About
Digital Literacy Curriculum
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About This Course
About This Course
The Goal
The Goal
The goal of this 10-week professional development curriculum is to develop a teacher’s 21st-century digital literacy skills to enhance their effectiveness in the classroom. Within the playful medium of digital storytelling, students are invited to take on the role of a teacher teaching a course at the Nissaba School of Sorcery- a context recognizable from the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry created by J.K. Rowling (1997). They are learning a new form of “digital magic” to develop needed digital literacy skills in preparation for a lesson exchange program with a non-magical school.
"When you can summon any book, instrument or animal with a wave of the wand and the word Accio!; when you can communicate with friends and acquaintances by means of owl, fire, Patronus, Howler, enchanted objects such as coins, or Apparate to visit them in person; when your newspaper has moving pictures and everyday objects sometimes talk to you, then the internet does not seem a particularly exciting place. This is not to say that you will never find a witch or wizard surfing the net; merely that they will generally be doing so out of slightly condescending curiosity, or else doing research in the field of Muggle Studies. "(https://www.pottermore.com/writing-by-jk-rowling/technology)
The Need
The Need
Professional Development
Professional Development
With the high-value placed on digital learning and the consequential need for accompanying 21st-century digital literacy skills, effective and efficient professional development is crucial. Teachers report they prefer collaborative learning experiences that are energizing, supportive, and hands on; focusing less on presentations and lectures and more on opportunities to apply learning through demonstrations, modeling and practice. (Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, 2014b) To address these concerns this 10-week professional development curriculum was created to support teachers who wish to acquire digital literacy skills to improve their teaching with an interactive, situationally relevant, fun, and frugal learning experience that is both effective and efficient.
The Curriculum
The Curriculum
With the high-value placed on digital learning and the consequential need for accompanying 21st-century digital literacy skills, effective and efficient professional development is crucial. Teachers report they prefer collaborative learning experiences that are energizing, supportive, and hands on; focusing less on presentations and lectures and more on opportunities to apply learning through demonstrations, modeling and practice. (Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, 2014b) To address these concerns this 10-week professional development curriculum was created to support teachers who wish to acquire digital literacy skills to improve their teaching with an interactive, situationally relevant, fun, and frugal learning experience that is both effective and efficient.
In a recent global survey of almost 10,000 K-12 educators (Schoology, 2017) 95% reported that digital learning has a positive impact on student achievement and 92% see increased teaching effectiveness. Not surprisingly, the #1 challenge teachers face is juggling too many digital tools and the #1 challenge for administrators is providing relevant and effective professional development to those teachers. Add to this, professional development formats such as professional learning communities and coaching are currently not meeting teachers’ needs (Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, 2014b). In the US these challenges are compounded by a distressingly underfunded, under resourced public education system (American Federation of Teachers [AFT], 2018) that can result in suboptimal professional development experiences for both teachers and administrators.
“At its core, learning might be considered a social enterprise. We learn in our interactions with others and within the context of our environment and culture.” (Vygotsky, 1978)
References and further reading
References and further reading
AFT. (2018). A decade of neglect: Public education funding in the aftermath of the great recession. Washington, DC: aft. Retrieved from https://www.aft.org/sites/default/files/decade-of-neglect-2018.pdf
Basu, R., Banerjee, P., & Sweeny, E. (2013). Frugal innovation: Core competencies to address global sustainability. Journal of Management for Global Sustainability, 1(2), 63-82. doi:10.13185/JM2013.01204
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. (2014a). Teachers know best: What educators want from digital instructional tools. Seattle, WA: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Retrieved from http://k12education.gatesfoundation.org/resource/what-educators-want-from-digital-instructional-tools/
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. (2014b). Teachers know best: teachers views on professional development. Seattle, WA: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, BCG (Boston Consulting Group). Retrieved from http://k12education.gatesfoundation.org/resource/teachers-know-best-teachers-views-on-professional-development/
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. (2015). Teachers know best: What educators want from digital instructional tools 2.0. Seattle, WA: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Retrieved from http://k12education.gatesfoundation.org/resource/what-educators-want-from-digital-instructional-tools-2-0/
Brown, S., & Vaughan, C. (2009). Play : How it shapes the brain opens the imagination and invigorates the soul (1st ed.). New York, NY: Avery, Penguin Group.
