Integrating Digital/ Cyber Literacy into the Curriculum
Technology is an effective tool that has transformed how students and
teachers learn. People now have access to education as well as a wide
range of cooperative and communication methods.
Technology may be used to facilitate learning and teaching in the
classroom. Having digital literacy abilities enables us to locate and
apply the tech-related tactics and procedures we are familiar with.
The following are suggested activities to integrate digital literacy, higher-order
thinking and construction of meaning in the classroom.
1. Use an interactive whiteboard to design and deliver lessons. Use
Promethean and Smart Notebook with teacher-created lessons if you are not
yet capable of designing your own.
A display that responds to input from a user or from other digital
devices is called an interactive whiteboard. Interactive whiteboards can
be used to convey messages, show information, and participate in
group brainstorming. They digitize tasks and operations.
Promethean makes interactive displays and teaching software that drive
breakthroughs for teachers, students, and colleagues around the world.
SMART Notebook is subscription-free software designed for use with a
SMART Board interactive display. SMART Notebook comes with many
features you can use to create, edit, and deliver engaging lessons to your
students, including: Creative pen tools. SMART Ink for writing and drawing in
digital ink.
2. Allow students to maintain blogs, wikis, web pages related to their learning.
When they leave comments on other people's posts or respond to
criticism left on their blogs, they can improve their conversational and
communication skills. Students who blog are more likely to be polite
and considerate. You may design interactive learning environments with
the use of wikis. By developing digital literacy abilities, wikis can assist
you in preparing students for the workplace of the twenty-first century.
3. Engage in email/video chat exchanges with students.
Education can become more accessible by making classes and other
educational opportunities and activities available online. In addition to
being easily available, it teaches students and teachers digital literacy
skills by utilizing technologies for email and video conferencing.
4. Utilize storytelling media to allow students to create and publish stories.
The motivation of students is increased via digital storytelling, which
also aids teachers in creating constructivist learning environments.
A more equal classroom can be created through thoughtful digital
storytelling, which has also been demonstrated to increase emotional
intelligence and develop important 21st century skills.
5. Set-up a blog site, Facebook page, Yahoo or Google group and post
weekly discussion questions for students to respond.
Students of today are already utilizing social media, and they may often
be better users than their teachers.
Because they are now 21st century learners who are familiar with
emerging technologies, using social media platforms as an opportunity
to teach and learn can boost the participation of the students in
discussions.
6. Use video cameras to dramatize stories, record scientific experiments and
expose students to video editing software to create video production of
learning.
Student engagement is increased via videos, which aids in academic
progress. Students will process and recall the information more
effectively if they are interested in it. They provide you the option to
pause, rewind, or go around the video as needed to hold class
discussions or go over certain points.
7. Engage students in discussions about how and why various media work
well to showcase learning and why others do not.
Students are more engaged in learning and have a richer experience
when media is used in the classroom. Students can see examples of
what they are studying by using media to help illustrate a lesson.
Additionally, it will sharpen their understanding of several facets of
media, including its benefits and drawbacks, dangers and hazards, and
issues related to privacy and safety.
8. Thinking critically about the medium use to present a message is as
important as the message itself.
According to McLuhan, the type of media being used to communicate a
message was more significant than the content of the message itself.
The media applies a filter to a message that greatly affects how it is
understood.
9. Require E-Portfolio that would compile their outputs, projects, messages
and photo-documents of group activities and investigations online.
For both students and instructors, e-portfolios offer a wealth of
resources for learning about the accomplishment of significant
outcomes over time, making connections between unrelated areas of
the curriculum, gaining insights that lead to improvement, and
developing identities as learners or as learning facilitators.
10. Allow students to use digital tools, such as mobile phones, Ipad and
netbooks for Google search, dictionary Apps, Youtube, Podcast and Spotify
applications in class to complement their learning, especially during group
works and concept reporting.
Many of these tools make it easier to plan and organize lessons, boost
student participation in class discussions, and facilitate effective
teacher-student and caregiver communication. Students' learning time
can be extended and made more efficient by using digital technologies.
Students who are proficient in digital literacy will feel more at ease and
confident using these platforms for learning, whereas students who are
not proficient in this area may find it difficult or unnerving to use the
relevant technology, which could hinder their progress.