Digital Fluency: Preparing K–12 Students for a Tech-Driven Future

“A literate student can navigate a program; a fluent student can think with it,” Pergolizzi-Wentworth says. “They apply their understanding to new contexts, solve novel problems and communicate effectively across mediums.”

Does Digital Fluency in Schools Play a Role in Student Choice?

For Arlin Roth, instructional technology specialist at Bellefonte Area School District (BASD) in Pennsylvania, digital fluency also influences digital tool choice.

“I think of it as teaching how to use tools and selecting quality tools,” Roth says. “When students have options, digital fluency helps them navigate which one they should select.”

He witnesses digital fluency in action among the district’s high school students every day. While students are issued Chromebooks, they are given the option of using alternative devices outside the classroom. Many choose to use smartphones or laptops for their homework. While they do sometimes encounter compatibility problems using Google Workspace on non-Google devices, they usually figure out how to make it work.

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“In kindergarten, we used to teach them how to use a mouse,” Roth says. “Now, we have students coming into school already familiar with touch-screen devices. We spend a lot less time teaching them what to click and more time telling them what we want them to complete, produce or create.”

How Can Schools Teach Digital Fluency Throughout the Educational Journey?

The ability to solve technological challenges is an asset for students as they navigate higher levels of education and enter the workforce, where they will continue to encounter new and specialized technologies.

“Digital fluency prepares students for life,” says Ross-Kleinmann. “It allows them to be agile learners and contributors in a rapidly shifting workforce and society. Whether they’re evaluating online content, collaborating across platforms or working with AI tools, students need to know how to thrive in ambiguity and change.”

Students’ ability to navigate changing technology environments is nurtured as they progress through their educational journeys. Pine Street School’s approach highlights ongoing exposure to a variety of different technologies and platforms in support of growing digital fluency.

“In our preschool classrooms, we introduce the language of technology without screens through play, physical coding tools, storytelling and symbolic thinking,” Pergolizzi-Wentworth explains. In elementary and middle grades, the school gradually introduces devices such as laptops and tablets in a purposeful and project-based context.

“For instance, our fourth graders designed app prototypes to address real-world problems, walking through every stage, from ideation to UX design and presenting their findings,” Pergolizzi-Wentworth says. “By middle school, students are exploring AI, drones, coding and innovation through a dedicated design technology class, as well as across other disciplines.”

BASD’s approach to digital fluency emphasizes more technology differentiation at higher grade levels.

“Our elementary school students have Google Workspace accounts, and that’s typically the only platform they have access to,” says Roth. “Starting in middle school, when they take their computer applications class, they’re exposed to Microsoft 365. Then, in electives and specialized courses in high school, they can get experience with Microsoft Excel and other tools.”

Roth cautions teachers not to confuse student technological adaptability with proficiency.

“Our students are really good at adapting, but simultaneously, some of those same students struggle to figure out how to upload a file from their phone to Google Classroom,” he says. “Teachers assume that students are really good at technology, but they’re good at the things they want to engage with, like entertainment and social media.”

What Are Strategies for Teaching Digital Fluency?

Many schools already have the resources in place to help develop students’ digital fluency. Common digital learning platforms can play a direct, strategic role in cultivating this skill.

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“Digital spaces like Google Classroom or Microsoft 365 are great for helping students understand digital etiquette and recognize who their audience is,” Ross-Kleinmann says. “Collaborating both asynchronously and synchronously is going to be helpful for them into college. Putting them in an ecosystem to get started is a great way to help them understand what their future work will be like.”

It’s also important to have guiding principles in place to steer schools’ curriculum and resource choices. Pergolizzi-Wentworth shares the principles behind the Pine Street School’s digital fluency strategy:

• Limit access to only age-appropriate technology. Let younger learners use tools that support exploration without overwhelming them; older students can gradually expand into more complex platforms.
• Emphasize everyday tech-integrated play and applications. This allows students to develop comfort and confidence through creative experimentation.
• Foster and support continued family engagement. Host regular workshops or directly communicate to parents on topics such as social media literacy, app evaluation and supporting safe tech habits at home.
• Develop culturally responsive and inclusive digital curricula. Engage students by celebrating global perspectives and linguistic diversity.

“Fluency is dynamic and future-proof,” Pergolizzi-Wentworth says. “It prepares students for tools that don’t even exist yet.”

Professional Development for Digital Fluency

Because digital fluency plays an important role in helping students navigate their education and careers, schools need to understand how professional development can better support teaching this key skill.

“We are not providing enough time for our educational technology leaders to support our classroom educators,” says Ross-Kleinmann. “Our classroom educators need more time to talk to our ed tech leaders about the nuances of their classrooms.”

“Access to professional learning and support is a significant challenge for educators,” adds Pergolizzi-Wentworth.

“Without strategic support, even the best tools fall short of their transformative potential,” she says. “Districts must invest time and resources in continuous professional learning to ensure educators have the necessary skills and knowledge to effectively utilize ed tech.”