Eshet-Alkalai, Y. (2004). Digital literacy: A conceptual framework for survival skills in the digital era. Journal of Educational Multimedia and Hypermedia, 13(1), 93.
Gilster, P. (1997). Digital literacy. New York: Wiley Computer Pub.
Hague, C., & Payton, S. (2010). Digital literacy across the curriculum: A futurelab handbook. (). https://www.nfer.ac.uk/: Futurelab. Retrieved from https://www.tes.com/en-us/teaching-resource/digital-literacy-across-the-curriculum-6041378
Hobbs, R., & Coiro, J. (2019). Design features of a professional development program in digital literacy. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 62(4), 401-409. doi:10.1002/jaal.907
Judson, G. (2017, May 4). Play matters: Six play-full practices for higher education. [Blog post]. Retrieved from https://www.creativitypost.com/index.php?p=arts/because_play_is_learning_for_adults_too_6_ways_to_play_in_higher_education
König, L. S. (2013). Opportunities and limitations of communities of practice in graduate education in croatia. Economy of Eastern Croatia Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow, 2, 346-356. Retrieved from https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:osi:eecytt:v:2:y:2013:p:346-356
Kuo, A. (2014). Creating Social Value through Frugal Innovation. Entrepreneurship in Asia : Social Enterprise, Network and Grassroots Case Studies /, 53-70.
Lave, J., & Wenger, E. (1991). Situated learning: Legitimate peripheral participation. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.
Lents, N. H. (2017). Why play is important. Retrieved from https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/beastly-behavior/201705/why-play-is-important
Levy, L. A. (2018). Toolkit for digitally literate teachers | USC rossier. Retrieved from https://rossieronline.usc.edu/digital-literacy-teacher-toolkit/
Liu, C., Solis, S. L., Jensen, H., Hopkins, E., Neale, D., Zosh, J., & Hirsch-Pasek, K. (2017). Neuroscience and learning through play: A review of the evidence (research summary). (). Denmark: The LEGO Foundation. Retrieved from https://www.legofoundation.com/media/1064/neuroscience-review_web.pdf
Martin, A., & Grudziecki, J. (2006). DigEuLit: Concepts and tools for digital literacy development. Innovation in Teaching and Learning in Information and Computer Sciences, 5(4), 249-267. doi:10.11120/ital.2006.05040249
Meyers, E. M., Erickson, I., & Small, R. V. (2013). Digital literacy and informal learning environments: An introduction. Learning, Media and Technology, 38(4), 355-367. doi:10.1080/17439884.2013.783597
Project Zero Research Team. (2016). Playful participatory research: An emerging methodology for developing a pedagogy of play.().Project Zero. Retrieved from http://pz.harvard.edu/sites/default/files/Playful%20Participatory%20Research.pdf
Project Zero. (2018). Pedagogy of play playbook. Retrieved from http://www.pz.harvard.edu/resources/pedagogy-of-play-playbook-resources
Pyrko, I., Dörfler, V., & Eden, C. (2017). Thinking together: What makes communities of practice work? Human Relations; Studies Towards the Integration of the Social Sciences, 70(4), 389-409. doi:10.1177/0018726716661040
Rowling, J. K. (1997). Harry potter and the philosopher's stone (1. publ. ed.). London: Bloomsbury.
