From Digital Literacy to Digital Fluency

Why our students need more than just tech skills—they need digital wisdom.

Growing up on a farm without the internet, collaboration and communication weren’t optional—they were survival skills. If you wanted to learn something, you asked a neighbor, visited a library, or just tried things until they worked. Then the internet arrived, and schools quite sensibly began teaching digital literacy: how to search, evaluate sources, use email, and stay safe online.

It made sense for its time. Literacy was about access. Could students type, search, and cite responsibly? That was enough. But now, in an AI-driven world, knowing how to use a tool isn’t enough; our kids need to think with it—and, just as importantly, without it. What they need is digital fluency.

From Literacy to Fluency

Digital literacy is knowing how to use technology.
Digital fluency is knowing when, why, and to what end.

MIT’s Mitch Resnick, who helped create Scratch, writes that being fluent means “expressing yourself creatively and reshaping ideas—not just consuming them.” The International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) echoes this: fluency is about using technology “ethically, adaptively, and creatively” to solve problems and communicate ideas.

In short: literacy is using tools; fluency is thinking through them.

Why This Matters Now

A 2025 Pew Research study found that one in four teens uses ChatGPT for schoolwork—double last year’s figure—yet few say they’ve discussed how to use it responsibly. That gap isn’t about skill; it’s about wisdom.

Fluency teaches discernment. It helps students ask, Can I trust this source? Is this the right tool for my goal? What happens if I depend on it too much?

At Pathways, we believe that fluency requires students to first master the underlying process without AI—to research, write, and problem-solve independently—before layering on AI as a creative collaborator. Only by learning to think on their own can they use AI thoughtfully, rather than letting it do the thinking for them. As we tell our students: You have to learn to drive before you can use autopilot.

From Skills to Judgment

Cognitive research supports this. Self-regulated learners—those who plan, monitor, and reflect—perform better and transfer learning more effectively. Digital fluency builds those same habits. It’s not about more screen time, but about purposeful time: choosing the right tool, pausing when it distracts, and reflecting on how technology shapes thought.

A digitally literate student can summarize an article with ChatGPT.
A digitally fluent student asks for multiple perspectives, checks the sources, and rewrites the result in their own voice.
A digitally wise student steps back to consider why the AI framed the ideas that way—and what might be missing.

That’s the evolution we’re after.

What It Looks Like at Pathways

Fluency runs through our Design Cycle:
Inquire — What problem are we trying to solve?
Plan — Which tools best support that goal?
Create — How can we use them creatively?
Reflect — Did the technology deepen our understanding, or get in the way?

Students choose their tools intentionally, practice digital restraint, and learn that sometimes the best innovation starts offline—with pencil, paper, and an idea worth shaping.

Closing Reflection

Digital literacy helped a generation participate online.
Digital fluency will help the next one lead online—creatively, ethically, and with a sense of purpose.

At Pathways, that’s the goal: not more tech, but wiser tech.
Not just knowing how to use it, but knowing when to step away.
Because fluency isn’t about keeping up with technology—it’s about staying ahead of it by knowing who we are, how we think, and what we value when we learn.

With gratitude,
Rob

About Rob & The Pathways School
Rob Wilson is an educator, writer, and father of two with over 20 years of experience in international, progressive, and experiential education. From rural Maine to Hong Kong, and now Spain, his journey has always revolved around one question: how can we help young people learn in ways that are meaningful, joyful, and truly prepare them for the future?

Born out of this question, The Pathways School is Rob’s answer. Launching in Southern Spain in 2027, Pathways is a high school that blends personalized, project-based learning with real-world readiness and ecological living. At Pathways, students design their own educational journeys—with the guidance of mentors, experts, and peers—rooted in curiosity, purpose, and deep connection to the world around them.

To follow the journey or get involved, subscribe to the blog or reach out. Let’s build something better—together.