Digital Studies in the Professional World
Digital media is a part of nearly every aspect in our lives. Literacy skills for technology are needed now more than ever. The digital studies minor at GVSU has two main goals for its students: to teach skills surrounding the digital world and to gain knowledge in order to assess digital culture (Digital Studies Minor, 2021). Students learn about how data is used and how it affects us. We learn how to use our digital tools and resources ethically, while also learning why and how they exist. Our knowledge expands to other cultures and relationships, as well as learning how digital tools can help us solve problems. So many aspects of our lives have turned digital. This program provides students with insight on how they can incorporate their minor with their major, and apply them to the real world. Technology has revolutionized this era, which requires and demands that a certain competence level is needed if someone wants to survive through this technology obsessed time. We must learn how to effectively use the Internet while being safe. Technology is used in practically any workforce nowadays. This, of course, presents frustrating challenges as well as amazing opportunities. The image below shows how different components/skills of technology can interact and help one another.
Nobody is immediately digitally literate. It requires time, patience, and effort. Some people catch on faster than others, but everyone starts off as a newbie. Natalia Churchill focuses on students, teachers, and how they are digitally literate inside and outside of the classroom. In the article, Development of students’ digital literacy skills through digital storytelling with mobile devices, Churchill discusses how technology and digital literacy is being taught within schools. The article states “It also supports students’ ability to access, evaluate, organise and communicate messages in a variety of forms” (Churchill, 2020). Digital storytelling was used in this study to see if students became more digitally literate by giving them “(a) access information at anytime and anywhere, (b) test their assumptions and reflect on their thinking, ©represent and share their ideas and solutions to problems, and (d) receive feedback from peers and teachers” (Churchill 2020). The students used iMovie on an iPad to research findings on a topic and design their product. This assignment allowed the students to search and find research, test their research’s reliability and validity, and effectively use their findings. Throughout the entire process and study, students received feedback from peers about the product they were designing. Engaging in practical uses of technology while also trying/learning new things was found useful for the students. These skills allowed for one’s digital literacy to grow. It is also important to mention that the benefits of this study were not solely due to the student’s actions, but also the teachers. Promoting and encouraging their students to hold a positive attitude while also learning is very important. Helpful feedback is important as well, so the students can learn and grow from their mistakes/questions.
Digital studies has provided me with so much insight on the more “technical” aspects of technology, among many other aspects. The minor teaches about a variety of topics such as “Multimedia production, Social media, Ethics and digital culture, Design and data visualization, Data literacy, Digital identity and representation” (Digital Studies Minor, 2021). I feel that this minor is helpful to anyone with any major. All of these topics are relevant to me, personally and professionally. I am a psychology major as well as an advertising and public relations minor. Incorporating digital studies in those fields is very important. In my future, I would love to find a job that utilizes all three of my focuses. I feel like they all connect: psychology is used in advertising and public relations as well as digital studies, digital studies is used in advertising and public relations, etc. It is really interesting to see and know the psychology behind algorithms, advertisements, etc. work. Social media and digital literacy is something I have continuously worked on. I always grew up comfortable when using technology, and I caught on pretty fast to new tools and resources. Still, my digital studies classes have taught me endless amounts of practical knowledge that can and will benefit my future career. I learn genuinely helpful information, whether it’s about the past, present, or future. I am even using some of this current knowledge in my internship. It is really interesting being a Social Media Intern and seeing the business side of things. I work for a wedding planning service, so the field is out of my comfort zone. I want to get experience in all kinds of fields. I’m the type of person wo enjoys switching things up every once in awhile, so working different industries is really appealing to me. My internship experience has really allowed me to learn and use technology in different ways. For example, in the future I may need to use Photoshop or other similar Adobe skills. I have gained experience on these programs through multiple digital studies courses or minor requirements. This minor has also further educated me on the importance and necessary actions to take in order to be digitally ethical. I apply this to my internship and personal life everyday.
All in all digital studies covers a huge variety of skills that apply to nearly any careers or job. A broad description of the minor is learning about digital media, how to use it, how it works, and how to use it to our benefit. Using technology ethically is extremely important, as well as continuously growing with it.
Work Cited
Digital Studies Minor. Retrieved February 2, 2021, from https://www.gvsu.edu/ds/
Natalia Churchill (2020) Development of students’ digital literacy skills through digital storytelling with mobile devices, Educational Media International, 57:3, 271–284, DOI: 10.1080/09523987.2020.1833680
