1.www.futurelab.org.ukDigital literacy acrossthe curriculumKEY TO THEMESa Futurelab handbookOVERLEAF

2. Key to themesAcknowledgementsFuturelab understands that you may haveThe authors would like to thank thespecic areas of interest and so, in order teachers and students involved in the digitalto help you to determine the relevance ofparticipation project.each project or publication to you, we havedeveloped a series of themes (illustrated by Andy Dewey and Year 5 students,icons). These themes are not intended to cover Knowle Park Primary Schoolevery aspect of innovation and education and,as such, you should not base your decision onJoe Tett and Year 6 students,whether or not to read this publication on the Knowle Park Primary Schoolthemes alone. The themes that relate to thispublication appear on the front cover, overleaf, Laraine Harris and Year 3 students,but a key to all of the current themes that we Charborough Road Primary Schoolare using can be found below: Kirsty Minter and Steve Pavey,Digital Inclusion How the design Charborough Road Primary Schooland use of digital technologies canpromote educational equality Neil Woodcock and Year 4 students, Luckwell Primary SchoolTeachers and Innovations Innovative practices and resources Tim Browse and Year 3 students,that enhance learning and teaching Headley Park Primary SchoolLearning Spaces Creating Alexa Vickery and Year 4 students,transformed physical and virtual Headley Park Primary Schoolenvironments Ben Cotton and Year 9 geography students,Mobile Learning Learning on theSt Katherines Schoolmove, with or without handheldtechnology Emma Teasdale and Year 9 religious education students, Ashton Park SchoolLearner Voice Listening and actingupon the voices of learnersCarolyn Twist and Year 9 English students, Ashton Park SchoolGames and Learning Using gamesfor learning, with or without gaming Ryan Lewin and Year 7 geography students,technology Brislington Enterprise CollegeInformal Learning Learning thatBridget Chikonobaya and Year 7 maths students,occurs when, how and where the Brislington Enterprise Collegelearner chooses, supported by digitaltechnologies Paul Hill and Year 11 science students, St Mary Redcliffe and Temple SchoolLearning in Families Children,parents and the extended familyWe would also like to thank the Headteacherslearning with and from one another of the schools listed above and all those who informed and contributed to the project.For more information on our themes pleasego to www.futurelab.org.uk/themesThe digital participation research project and the production of this publication has been funded and supported by Becta.This handbook and accompanying casestudies are available to download freeof charge from www.futurelab.org.uk/projects/digital-participation. 3. CONTENTS1. Introduction22. The importance of digital literacy63. Digital literacy in practice 184. Summary58Cassie Hague and Sarah PaytonFuturelab 2010 4. 1. INTRODUCTIONDigital literacy is an important entitlementTo be digitally literate is to have access to afor all young people in an increasingly digital broad range of practices and cultural resourcesculture. It furnishes children and young people that you are able to apply to digital tools. Itwith the skills, knowledge and understandingis the ability to make and share meaningthat will help them to take a full and active in different modes and formats; to create,part in social, cultural, economic, civic and collaborate and communicate effectively and tointellectual life now and in the future.understand how and when digital technologiescan best be used to support these processes.Page 01 5. Digital literacy involves critically engagingwith technology and developing a socialawareness of how a number of factorsincluding commercial agendas and culturalunderstandings can shape the ways in whichtechnology is used to convey informationand meaning.It means being able to communicate andrepresent knowledge in different contexts andto different audiences (for example, in visual,audio or textual modes). This involves findingand selecting relevant information, criticallyevaluating and re-contextualising knowledgeand is underpinned by an understanding ofthe cultural and social contexts in which thistakes place.Digital literacy gives young people the ability 1.1 ABOUT THIS HANDBOOKto take advantage of the wealth of new andemerging opportunities associated with digitaltechnologies whilst also remaining alert to thevarious challenges technology can present. INTRODUCTIONIn short, digital literacy is the savvyness thatallows young people to participate meaningfullyand safely as digital technology becomes evermore pervasive in society.Schools are increasingly encouraged to embedthe use of ICT in all subject areas acrossboth the primary and secondary curricula. 1Considering how digital literacy supportssubject knowledge can help to ensure thattechnology-use enhances teaching and learningrather than simply becoming an add-on. 1.1 ABOUT THISIndeed, if formal education seeks to prepareyoung people to make sense of the world and to HANDBOOKthrive socially, intellectually and economically,This handbook is aimed at educationalthen it cannot afford to ignore the social and practitioners and school leaders in bothcultural practices of digital literacy that enable primary and secondary schools who arepeople to make the most of their multipleinterested in creative and critical uses ofinteractions with digital technology and media.technology in the classroom.Yet the notion of digital literacy and how it mayAlthough there is increasing policy and researchtranslate to teaching and learning is not always attention paid to issues related to digital literacy,well understood. This handbook therefore there is still relatively little information aboutaims to support teachers to begin to think how to put this into practice in the classroom.about how to address digital literacy in their There is even less guidance on how teacherseveryday practice. It explores the importance of might combine a commitment to digital literacydigital literacy and sets out some pedagogical with the needs of their own subject teaching.techniques for fostering it in the classroom How can digital literacy be fostered, for example,from within subject teaching.in a maths or science lesson? 3 6. 1.1 ABOUT THIS HANDBOOKINTRODUCTION1This handbook aims to introduce educational The handbook ends by looking at issues relatedpractitioners to the concepts and contextsto continuing professional development forof digital literacy and to support them inteachers and the ways in which digital literacydeveloping their own practice aimed at fosteringcan support whole-school initiatives.the components of digital literacy in classroomsubject teaching and in real school settings. It is teachers that are expert in their ownschool context, in the needs of their studentsThe handbook is not a comprehensive how and in the pedagogical techniques requiredto guide; it provides instead a rationale, to support learning. This handbook has beensome possible strategies and some practical informed by the work of fourteen teachersexamples for schools to draw on. The firstwho are interested in how technology is usedsection details the reasons teachers should in classroom teaching and who took part inbe interested in digital literacy and how it is Futurelabs digital participation project. Ratherrelevant to their subject teaching. It looks at the than being prescriptive, it aims to provideincreasing role of technology in young peoples information which will help teachers to makecultures, the support they may need to benefitthe best use of their own expertise to supportfrom their engagement with technology and students emerging digital literacy.the way in which digital literacy can contributeto the development of subject knowledge.The second section discusses digital literacyin practice and moves through a number ofcomponents of digital literacy discussing howthese might be fostered in the classroom.4 7. 1.2 THE DIGITAL PARTICIPATION PROJECTINTRODUCTION 1 The teachers involved in the project worked1.2 THE DIGITALwith researchers and other teachers to explore the concept of digital literacy and its relationPARTICIPATIONto subject learning and to think about how they might foster their students digital literacy fromPROJECTwithin work already planned and scheduled for a particular half term. They planned teachingThis handbook is a result of a years research activities aimed at developing digital literacyproject in which Futurelab researchers workedalongside subject knowledge and trialed thesewith eight primary school and six secondaryactivities in their own classrooms.school teachers in order to co-developapproaches to fostering digital literacy inWhere possible, this handbook draws on thethe classroom. research in order to provide practical examples to support the guidance. In addition, a setThe project was informed by a review of theof digital literacy case studies are publishedresearch literature1 in the field and meetings alongside this handbook, which set out thewith a number of academics and researchers classroom activities teachers undertook inknown for their work on media, information and greater detail.digital literacies2.1. Hague, C and Williamson, B (2009). Digital Participation, Digital Literacy and School Subjects: A review of the policies, literature andevidence. Bristol: Futurelab. Available online: www.futurelab.org.uk/resources/documents/lit_reviews/DigitalParticipation.pdf2. Thanks is therefore due to Guy Merchant, Julia Davies, Andrew Burn, John Potter, David Buckingham, Cary Bazalgette, JosieFraser, Martin Waller and Tabetha Newman 5 8. 2. THE IMPORTANCE OFDIGITAL LITERACYWhy is digital literacy important and why should We then move on to discuss how digital literacyteachers develop digital literacy from withincan support the development of subjecttheir subject teaching?knowledge in the context of a society in which information and meaning are increasinglyThis section begins by discussing the expandingcreated and communicated throughrole of digital technology and media in societytechnologies such as the internet.and in young peoples cultures. It looks at theimportance of supporting all young people toeffectively engage with the possibilities thattechnology offers as well as the way it canaffect their lives.Page 01 Credit Here 9. 