What Does Digital Literacy Really Mean for Educators? with Jacqueline Aguilera

What Does Digital Literacy Really Mean for Educators? with Jacqueline Aguilera

Author: TESOL Pop May 6, 2025 Duration: 15:56

Jacqueline Aguilera, adult educator and digital equity advocate, joins Laura to explore how teachers can embed digital literacy into their lessons without needing separate “computer classes.” In this episode, Jacqueline shares practical tips for building digital skills with limited tech, discusses the impact of the digital divide in Texas, and encourages teachers to focus on what learners already use in their daily lives.


Watch with closed captions.


TALKING POINTS

  1. Silo Busting in Education: Moving beyond subject-specific instruction to integrate real-world digital skills into all areas of teaching.
  2. Digital Equity in Texas: Infrastructure, device quality, and access vary widely—even within cities—impacting learners’ experiences.
  3. Teaching with What Learners Have: From smartphones to QR codes, using everyday tech to develop essential digital skills.
  4. Creating a Learner-Driven Curriculum: Encouraging students to bring in examples from their environment and build personal connections to digital literacy.
  5. Empowering Educators: Why teachers don’t need to know everything about tech—and how curiosity can be a superpower in the classroom.


ABOUT

Jacqueline Aguilera is an experienced educator and instructional leader based in Austin, Texas. She specialises in adult education and digital literacy, with a focus on serving refugee communities, second language learners, and students returning to education later in life. With a passion for equity and access, Jacqueline trains instructors across the US to creatively integrate technology into their classrooms and meet learners where they are.


REFERENCES

The Mayor's Office for Adult Literacy, Houston

Jacqueline Aguilera on LinkedIn


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CREDITS

Producer: Laura Wilkes

Editor: Jess Li Thorkildsen

Special thanks to our guest, Jacqueline Aguilera

Production by Communicating for Impact


Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.


Ever feel like the best teaching ideas come from a quick chat in the staffroom, but your schedule never allows for it? TESOL Pop captures that spark. Designed for the busy English language teacher, this mini podcast delivers compact, meaningful conversations with TESOL, TEFL, and ESL educators globally. Each episode is a focused interview, kept under fifteen minutes, packed with practical ideas and personal insights that can genuinely shift your approach in the classroom. You’ll hear stories about career pivots, reflections on what actually works with students, and clever uses of technology, all shared in a casual, accessible tone. It’s the audio equivalent of a refreshing coffee break with a colleague who gets it. The podcast understands that profound professional development doesn’t always require a lengthy seminar; sometimes, a single, well-timed insight is enough to reinvigorate your teaching. By tuning in, you join a global conversation that feels both personal and immediately useful, making it easy to integrate new perspectives into your daily routine without overwhelming your calendar.
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