Digital media literacy index

Defining Digital Media Literacy

As defined by Renee Hobbs in Digital and Media Literacy: A Plan of Action, digital and media literacy is, “A constellation of life skills that are necessary for full participation in our media-saturated, information-rich society. They include the ability to do the following:

Make responsible choices and access information by locating and sharing materials and comprehending information and ideas.

Analyze messages in a variety of forms by identifying the author, purpose, and point of view, and evaluating the quality and credibility of the content.

Create content in a variety of forms, making use of language, images, sound, and new digital tools and technologies.

Reflect on one’s own conduct and communication behavior by applying social responsibility and ethical principles.

Take social action by working individually and collaboratively to share knowledge and solve problems in the family, workplace, and community, and by participating as a member of a community.

Digital Media Literacy Index

Furthering its efforts to increase digital media literacy across the greater Charlotte area, the Knight School of Communication at Queens University of Charlotte has developed the Digital Media Literacy (DML) Index.

As a tool used to measure digital media literacy, the DML Index provides a comprehensive view of the City of Charlotte, as well as a more detailed perspective of competency by zip code, ethnicity, age, income and education level. The data is being used to reveal areas of greatest need, and to help the School engage with its area-wide partners to produce sustainable long-term solutions to bridge the digital divide.

The DML Index uses the essential competencies of digital and media literacy — the ability to access, share, analyze, evaluate, create, reflect and act — to rate a city’s performance and can be adapted to score the literacy level of any city, county or statewide ecosystem.

The Survey Report and Survey Data summarize the results of a community survey administered in October 2012. The survey was used to establish baseline digital and media literacy levels across Charlotte, and produced the data for the Index. Several key questions are embedded in the survey to align the instrument with a 2010 report by Renee Hobbs sponsored by the Aspen Institute Communications and Society Program and John S. and James L. Knight Foundation.