Skip to main content

Learning Outcomes, Assignments and Readings

Learning Opportunities

Course evaluation is based on your participation and success in the following learning opportunities:

  • Discuss and reflect on how literacy is changing as a result of media and technology and the implications of this cultural and technological shift for teaching and learning at all levels as demonstrated through facilitated conversations during the week (e.g., Digging Deeper Sessions, Hot Topic Roundtables, Collaborative Conversations) and written responses to reflective prompts.
  • Discuss and reflect on the purpose and application of various digital tools and technologies that might be used to enhance teaching, learning, and creative response in a range of formal and informal settings as demonstrated by conversations during afternoon Cool Tools/Hot Topics sessions.
  • Apply knowledge and skills in using digital texts, tools and technologies as demonstrated through hands-on practical use in daily Digging Deeper, Cool Tools, and Design Studio sessions and the completion of a Cool Tools Review and Application Plan (see assignments for details).
  • Engage in phases of project-based inquiry and curriculum design using digital texts, tools, and technologies as demonstrated by your ability to complete the following assignments:

Assignments and Activities

1.     Compose a Project-Based Instructional (PBI) Plan.  This is a creative media project, contextualized lesson or unit plan in which you put one or more multimedia texts, tools and technologies into action as an instructor and foresee having your students engaging in activities using these resources for specific learning purposes (see Assignments for more details).

2.     Create a technology product that will assist and enhance the teaching of your plan.

3.     Create a technology product that will represent a model or example of the type of technology product your students might create a part of your instructional plan.

  • Build new networks and create new visions for "doing" education in changing and challenging times as demonstrated through facilitated daily conversations over the course of the week (e.g., Digging Deeper Sessions, Hot Topic Roundtables, Collaborative Conversations). During these collaborative conversations, you will engage with individuals across a range of educational and media communities to develop an understanding and appreciation of the particular needs, concerns, and contributions of individuals including, but not limited to, educators in K-12 and higher education settings, reading specialists and literacy coaches, school and public librarians, parents, media professionals, media literacy leaders, and ed tech entrepreneurs.
  • Reflect on your experience as a learner and the challenges of implementing project-based inquiry with digital media and new technologies in a variety of settings as demonstrated in a closing reflection and formal reflection paper.

For more details about the Assignments, click here.

Readings

Readings will be posted on the website before the beginning of the course.  Most readings will align with the Digging Deeper sessions, which will be the common threads of the course.

Optional Books

Hobbs, R. (2011). Digital and Media Literacy: Connecting Culture and Classroom. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.

Shelly, G.B., Gunter, G.A., & Gunter, R. E. (2012). Teachers Discovering Computers: Integrating Technology in a Connected World (7th Ed.). Boston, MA: Course Technology, Cengage Learning.

Â