Summer Institute in Digital Literacy Keynote July 14

1. Designing A Digital Literacy
Curriculum: The Power of
Inquiry, Dialogue,
Collaboration, and Action
Julie Coiro, PhD
University of Rhode Island
jcoiro@mail.uri.edu
Jill Castek, PhD
Portland State University
jcastek@pdx.edu

2. Teaching and Learning with
Digital Texts, Tools, and Technologies
Where are we headed?
• What is digital literacy?
• How does inquiry drive learning?
• What opportunities does technology offer to spark dialogue,
collaboration, and action as part of learning?
• How can we strategically design curriculum and teaching in
ways that support inquiry and digital literacy education?

3. What is digital literacy?

4. We define digital literacy as having the
skills, strategies, and dispositions to use the
Internet productively to:
• Generate useful questions to solve problems
• Locate information
• Critically evaluate information
• Synthesize information
• Communicate answers/solutions
Leu, Kinzer, Coiro, Castek & Henry (2013). New literacies: A dual-level theory of
the changing nature of literacy, instruction, and assessment. Theoretical Models
and Processes of Reading, Sixth Edition.

5. Others define digital literacy in slightly
different waysRenee Hobbs
Michael Eisenberg
Doug Belshaw
Henry JenkinsHoward Rheingold

6. Often, these varied definitions reflect
our varied roles in teaching and learning
Classroom
Teachers
Librarians and
Library Media
Specialists
Community
Media Makers
Educational
Researchers

7. But…we have much in common (in
addition to special areas of expertise)!
Classroom
Teachers
Community
Media Makers
Librarians and
Library Media
Specialists
Educational
Researchers

8. Turn and Talk (5 minutes)
• Introduce yourself and identify your role.
• What does digital literacy mean to you?
• Identify a similarity and a difference compared to your
partner’s definition.
Is there enough in common to support each other in
designing productive learning experiences?
How might you capitalize on your individual areas of expertise?

9. So…what is inquiry?
• “Inquiry is the dynamic process of
being open to wonder and
puzzlements and coming to know and
understand the world…Inquiry is a
cognitive and communicative act that
links inner and outer dialogue and
enables learners to discover the
power of their own minds.”
(Alberta Inquiry Model, 2004)
DISCOVERY led
by a compelling question
DIALOGUE and
COLLABORATION
Reading,
thinking, and
communicating
to take ACTION

10. Project-Based Inquiry?
A process for posing and
responding to driving
questions
A useful instructional context
to help students develop
digital literacies as well as use
digital media texts, tools, and
technologies to learn
challenging content (e.g.,
science, math, language,
history, etc.).
Project
Spires, Lee, Young, Leu, Coiro, & Castek (2009)

11. The Challenge…A number of research studies
indicate that many students (around the world)
struggle using the Internet in each of these areas:
• Generating useful questions
• Locating online information (using
search engines; navigating websites)
• Critically evaluating online information
• Synthesizing online information across
multiple texts
Recent: The ORCA Project 2010-2014; Pew Internet Study 2012 – How Do Teens Do
Research in a Digital World? And Miller & Bartlett, 2012 – Digital Fluency in the UK;
similar findings in Finland, France, Denmark, the Netherlands, and Australia

12. Modeling and supported practice
can help build skills in these areas!
Engaging in real-life problem solving
experiences using elegantly simple
technologies are great too!
(More about all that this week…)
For now, the possibilities…

13. Using Inquiry and Technology to Enhance
Learning & Creating in Kindergarten

14. Using Inquiry and Technology to Enhance
Learning & Creating in High School
“…showcase examples of art and
culture to build understanding
on a people-to-people level.”

15. Varied Levels of Inquiry
• Modeled inquiry: Learners observe models of
how the leader made the decisions.
• Structured Inquiry: Learners make choices
which are dependent upon guidelines and
structure given by the leader (may vary).
• Guided Inquiry: Learners make choices in the
inquiry that lead to deeper understanding
guided by some structure given by the leader.
• Open Inquiry: Learners make all of the
decisions. There is little to no guidance.
Alberta Model of Inquiry Based Learning (2004)

16. At the heart of good teaching
and learning (with or without technology):
Dialogue
Collaboratio
nAction
Inquiry
Begins the process
Continues the process
Extends the process

17. How can we use technology to spark Inquiry,
Dialogue, Collaboration, and Action as integral
parts of teaching and learning digital literacy
and challenging content?
Grades K-3 Grades 9-12Grades 4-8
Teaching and Learning with Digital Media, Texts, and Tools

18. Internet Inquiry Baskets
(Grades K-3)
Asking questions during & after reading
that prompt new discoveries with technology
Opportunities to Wonder, Collaborate, and Take Action
1
2
3

19. PLANNING:
• Collect questions and strategically pick one
• Over the weekend.. do a search, highlight 2-3
websites, and be prepared to model and discuss:
• Keywords used
• Search engines used
• Your searching/locating process
• Website title and website address (URL)
Internet Inquiry Baskets
I wonder…

20. Internet Inquiry
Baskets K-1 (Part 1)
MODELED READING AND DISCUSSION:
• Think-aloud while locating, skimming, reading
• Summarizing 1– The key idea is…
• Summarizing 2 – We also found that…
• Evaluating: The Internet helped us to learn…
• Communicating: Compiling into a classroom
book (and share with the community/library,
etc.)
Opportunities to Wonder, Collaborate, and Take Action

