1.0++Syllabus

= **Digital Literacy :** = ** Reading, Writing and Researching on the Web ** ** Comprehension, Communication, and Connectivity **


 * Course Number: EDUC 782-068 **


 * Instructor: Angela Maiers **
 * Blog: angelamaiers.com **
 * Twitter: @AngelaMaiers **


 * Associate Instructor: Kristina Peters **
 * Blog: kristinapeters.wordpress.com **
 * Twitter: @Mrskmpeters **


 * Angela's Contact Information: 515-554-2005 (Mobile) angela@angelamaiers.com **
 * Kristina's Contact Information: 402-617-8166 (Mobile) mrskmpeters@gmail.com **


 * Location: Viterbo University Iowa Center, WDM **
 * Dates: Feb. 11-12 (FtF), Feb 26-27(On-line); March 4-5 (FtF) **

In just a few short years, Web 2.0 has profoundly changed both the definition and demands of literacy. Our students must be equipped not only to effectively and efficiently find and understand information but to use what they know to participate, engage, and contribute content in multiple ways. Given the rapid rate of change, the vast amount of information to be managed, and the influence of new tools and technologies, even our best students are at risk without out help.
 * __ Course Intro: __**

The course will explore these literacy and communication competencies across this digital landscape addressing both the opportunities and challenges of comprehension, collaboration, and connectivity in school and out. The course is designed to allow participants (K-12 teachers, trainers, media professionals, media literacy trainers and activists]) to rapidly gain digital literacy proficiency and understanding of the how new digital and social media tools can extend to the classroom and training space. Participants will have the opportunity to explore a variety of digital and social media tools, practice instructional strategies, and develop resources for teaching and personal productivity. Participants will collaborate, share resources, and reinvent course activities to meet the unique needs of their classrooms.
 * __ Course Description: __**

__** Course Objectives: **__ On completing the course, participants will
 * Have an understanding of the concept of digital information literacy, its significance in promoting open societies, and its relevance to the classroom and conditions of learning
 * Have the knowledge and skills to practice and promote digital literacy in their own professional and academic work
 * Comprehend the variety and nature of digital information sources (particularly internet), and appreciate methods for finding, accessing, and producing digital information
 * Be able to show the role of knowledge organization and critical thinking in the evaluation and use of digital information resources
 * Possess skills for teaching and communicating the principles and practice of digital literacy (including the use of networked teaching resources)
 * Have experience in the use of technology for distance education, and understand how and when technology can be used to promote learning, communication, and literacy, and how it can complement the physical and interpersonal aspects of learning.

__** Course Delivery: **__ The class is highly participatory both offline and online. Between the weekly scheduled class meetings, this course’s discussion continues in a variety of online and virtual environments. Those who complete this course will know how to use blogs, wikis, social bookmarking, social networks, Twitter and Flickr productively, and have a framework for understanding and evaluating new social media tools and platforms.

During the distance learning phase, students will be expected to undertake further research on the topics introduced during the face-to-face phase. This will allow the students to gain skills in conducting research in a networked environment, in addition to progressing their knowledge within the field of digital literacy. Students must demonstrate a willingness to immerse in social media as their assignments will be mediated via these tools Access to the internet is essential.

__** Course Outline: **__ The concept of digital literacy is broad; the main issues will be introduced during the initial phase of the course. For the face-to-face week, our subject will be divided into component aspects, which will each be explored in a series of sessions and topics using the teaching methods described above. Course readings and assignments will be posted and monitored via the Class wiki.