2.1 DIGITAL CULTURESOver the past decade digital technologies havebecome embedded in popular culture. Mobilephones are widely used by young people andadults alike. Websites such as YouTube andWikipedia are the first port of call for manypeople seeking information about a chosen areaof interest. TV, films and music are stored andaccessed on computers, MP3 players and online.Email allows instant communication betweenpeople across the world. Online shopping andTHE IMPORTANCE OF DIGITAL LITERACYbanking have become more prevalent andgovernment services have become increasinglyinternet-based. Both online and offline gamingfeature prominently in many peoples lives andWeb 2.0 technologies such as social networkingsites allow people to collaborate by sharing and2.1 DIGITAL CULTURESediting online content.Although we cannot and should not overlookthe inequalities that still exist in access todigital technology and the internet3, it can besaid that digital media is now a central aspectof most peoples lives, whatever their age.The skills, knowledge and understandingof digital literacy are therefore becomingindispensible as young people grow up in a 2society in which digital technology and mediaplay an ever more important role.Children and young people, then, are activelyYoung peoples digital cultures manipulating digital media to participateJust as technology is playing an increasing in social and cultural life outside of schoolrole in culture generally, so too does it play aand making and sharing media has becomegrowing role in the lives of children. Children increasingly important in the way that youngand young people are engaging with digitalpeople communicate with each other6.media and using a wide variety of technologiesThis means that children need to be ableat younger and younger ages4. They are likely toto negotiate information in multiple modesbe watching TV and films and listening to music (textual, visual, audio and so on) and need toonline and offline, playing computer games, learn how meaning can be represented increating MySpace or Facebook pages or, forthose modes7.younger children, taking part in Club Penguin5.Some children may also be creating, editingand sharing their own cartoons, animations,films, music or other media.3. In 2009, a quarter of households in Britain had never had access to the internet. For more information internet use in Britain seeDutton, WH, Helsper, EJ and Gerner, MM (2009). The Internet in Britain 2009. Oxford Internet Institute, University of Oxford.4. See, for example, Evans, J (ed) (2004). Literacy Moves On: Using popular culture, new technologies and critical literacy in theprimary classroom. London: David Fulton Publishers.5. Club Penguin is a virtual world for children of 6-14 years old owned by Walt Disney Corporation.6. Wiegel, M, James, C and Gardner, H (2009). Learning: Peering backward and looking forward in the digital era. ILJM 1,17. Gunther Kress, for example, argues that texts are becoming increasingly multimodal and screens are coming to replace booksand the page as dominant media. See, for example, Kress, G (2004). Reading images: Multimodality, representation and new media.Conference Presentation. www.knowledgepresentation.org/BuildingTheFuture/Kress2/Kress2.html7 10. In addition, some young people are usingtechnology to design and author their ownmedia. They may, for example, be creating aMySpace page or producing and editing musicand film and sharing it online. Many youngpeople may also be regularly sending eachother video clips from YouTube, for example,or cartoons and photos they have found on theinternet. Their aim may solely be to make theirfriends laugh or it may be more complex andambiguous. In either case they are using digitaltechnologies to communicate and therefore tocreate and share meaning in multiple formats. We cant put the genie back in the bottle.THE IMPORTANCE OF DIGITAL LITERACYYoung people today expect to be able toappropriate and circulate media for their ownself-expression. 9Digital literacy supports this process of youngpeople becoming active meaning-makers.102.1 DIGITAL CULTURESRather than preventing young people fromengaging creatively with technology, a focus ondigital literacy in the classroom can help themto expand and extend their use of technologyfor creativity and self-expression and to developa greater understanding of the complexities ofwhat theyre doing. 2There is, after all, much to be excitedabout in terms of the possibilities thatdigital technologies offer for childrensself-expression, creativity and learning. It also means that many young people are Technologies such as the internet can offer participating in multiple, distributed onlineextensive opportunities for informal learning networks and need to learn how to negotiateand for expanding where, how, what and with and manage their participation in thesewhom children learn. networks. Digital technologies, including the rise of social networking sites and online Education systems need to help young gaming, have made it easier for young people topeople to understand and benefit from their be simultaneously connected to groups of their engagement with digital technology and digital friends, peers and others who may be widelycultures. Fostering digital literacy in the interspersed in geographical space. Digitalclassroom provides one way in which to make literacy facilitates processes of interactionsubject learning relevant to a society in which and participation and allows students to growing technology use is changing the way become active rather than passive in interthat both adults and children represent and personal contexts.8communicate information and meaning andparticipate in cultural life. 8. Davies, J and Merchant, G (2009). Web 2.0 for schools: Learning and social participation. New York: Peter Lang: 15 9. Ito, M (2009). Media literacy and social action in a post-Pokemon world. A keynote address for the 51st NFAIS Annual Conference. www.itosher.com/mito/publications/media_literacy.html 10. Many approaches to the Sociology of childhood are also coming to position children as active meaning-makers. See, for example, Prout, A and James, A (1997). A new paradigm for the sociology of childhood. In A James and A Prout (eds) Constructing and Reconstructing Childhood. London: RoutledgeFalmer 8 11. Activity: Children these days111What it means to be a child is socially andculturally contingent. It varies in timeand place.With colleagues, discuss what you thinkmakes a typical childhood for the young peopleyou teach._ What are your shared assumptions aboutchildren these days?_ What are the most important influences onthe children of today (eg media, family)? THE IMPORTANCE OF DIGITAL LITERACY_ What are the implications for you as asubject/year group teacher?_ How should schools respond to thoseinfluences constructively and positivelyfor children? 2.1 DIGITAL CULTURES_ How might this affect the ways you teach?Digital natives?As attention is increasingly given to childrenand young peoples interaction with digitalcultures, it is easy to assume that young peopleare digitally native. It is often alleged thathaving grown up with technology, young peoplehave a wealth of digital technology skills that 2far surpass those of their digital immigrantparents and teachers.12In addition, teachers are increasinglyMany young people are confident in using areporting that many young people are not aswide range of technologies and often turn to theknowledgeable and savvy as they can appearinternet for finding information. They appear toto be. Young peoples confidence about theirbe able to learn to operate unfamiliar hardwareuse of technology can be misleading.or software very quickly and may take on therole of teaching adults how to use computersStudents frequently struggle with their researchand the internet.skills when searching for relevant informationon the internet, for example. They can findThis is not evenly spread amongst all youngit hard to select the information they need.people, however, but is instead affected byTeachers who set research tasks as homeworkissues of class, race, gender and nationality.complain of copy and paste syndrome, theResearchers point to a participation gap whichsituation in which they find entire chunks of,signals unequal access to the opportunities,often only vaguely relevant, information whichskills and experiences that will preparehas been copied and pasted from a websitestudents for life in the 21st century.13into a students homework without the studentengaging with its content.11. This activity is taken from the Futurelab handbook Curriculum and teaching innovationAvailable online: www.futurelab.org.uk/resources/documents/handbooks/curriculum_and_teaching_innovation2.pdf12. See, for example, Prensky, M (2001). Digital natives, digital immigrants. On the Horizon 9,5: 1-5. Critiques of the idea of the digital native include: Facer, K, Furlong, J, Furlong, R and Sutherland, R (2003), Screenplay: Children and computing in the home. London: Routledge. Buckingham, D and Willett, R (eds) (2006). Digital Generations: Children, young people and new media. London: LawrenceErlbaum Associates Publishers. Vaidhyanathan, S (2008). Generational myth: Not all young people are tech-savvy. Chronicle of Higher Education, 55,4 13. Jenkins, H, et al. Confronting the challenges of participatory culture: Media education for the 21st century. McArthur Foundation. digitallearning.macfound.org/atf/cf/%7B7E45C7E0-A3E0-4B89-AC9C-E807E1B0AE4E%7D/JENKINS_WHITE_PAPER.PDF 9 12. I dont buy the digital natives argument,As a teaching professional, I have a a lot of them are quite perplexed by theresponsibility to ensure my students are amount of stuff on the web, actually they not just digitally condent but digitally have a pretty poor understanding of the competent & literate. Secondary geography reliability of sources, how to assess it andand Advanced Skills Teacher (AST) how to reference it. Year 11 science teacher Students can find it difficult to work out Developing digital literacy is important whether the information they find on websitesthen because it supports young people to they do not recognise is trustworthy, with be confident and competent in their use of many of them relying on their chosen searchtechnology in a way that will enable them to engine to display the most relevant and reliable develop their subject knowledge by encouraging websites at the top of the list of search results.14 their curiosity, supporting their creativity, giving Many have little understanding of how search them a critical framing for their emerging terms work or the powerful commercial forces understandings and allowing them to makeTHE IMPORTANCE OF DIGITAL LITERACY that can result in a particular company beingdiscerning use of the increasing number of top of the search engines list. digital resources available to them. It is not therefore enough to assume that young people automatically have all of the Activity: 21st century learner skills, knowledge and understanding that they2.1 DIGITAL CULTURES need to apply to their use of technology. AllConsider how the lived experiences of the young people need to be supported to thrive in students you teach are different from those of digital cultures; they need help making sensechildren who were at school in the 1960s, 1970s of a rapidly changing world of technologyand 1980s. which gives them access to vast amounts of information, which is infused with commercialWith colleagues, draw a picture of a typical 21st agendas and which for many reasons can becentury student. difficult to interpret.15 It is teachers who have 2 experience in the higher order critical thinking skills that can support young peoples use ofReflect on your drawing. What are thecharacteristics of this 21st century student? digital technology.What are their aspirations? When teachers, parents and other adultsNow consider what your aspirations are for subscribe to the notion of young people beingthem. As a subject/year group teacher what digital natives, they are likely to view themselveshopes and ambitions do you have for your as less informed about technology and may notstudents? What are you trying to achieve in therefore recognise the way in which they canyour teaching? support young peoples digital literacy.What sorts of skills, knowledge and Teachers are ideally placed to help young people understandings do you hope to foster through develop, not only more competent search skills your teaching that will support your students to but also the critical thinking skills that allow achieve their aspirations and to be successful? them to question and determine the reliability of information they find on the internet. Teachers can also support the other elements of digital literacy; they can help students to be creative, to collaborate, to communicate effectively and to develop cultural and social understandings and to know when technology can best be used to support these processes. 