There is one major assignment to be developed in five parts throughout the course. Through this inquiry process, you will demonstrate your understanding of the course Learning Outcomes. You will identify, research, track and share your learning on an inquiry question of your choosing that relates to critical digital literacies. Assessment as, for, and of tools and criteria will be developed through online discussions, Google Chat group conversations, as well as synchronous and asynchronous chats & conversations. The Faculty of Education Assessment Rubric informs all the assessment components.
To expand your critical digital literacies beyond the use of D2L, small group conversations about the Inquiry project will take place in Google Chat. You will receive the invitation in your Lakehead G-mail in the first week of the course. If you have not used Google Chat or Google Meet before, review the information on the Tools 2 Use – Google tools page.
A2: Part One – INQUIRY EXPLORATION – Decoding (A2:Part1)
In this first part, you will review the inquiry model and develop an inquiry question to guide your work. Effective teachers are reflective practitioners. This portion of the assignment offers you the opportunity to review, reflect on and explore digital literacy experiences from your first practicum and personal experiences. You will reflect on the critical digital literacy framework used during this course as you think critically about digital literacies in the classroom.
What questions relevant to digital literacies do you have based on your placement experience(s)? Develop and submit a question that will capture your burning issue, wondering, or challenges. Along with the question, write one paragraph (to maximum of one page, double spaced) to explain what lead you to this question and why this question is important for you. If you feel adventurous, you can also craft this question in an alternate formats such as audio or video (e.g. self-recorded video as a vlog). Your instructor and other course participants will give you feedback when you present your question.
- DUE: Submit your INQUIRY QUESTION into the A2: Part1 assignment folder in D2L by Saturday, January 16th by 9:00 pm.
- DO: share just your inquiry question with a small group of your classmates using Google Chat.
- DO: Provide feedback to your group members to share insights, to ask for clarification, or suggest resources that can help them prepare for the next part of this assignment. Feedback should be completed by Wed, Jan 20th so it can be integrated into the A2: Part 2 submission.
Due Date: Week 2 – incorporated into A2: Part 2
A2: Part Two – INQUIRY INVESTIGATION – Planning and setting goals – Analyzing (A2: Part2)
In this part you will share information and resources available to you as you work toward answering your inquiry question. You can reveal issues and narrow down the topic. Develop an outline of your inquiry question, establish a work plan (dates, times, tasks) you’ll work on to complete your inquiry, and indicate how you will share your project with the class. Your instructor and peers will give you feedback when you present your work plan. A maximum one-page, double spaced document will outline your thinking and work plan.
- DUE: This work plan and outline of the project is due on Saturday January 23rd and is to be posted to A2: Part 2 assignment folder in D2L by 9:00 pm.
- DO: Share this work plan in your small group conversation space in Google CHAT, then give & get feedback from your classmates.
- DO: Provide feedback to your group member’s inquiry project plans in the Google group space by Wed. January 27th.
Due Date: week 3 10% (incorporating Part 1 and Part 2)
A2: Part Three – Making Meaning of Inquiry (A2:Part3)
In this module of the assignment you are to develop and share a concept map using any digital or non/digital technique or tool. Suggestions for digital Concept Mapping tools are provided on the course site. Your map should demonstrate your understanding of the inquiry question, how it links to critical digital literacy and build connections to your professional learning during the inquiry. This will include connections between your inquiry question, critical thinking and digital literacy. It will include the relevance of your inquiry to the role of a teacher in the classroom/school. Successful completion of this portion of the assignment will incorporate personal reflection that shows growth over time and comprehensive depth of understanding of critical digital literacy. Connections between current values and beliefs about digital literacy will be evident in the concept map.
- DUE: You will Submit a half-page, double spaced reflection that included the URL link to your digital map (or a PNG/JPG image of your map) outlining details toward your inquiry question that will be uploaded to the A2: Part 3 assignment folder in D2L by Saturday, February 6th by 9:00 p.m.
- DO: Share your concept map in the group space in Google Chat. Add your feedback and comments to group members’ concept maps by Wed. Feb 10th.
Due Date: Week 5 10%
A2: Part Four – Creating and Sharing an Inquiry – Using and applying critical digital literacies (A2:Part4)
In this part of the assignment, you will present your inquiry exploration. Your presentation, created in your choice of digital tool or resource, will share your learning and model how you made connections with course content and classroom digital literacy practices. Your presentation should be a 21st century production that incorporates digital literacies, models digital fluency and that will deepen understanding of critical digital literacy. It will engage your classmates in your inquiry question. (For example: a video you prepared and posted to YouTube or Vimeo that the class will access and view, with a follow up activity designed to illustrate your main points and then a consolidation of their and your learning). You will submit a half page, double spaced reflection that summarizes key points, insights, or explain specific challenges you faced. Submit this document to the assignment folder in D2L.
This culminating task will demonstrate the success criteria developed for this portion of the assignment. You will be given feedback by a group of your peers and instructor after you post your presentation to the group conversation space in Google Chat. You are expected to provide a comment or feedback to those in your group. Engage in the presentation, exploring the activities created and respond in Google Chat. Groups are also invited to meet in Google Hangouts or Zoom to gather and talk about their inquiry project and receive verbal feedback.
- DUE: Your half page reflection (which includes a link to your presentation) is privately submitted to the instructor in the A2: Part 4 assignment folder in D2L on Saturday, February 27th prior to 9:00 p.m.
- DO: Post ONLY your presentation link into the group space in Google CHAT room by Saturday February 27th prior to 9:00 p.m.
- DO: Add some feedback and comments in Google Chat, to other’s in your group about their inquiry projects. These are completed by Wed. March 3rd. Alternately, as a group, you could do this feedback and commenting in a Zoom or Google Hangout video chat, similar to the Teaching Circles done for first placement, as experienced by Orillia, Year one students.
Due week 7 Evaluation 10%
A2: Part Five – INQUIRY COMPLETION, Reflection and self-assessment, impact on your Teaching Persona (A2: Part5)
In this final part of the assignment you will build connections from your inquiry experience to critical digital literacies and reflect on how this learning has changed or influenced your teaching practice. Examining growth and changes of your persona in digital spaces and places will be incorporated. This will be created in a digital format of your choice. It can include graphics, images, text, audio or video components. (e.g. infographic, Flipsnack, Adobe Spark, Tellagami, Powtoon etc). A minimum of 2 pages or 2 minutes to a maximum of 3 pages or 3 min will include reflection on the key factors relevant to critical digital literacies.
- The link or submission is due in the A2: Part 5 assignment folder by Saturday, March 13th by 9:00 p.m.
Due week 9 Part 5 evaluation 10%
