While researching the role that learning commons play in
digital literacy, I decided to break the topic into several sub-topics. Those
were as follows:
There are also numerous sources discussing how we can incorporate the teaching of digital literacy skills into our practice as educators. There are resources out there for educators wishing to explicitly teach digital literacy, including lesson plans (Deady, 2018), as well as many detailed guides to setting up digital technology in learning commons (Kirkland, 2017).
Since there is not much consensus on how to define digital literacy, there does not appear to be much consensus on how to assess it. Assessment methods and determining what practices have been the most effective was the most difficult area of my research. Covello (2010) did a review of what assessment methods are out there and found them to vary wildly. I did not find a review more recent than his in 2010, nor did I find many solid assessment criteria.
One more recent example is the Project Zero group at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. They are studying, among many other things, how students interact in their digital lives and what they take away from these interactions. For example, their Good Play project studies students’ ethics in the digital world, and their studies have resulted in available lesson plans that have been judged effective for use in classrooms. Overall, assessment of digital literacy seems patchy and there is no consensus on how it should be done.
I agree with the underlying premise that it is important to teach digital literacy in today's world. Technology is all around us and it is necessary for successful citizens to know how to use it appropriately. Ideas abound, and educators certainly mean well. However, with practices varying wildly and assessment of these methods inconsistent at best, it is difficult to tell the best way to guide our students in their digital literacy education.
Project Zero (2016). Digital Life & Learning. Retrieved from http://www.pz.harvard.edu/topics/digital-life-learning
- What is digital literacy and why is it important?
- How can we teach digital literacy and what role can libraries and/or learning commons play in digital literacy education?
- What standards are in place for digital literacy education and how are we assessing students’ abilities compared with those standards?
Of the three sub-topics, the most discussed appears to be
the need for digital literacy and, to a lesser degree, it’s definition. There
is no universal definition of digital literacy, but there seems to be a consensus
that it involves two larger concepts, plus other peripheral skills. The main
concepts are 1) how to use digital technology to find and use information and
2) how to use digital technology to create and share information (Heitin, 2016;
ISTE, 2016; Media Smarts, n.d.). However, there seems to be a wide range of ideas on which other skills are to be included in digital literacy. This is likely the reason why Dr. Doug Belshaw (2012) argues that there is not one type of digital literacy but multiple digital literacies, depending on context.
Video c/o TEDxWarwick; retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A8yQPoTcZ78
There are also numerous sources discussing how we can incorporate the teaching of digital literacy skills into our practice as educators. There are resources out there for educators wishing to explicitly teach digital literacy, including lesson plans (Deady, 2018), as well as many detailed guides to setting up digital technology in learning commons (Kirkland, 2017).
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| Image: Screen capture of lesson plans from https://www.commonsense.org/education/scope-and-sequence |
One more recent example is the Project Zero group at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. They are studying, among many other things, how students interact in their digital lives and what they take away from these interactions. For example, their Good Play project studies students’ ethics in the digital world, and their studies have resulted in available lesson plans that have been judged effective for use in classrooms. Overall, assessment of digital literacy seems patchy and there is no consensus on how it should be done.
I agree with the underlying premise that it is important to teach digital literacy in today's world. Technology is all around us and it is necessary for successful citizens to know how to use it appropriately. Ideas abound, and educators certainly mean well. However, with practices varying wildly and assessment of these methods inconsistent at best, it is difficult to tell the best way to guide our students in their digital literacy education.
References.
Belshaw, Doug (2012). The essential elements of digital literacies: Doug Belshaw at TEDxWarwick. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A8yQPoTcZ78
Common Sense Education (n.d.). Digital Citizenship: Everything Digital Educators Need to Empower the Next Generation of Digital Citizens. Retrieved from https://www.commonsense.org/education/digital-citizenship
Covello, Stephen (2010). A review of digital literacy assessment instruments. Syracuse University, 1-31.
Deady, Kathy (2018). Top digital literacy resources for teachers [With free lesson plan]. Retrieved from https://www.teachaway.com/blog/top-digital-literacy-resources-teachers-free-lesson-plan
Common Sense Education (n.d.). Digital Citizenship: Everything Digital Educators Need to Empower the Next Generation of Digital Citizens. Retrieved from https://www.commonsense.org/education/digital-citizenship
Covello, Stephen (2010). A review of digital literacy assessment instruments. Syracuse University, 1-31.
Deady, Kathy (2018). Top digital literacy resources for teachers [With free lesson plan]. Retrieved from https://www.teachaway.com/blog/top-digital-literacy-resources-teachers-free-lesson-plan
Heitin, Liana (2016). What is Digital Literacy? Retrieved from https://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2016/11/09/what-is-digital-literacy.html
International Society for Technology Education (2016). ISTE Standards for Students. Retrieved from https://www.iste.org/standards/for-students
International Society for Technology Education (2016). ISTE Standards for Students. Retrieved from https://www.iste.org/standards/for-students
Kirkland, Anita Brooks (2017). Models for Technology Integration in the Learning Commons. Retrieved from http://journal.canadianschoollibraries.ca/models-for-technology-integration-in-the-learning-commons/
Media Smarts (n.d.). Digital Literacy Fundamentals. Retrieved from http://mediasmarts.ca/digital-media-literacy/general-information/digital-media-literacy-fundamentals/digital-literacy-fundamentals
Project Zero (2016). Digital Life & Learning. Retrieved from http://www.pz.harvard.edu/topics/digital-life-learning
This is a good post which synthesizes your research and learning thus far. The fluid definition of these essential skills, combined with the varying instructional models and assessment methods is problematic. This could provide good direction for your Final Vision project. Perhaps you could work toward creating something that could bring a class or a school or even a district (dream big) together on this.
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