14. Ofcom (2009). UK childrens media literacy: 2009 interim report. Ofcom. Available online: www.ofcom.org.uk/advice/media_ literacy/medlitpub/medlitpubrss/uk_childrens_ml/full_report.pdf Other research which looks at the difculties that can be encountered by young people when researching online includes Rowlands, I, and Fieldhouse, M (2007). Information Behaviour of the Researcher of the Future: Trends in scholarly information behaviours. British Library/JISC. www.jisc.ac.uk/media/documents/programmes/reppres/ggworkpackageii.pdf 15. Sonia Livingstone, for example, describes her experience of accidentally ordering a book in German whilst shopping online to underscore the point that a world infused with digital media is not always immediately legible to either adults or children and can be difcult to navigate. Livingstone, S (2008). Key Research, Keynote with David Buckingham at Ofcom: International 10 13. Children arrive at school with an existing2.2 SCHOOL knowledge and experience of digital media. Yet, the use of technology they experienceSUBJECTS in schools often bears little relevance to the ways in which they are communicating andAND DIGITALdiscovering information outside of school.17 This is creating what David Buckingham refersTECHNOLOGIES to as the new digital divide or a widening of the gap between the culture of the school and theWe have seen that in a society increasinglyculture of childrens lives outside of school.18saturated with technology young people are Young peoples own knowledge, ideas and values are not reflected in the education 2.2 SCHOOL SUBJECTS AND DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIESengaging with digital cultures in which theyneed and expect to be able to create and system and school learning can have little or nomanipulate media for social, cultural andbearing on their lives, concerns, interests andeconomic purposes. We have also seen thatperceived or aspirant futures. THE IMPORTANCE OF DIGITAL LITERACYthey need support to ensure they have theskills, knowledge and experience to enable this. As such, there is an argument for the acknowledgement of young peoples livedBut how does young peoples use of technologyrealities and popular culture within schools andoutside of school relate to their experiencesthe respect of childrens existing knowledgein school? and experiences as a starting point for learning in the classroom.19 Indeed studies have shownJust as it is important to support students increased levels of motivation where childrensdigital literacy so that they can effectivelyown cultural knowledge is acknowledged inparticipate socially and culturally outside of school settings.20school and so that they will be prepared for lifeafter school, digital literacy is also important toThis acknowledgement of young peopleslife in school.existing cultures and expertise needs to be set alongside the schools role in openingDigital technologies at home and schoolSchool curricula aim to support young people up learners to new ideas and new cultures and in encouraging students to expand and2by giving them the skills, knowledge and extend their existing knowledge and to makeunderstanding to make sense of the world inconnections and build dialogue betweenwhich we live. concepts and ideas.Over the past 20 years there has been aThe challenge is for teaching practices andsignificant increase in the difference between the curriculum to adapt to learners changingyoung peoples digital technology use outsideneeds in these digital media contexts. Byand inside school. In the 1980s and for much fostering digital literacy in subject teaching,of the 1990s, most children first encounteredpractitioners are not only acknowledging andthese technologies in the classroom. This is noreflecting young peoples lived experiences oflonger the case.16 digital media cultures, they are supporting their students to extend their knowledge and become critical and discerning participants in their own in-school learning.16. Buckingham, D (2007). Beyond Technology: Childrens learning in the age of digital culture. Cambridge: Polity Press17. Selwyn, N, Boraschi, D and zkula, SM (2009). Drawing digital pictures: An investigation of primary pupils representations of ICTand schools. British Educational Research Journal. 35,6: 909-928: 909; Levin, D and Arafeh, S (2002). The Digital Disconnect: Thewidening gap between internet-savvy students and their schools. Pew Internet and American Life Project. www.pewinternet.org/Reports/2002/The-Digital-Disconnect-The-widening-gap-between-Internetsavvy-students-and-their-schools.aspx18. Buckingham, D (2007). Beyond Technology: Childrens learning in the age of digital culture. Cambridge: Polity Press: 17819. For a discussion of enquiry-based, partnership approaches to teaching and learning that aim to democratise the curriculumby allowing young people to bring their existing knowledge, experiences and curiosities into the classroom as a starting point forlearning, see the Enquiring Minds project reports: www.enquiringminds.org.uk/our_research/reports_and_papers20. Mayall, B (2007). Childrens lives outside school and their educational impact. Primary Review Research Briengs 8/1. Cambridge:University of Cambridge Faculty of Education.11 14. School textbooks have traditionally contained Activity: Schools these days21 the information deemed by subject expertsto be the essential body of knowledge to be Purpose: passed on to the next generation. The growth Today, there is intense debate about the typeof the internet means that these textbooks of education system required to prepareare now complemented, and sometimes young people for the 21st century. Manycontradicted, by internet resources which commentators suggest that the experiencesprovide alternative sources of information in of children have changed dramatically over more diverse formats and modes, such as, the past 50 years and that schools have failed video, audio or animations. to keep pace with this change. As such there2.2 SCHOOL SUBJECTS AND DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES has been a drive for innovation in teaching andDigital literacy has therefore become an learning that has resulted in a number of newimportant resource which supports learning by, initiatives and curriculum changes.for example, allowing students to successfullyfind and select relevant information and accessTHE IMPORTANCE OF DIGITAL LITERACY It is useful for teachers to explore the context subject knowledge in different formats. from which various educational initiatives haveSubjects of the curriculum provide distinctive emerged. perspectives and approaches for young peopleto actively make sense of their experiences Suggested activity:in the world. Technology not only shapes and Discuss/think about the current economic,influences the ways in which school subjects cultural, political and social influencesare learnt, it can affect what young people on schools.know about school subjects and the skillsthat they will need in order to develop their _ Whats happening in society thats causing subject expertise. schools to change?This means that teachers and learners need _ What reforms are there? Where are they to engage both with traditional and well- coming from? Whats driving them?established ways of understanding the world2_ What messages are being given to schoolsthrough, for example, historical, geographical,mathematical, religious or scientific knowledge and do they contradict each other? but also need to be able to make sense of thedigital media world and the way that it has _ How can/should/must schools respond to the potential to impact upon traditional external influences? subject knowledge.Developing digital literacy in subjects of the Digital technologies and subject knowledge curriculum is not about being fashionable Subject knowledge is constantly evolving and or simply about trying to engage students in the speed of this change has increased with thelearning. It is about addressing the changing development of digital technologies which allownature of subject knowledge and acknowledging online content to be more readily produced that young people will need different kinds of and updated. skills, knowledge and understanding in order todevelop their expertise in subjects. Developing Creating and editing information is no longerdigital literacy in subject teaching supports the preserve of the educated elite; knowledgeyoung people to be effective, competent, critical and information are now more accessible than students of that subject in the digital age. ever and internet resources can be created and edited by anyone. Wikipedia, the popular online encyclopaedia for example, is entirely compiled and edited by volunteers working collaboratively in locations around the globe. 21. This activity and other activities designed to support practitioners to explore some of the issues and challenges around curriculum change can be found in Enquiring Minds Professional Development Materials, available online at: www.enquiringminds.org.uk/pdfs/Enquiring_Minds_professional_development_materials.pdf12 15. 