 * Weekend 1 **
 * Friday: Things They Are a Changin’ **


 * Technologies, Influence, and Impact on Literacy: Social Media and Web 2.0 - The History, The Present, The Future
 * Defining and ReDefining Literacy in the 21st Century
 * VIDEO: Did You Know 4.0
 * Exploration of Web 1.0, 2.0, 3.0


 * Saturday AM: Exploring Learning Now! **
 * Digital Learning in a Global Community
 * Understanding the Digital Learner
 * Attributes of a Digital Learner
 * VIDEOS: Vision of K-12 Students Today
 * Joining a Community- Classroom 2.0 Ning
 * Creating a Digital Profile
 * Elluminate Session- PBS Online
 * Session Debrief and Discussion


 * Saturday PM: Getting Ready to Jump In! **
 * Creating a PLN- Personal Learning Network
 * Decoding Social Bookmarking and Social Networking
 * Purpose Driven Social Media in the Classroom: Knowing the Task, Mapping the Terrain
 * VIDEO: Social Bookmarking in Plain English; Social Networking in Plain English; Twitter in Plain English


 * Weekend 2 (ON LINE Participation and Engagement) **
 * Learning Now! Classroom Assignment
 * Global Learning: Participate in Elluminate Session via Classroom 2.0 Ning
 * Twitter Assignment (Attend Virtual Conference #ASCD)
 * Delicious Assignment (PLN, Social Bookmarks)
 * Web 2.0 Tool - Post to Wiki
 * Explore a Digital Literacy Module: Lesson with Students/Colleagues: Find It, Decode It, Analyze It, Use It, Share I

Friday: Lesson Sharing and Reflection
 * Weekend 3: **** 21st Literacy Competencies **
 * Learning Now
 * Elluminate Session
 * #ASCD/ Twitter

Saturday: 21st Century Standards · Infosumption- RSS and Google Reader · Synthesizing- Using Blogs,Wikis, and Social Spaces to Create Meaning · Asking Questions- Web Habitudes · Translation Tools- Role of Image, Art, an Creative Web Tools · Contribution - Web Puslishing, Authority, an Authorship
 * Deconstructing the Framework of 21st Century Literacy ( 21stCentruy.org and Iowa Core)
 * New Digital Fluencies
 * Web Etiquette
 * Creative Commons Licensing
 * Global Projects - Epals, Skype, Flat Classroom Project


 * Course requirements: **
 * Attendance ** : Your attendance in this course is vital. You are expected to attend all class meetings and your attendance will impact your participation grade.


 * Participation ** : Your participation in this course is essential. You are expected to engage and participate in class discussions and activities—both online and during class.


 * Missed Assignments ** : All assignments are due on the designated dates and times (see schedule for specific due dates). Late assignments will be accepted for partial credit. For each day the assignment is late, the grade will drop half of a letter grade. Assignments will not be accepted beyond five days from the due date.


 * Make-up Policy ** : Make-up work will be considered on a case by case basis. Contact instructor to discuss.

Grading in this course will be determined on a point basis. Completion of all assignments will not guarantee attainment of the points. **The assignments are also evaluated based upon the QUALITY of the work.** You are responsible for material covered in all readings assigned and all class assignments.
 * Major Assignments/Projects: **


 * ** Grading scale ** ||
 * A+ || 981-1000 ||
 * A || 940-980 ||
 * A- || 900-939 ||
 * B+ || 881-899 ||
 * B || 840-880 ||
 * B- || 800-839 ||
 * C+ || 781-799 ||
 * C || 740-780 ||
 * C- || 700-739 ||
 * D+ || 681-699 ||
 * D || 640-680 ||
 * D- || 600-639 ||
 * F || 0-599 ||


 * Evaluation: ** Grading for this course is based on a points system. Each assignment is assigned a point value and the final grade is the sum of all earned points. See table for point distribution.


 * Personal Learning Network (Twitter, Delicious, Ning) || 100 ||
 * Virtual Conference Attendance - #ASCD || 100 ||
 * Global Learning: Elluminate Session || 100 ||
 * Learning Now! Assignment || 100 ||
 * RSS- Find, Read, Subscribe || 100 ||
 * Digital Literacy Mini Lesson || 100 ||
 * On and Offline Participation || 400 ||
 * ** TOTAL ** || ** 1000 pts. ** ||