MY REVIEW OF TWO LESSONS THAT INFUSE DIGITAL LITERACY 4.3.3

LESSON A Click here to view

This is a Geography lesson entitled "Our Fractured Earth". In the lesson, the learners work in groups and generally do their research and presentations on a media of their choice. The learners use mainly power point slides they prepare themselves as opposed to those prepared by the teacher. This clearly indicates how the lesson goes a long way in engaging learners to create meaningful content as they collaborate in their groups. This knowledge is later shared. Digital methodologies and pedagogies are seen in the teacher allowing learners to use any gadgets they are permitted by their parents to use. The learners also go ahead to solve real problems when one of the groups creates a Lego motion animation representing what it might be like to be in an earthquake. The objectives in the lessons are clearly stipulated and show that digital literacy is infused. For instance, one of the objectives says that the learners will explore, analyse and evaluate digital technology. Also, learners use internet as a research tool to augment book research and are provided with computers and cameras. Lastly, there is an indication of the 8 elements of digital literacy in the lesson because the teacher allows opportunity for creativeness; not forcing them to make blogs as he desired but use technology of their choice; the cognitive element is seen in the students having to do thorough research before engaging in any other activity.

In all I see that this lesson had all the criterion I used to evaluate a lesson that infuses digital Literacy.

LESSON B Click here to view

This is a History lesson entitled "Civil War Telecollaborative Newspaper". In the lesson, learners use Desktop computers and Advanced Word Processing applications to come up with article full News papers as they collaborate using email. This clearly shows creation of meaningful content in groups. Methodologies like group work and group assignments were also used which are good for infusion of digital literacy. The learners themselves manipulated the computers and actively typed out text and sent e-mail themselves and so had hands on experience of the digital materials. The activities in the lesson involved a lot of debate and critiquing of work and hence provided a platform for the learners to apply the whole concept of collaboration in solving debate related problems in their lives. Digital learning activities, that learners were involved in at this stage, were among others: the use of e-mail, the use of Word processing software, the storage and access of files from computer devices to attach and send them as e-mail attachments etc. The only element that is not observed in this lesson of the 8 elements of digital literacy is that of creativity because, as compared to LESSON A, the learners were forced to use Word Processing software and e-mail for collaboration.They should have been given freedom to chose which technology suites them best. 

In all I see that this lesson had all the criterion I used to evaluate a lesson that infuses digital Literacy.