2.2 SCHOOL SUBJECTS AND DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES THE IMPORTANCE OF DIGITAL LITERACY2Geography: A Different ViewThe Geographical Associations new manifestoIt is still about exploration and discovery butA Different View22, looks at the opportunitiesusing media and digital technologies as welland challenges for geography as a subject as rst-hand experience.discipline in the 21st century. The associationtake the view that whilst subject contentIn the manifesto the Geographical Associationremains important, it is also essential to also emphasise the importance of youngdevelop new opportunities presented by digital peoples lived experiences and acknowledgingtechnology and to support young people inthese by incorporating them, along with younggaining the skills they need to be a skilful andpeoples interests, into the curriculum.employable geographer in the 21st century.Young peoples lives: using their ownA Different View is an afrmation of images, experiences, meaning andgeographys place in the curriculum. But thequestions; reaching out to children andworld changes, and so does the curriculum. young people as active agents in their ownlearning.The manifesto stresses the importance of realworld learning but also highlights that the www.geography.org.uk/adifferentviewgeographical skills of exploration, discovery,and assembling information can be applied tothe digital geographical world.22. The Geographical Association (2009). A Different View: A manifesto from the Geographical Association. Shefeld: The GeographicalAssociation. www.geography.org.uk/adifferentview13 16. THE IMPORTANCE OF DIGITAL LITERACY2.3 THE POLICY CONTEXT 2 2.3 THE POLICY CONTEXT Not only can digital literacy contribute to Curriculum reform subject knowledge but seeking to developSince the introduction of the National digital literacy in subject teaching is also aCurriculum in 1988 there has been a way of responding to changing discoursessignificant growth in the use of digital around the use of digital technologies in the technologies in all areas of young peoples classroom and accompanying developments lives from play and socialising to learning, in educational policy.both formal and informal. They are more connected to each other via mobile phones, This section moves through a number ofsocial networking and online gaming and to areas of policy development to set out thediverse sources of accessible information via context in which schools are increasingly the internet. The past decade has seen an being asked to focus on digital literacy across educational policy drive to ensure that this the curriculum and to show the importance change is reflected in schools. of digital literacy in the current educational landscape more generally. 14 17. Secondary curriculum reformPrimary curriculum reformIn 2008 the National Curriculum23 for secondaryIn 2009, The Independent Review of the Primaryschools in England, Wales & Northern Ireland,Curriculum26 recommended the introductionwas reformed to give schools more localof a new primary National Curriculum forflexibility in planning and managing their own England, Wales and Northern Ireland, aimedcurriculum. Through a greater focus on the at reducing prescription and content in ordercore capacities and capabilities thought to be to allow primary schools greater autonomy inessential for 21st century learners, the new shaping a curriculum that meets local needs.curriculum aims to support young peopleto become successful learners, confident The new curriculum would share the aimsindividuals and responsible citizens.of the secondary curriculum, setting out a national entitlement for all children aged 4-11,The new curriculum has a slimmed downto become successful learners, confidentsubject content element and stresses the individuals and responsible citizens.need for the development of skills such as The importance of digital literacybeing able to work as part of team, thinking The review positioned literacy, numeracy andcreatively and being able to self-manage.ICT capability as Essentials for Learning andIncreased significance is placed on the teaching Life that should be embedded across all areasof ICT across the curriculum, with ICT skillsof learning. This increased significance of ICTforming one of the three core sets of skills tois an explicit recognition of the increasing 2.3 THE POLICY CONTEXTbe developed across all subject teaching. Adigitisation of the world in which young peoplefocus on digital literacy can help to facilitate are growing up and whichthe integration of ICT across the curriculum,aid the development of skills alongside subject will require digital literacy of all children forcontent and therefore support the aims of the their full participation in society.27new curriculum. It also represents a shift in the way in whichThe secondary National Curriculumsdigital technology is viewed in the curriculum.functional skills are those core elements ofFar from focusing solely on functional skills, itEnglish, mathematics and ICT that provideindividuals with the skills and abilities they sets out an entitlement for children to develop digital literacy and the skills, knowledge2need to operate confidently, effectively and and understanding that foster independent,independently in life, their communities and discerning and safe technology use.work. Individuals possessing these skillsare able to progress in education, trainingand employment and make a positivecontribution to the communities in whichthey live and work.24The Scottish Curriculum for ExcellenceThe Scottish Curriculum for Excellenceis based on similar aims to the NationalCurriculum.25 It includes objectives for learningin technologies which are closely related todigital literacy and involve supporting youngpeople to develop an understanding of therole and impact of technologies in changingand influencing societies, become informedconsumers and producers and be capableof making reasoned choices in relationto technology.23. Details of the National Curriculum for England, Wales and Northern Ireland can be found at: curriculum.qca.org.uk24. From the National Curriculum, Key Stages 3 and 4, Functional Skillscurriculum.qcda.gov.uk/key-stages-3-and-4/skills/functionalskills/index.aspx25. Curriculum for Excellence website: www.ltscotland.org.uk/curriculumforexcellence/index.asp26. Rose Review website: www.dcsf.gov.uk/primarycurriculumreview27. Rose, J (2009). Independent Review of the Primary Curriculum: Final Report. London: DCSF. Quote used p71.publications.teachernet.gov.uk/eOrderingDownload/Primary_curriculum_Report.pdf15 18. 21st century skills The e-safety agenda This increased focus on digital technology in The developments in digital technologies schools is related to a Government agenda and increasing use of the internet and mobile focused on developing skills in order to ensure technologies by young people have seen personal, local and national prosperity.growing public and policy concerns over safety. Concerns centre on the potential for young The Leitch Review of Skills28 published inpeople to be vulnerable to exposure to content 2006 stated that in order to maintain globalthat is inappropriate such as pornographic competitiveness, the UK needed to develop and images, to abuse by adults they meet online enhance the 21st century skills of its workforce. and to bullying via new sorts of communication In 2009 the departments for Culture, Media &channels. Sport (DCMS) and Business, Innovation and Skill (BIS) published the Digital Britain29 reportThese concerns around childrens well-being which set out the requirements for Britainsprompted the government to commission digital future and argued that the digital skills,a review into childrens e-safety. The ByronTHE IMPORTANCE OF DIGITAL LITERACY motivation and confidence of all citizens neededReview: Safer Children in a Digital World to be developed in order to enhance their highlighted the need for young peoples participation in the digital world. education and the development of young peoples skills in order to keep them safe on For education this has meant an increasingthe internet. It argued that the focus should2.3 THE POLICY CONTEXT emphasis on its role of equipping studentsbe on preserving young peoples right to take with the skills considered essential for theirrisks as an important part of their development future roles in a knowledge economy. Thebut stressed the need to support them by Governments Harnessing Technology strategy equipping them with the skills needed to make places an emphasis on ICT being at the core informed choices and think critically about the of a modern education system which aims opportunities offered by digital technologies. to support young people in developing 21st century skills and competences.30 The Byron Review led to the establishment of the UK Council for Child Internet Safety 2 New pedagogical approaches that support creative, personalised learning and skills (UKCCIS), a coalition of government, charities and industry. In December 2009 the UKCCIS development have emerged to sit alongside launched, Click Clever, Click Safe: The first UK the traditional approaches to the curriculum.31 child internet safety strategy. This strategy sets There is a focus on the new basics such asout a commitment to parents and young people thinking skills, learning to learn and problemto support the development of skills, knowledge solving, as well as specific ICT skills and the and understanding to help children and young ability to be flexible, creative and innovative.people stay safe online and to ensure that the Digital literacy can support many of theseschool curricula across the whole of the UK skills as well as having a broader reach by reflect online safety for all age groups.33 allowing students to learn how to engage in A focus on digital literacy in schools can wide-ranging practices of understanding, using, help to address concerns about e-safety by creating and sharing knowledge when using furnishing students with the ability to engage digital technologies. safely in multiple practices surrounding the use of technology. 28. Leitch, S (2006). Prosperity for all in the global economy world class skills (HMSO). Available online: hm-treasury.gov.uk/leitch 29. Department for Culture Media and Sport and Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (2009). Digital Britain: Final Report. London: HMSO. Available online: www.culture.gov.uk/images/publications/digitalbritain-nalreport-jun09.pdf 30. Becta (2008). Harnessing Technology: Next generation learning 2008-14 (Becta) 31. An example of this is the RSAs Opening Minds programme, a competence led curriculum. Further details at: www.thersa.org/projects/education/opening-minds 32. Byron Review (2008). The Byron Review: Safer children in a digital world. London: DCSF. 33. UK Council for Child Internet Safety (2009) Click Clever, Click Safe: The rst UK child internet safety strategy. Available online: www.dcsf.gov.uk/ukccis/download-link.cfm?catstr=research&downloadurl=UKCCIS%20Strategy%20Report-WEB1.pdf 16 19. 2.4 CONCLUSION: WHY SHOULD TEACHERS CARE ABOUT DIGITAL LITERACY?THE IMPORTANCE OF DIGITAL LITERACY2 _ Not all young people are equally equipped2.4 CONCLUSION:with the skills knowledge and understanding that will allow them to critically engage withWHY SHOULD technology and to use it well.TEACHERS CARE_ Developing digital literacy can help students to access subject knowledge at a time whenABOUT DIGITALdigital technologies are changing the way knowledge is created and communicated.LITERACY?It can also help schools to engage with childrens lived experiences and existing knowledge as well as extending andThis section has argued that digital literacy is diversifying this experience and knowledge toimportant for several interconnected reasons.make learning more relevant and purposeful._ Young people need to be prepared for a _ There is an increasing policy emphasis onsuccessful adulthood in a world increasingly developing students digital literacy acrosssaturated with digital technologies. the curriculum._ Young people are already engaging with The next section of the handbook will lookdigital technologies and digital media more closely at the different components ofand using them to find information and digital literacy and discuss some of the wayscommunicate meaning in different modes that teachers might go about fostering digitaland formats and this provides significantliteracy in the classroom.opportunities and challenges that it isimportant to address.17 20. 