LLED 462 Learning Curation #4 - Tarynlifestyle.com

Digital and Media Literacy

I created a Symbaloo to build my ‘toolkit’ for this week’s module on Digital literacy. I used the advice from our Learning Curation prompt and started with the Mediasmarts website as a ‘base’ of my curation and then expanded from there.

https://www.symbaloo.com/embed/shared/AAAABB5X1ZYAA41_lZX86w==

In BC’s Digital Literacy Framework model, Digital Literacy is defined as, “Digital Literacy is the interest, attitude, and ability of individuals to use digital technology and communication tools appropriately to access, manage, integrate, analyze, and evaluate information, construct new knowledge, and create and communicate with others (BC Ministry of Education 2016).” My vision for this Symbaloo was to match this definition as best as I could through my curation.

I can see this as a very useful tool moving forward with my essential question of, “How can I inspire my colleagues and students as a Teacher Librarian?” I am constantly being asked by other educators what the best sites and resources are for various aspects of teaching Digital Literacy and Implementing Technology. I could also see myself creating various web-mixes to accommodate for different staff and student purposes.

I have divided my Symbaloo into the following categories based upon the definitions and subcategories of the BC Digital Framework and thinking about how I would teach a year in the computer lab.

Digital Citizenship:

“Students understand human, cultural, and societal issues related to technology and practice legal and ethical behaviour (BC Ministry of Education 2016).”

I started to look at different sites which help teachers, parents and school age students increase their knowledge on digital literacy. From here I found similar resources such as: Common Sense Media, Social Media Internet Education, Kids in the Know, Ignition – Digital Literacy Curation and TED Ed. All these sites address how to teach Digital Literacy at a wide range of grade levels. Many of the sites offer lesson plans that are ready to go and could be taught right away. Some of these lessons are accompanied by videos or online activities to complete.

2. Communication and Collaboration:

” Students use digital media and environments to communicate and work collaboratively, including at a distance, to support individual learning and contribute to the learning of others (BC Ministry of Education 2016).”

I included some sites that allow students to ask questions to clarify their understanding, along with sites that would allow a teacher to see if their students are understanding.”

I have included some platforms (padlet, SurveyMonkey and Kahoot!) that would allow staff and students to work together and ask questions. These platforms can also be used to gauge understanding and know what areas can be improved upon.

3. Creativity and Innovation:

“Students demonstrate creative thinking, construct knowledge, and develop innovative products and processes using technology (BC Ministry of Education 2016).”

The whole right side of my Symbaloo applies to creativity and innovation. I feel strongly this is one of the most important areas to educate students so that they are successful moving forward.

The top right half focuses on ways in which we could present our information to others, along with tools that aid us in following proper copyright when it comes to inputting images into presentations.

4. Technology Operations and Concepts:

“Students demonstrate a sound understanding of technology concepts, systems and operations, and develop computational thinking skills (BC Ministry of Education 2016).”

I am always getting asked for more coding sites from students and teachers. There are a lot out there, some better than others. I included some that are the most credited. I personally like using Scratch, it is also a very good bridge to start with more coding for Micro:bits and Code Builder in Minecraft Education.

I can see using this as a ‘homepage’ or creating a widget on an iPad so that staff and students have a go to when it comes to sites that are best suited for classroom use. The Internet has a lot of mixed reviews; however, it is such a powerful tool if our students are using it properly and making good choices. When searching for some pros and cons on children and the use of the internet, I came across this video which was extremely eye opening. I see a lot of parents giving their young children devices when they are at the doctor’s office or in line at the grocery store and it is often on YouTube. This is something that we need to be careful about and I am often concerned about my students who do this in their free time on their devices.

My grade 3/4 students have often told me that they ‘saw something bad come up on YouTube’ and this is exactly why. We need to start educating our students (and their parents) how to be responsible digital citizens and use these tools wisely. As we can see, even watching ‘Children’s shows’ on YouTube can lead down a very disturbing path. Hopefully by starting off with some sites and lessons on digital literacy, students can start making executive choices when it comes to their internet use.

If educators can provide a tool, such as a Symbaloo to guide their searches, hopefully they are able to see what a reliable resource is and how this may differ from an unreliable one. Small things such as pop-up and countless advertisements are often a sign that the resource should be questioned, and they should seek an adult for help.

I end this Learning Curation with a powerful message from a colleague who is extremely passionate about teaching digital literacy after experiencing the loss of her daughter, who took her life because of cyberbullying. It is a constant reminder that our students are growing up in a world that is much different than that of our childhood. We need to be doing our best to prepare them for this world in both social and academic settings. A quote from our reading encapsulates how both educators and parents need to have these conversations with students in which we need to, “Be present. Be engaged. Listen (Kang 2015).”