As faculty we are faced with the difficult task of facilitating learning for heterogeneous student populations in an ever changing learning environment all while tools and technology continue to evolve at a breathtaking pace. While many of our students arrive at our institution as “digital natives”, their comfortability with technology does not necessarily translate to competence when it comes to digital literacy. This term, digital literacy, has a broad range of meaning. Are we speaking about students’ ability to critically assess digital media and other sources of information? Do we mean our students’ ability to utilize new technology and adapt to new environments? Or something else?
The conversation about promoting digital literacy throughout our curricula is worth exploring further, but for faculty who are looking for a basic starting point, we have developed the Digital Literacy for Students Resources Guide. We recognize that there are a wealth of resources, videos, guides, and programs at NYU that are designed to provide students with the support they need to succeed. However, we also recognize that it can be difficult for students to find these very resources when they need them most. One intervention that any faculty member can implement is to share these resources directly in their communications with students: as additions to their syllabus, through emails, Brightspace Announcements, or as a dedicated unit of content in Brightspace.
Among the recommendations we provide in the guide are a set of resource tables for NYU Basics, Brightspace Basics, External Tools, and Software & Hardware Help. We encourage you to copy the best table for your course and customize it with any additional resources that will support the success of your students. For instance, courses that require the use of a specific tool or platform should provide links to support pages and privacy information, especially if it is a third-party tool.
We are always looking to improve our documentation for faculty, so if you feel that a particular program or resource is worth adding to the Digital Literacy for Students Resources Guide, please let us know at fas-edtech-group@nyu.edu.