3. DIGITAL LITERACYIN PRACTICEWhat does digital literacy look like in theFinally, the section considers issues ofclassroom? And how can teachers go about progression and assessment in digitaldeveloping it within school subjects?literacy, the need for continuing professional development for teachers and discussesThis section discusses the various componentswhole-school approaches to digital literacy.that make up digital literacy and, drawing onpractical examples, looks at ways in whichteachers can support the development ofstudents digital literacy in curriculum teaching.It moves on to explore a framework for digitalliteracy which can help teachers to planactivities with the aim of extending studentsdigital literacy.Page 01 Credit Here 21. 3.1 COMPONENTSOF DIGITAL LITERACYWhat do we mean by digital literacy?Being digitally literate is about knowing whenDigital literacy is the skills, knowledge and and why digital technologies are appropriateunderstanding that enables critical, creative,and helpful to the task at hand and whendiscerning and safe practices when engaging they are not.with digital technologies in all areas of life.Its about thinking critically about allSome people associate digital literacy simply the opportunities and challenges digitalwith the functional skills of being able to use technologies present, whether these are,a computer or particular software package for example, Web 2.0 tools such as social 3.1 COMPONENTS OF DIGITAL LITERACYeffectively. But digital literacy is about much networking sites and Wikis or animation andmore than having access to or being able to use editing software or digital cameras.a computer. DIGITAL LITERACY IN PRACTICEIt can be helpful to think of digital literacyIts about collaborating, staying safe andas made up of a number of inter-relatedcommunicating effectively. Its about culturalcomponents or dimensions (see Diagram 1.1).and social awareness and understanding, andits about being creative.Diagram 1.1: The components of digital literacy3 19 22. This means that an understanding of digital literacy should not begin with technology or digital tools. Understanding cultural and social issues, critical thinking and being creative all make up part of a broad set of practices that students need to wrap around their use of any tool and need to develop in order to participate effectively in any kind of culture. Digital technologies are tools that students today are likely to come into increasing contact with throughout their lives. But they are not the only tools. An approach to digital literacy needs to start with the knowledge, understanding, skills and learning that teachers already aspire3.1 COMPONENTS OF DIGITAL LITERACY to foster in young people. It is then possible to consider how digital technologies might provide another, sometimes different context for thisDIGITAL LITERACY IN PRACTICE learning and a way to enhance and support it. The inter-related components of digital literacy can be developed at the same time as students develop their subject knowledge. Subject knowledge provides a link between the components and gives them content. Whilst on some occasions, it may be possible to teach digital literacy discretely, it is also important to develop digital literacy from within school subjects; when it is isolated it can run the 3 risk of becoming a content-free and therefore less meaningful approach to teaching only the functional skills of using digital technologies. How, though, do teachers go about fostering Digital literacy can be understood as the space these components of digital literacy and how where all of these components overlap; it is acan they be brought together? The section broad and wide-ranging set of resources and below suggests some possible ways of practices which allow students to participate fostering each of these components from in social, cultural and economic relations in anwithin subject teaching. ever more digital landscape.34 Peoples interaction with digital technologies are multiple, rich and complex; there is a wide array of practices involved in digital literacy. One useful definition for digital literacy is the constantly changing practices through which people make traceable meanings using digital technologies.35 The components above refer to different dimensions of digital literacy; they all support the creation and sharing of meaning and are not separate but mutually reinforce one another. 34. The notion of literacy as a social practice has been emphasised by the work of the New Literacy Studies. See, for example, Street, B (2003). Whats new in new literacy studies? Critical approaches to literacy in theory and practice. Current Issues in Comparative Education: 5,2; Barton, D and Hamilton, M (1998). Local Literacies: Reading and writing in one community. London: Routledge. 35. Gillen, J and Barton, D (2010). Digital Literacies: A research brieng by the technology enhanced learning phase of the teaching and learning research programme. London Knowledge Lab, Institute of Education: 9 20 23. 3.2 FOSTERING THECOMPONENTS OFDIGITAL LITERACYIn school settings, developing digital literacymeans giving students the opportunity to use 3.2 FOSTERING THE COMPONENTS OF DIGITAL LITERACYdigital technologies when it is appropriate anduseful and it means encouraging the sortsof active, creative and critical uses of digitaltechnologies which can develop digital literacywhilst at the same time helping students tofurther their subject knowledge.In this section of the handbook we examine DIGITAL LITERACY IN PRACTICEthe components of digital literacy and givepractical examples of how teachers candevelop them through their curriculumteaching. It is impossible to entirely separatethese components from one another; we haveconsidered them one at a time here only toprovide a coherent structure through which todiscuss them.Developing digital literacy is about developingskills, knowledge and understanding in all ofthe components, and in no particular order.We start here with functional skills because it3is familiar territory for most teachers.This is not to say, however, that young peopleneed to develop exceptional functional skillsbefore they can begin to create, communicateand importantly, think critically, aboutdigital technology.It is also worth remembering that fosteringdigital literacy is an ongoing process. Thereis no quick-fix to developing digital literacybut instead it should be a part of a studentslearning as they progress throughouttheir education. 21 24. Teachers and functional skills 3.2.1 FUNCTIONAL Some teachers feel that their own functionalskills are not as developed as their students SKILLS AND BEYONDand therefore question their ability to teachdigital literacy. Even if a teacher knows Whilst it is not possible here to provide aless than a student about how to operate a technical account of how to teach the functional particular piece of technology, they are still skills required to operate each of the broad more equipped with the higher order critical range of technologies that can be used inthinking skills and the subject knowledge to schools, there are some important generalapply to digital technologies. issues to consider when seeking to ensure that students have a broad range of digital literaciesSome of teachers fears can be lessened including the ability to operate various digital by removing the mystique that surrounds technologies.technology use. The way that technology istalked about, for example, can be off-putting.3.2.1 FUNCTIONAL SKILLS AND BEYOND ICT and the curriculum When reference is made to making a podcast, One issue is the relation between ICT andthis may appear to some teachers to be cross-curricula themes. Should functionalbeyond their capabilities and confidence inDIGITAL LITERACY IN PRACTICE skills be the realm of ICT lessons specifically or using technology. But in reality it is a fairly should they be taught across the curriculum? straightforward process. It can involve usinga simple computer microphone and recording There are good arguments that functional skillssome audio. A relatively simple and free piece need to be included in both ICT lessons andof software such as audacity.com can then be in other subjects. Just as students practice used to edit the audio if it requires editing. The writing both in specific English lessons asfile can then be uploaded to the school learning well as in all school subjects, so should they platform or website (the person who manages be practicing the skills needed to use digital the website may be able to help with this). In technologies in all subjects, including ICT. terms of functional skills, this is all that isrequired to create a simple podcast. 3 Recent curriculum reforms place increased significance on the skills associated with Throughout this handbook, we have tried to digital literacy and clearly identify ICT as a give examples of how technology that sounds core element of the curricula, the skills of complicated can actually be quite simple whilst which should also be developed throughoutalso not ignoring the fact that some teachers subject teaching.quite reasonably feel anxious about usingtechnology in the classroom. There is always Beyond the presentational: Technology in the an ongoing need for training and time to help hands of the learner teachers become confident with a wider array When technology is used in some school of digital technologies. classrooms this can sometimes be limited to making basic use of a computer. This can mean that technology stays in the hands of the teacher where it is used solely for presentational purposes. Or it can mean that when students are provided with the opportunity to use technology, they are tasked solely with making a PowerPoint presentation or completing a basic internet search. Fostering digital literacy means going beyond the functional and the presentational and giving students the opportunity to use a wide range of technologies collaboratively, creatively and critically. 