Bringing Digital Well-Being into the Heart of Digital Media Literacies

Julia Feerrar, Virginia Tech, USA

Abstract

The complexities of our digital media landscape present challenges that often strain the physical, emotional, and social well-being of learners and educators alike. Given these challenges, this essay makes a case for incorporating digital well-being into digital and media literacy curricula and pedagogy. For the author, a focus on digital well-being, or the capacity to pursue health, safety, and happiness online, has sparked a shift in pedagogical values and goals. Following a discussion of the nature of digital well-being, the author charts this shift through an example lesson about online identity. Bringing digital well-being into the heart of digital media literacies means reconsidering both the ‘what’ and ‘how’ of our teaching.