Digital Literacy Framework Guiding Questions

What is the Story? 

The background behind the digital literacy framework is to guide and assist students who will continue to be surrounded by digital learning tools and media. It enables teachers and educators to develop strategies to for awareness, creativity and efficacy for students while interacting with and creating online tools. The framework acknowledges there are concerns with the wide spread availability of digital tools including the internet and media, and it incorporates safety, personal awareness and critical thinking of the tools and sites explored in digital media.

What theory, literature, frameworks and models have guided the framework?

Critical thinking, creative thinking, personal and social efficacy, communication, self-awareness, social awareness, self-expression, and research strategies.

What is missing?

This framework provides structure and theory behind how to implement the frameworks listed above for students to use and interact with digital learning tools. The learning outcomes and grade ranges help scaffold learning outcomes to become increasingly complex as grades progress. One aspect that is missing is acknowledging that not all students or teachers will use this framework or curriculum from kindergarten and some may start at higher grades. Including the grade range these concepts should be taught at could undercut the importance of these seemingly elementary level ideas. Removing the grade ranges will improve the accessibility and reduce barriers for learners and educators wanting to bring this framework into their classroom regardless of what grade they are teaching.

What other frameworks, theories, and models could improve the framework?

Including links and examples for projects or lesson plans to accompany these learning outcomes will increase the userability (?) of this resource. Currently it covers the outcomes with content suggestions rather than concrete examples teachers can use in their classroom. In today’s busy times, teachers want a resource they can read, understand and then bring into their classroom with minimal effort and barriers. Concrete examples and lesson plans will likely be added as educators have time to brainstorm and create resources supporting these learning outcomes.

Choose a curriculum area you want to explore further

The curriculum area I want to explore further is the communication and collaboration – technology mediated communication and collaboration.

Brainstorm a project you want to redesign or design

I would design a task where students are in a collaborative online learning platform and their instructor is teaching remotely from a location not physically in the school. Each student will have their own computer and meet in the online digital classroom. They will be learning the concept of computer science and be learning how to build their own pac-man game. They will listen to the remote instructor in the digital classroom, watch the example videos and be guided through the first steps on SNAP! to design their game. The online instructor will show them the beginning steps to building the Pac-Man game, but the creativity, character designs, and colours in their game will be up to the students. Students can work together on the game or have another student play their game after building it in SNAP! Collaboration will occur with students listening to the remote instructor, working in groups to build the game, have a friend play their game, and sharing their projects with the class after completion. A showcase of their games will occur after with students from other classes logging in to play each students game.

How does the framework integrate into your project?

This project includes collaboration, creative thinking, problem solving, communication, time management, workspace organization, and presentation skills both online and offline.