22 25. Fostering functional skills in learnersSimilarly, developing functional skills inGeneral tips for using digitallearners can often be a matter of allowingtechnologies for teaching andlearners the time to experiment with differentlearning:technologies and pointing them in the directionof where they can go to find help when they run_ Ensure that your kit is working in advance,into difficulties. make sure you are familiar with it and prepare some other activities studentsThere is a common but arguably misguided could do in case of any problems with theassumption that ICT skills need to be taught technology. Think about the resources yousequentially. Some teachers feel concerned will need and book them well in advance.that younger children, for example, may not yetbe able to successfully manipulate a mouse._ If certain kit is unavailable because, forThe claim is that these children are unable to example, your school cannot afford it, youdevelop digital literacy until they have masteredmay be able to hire it or borrow it from a3.2.1 FUNCTIONAL SKILLS AND BEYONDthe ability to operate computers and other City Learning Centre.technologies. But these sorts of skills do nothave to develop sequentially and can insteadDIGITAL LITERACY IN PRACTICE _ When students use digital technologies,be fostered simultaneously. We do not arguethis can result in large amounts of datathat children cannot understand television Develop a plan to manage this aheadprogrammes until they have the functionalof time (Where are children going to saveskills to turn a television set on and tune it totheir work? How will you store data anda particular channel. In the same way even make sure it is not lost? How will youchildren who have not yet mastered basic access it, and so on).functional ICT skills can still be supportedto use technology for wider learning and _ If a particular website is blocked, talk tocan be capable of understanding ideas that the IT manager if you have one or contactare presented through technology. As theyyour local authoritys ICT help desk directprogress, they will develop more advanced they may be able to unblock the site tofunctional skills as well as more complexunderstandings related to the content of allow you access. 3particular media._ Be aware of copyright if students are producing work that will be uploaded to a public website36. _ It can be tempting to intervene to ensure a high-quality end product (eg filming groups of students yourself rather than allowing them to operate the camera themselves). Support students to think about how they can improve the quality of their outputs but let them use the technology themselves and learn from their mistakes.36. Lachs, V (2000). Making Multimedia in the Classroom: A teachers guide: Routledge Farmer: 11823 26. 3.2.2 CREATIVITYDeveloping digital literacy in the classroom canallow students to apply their existing knowledge Creativity and digital literacyof creating with digital technology to learning in Becoming digitally literate involves not justschool and in the process be supported to think being active in exploring digital media butmore critically and creatively about what it is also in creating it and understanding that it is they are doing. created. Digital literacy therefore supports and is supported by creativity.Is taking video footage the same as Being creative is usually understood to involvemaking a film?39 generating novel ideas; it means using ones imagination to make connections betweenMany young people own mobile phones with ideas and to generate creative products.37 video cameras built in. Outside of school they Creativity can be understood in terms of:may use the cameras to document experiencesthey and their friends have together. creating a product or output thinking creatively and imaginativelyIn using video in school as part of curriculumDIGITAL LITERACY IN PRACTICE creating knowledge or knowledge production learning, students could be supported toexamine the differences between simply taking Creativity is about more than just artistic ability, some video footage and making a film. it is also about how we think and how we3.2.2 CREATIVITY construct and share knowledge. Taking video footage requires the functionalskills of being able to activate the camera and Many commentators suggest that digital literacypoint it at the subject. Making a film requires a involves practices of both critical consumptionnumber of different practices including critical and creative production. Just as young peoplethought about audience, advance planning need to learn how to be critical in how they of different scenes, script writing, careful consume digital media, they also need to learn consideration of content, creative thinking 3 how to create and produce meaning through their use of digital technologies.38 When creatingabout camera angles and some considerationsaround e-safety and copyright if the film is to be their own digital media content young people made publicly available on the internet. can begin to question and understand how the digital media world is created by others. Just asDiscussions around these issues will foster students have created a website for a particular digital literacy and will support young people audience, so websites they visit have been to become discerning digital participants both created for certain audiences. In the same way inside and outside of formal education settings. that students have manipulated information and images in order to project a particular viewpoint, Films for Learning is a website that allows so have those who have created the onlinevisitors to view, upload and rate films made by content they are accessing.students and teachers to support both primaryand secondary curriculum learning. This Digital technologies also provide an array ofwebsite could be used to provide examples of exciting opportunities for young people to createother students filmmaking for class discussion their own digital media and online content.before asking students to make their own film Many students will already be using digitalfor learning. Some schools make students technologies to document their lives in some films available on their website or learning way and to create digital outputs by, for example, platform so that other students can use editing a social networking profile page,them for revision. This is also an incentive manipulating digital photographs, making short for students and teachers to ensure subject films or compiling playlists of songs for each content in films is accurate.40 other. Participating and communicating in an increasingly digital world requires the creative ability to effectively utilise these opportunities. 37. Craft, Anna (2005). Creativity in Schools: Tensions and dilemmas. London and New York: Routledge: 19 38. See, for example, Davies, J and Merchant, G (2009). Web 2.0 for Schools: Learning and social participation. Peter Lang Publishing: 12; Williamson, B (2008). Games and Learning. Bristol, Futurelab: 26 39. Reid, M (2009). Film: 21st century rhetoric, technology or task? Keynote 2 at Seen and Heard: Young people creating digital media. Bristol. Transcript online: www.futurelab.org.uk/resources/documents/event_presentations/Mark_Reid_-_transcript.pdf 40. www.lmsforlearning.org 24 27. Creativity in the classroomFostering creativity in the classroom involvesapplying elements of creativity to subjectknowledge. This can be done in all subjectsacross the school curriculum.41 Studentsneed to combine resources such as pens,paper, art materials and digital technologieswith their knowledge of a subject in order tocreate an output. During this process theywill need to think imaginatively and criticallyand use and develop their creative abilities tore-contextualise knowledge, repurpose it andmake it their own. This may involve carefullyconsidering how to use visual images, audioand text to represent meaning.Many teachers are already aiming to fostercreativity in their students but digital DIGITAL LITERACY IN PRACTICEtechnologies present many more opportunitiesto be creative in the classroom.There is an abundance of freely available 3.2.2 CREATIVITYsoftware online that can support the creation ofdifferent sorts of outputs in the classroom andmost do not require a high level of functionalskill of either the teacher or of the learner.3Animating scienceKey Stage 4 science students at Saltash The students used Doink (www.doink.com)Community School in Cornwall were learningwhich quickly and simply allowed them toabout enzyme theory. Teacher Dan Robertscreate an animation of the lock and keyfound that one of the things students always process which some chose to embed into aseem to find difficult to grasp is visualisingshort story-like description of the process byconcepts like the lock and key and howadding text and further effects.the active site changes shape when theenzyme denatures.42The animations were saved on the website. Danwas able to comment on the content of eachHe thought it might help students learning one and they are now available for the studentsif they could create their own animations ofto use for revision, or indeed for other studentsthe process. Having never done any animationto discover and learn from.before, Dan set about asking other teachers,via the social networking site Twitter, whether The students enjoyed using Doink and somethey knew of any simple, free animation tools.have said they will be using it at home to createHe had a quick go himself with one of the tools their own animations to help them createrecommended and decided to try it out with hisvisual stimuli to support their revision in manyYear 11 students. different subjects.41. Anna Craft suggests that it has been argued that all subject areas in the school curriculum (or beyond) are inherently conducive to thedevelopment of a learners creativity Craft, A (2005). Creativity in Schools: Tensions and Dilemmas London and New York: Routledge: 3742. Saltash.net Community School: www.saltash.net. Details of the Doink project including links to the students animations andmore examples of how Dan Roberts has used technology in the classroom can be found on his blog, Why did the Chickenman crossthe road: chickensaltash.edublogs.org25 28. Among other things using digital technologies Tips for developing creativity43 can facilitate the creation of:Fostering creativity in the classroom pictures or illustrationscan involve: websites _ providing regular opportunities for using films creativity in the classroom and for animationscreating outputs in a wide variety of formats and modes podcasts photos/photo montages _ either setting or asking students to define a clear purpose and audience for any creative blogs output wikis _ supporting students to carefully plan their online content on social networking sites creative work and access the resourcesDIGITAL LITERACY IN PRACTICE music and songthey will need for it audio-visual presentations_ exploring with students the needs of interactive mapsparticular audiences and how to tailor content accordingly3.2.2 CREATIVITY graphs models_ establishing success criteria with students and setting achievable goals learning diaries _ supporting students to explore ideas and Choosing between these different sortsto engage in independent and creative of creative outputs will require critical thinking, allowing them to take control 3 thinking skills as students consider what is effective for what purpose. This may involve of their own learning and their own creative process consideration of how best to create something that communicates information and meaning _ identifying creative abilities in students, in particular cultural and social contexts. Asgiving them opportunities to use their children create digital artefacts using these individual abilities and rewarding them different technologies then they also need to have a wide range of other skills, knowledge_ reviewing work in progress and and understanding to draw on; they need toproviding feedback develop a broad set of critical digital literacies. _ looking at examples of other creative outputs, media or digital texts in a particular subject and asking students to assess how successful they are and analyse how they convey information and meaning _ providing students with a structure in which to use their creativity (eg making sure they have a clearly-defined purpose, audience, time-scale, assessment criteria and plan). 