Module 1

This week focused on three core types of literacy that are essential in today’s digital environment: information literacy, digital literacy, and media literacy. Each of these plays a different but connected role in how we search for, evaluate, and use information online.

In “Googlepedia: Turning Information Behaviors into Research Skills,” Randall McClure highlights how most students start their research with Google instead of academic databases. He writes that “nine out of every ten students begin the process of searching for information on the Web” (2011, p. 221), which shows why information literacy is more important than ever. Information literacy helps us identify what we need, find it effectively, evaluate it for accuracy and credibility, and use it responsibly.

Digital literacy builds on this by adding the technical skills needed to navigate online tools and platforms. It includes everything from knowing how to search databases and use online collaboration tools to understanding digital safety and communication norms. Meanwhile, media literacy pushes us to question the messages we see and hear every day. It helps us recognize bias, understand audience targeting, and even create our own media thoughtfully.

All three literacies are interconnected. They remind us that being “online” isn’t just about browsing, it’s about thinking critically, making informed decisions, and participating in digital spaces responsibly. These ideas tie back to earlier discussions of Rheingold’s attention literacy, where we learned to be mindful of how and where we focus our attention.

As I think ahead to our major assignments, these skills are going to be essential. Whether I’m designing a webpage, analyzing a source, or responding to classmates, I need to be intentional about how I use and present information. 

Question to Consider:
With the different types of literacy being discussed, which one do you think needs the most growth?

Citation:
McClure, R. (2011). Googlepedia: Turning Information Behaviors into Research Skills. In Writing Spaces: Readings on Writing (Vol. 1, pp. 210–229). https://wac.colostate.edu/docs/books/writingspaces1/mcclure--googlepedia.pdf

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More readings focused on the importance of attention literacy and how to become a more critical consumer of information in the digital age. In Chapter 1 of Net Smart, Howard Rheingold introduces the idea of attention as a skill. He explains that in a world full of digital distractions, being intentional about where we focus our attention is crucial for staying productive, making thoughtful decisions, and avoiding digital burnout. He calls this “paying attention to your intention” (p. 77), which really stuck with me. I’ve definitely felt the mental toll of multitasking online, and his strategies.

Chapter 2 shifts to something just as important: how to recognize misinformation, or as Rheingold puts it, “crap detection.” He breaks down the difference between information and disinformation and explains how unchecked false information can harm public trust, influence politics, and polarize society. This is where media literacy connects directly to our responsibilities as online users. The CRAAP test (credibility, relevance, authority, accuracy, and purpose), covered in Carillo and Horning’s article, gives a clear way to evaluate sources before using or sharing them. I like how both authors emphasize that this process isn’t just academic, it’s something we should practice and incorporate every day, even when we’re just scrolling through social media.

What tied it all together for me were Rheingold’s five social media literacies: attention, participation, collaboration, network awareness, and critical consumption. Attention is the foundation, because without it, we can't really engage with the others meaningfully. Participation and collaboration remind me how active and interactive digital spaces can be. Network awareness and critical consumption ask us to be smart about how information moves and who benefits from it.

This week’s topic helped me realize how easy it is to fall into passive habits online and how intentional I need to be when engaging with digital content. Being more aware of how I use my attention and how I evaluate sources will help me build stronger arguments and avoid misinformation.

Question to Consider:
What do you usually notice first when you come across new information online, how do you think that influences your trust in what you're seeing?

Citations:
Rheingold, H. (2012). Net Smart: How to thrive online. MIT Press.
Carillo, E. C., & Horning, A. S. (2011). Effectively and efficiently reading the credibility of online sources. In Driscoll, D. L. & Powell, J. (Eds.), Writing Spaces: Readings on Writing (Vol. 2, pp. 35–49). https://wac.colostate.edu/docs/books/writingspaces2/carillo--effectively-and-efficiently.pdf

Rheingold, H. (2010). Attention, and other 21st-century social media literacies. https://dmlcentral.net/attention-and-other-21st-century-social-media-literacies/Would you like me to help you add this into a visual blog layout (like Google Sites, Canva, or WordPress)?