. Dixon presented and facilitated a discussion with the students about our online dossier, effects of our actions online and tips to help be more in control of our online selves.
The presentation assumes that young people, as many people, are online a lot and the goal was to create awareness of our online actions rather than contribute to the moral panic that often surrounds this topic.
Dr. Dixon explains:
Today’s young people are born into a digital world, they have access to and use the latest technology and are deeply immersed in digital culture; it permeates almost every aspect of their lives. From school, to play, to family and social interactions digital technologies mediate their friendships, family relationships and civic and community involvement. Scholars, parents and educators are beginning to realize that access to technology is changing young people’s experience of adolescence in unanticipated ways. Consequently, it is crucial that we study their engagement in order to inform policy and provide the digital literacy skills necessary for young people to safely and productively navigate this complex digital environment.
At the Digital Literacy Project, we love workshops that promote awareness and critical thinking about the online world we engage with. Through this kind of work, we hope to give young people the tools to make good decisions online and the awareness to use this tools to make positive contributions for themselves and their community.
For more information:
Dr. Shanly Dixon – Growing up online
James Lyng and Community Learning Centre