43. These tips have been informed by Savage, J and Fautley, M (2007). Creativity in secondary education. Learning Matters Ltd. 26 29. In practiceHere are some examples of the many Creating comicsfreely available web-based tools that canComic Brush allows children to create andsupport creativity44:share a comic using a combination of their own drawings or photographs which are scanned inEditing audioand ready to use artwork. Children can chooseThere are several free resources available from a library of characters, backgrounds andonline that allow children to create and editspeech bubbles and add their own text andaudio recordings or make music. These cancaptions. Students could be asked, for example,be used by children for podcasts or to create ato work in groups to create a comic to explain avoice-over or background music to accompanycomponent of the work they have been doinga film, animation or presentation. See, forin a particular subject.example, audacity.sourceforge.net or www.comicbrush.comwww.jamstudio.com Animoto This tool allows students to create shortDIGITAL LITERACY IN PRACTICE videos, rather like film trailers, from their own uploaded photos and videos clips. The service provides a library of music from which users can select appropriate music for their video or3.2.2 CREATIVITY allows them to upload their own. Once music, photos and video clips have been uploaded and selected, Animoto automatically combines them to produce a video which can then be sent to an email address, posted to a social networking site or stored online. The free version allows students to produce a video ofPublishing podcasts and videosRadiowaves is a free, easy to use, online only 30 seconds long. Teachers can use this as an opportunity to encourage students to think 3community which provides students with a carefully about key content and how to differentreal audience for their creativity. It is a safe,forms of media to convey particular messages.moderated space for school children of all agesanimoto.comto share their podcasts and videos with others.It allows young people to post their own work, Editing filmexplore video and audio uploaded by others and Windows Movie Maker (Microsoft Windows)to give each other feedback on the media theyand iMovie (Apple Mac) are applications thathave created.allow students to edit the video footage theywww.radiowaves.co.uk have taken on a digital video camera. Students can make decisions about how they should editMaking games their footage for a particular purpose, and howThere is a lot of software available which to creatively use the video format and effectsenables children to make, share and play their (eg different transitions, slowing or speeding upown games. Some of this is free and web-basedfilm, adding text) to communicate ideas.whilst some of it requires a licence. In eitherwww.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/case, children can be tasked with authoring amoviemaker/default.mspxgame that uses or reflects principles from a www.apple.com/ilife/imovieparticular scheme of work. See, for example:www.fyrebug.com/2009/09/12/yogo44. The Enquiring Minds website has more examples of free online tools that can be used to support creativity and digital literacy:www.enquiringminds.org.uk/try_it/digital_tools 27 30. 3.2.3 Why are volcanoes dangerous? COLLABORATION A geography teacher at Brislington Enterprise College gave a class of Year 7 students the Collaboration and digital literacytask of explaining to others why volcanoes are Learning involves dialogue, discussion anddangerous. The students worked in groups to building on each others ideas to create shared choose an audience and find information in understandings. Digital literacy is also a social order to come up with a persuasive argument process of meaning-making that takes placeand to select an appropriate format to present with and in relation to others. that argument in. If digital literacy prepares students to take anSome groups created blogs or filmed active part in their education and in social, models of erupting volcanoes whilst cultural, economic, political and intellectualothers made online quizzes or PowerPoint life, then the ability to work with others is presentations. Students were supported to paramount. Each of these arenas are shared, think about what they needed to do in order to social spaces or communities in which weDIGITAL LITERACY IN PRACTICE work well together and to evaluate how they create and make use of mutual and had used particular technologies. Comments collective understandings.from the students included:3.2.3 COLLABORATION Many of these spaces are infused with digital It was probably the best project weve technologies. Students need to understand how done. to participate in these shared spaces and this means that they need to learn collaborative We all had different jobs to do and so we all skills and they need to learn how to apply thesehad to get our job done to get it all sorted. skills to digital technologies. He knew how to do a blog and I didnt. We When students participate in collaborativehelped each other. 3 group work they need to be able to explain their ideas and enter into negotiations when those ideas do not align with others in the group. Learning how to collaborate canTools like drop.io provide a shared space therefore also help students to develop skillsfor students in a class or group where they of debate, flexibility, cooperation, compromise can upload documents, notes, links and can and listening.comment on each others work in real time. Digital technologies provide multiple Wallwisher allows the creation of a virtual notice opportunities for team work and there are manyboard where students can post their thoughts on free web-based tools that have been developed a particular subject: wallwisher.com specifically to support collaboration. These technologies can also be used to support Wiki sites are built to encourage collaborative collaboration beyond the school walls. For creation of text allowing people to edit andexample, some teachers have made links update each others writing to create a sharedwith schools in other parts of their country or body of knowledge.in other nations and developed projects that allow students to work together. This might Google provides GoogleDocs, an online be a project in which students can email web-based application that allows text basedyoung people in a school that is culturally documents, spreadsheets and presentations tovery different to theirs in order to develop new be uploaded, accessed from any computer withcultural understandings or it might involve the a connection to the internet and collaborativelyjoint creation of a digital artefact. edited. This would allow a group of students to work on the same document even if they Students at three Bristol primary schools and werent all in the same physical space at the their local secondary school for example, are same time.working together on a collaborative project about their local community, using a shared online map, set up on GoogleMaps. 28 31. DIGITAL LITERACY IN PRACTICE?3293.2.3 COLLABORATION 32. The students are exploring place, considering Although many new tools and technologieswhat various local outdoor spaces mean to are aimed specifically at facilitatingthem, what they enjoy about the space, what collaboration, this does not mean however thatthey dont like about it, where they feel includedit is automatically easy to collaborate usingand where they feel excluded and why. Acrossdigital technologies.the four schools the students are workingtogether to document their thoughts andWorking as a team can be hard, we try tofeelings about particular spaces by annotating listen to each others ideas and, then like,the shared online map and adding links tocombine them. Year 5 studentphoto montages or video documentaries theyhave created. Through the project, the students Students of any age can find group work hard,are learning about each others experiences particularly if they have become used to andof different places in their neighbourhoods.comfortable with working on individual tasks.Once completed, the map will be made public Teachers can facilitate effective group work byand students will invite the local community to supporting students to develop strategies forexplore the resource and their views. making collaboration easier.DIGITAL LITERACY IN PRACTICETips for supporting collaboration In practicein the classroom:453.2.3 COLLABORATIONA wiki is an online space that can be edited _ Optimum group size is three or fourand updated by a number of authors. Wikis students, maximum six. provide opportunities for encouragingcollaborative collation of information and _ Discuss group skills and ask students to creation of text. Setting up a wiki is simple think about what successful collaborationto do. Websites such as pbworks.com have looks like.free options for classroom use and provideinstructions. Examples of teachers using _ Consider rearranging the teaching space to wikis in educational settings: 3 facilitate group working._ for students to create a joint class statement _ Encourage students to create group rules about a particular topic in order to set expectations of one another within the group._ for students to create a shared resource withstudents from another school in another country _ Ask students to define a role for each group to develop shared cultural understandings member and support them to produce a around each others digital media use group plan of how they intend to complete the given task.46_ to develop a shared bank of definitions ofterms with students adding, modifying and _ Have regular mini-plenaries in which you updating each others definitions and adding support group reflection and progress by new terms suggesting a number of points to consider._ for a collaborative science fiction writing _ Encourage a mutually supportive learning project in which groups of students wrote environment in which students discussdifferent chapters together, building on ideas and help others in their group.previous chapters.47 45. These tips are informed by McGregor, D (2007). Developing thinking developing learning: A guide to thinking skills in education. Open University Press: 55 46. The Critical Skills Programme suggests having dened roles within groups to facilitate collaboration. The roles the programme suggests are: facilitator, resource manager, time keeper, scribe, negotiator. It is important that the job descriptions of the above are clearly dened and negotiated within the group. www.criticalskills.co.uk 47. Davies, J and Merchant, G (2009). Web 2.0 for Schools: Learning and social participation. Peter Lang Publishing. 