Digital+Literacy

=Digital Literacy = toc

Digital Literacy is the ability to use Information Communication Technology (ICT) appropriately for different purposes and knowing when and how to use the best tools to suit the need.
 *  **Digital Basics** : learning about the basics of using a computer and other ICT tools, as well as internet functions such as browsers, search engines, e-mail...
 *  **Evaluation** : learning to evaluate website content for accuracy, truthfulness, relevance, security etc
 *  **Searching** : learning how to find information on a specific and relevant information on the Internet. Learning to learn anything, anytime, anywhere as new technologies emerge and change

=__**What does the research say?**__ =  **“Digital Literacy is now an essential life skill and the right of every NZ citizen."** is one of the most relevant findings this review found on international research and case studies of digital literacies in a New Zealand context. A Summary of International Reports, Research and Case Studies of Digital Literacy by researcher Beverley Bunke.

**[|Connecting the Digital Dots: Literacy of the 21st Century]** suggests that one of the major problems **is the lack of teaching and learning related specifically to digital and visual literacy in education**, I would add to this a lack of professional knowledge and professional development. "A common scenario today is a classroom filled with digitally literate students being led by linear-thinking, technologically stymied instructors." supports my own view that teachers and schools have not grasped the fact that literacy has move beyond just reading and writing printed (or just digital text) by is now multimedia (text, sound, images, video) and interactive. The authors go on to say literacy is about reading, interpreting, mixing, evaluating and applying this media and knowledge in new ways.

**Digital literacy across the curriculum** - **case studies, classroom examples, lesson plans and other digital literacy ideas.** This is a in depth and practical handbook aimed at educational practitioners and school leaders at primary and secondary levels. It provides examples of digital literacy in UK schools, and ideas for using both in the classroom and for professional development. My only negative comment is that the content page does not do justice to the depth of content covering all aspects of digital literacy. Below are some examples of the content. This handbook and accompanying case studies are available to download free of charge from www.futurelab.org.uk/projects/digital-participation
 * [[image:Screen_shot_2011-08-16_at_8.06.21_PM.png]] || [[image:digitalliteracy.jpg width="351" height="328"]] ||

=__**Resources for Teachers**__ =

**Digital Basics**
<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">These digital literacy assessment checklists for upper and lower primary pupils provide a simple and visual way for students to reflect on their digital literacy skills. <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">Becta material made available under the Open Government Licence. <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">//**Lower Primary**// **P** <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;"> <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">//**Upper Primary**// **M** <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">

<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">//**Digital Capabilities Rubric**// <span style="color: #ffffff; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">** P M ** **S** <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">This is a rubric that can be used to assess students of all ages on their digital capabilities, like any assessment it give the educators an idea of the next step learning that is required. Courtesy of Jacqui Sharpe (available here, please give credit to Jacqui and link back if you use this resource.) <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">media type="custom" key="10288517"

<span style="color: #008000; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">**Evaluation**
** P M ** **S** <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">

//Kathy Schrock’s [|5W’s for Evaluating Web Sites] // //adapted by Joelle Brummitt, 8/29/02.// //Mary Scroggs Elementary, Chapel Hill, NC.//

<span style="color: #ffffff; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">** P M ** <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">media type="youtube" key="lrXNCj9n6e4?rel=0" height="349" width="425"

<span style="background-color: #008000; color: #000000; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">**S** <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">media type="youtube" key="xlqZSg5ER6A?rel=0" height="349" width="425" <span style="background-color: #008000; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">**S** <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">media type="custom" key="10288479"

<span style="color: #008000; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">**Searching**
<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">The number of websites on the internet, as of December 2010 according to Focus was 255 million, and the number of new websites in that year was 21.4 million! These figures come from the Royal Pingdom blog. This is mind boggling for an adult and makes the fact clear that students of all ages need to learn to sift through this mountain if they ever wish to find the proverbial needle in the haystack. <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;"> <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">Web searching can be a laborious and frustrating task when faced with millions of pages of rubbish and irrelevant information. After a discussion with other teachers about finding information in the mountain that is Google Search, I learnt how to do an Advanced Google Search and taught it to my students. This is an example of how I have taught my students to search and find relevant information on the web. Almost all my students were able to reduce their search results from several million down to less than 50 and some less than 10 results. This lesson has proved invaluable, presented initially as a game they have retained the knowledge because they 'played' it themselves and came up with a few techniques I didn't know about. <span style="color: #ffffff; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">** M ** **S** <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">**Google Web Search**: provides short modular lessons developed by Google Certified Teachers to help teach better search skills. All lessons also come with slides and other resources to guide your learning or for class discussions. <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;"> <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">**Classroom Activities**: are a collection of real world activities helping educators teach students how to learn. <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;"> <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">**Classroom Posters** provides a range of PDF posters for K-12 up to tertiary students. <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">

<span style="color: #008000; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 20px;">Resources for Students
<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">**Jo Cool or Jo Fool?** <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">Take a tour with Josie and Joseph Cool, as they visit their favourite web sites. Students need to help them decide whether or not they are making smart choices. ||
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">[[image:Screen_shot_2011-08-27_at_1.13.43_PM.png width="351" height="255" link="@http://e-learningforkids.org/Courses/EN/SIU_Kids/launch.html"]] || <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">[[image:Screen_shot_2011-08-27_at_1.29.50_PM.png width="320" height="236" link="@http://www.media-awareness.ca/english/games/jocool_jofool/kids.cfm"]]
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">[[image:Screen_shot_2011-08-27_at_1.22.01_PM.png link="@http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/typing/"]] || <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;"> ** M S ** ||

<span style="color: #008000; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 20px;">Resources for Parents
<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">Safe Internet usage for parents c

<span style="color: #008000; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 20px;">Resources for Adults
<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">KiwiSkills is a non-profit organisation the NZ Computer Society Inc (NZCS) who provide access to tools and resources for all New Zealanders to improve their computing skills. <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">

<span style="color: #008000; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">**General Resources**
<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">Digital literacy across the curriculum - case studies, classroom examples, lesson plans and other digital literacy ideas. <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;"> **Digital Literacy & Learning Styles** is a slideshow by __Marcelva__ Van Amelsvoort a Tokyo based university educator, examines digital experience and learning styles to guide their approach to implementing digital literacy. @http://www.slideshare.net/Marcelva/digital-literacy-and-learning-styles <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">media type="custom" key="10239217"

<span style="color: #008000; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">__**Resource Reviews and Comments**__
<span style="color: #008000; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;"> <span style="color: #008000; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">include component="comments" page="Digital Literacy" limit="5"