Insights on Digital Media and Higher Education

Graduation is upon us, and most students will soon be entering the workforce full time. For many of them, this will be the first time they’ve held a job—rather than an internship or part-time “side gig”—specific to their field of study and qualifications. As educators, it is important to prepare these students for the world they are about to enter, both in terms of job-specific knowledge and in terms of broader competencies essential to navigating the professional world. Of the latter, digital literacy is one of the most important—and perhaps even the most important—skill sets today’s teachers and educators can pass on to all of their students.

How does the media we use in our daily lives translate to digital literacy in the classroom, and why is there such a disconnect between curricular and extracurricular technology use for both students and educators? These are the questions we found ourselves asking after examining the results of our State of Digital Media in Higher Education Report.

As a number of publications reported last month, including Education Dive, Inside Higher Ed, and Campus Technology, one of the most surprising takeaways from our survey findings was the discrepancy between students’ and educators’ estimation of their digital media know-how.

Is there a natural and organic way to incorporate digital literacy competencies and technical skills in the classroom—one that capitalizes on students already growing digital prowess and cultural awareness? One likely solution to this question is remix education.

The 2016 State of Digital Media in Higher Education Survey, gathered insights from more than 300 current educators, administrators, and students that hail from more than 200 universities. The survey examined topics critical to today’s universities, including digital literacy, media usage and access, and copyright compliance.

What exactly do we mean when we use the phrase “digital literacy”—is it a skill that can be taught, a set of tools to be used, or an educational framework for engaging students?

As higher education’s embrace of digital media marches forward, it’s important we not lose sight of the research in which it is grounded. Digital literacy is not to be confused with the adoption of technology for the sake of technology or the veneer of campus aesthetics.