30 33. Critical digital communication skills3.2.4 Fostering digital literacy will also mean askingcritical questions about digital communicationCOMMUNICATION tools and their use. When communicatingusing digital technologies, young people can beEffective communication and digital literacysupported to question whether they are usingCommunication is central to our day digital technology for a purpose; digital toolsto day lives as humans: it is the ability should not be used in communication just forand desire to share thoughts, ideas and the sake of using digital media, there needs tounderstanding. Being digitally literate means be a clearly defined reason for doing so.communicating effectively in a world inwhich much communication is mediated by Young people also need to think critically aboutdigital technology. Over the past 20 years thehow meaning is represented by different mediaprevalence of the mobile phone has broughtand how this relates to cultural, social andopportunities for telephone conversations political values. They need to consider the typeon the move, text messaging and picture of media they are using and which is best formessaging. The internet and Web 2.0 the task they have been given, eg they may betechnologies have provided new methodsexcited at the thought of making a podcast,DIGITAL LITERACY IN PRACTICEof communication such as email, instant however if the information they are trying tomessaging, social networking sites, forums, convey is particularly visual, then a podcast3.2.4 COMMUNICATIONblogs and wikis.may not be the most suitable tool for the task.A digitally literate person is a critical and With a podcast you could listen to itdiscerning user of digital communication toolsover and over again to help you revise.with the knowledge, skills and understandingYear 11 studentthat enables them to choose the mostappropriate communication tool for the task inTeachers can support students to consider thehand and how to use it effectively. implications of whether or not their output willCommunication in the classroom allows be made publically available online by havingstudents to share information, to recontextualise and repurpose their developingwhole class discussions on issues such as: 3subject knowledge in order to create and_ the relevance, suitability and security of theinternalise new understandings and presentinformation they communicate publicallythis to others._ who and what they are representing (identity)Schools have always tried to developcommunication skills, but today thats not_ digital permanence - once information isjust about speaking condently, having aonline, it is not necessarily easy to remove.good public speaking voice, now peopleuse digital media as visual aids. The rstStudents and teachers should also be awaregeneration of that was a PowerPoint withthat some online tools allow people to use abullet points, but now decent communication free version but this can mean their presentationskills include using visual images andis stored online and made publically available.multimedia effectively. Whos going to teachOf course with some other tools such as a blog,them to do that if we dont? Secondary the very purpose of the tool is to make thescience teacher communication a public one.Good communication involves an awarenessIts hard to put a picture into words in aof creating something for someone else, the podcast. Looking at a picture is easier forability to consider the needs of particular some parts of this learning. Year 11 student,audiences and to communicate potentiallythinking about communicating DNA structurecomplex ideas with clarity and lucidity. It caninvolve choosing appropriate formats, toolsand media and thinking about the specificaffordances of those formats, tools andmedia and how they can be used torepresent meaning. 31 34. AudienceOne teacher set his Year 11 students a Effective communication is not only concerned challenge. They could choose to use PowerPoint with the skills of delivering an end productas a communication tool only if they avoided (eg a presentation) to an audience. In orderusing bullet points, kept text to a minimum, to communicate ideas well, it is important to chose images that clearly supported what they reflect on the needs and prior understanding of were going to say in their presentation and the intended audience throughout the processincluded one animation/moving image. As a of developing the product.result the students, who agreed this was not the usual sort of PowerPoint, begun to think Supporting young people to focus on anmore about their communication skills and audience in this way encourages them to delivered interesting, thoughtful, informative source information that they can understand and entertaining presentations. and then re-contextualise so as to pass it on to others. It involves making purposeful decisions over what information to include and what to Tips for not the usual sort of discard. This not only improves communicationPowerPoint skills, it supports young people to critically engage with knowledge in a focused andIt is helpful to give students tips to supportDIGITAL LITERACY IN PRACTICE meaningful way. their use of PowerPoint:3.2.4 COMMUNICATION Were not just saying random things like _ Avoid using a large body of text on a slide. blah blah blah, were thinking hard about which places to lm, what people should see,_ Always repurpose information and put it into were planning it. Year 6 girl involved in a your own words; dont just copy and paste. cross-curricular project in which students created a digital prospectus for their school _ PowerPoint should be used to support your presentation; it is not the main part of your Not another PowerPoint! presentation. Dont read from slides but The Microsoft Office application PowerPoint has use them to show supporting information. 3 become the most commonly used digital tool for presenting information, both in educational _ Think carefully about colour schemes and business settings. Many teachers andsome colours can help to make information students have begun to question the way instand out, other colours will be hard to see. which PowerPoint is used in schools. _ Carefully consider the images you include For example, in the past, students may have and the meanings they infer. used PowerPoint in a very simple way, without considering content and audience. Typically _ Dont use too many slides. this may have involved simply copying and pasting some information from a website to their presentation slides, possibly using bullet points and adding some images. Giving their presentation may have involved reading the text from the slides. In a classroom environment that aims to foster digital literacy, teachers need to support students to reflect on the use of PowerPoint, to consider whether it is the most appropriate tool for the task given and if so, how to maximise its effectiveness. It is useful to consider how students, and indeed teachers, might have used PowerPoint in the past and to question whether the methods of use that have become the norm are necessarily the best. 32 35. Tips for developing Why is DNA the molecule of life? communication skills Year 11 science pupils at St. Mary Redcliffe &_ Encourage students to distinguish betweenTemple School in Bristol answered the aboveeffective and non-effective communicationquestion Why is DNA the molecule of life? byand to discuss what constitutes effectivecreating a presentation for their peers whichcommunication. would then be made available on the schools learning platform to be used for revision._ Give students adequate time to plan anyform of communication and including time The purpose was to further their subjectfor students to regularly review their work. knowledge by researching information and re-contextualising it in a digital format._ Make sure students are aware of whataudience they are communicating with and Were only putting the important stuff intoencourage them to think about the needs of the video, so weve got to learn it more so wethat audience. know what to put in. Year 11 student DIGITAL LITERACY IN PRACTICE_ Try to create real audiences for studentsThe students were also supported to develop this may mean developing relationships their communication skills by considering what 3.2.4 COMMUNICATIONwith the local community or with other makes a good presentation and which digitalteachers.media tools would be most appropriate for the task from a choice of PowerPoint, video and_ Make sure that when students podcast.communicate to an audience, they aregiven feedback - this can help studentsPrior to the task their teacher taught a numberto improve their communication and alsoof lessons using the three different media andmeans that the audience has an activeencouraged students to think critically aboutrole to play. If the audience is the rest of which were most effective.the class as a whole, it can also help toencourage students to listen to others and I reckon you can get more things across by3provide opportunities for peer teaching anddoing a video because youre actually seeingpeer assessment. someone doing something. When youre seeing stuff you can take it in, its easier to understand. Year 11 student The students worked collaboratively in small groups to create presentations in their chosen format. They then presented to the class and peer evaluated each others communication skills, including their choice of digital media.33 36. David Buckingham, for example, suggests that 3.2.5 THE ABILITY TOyoung people can be supported to examine a number of issues in relation to the internet and FIND AND SELECT he groups these under the following headings:48 INFORMATION _ Representation: how websites claim to tell the truth, establish credibility and the Another dimension of digital literacy relates veracity, credibility and bias of their content. to students ability to find and select reliable and relevant information. This includes an_ Language: the user-friendliness and awareness of where it is best to search for interactivity of a website and how the3.2.5 THE ABILITY TO FIND AND SELECT INFORMATION information and whether the internet, a bookgraphic design and visual images have search, or another method might give theafforded those. best results. _ Production: how web articles are actually This is an aspect of digital literacy thatauthored and who uses the web (corporate, students often struggle with. When tasked withpolitical parties, individuals etc) in order undertaking independent internet research to persuade and influence, the role ofDIGITAL LITERACY IN PRACTICE many students are not equipped to find relevant advertising and other commercial influences information that they can understand. Often they simply find a website that seems to be _ Audience: who the website is aimed at, related to their given task and copy and pastetargeted advertising, user interactivity and straight from the website into their work. This how websites are used by commercial raises concerns over whether students havecompanies to gather data about individuals. engaged with the content they have found and over issues of plagiarism.Not only do students need to think about how the information they are finding on the Students need to be encouraged to think internet relates to their research purpose and carefully about how to find information and questions, they also need to think criticall