Digital Literacy: What You Need to Know

What is Digital Literacy?

According to Education Week Teacher, Digital Literacy is "'having the knowledge and ability to use a range of technology tools for varied purposes.' Digitally literate people are those who “can use technology strategically to find and evaluate information, connect and collaborate with others, produce and share original content, and use the Internet and technology tools to achieve many academic, professional, and personal goals” (Crowley, 2014). 

Digital literacy is important for all children because even if they don’t have a lot of technology in their homes, most likely when they get older and get a job it will include some type of technology. Teaching digital literacy to all children helps to prepare them for the future. 

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What is Copyright and Plagiarism?

Stated by Digital citizenship, "According to the U.S. Copyright Office, copyright is 'a form of protection grounded in the U.S. Constitution and granted by law for original works of authorship fixed in a tangible medium of expression. Copyright covers both published and unpublished works' (Digital citizenship, n.d.).

Plagiarism is similar to copyright, but it is essentially claiming someone else's work as your own, although it has not been copyrighted and therefore is not illegal in the United States. 

Students should be taught that copyright is what will allow them to be able to use other people's words in their own papers. They need to know that if they do not cite someone else’s work when using it, they are plagiarising and breaking copyright laws. It's important for students to well informed on regulations when it comes to copyright and plagiarism.

Brianna Crowley (2014). "What digital literacy looks like in the classroom". Retrieved from http://www.edweek.org/tm/articles/2014/10/29/ctq_crowley_digitalliteracy.html
Molly Pennington PhD (2014). "Tips to help your child avoid plagiarism". Retrieved from https://www.noodle.com/articles/tips-to-help-your-child-avoid-plagiarism
Digital Citizenship (n.d.). "Copyright for teachers". Retrieved from http://www.auburn.edu/citizenship/copyright_for_teachers.html

PBL and IBL: Advantages and Uses in the Classroom

Project-Based Learning and Inquiry-Based Learning:

Project-Based Learning and Inquiry-Based Learning are both important to be incorporated into a classroom. These two learning styles have some similarities, but also have differences. Both learning styles include more of a focus on the students learning and thinking on their own, as opposed to the teacher feeding students their information. 

Project-Based Learning(PBL) " is a teaching method in which students gain knowledge and skills by working for an extended period of time to investigate and respond to an engaging and complex question, problem, or challenge." (What Is Project Based Learning (PBL)?). During Project-Based Learning the teacher in a way guides the students into the roles in which they will learn. In PBL the focus is on students thinking critically in order to achieve goals in their learning. By posing a challenge problem or question students must investigate and research to find answers to support their ideas. Another key component to Project-Based Learning is having students reflect and critique their work as well as sharing their work for others to learn from. A good example of Project-Based Learning and roles of the teacher vs the students can be viewed here: Video. 




Inquiry-Based Learning  (IBL) is centralized around two key components: the first is the students and the second is questioning. In IBL the role of the teacher is very limited, in fact they are essentially only providing students with a questions and then assisting them as needed.  Inquiry relies on the student conducting their own learning via investigations, evaluations and research in order to grasp an understanding of a concept. Students using questioning is the key to IBL. Students learn the concepts of a subject through their findings on the proposed question. In most cases we see IBL style used in mathematics and science, but it's can be very affected in all subject areas if incorporated effectively.  

"Five-Year-Olds Pilot Their Own Project-Based Learning." Edutopia. 09 May 2007. Web.08               Feb. 2016. 
<http://www.edutopia.org/kindergarten-project-based-learning-video>.
"Inquiry-based Learning: Explanation." Inquiry-based Learning: Explanation. Educational                  Broadcasting Corporation., 2004. Web. 08 Feb. 2016.                                                              <http://www.thirteen.org/edonline/concept2class/inquiry/>.
"What Is Project Based Learning (PBL)?" What Is PBL? Web. 08 Feb. 2016.                                    <http://bie.org/about/what_pbl>.