Students are arguably the single most important group of consumers of new technologies and digital trends. That being said, students today are grasping technology much faster than previous generations. While we’ve covered plenty on digital literacy and the importance of teaching good digital citizenship skills, students today need more to survive in this competitive digital age. What they need is to become tech-savvy.

What does it mean to be tech-savvy?

Well, the word itself is actually quite new. So new to a point where many dictionaries don’t even have a clear definition for it yet. Oxford Dictionary defines it as someone who is, “well informed about or proficient in the use of modern technology, especially computers.” However, this begs the questions: What technologies? Which computers?

Instead of trying to define the specific qualities of what it means to be tech-savvy, we’ve compiled a short list of habits that many tech-savvy students of today share:

1. Digital leadership: Tech-savvy students are actually greatdigital leaders. They facilitate communication, dynamic agents of change, and they synthesize learning and use it in a collaborative environment.
2. Coding: Tech-savvy students know how to code. In previous generations, you could only learn to code at a university level. Today, however, parents and educators understand the importance of coding and help students learn this valuable skill for their technology-driven future.
3. Recognizing digital-footprint: In order to become tech-savvy, it’s important for students to understand that everything placed online is permanent. This is why it’s extremely important to teach them how to protect their privacy and respect the privacy of others.
4. Digital marketing skills: One of the most important habits for any tech-savvy student. It is the wave of the future, and since our students are already growing up using technology, this is a habit and a skill that can prove to be a great tool for them.
5. Information literacy: One of Aimee’s key student success elements. Significant habits and skills for tech-savvy students are knowing when information is needed, how to use the right keywords in their searches, how to evaluate information, and differentiate between credible online content and misleading and false information.

It takes more than computer skills and online know-how to become tech-savvy. Teaching our students awareness on how to properly use these tools can have a great impact on their future and success. We will continue to explore this critical success factor in next week’s issue. Stay tuned.

Can Technology Change Education?

Have some time to spare? Here are the top 10 reasons for the importance of technology in education.

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