A Year of Digital Literacy

This project was designed by Dayle Payne - St. Lawrence-Lewis BOCES. The project was started during the NYS Smart Start Grant, in the Summer of 2023. Over the course of the next year Dayle continued to work on the project for a district she works in as a Technology Coach through our Model Schools Program, to serve as an addition to the Bits and Bots Technology Curriculum.

Sep/Oct

Nov

Dec/Jan

Feb

Mar/Apr

May/June

There are five strands identified in the New York State K-12 Computer Science and Digital Fluency Learning Standards.

Impacts of Computing
Computational Thinking
Networks and Systems Design
Cybersecurity
Digital Literacy

This plan focuses on one strand which can and should be integrated into every classroom that uses any kind of technology: Digital Literacy.

Digital Literacy addresses issues of the use of technology tools as well as digital citizenship. The standards do not address computer science per se, but rather the way that technology fits into our everyday life. Therefore, Digital Literacy should be taught and reinforced in all classrooms, not just those specifically teaching computer science.

NYS Education Department Website

Digital Literacy Standards Overview

Although the Digital Literacy standards are broken into five grade bands, at their most basic level, each standard can be described as below:

DL1. Find opportunities for students to use keyboard skills within curriculum.

DL2. Communicate and collaborate about learning using digital tools.

DL3. Use digital tools to search for information as part of curricular learning.

DL4. Use digital tools to create projects in the classroom.

DL5. Understand basic common features of digital tools.

DL6. Manage and protect digital identity.

DL7 Identify and practice safe and ethical online behavior.

A Year of Digital Fluency

This plan offers a whole school year-long K-12 focus on the Digital Literacy strand. Rather than trying to implement instruction in all the strands, this plan is designed to help teachers integrate just the Digital Literacy standards in their regular classroom instruction.

Each month is devoted to a different standard and grade level appropriate activities which can be implemented across the school are outlined. Options are suggested for all stakeholders, parents included, so that the standard can be fully addressed.