Resources | Teaching With and About Technology Jim Wilson/The New York TimesStudents have always faced distractions and time-wasters. But computers and cellphones, and the constant stream of stimuli they offer, pose a profound new challenge to focusing and learning.Go to related article » Updated | Feb. 2013 What are the potential benefits and drawbacks of using technology for learning? Are tech tools essentials, distractions or somewhere in between? We present a collection of Learning Network resources, Times multimedia and articles and useful outside links to help both digital immigrants and digital natives think through these questions. Please tell us what you think, or share your own ideas or experiences! Student Opinion Questions All of the questions below are still open to comment by students. What Tech Tools Play the Biggest Role in Your Life? How Careful Are You Online? Are You Distracted by Technology? Does Facebook Ever Make You Feel Bad? Are Digital Photographs Too Plentiful to Be Meaningful? Do You Know How to Code? Lesson Plans
Digital Literacy Home Welcome to the Microsoft Digital Literacy curriculum. Whether you are new to computing or have some experience, Digital Literacy will help you develop a fundamental understanding of computers. The courses help you learn the essential skills to begin computing with confidence, be more productive at home and at work, stay safe online, use technology to complement your lifestyle, and consider careers where you can put your skills to work. Use the menu below to see the Digital Literacy curricula and courses available in your preferred language. The Microsoft Digital Literacy curriculum has three levels. The Basic curriculum features a course called A First Course Toward Digital Literacy. The Standard curriculum is available in four versions. Version 4 uses examples and simulations from Windows 8 and Microsoft Office 2013. Version 3 uses examples and simulations from Windows 7 and Microsoft Office 2010. Version 2 uses examples and simulations from Windows Vista and Microsoft Office 2007.
Common Misconceptions of Educators Who Fear Technology Education is currently at a crossroads as traditional methods and tools are changing as a result of advances in technology and learning theory. We are beginning to see some schools across the country take the lead in merging sound pedagogy with the effective integration of technology. These schools and educators, whether they realize it or not, are not only enhancing the teaching and learning process, but they are also providing their learners with essential skill sets pivotal for success in today’s society. These skill sets include critical thinking/problem solving, media literacy, collaboration, creativity, technological proficiency, and global awareness. Image credit: Even as we are seeing more schools and educators transform the way they teach and learn with technology, many more are not. Time: The time excuse seems to rear its ugly head more than any other excuse not to move forward with technology integration.
4 Sets of Introductory Computer and Internet Technology Interactives A collection of web based interactive activities to introduce students to computers and the Internet. It was my pleasure to deliver presentations on “Using Popular Social Networks Tools in Course Work” and “Flipping The Classroom: Succeeding with Reverse Instruction” for our faculty here at The College of Westchester on Monday. While discussing the use of interactives and simulations as one way to supplement online digital materials for reverse instruction, an instructor asked if I had come across any interactives geared towards an introductory computer and Internet course. I searched the web a bit and while I did not find a lot of materials specific to this subject area, I did find some. First, we have two sets of interactives from the Utah Education Network. Computer & Internet Interactives for grades 3 to 6.Computer & Internet Interactives for grades 7 to 12. Next is this set of Internet Safety Interactives from GCF LearnFree.org. About Kelly Walsh Print This Post
Teaching Students to Effectively Use the Internet A search engine is essentially a database that points to Web sites and Internet resources. The search engine database is compiled by means of often called spiders, crawlers, or bots. These spiders, crawlers and bots are programmed to find web pages, follow all the links they contain and add any new information they find to the master database. It is important to remember that when you are using a search engine, you are not really searching the entire Internet, but a database of pages and resources from the Internet compiled by the bots. Once the information has been collected by the robot programs it is turned over to the search engine's indexing program. When you submit a query or question to the search engine, a searches the database compiled by the robot programs and indexing programs, identifies items that match your query and organizes and displays them in a particular order based on the relevancy or how closely they match your query. Search engine results can be misleading
Google Digital Literacy Tour What it is: No matter what subject(s) you teach, digital literacy is something we all need to take the responsibility to expose our students to. iKeep Safe (one of my favorites for Internet safety with Faux Paw the Techno cat!) teamed up with Google to create a curriculum for educators to teach what it means to be a responsible digital citizen. The outcome is wonderful, it is designed to be interactive, discussion oriented, and hands-on. Detecting Lies and staying truePlaying and staying safe onlineSteering clear of cyber tricks How to integrate Google Digital Literacy Tour into the classroom: Google never disappoints, and the Google Digital Literacy Tour is no exception! The videos and presentations can be used throughout the year (and multiple times throughout the year) to open discussions about online behavior. Tips: Share these resources with parents. Please leave a comment and share how you are using Google Digital Literacy Tour in your classroom!
How to Infuse Digital Literacy Throughout the Curriculum So how are we doing on the push to teach “digital literacy” across the K12 school spectrum? From my perspective as a school-based technology coach and history teacher, I’d say not as well as we might wish – in part because our traditional approach to curriculum and instruction wants to sort everything into its place. Digital literacy is defined as “the ability to effectively and critically navigate, evaluate, and create information using a range of digital technologies.” Many educational and business professional cite is as a critical 21st century skill. Even so, many schools have struggled to adapt it into their curriculum. This is often because most institutions already have rigorous, established curricula with little wiggle room – and this is especially true in schools subject to state and federal testing. Evaluating online content is a research skill For example, when my students do research in US History, they are not only allowed but encouraged to use online content.
Etherpad Foundation 5 Dimensions Of Critical Digital Literacy: A Framework 5 Dimensions Of Critical Digital Literacy: A Framework Digital Literacy is increasingly important in an age where many students read as much on screens as they do from books. In fact, the very definition of many of these terms is changing as the overlap across media forms increases. Interactive eBooks can function like both long-form blogs and traditional books. Threaded email can look and function like social media. Email and texting and social media messaging are increasingly similar. This is the modern digital era. The above framework was developed by Juliet Hinrichsen and Antony Coombs at the University of Greenwich. The framework is minimalist in design, forgoing any kind of analysis of each dimension, or examples of how readers may use them, but that’s part of its charm: At a glance it refracts digital literacy rather succinctly. 5 Dimensions Of Digital Literacy 1. Focus: the media–modes, structures, and conventions of digital media 2. Focus: the reader–style, purpose, interpretation 3.