Technoliteracy

I believe that technoliteracy can be defined as a person’s ability to interact purposefully and meaningfully with the technology around them. Taking advantage of the benefits this technology can provide, and using it to further their purpose in that interaction are the characteristics of a techno-literate person. As technology becomes more and more integrated into everything that we do, technoliteracy may become just as important (if not more so) as literacy was with the invention of written text. Already nearly every task we must accomplish involves the use of technology in some way, and eventually it will be a necessity to be versed in these skills in order to survive.

In my own experience, the area of technoliteracy which has evolved the quickest and has required the most effort on my part to keep up with has been social media. The trends of this area change by the minute and in order to keep up, one must be constantly integrated into this digital world. Being removed or more appropriately ‘disconnected’ from this space for even a small period of time leaves you far behind the curve in daily life. If you have not seen the latest meme trend or hottest play from last night’s sporting event, your ability to keep up in real life social contexts is severely hindered.

This principle extends beyond the social world even into the professional. Keeping up with hourly news reports can be the difference in an interview. If your interviewer asks a question about the latest news story he was catching up on before you walked in, and you can provide an intelligent response your chances for gaining that position are greatly increased. Being connected to the digital social space is something that is an impressive trait in all aspects of life and maintaining that link is something that takes constant effort. Every day I am looking for new outlets through which to garner this information and we are all constantly developing this type of technoliteracy.