http://etheses.dur.ac.uk/3446/ What is 'digital literacy'? A Pragmatic investigation. BELSHAW, DOUGLAS,AJ Digital literacy has been an increasingly-debated and discussed topic since the publication of Paul Gilster’s seminal Digital Literacy in 1997. It is, however, a complex term predicated on previous work in new literacies such as information literacy and computer literacy. To make sense of this complexity and uncertainty I come up with a ‘continuum of ambiguity’ and employ a Pragmatic methodology. This thesis makes three main contributions to the research area. First, I argue that considering a plurality of digital literacies helps avoid some of the problems of endlessly-redefining ‘digital literacy’. Second, I abstract eight essential elements of digital literacies from the research literature which can lead to positive action. Finally, I argue that co-constructing a definition of digital literacies (using the eight essential elements as a guide) is at least as important as the outcome. digital literacy digital literacies new literacies information literacy visual literacy Pragmatism learning internet new media memes framework 2012 Thesis NonPeerReviewed oai:etheses.dur.ac.uk:3446 application/pdf http://etheses.dur.ac.uk/3446/1/Ed.D._thesis_(FINAL_TO_UPLOAD).pdf info:en-repo/semantics/openAccess BELSHAW, DOUGLAS,AJ (2012) What is 'digital literacy'? A Pragmatic investigation. Doctoral thesis, Durham University. http://etheses.dur.ac.uk/3446/http://etheses.dur.ac.uk/3446/1/