Sadik, A. (2008). Digital storytelling: A meaningful technology-integrated approach for engaged student learning. Educational Technology Research and Development, 56(4), 487-506. doi:10.1007/s11423-008-9091-8
Schoology. (2017). Global state of digital learning - K-12 education. (). US: Information Science Reference (Isr). Retrieved from https://info.schoology.com/rs/601-CPX-764/images/2017-Global-State-of-Digital-Learning-in-K-12%20Education.pdf
Schoology. (2019). The state of digital learning in K-12 education. ().Information Science Reference (Isr). Retrieved from https://www.schoology.com/state-of-digital-learning
Smeda, N., Dakich, E., & Sharda, N. (2014). The effectiveness of digital storytelling in the classrooms: A comprehensive study. Smart Learning Environments, 1(1), 6. doi:10.1186/s40561-014-0006-3c
Spires, H. A., Medlock Paul, C., & Kerkhoff, S. N. (2019). Digital Literacy for the 21st Century. In M. Khosrow-Pour, D.B.A. (Ed.), Advanced Methodologies and Technologies in Library Science, Information Management, and Scholarly Inquiry (pp. 12-21). Hershey, PA: IGI Global. doi:10.4018/978-1-5225-7659-4.ch002
Spires, H., & Bartlett, M. E. (2012). Digital literacies and learning: Designing a path forward. (). NC State University: Friday Institute White Paper Series. Retrieved from https://www.fi.ncsu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/digital-literacies-and-learning.pdf
van Leeuwen, L., & Westwood, D. (2008). Adult play, psychology and design. Digital Creativity, 19(3), 153-161. doi:10.1080/14626260802312665
Wenger, E. (1998). Communities of practice: Learning, meaning, and identity. Communities of practice: Learning, meaning, and identity (pp. x). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Retrieved from https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/communities-of-practice/contents/49FF03A60BF0F4254E7A3BA0BD21DE41
Wenger-Trayner, E., & Wenger-Trayner, B. (2015, April 15,). Introduction to communities of practice. Retrieved from https://wenger-trayner.com/introduction-to-communities-of-practice/
Zosh, J. M., Hopkins, E. J., Jensen, H., Liu, C., Neale, D., Hirsh-Pasek, K., . . . Whitebread, D. (2017). Learning through play: A review of the evidence (white paper). (). Denmark: The LEGO Foundation. Retrieved from https://www.legofoundation.com/media/1063/learning-through-play_web.pdf
Curriculum Themes: Digital Storytelling, Digital Literacy, Community of Practice, Pedagogy of Play, Frugal Innovation
Curriculum Themes: Digital Storytelling, Digital Literacy, Community of Practice, Pedagogy of Play, Frugal Innovation
Within the context of digital storytelling the curriculum centers around four major themes: Digital Literacy, Community of Practice, a Pedagogy of Play, and Frugal Innovation as further described below.
- Digital Storytelling: The fun, project-based learning strategy of digital storytelling- using computer-based tools to tell stories- is one the easiest ways to integrate digital technology into the classroom and is an “effective pedagogical tool that enhances learners’ motivation" (Barret, 2006 as cited by Smeda, Dakich, & Sharda, 2014).
- Digital Literacy: Exploring the Seven C's of 21st-century digital literacy skills-
- Digital Citizenship
- Critical Thinking
- Creativity
- Collaboration
- Content Creation
- Consuming digital resources
- Effective Communication.
- Community of Practice: The support of a Community of Practice (CoP)- A collaborative, context and content relevant, shared-learning environment (Wenger-Trayner et al., 2015; Pyrko, Dörfler & Eden, 2017)- nurtures digital literacy skills development with on-going training that increases the long-term effectiveness of the PD curriculum.
- Pedagogy of Play: Playful learning, also referred to as a Pedagogy of Play in this curriculum, is a low-risk way to develop cognitive abilities and encourage creativity, planning and problem solving (Lents, 2017; Liu et al., 2017; van Leeuwen & Westwood, 2008). It increases motivation and content retention, and provides the social interactivity, attunement, and meaningful active engagement crucial to cultivating the formation of a Community of Practice.
- Frugal Innovation: By embracing a Frugal Innovation mindset, creatively optimizing the use of technology to do more with less (Kuo, 2014; Basu, Banerjee & Sweeney, 2013), the curriculum takes into consideration the participants' goals and very real financial, technological, material and other resource constraints faced by teachers in our public schools today. The digital resources explored are easily accessible, adaptable, and affordable.
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