Tech Play 4

Option 1: Information Literacy
We have offered you a way of thinking about information literacy using the infographic from National Forum on Information Literacy (NFIL) in the discussion forum as well as some information on the CRAAP test for information sources on the readings and resources page. Explore other resources for information literacy, considering the many aspects of it on the NFIL infographic. Identify tools with which you might teach information literacy to your students. Answer the following questions:

a. Identify the tools you found to teach information literacy to your students. Identify at least 4 different tools. Describe where they fit into the NFIL infographic and how you found the tool.

b. Evaluate the tools. Why did you include them in your list. What is particularly useful about the tool? Looking at the NFIL infographic, what areas do these tools neglect, and how can you justify leaving those areas out of any information literacy learning for your students.

c. Think about how these resources or this thinking about information literacy can transform your teaching or your students. Describe and evaluate that transformation.

            To begin my search for tools to teach information literacy, I simply performed a google search for “technology to teach critical reading.”  A plethora of sites appeared but I chose the following site to explore, https://gsi.berkeley.edu/teachingguide/tech/classroom.html#clickers.  It is actually a teaching guide for graduate students at Berkeley.  The site discusses the use of white boards, document cameras, clickers, and in-class chats, IM, and tweets.  I have never used in-class chats, IM, or tweets before but by reading the description, I believe in-class instant messaging will support critical reading and thinking.  This tool does neglect the other areas of information literacy but instant messaging can be used to discuss the other areas.  Utilizing IM vs. the traditional class discussion allows more students to participate and forces the student to read and think about what their peers are writing before responding.  Instant messaging and tweeting also enables the discussion to continue outside of the traditional classroom.  Ideas can be added after school hours and the discussions can be saved for later reference. 

            I am most excited about the next tool I found by reading one of the articles linked to the interesting ed tech website Dr. Dziorny posted.  The article is titled, Do Your Students Know How to Search?, http://www.edudemic.com/student-search-skills/.  As a teacher, I can perform a basic search on Google and find something relevant but I struggle with teaching my students how to perform efficient web searches using research and library skills.  The article led me to https://news.google.com/.  After further investigation, I discovered I can obtain archived scanned newspaper articles simply be typing the following in a Google search, site:google.com/newspapers "the Berlin wall".  By changing the topic in quotations, the user can find newspaper articles concerning almost anything.  This tool directly relates to research and library skills but also incorporates the other skills.  The scanned articles of actual newspapers will help teach media literacy by exposing students to a format they are not familiar with.  Exploring a newspaper and the surrounding articles and advertisements allows for a wide variety of discussions and the teaching of critical literacy.  A teacher can also teach information ethics by incorporating how to cite the information.  I believe this tool can transform my teaching and my students by showing them resources they have never seen before.  The students can experience history in a format unfamiliar to them but readily used in the past.  Until now, I thought we still had to go to the library to access archived newspaper articles!   

    

            Moving along the NFIL infographic, I directed my search towards media literacy and more specifically visual literacy.  An article titled Teaching Media Literacy with Technology, http://www.learningandleading-digital.com/learning_leading/201305?pg=34#pg34 directed me to the www.huffingtonpost.com.  I have seen articles by Huffingtonpost.com on my Facebook newsfeed but I had never paid much attention to it until now.  Huffingtonpost.com runs a column titled Photoshop Fails, http://www.huffingtonpost.com/news/photoshop-fail/.  This column could open the discussion for not only photo shopping of models but also the ethics and reasons for Photoshopping.  I believe showing Photoshop Fails to high school students would cause a heated discussion.  Using this website in a classroom can enhance all information literacy skills.  The students are analyzing visual literacy while thinking and reading critically.  To use research and library skills, the teacher could require the student to locate sites with a particular photo from the Photoshop Fail column to compare and contrast.  Information ethics is also important when discussing the ethics of Photoshop and who has the right to perform Photoshop.  Without technology, students could discuss Photoshopping in a particular magazine but the internet transforms the lesson by providing multiple examples instantly.  

            The article, Teaching Media Literacy with Technology, led me to my last tool which incorporates all information literacy skills.  The article uses Voicethread, http://voicethread.com/products/k12/ to lead a class discussion concerning advertising but after further investigation, I believe Voicethread can be used in any subject area.  Using Voicethread, the teacher can upload an image and the students can respond through video, audio, or text.  This is similar to a class discussion but allows the students to participate in a variety of formats both during the school day and after school.  I believe this versatile feature transforms the classroom.  Voicethread requires the students to use critical literacy by thinking about their peer’s responses before responding.  Media literacy, research and library skills, and information ethics can also be incorporated by discussing a particular image or piece of media.