21. What do cherry blossom trees look
like? (by Justine)

22. • A parent volunteer or
teacher’s aide works with
the children who asked the
question…
• Reflect on what they
learned
• Type their answers
• Add their photo
• Publish their page
• Share with the class
Internet Inquiry Baskets K-1
Part 2
Opportunities to Wonder, Collaborate, and Take Action

23. Opportunities to Wonder, Collaborate, and Take Action

24. Wondering Notebooks and
Inquiry Buddies
• What about “leftover” questions from the Internet
Inquiry Baskets?
• Include in a Wondering Notebook that gets shared
with their older elementary aged buddy
• Older students conduct the inquiry and share their
findings with their younger partner.
•Why do frogs have long tongues?
• Why do dogs shed their fur?
• Why do teeth fall out?
Opportunities to Wonder, Collaborate, and Take Action

25. Wonder Workshop > Genius Hour
(Modeling Inquiry) Early Settlers:
Reading with a Question in Mind
(Guiding Inquiry)
Options for Sharing with
Explain Everything Screencasts
(Open Inquiries)
Genius Hour on Fridays
Opportunities to Wonder, Collaborate, and Take Action

26. Collaborative conversations about what constitutes
purposeful questions that extend students’ thinking
around ideas they are curious about
Opportunities to Wonder & Collaborate Before Taking Action

27. Opportunities to Wonder & Collaborate
Sand magnified 250X with a microscope
What is sand
made of?
S
T
How is sand made?
Mystery Photos

28. What is this a picture of?
Opportunities to Wonder & Collaborate

29. Solve the Puzzle – Watch A Video –
Have the text read aloud
Opportunities to Wonder & Collaborate

30. What Could This Be?
(Joining the Conversation - VoiceThread)
Opportunities to Wonder & Collaboratively Dialogue & Take Action

31. Opportunities to Wonder, Collaboratively Dialogue, and Take Action
Grade 6: Students Investigate Carbon and
Climate Change - Lighthouse Community Charter
School, Oakland, CA

32. Opportunities to Wonder, Collaboratively Dialogue, and Take Action
Grade 6: Students discover what contains
Carbon
Image searching and sorting

33. Opportunities to Wonder, Collaboratively Dialogue, and Take Action
Grade 6: Students explore carbon dioxide using
BTB as an indicator Hands-on activity

34. Opportunities to Wonder, Collaboratively Dialogue, and Take Action
Grade 6: Students interpret graphs and
photographs Annotate images

35. Opportunities to Wonder, Collaboratively Dialogue, and Take Action
Grade 6: Students create carbon flow diagrams
Create a concept map
showing connections

36. Opportunities to Wonder, Collaboratively Dialogue, and Take Action
Students were challenged to come up with a way to solve the problem of climate
change. It could involve inventing a thing (such as a machine) or developing a system
(a process).

37. Opportunities to Wonder, Collaboratively Dialogue, and Take Action
Example Can Painting a Mountain Bring Back a Glacier? Glogster: multimodal poster

38. Opportunities to Wonder, Collaboratively Dialogue, and Take Action
Choose a topic
and generate
questions to
research

39. Opportunities to Wonder, Collaboratively Dialogue, and Take Action
Google Custom Search
Citelighter: Collecting and Archiving Ideas

40. Opportunities to Wonder, Collaboratively Dialogue, and Take Action

41. Opportunities to Wonder, Collaboratively Dialogue, and Take Action
• Students worked in
teams of three
• Researched ideas
(using a process of
wondering and
questioning to drive
their inquiry)
• Used creativity to
convey ideas for
taking action
• Presented their
work to the class
for critique and
comment

42. Opportunities to Wonder, Collaboratively Dialogue, and Take Action

43. Opportunities to Wonder, Collaboratively Dialogue, and Take Action

44. Wonderopolis: Amber White’s 5th
graders investigate “wonderings”
Opportunities to Wonder, Collaboratively Dialogue, and Take Action

45. Students reflect on organizing
their ideas from inquiry
Opportunities to Wonder, Collaboratively Dialogue, and Take Action

46. Structured Inquiry Prompts In Grades 3-5
(With Built-In Scaffolds to Support Learning)
Coiro, Sekeres, Castek & Guzniczak (2014)
Opportunities to Wonder, Collaboratively Dialogue, and Take Action

47. Opportunities to Wonder, Collaboratively Dialogue, and Take Action

48. Social Practices: Take turns, read
aloud, collaboratively plan and monitor,
discuss actions and decisions
Cognitive Processes: Plan, Question, Connect,
Elaborate, Infer, Monitor, Use Prior Knowledge
TJ & Shantel Gr. 3
Opportunities to Wonder, Collaboratively Dialogue, and Take Action

49. Social Practices: Request & give information;
jointly acknowledge, evaluate, & build on
partner’s contributions
Cognitive Strategies: Read, question, monitor, repair,
infer, connect, clarify, and interpret
Opportunities to Wonder, Collaboratively Dialogue, and Take Action
William & Evan
Gr. 5

50. Renee Hobbs (2013)
The Life Of A
Homeless Person
(after a photo walk
Discovery)
Inquiry…
Discussion…Research….
Composition…Revision…
10 page
Comic book
Opportunities to Wonder, Collaboratively Dialogue and Take Action
Renee Hobbs & David Moore (2013)

51. Structured Inquiry to Support Argumentation
Preparing to Take Action

52. Structured Inquiry to Support Argumentation
Preparing to Take Action

53. Digital Scaffolds to Support Questioning, Critical
Evaluation, Synthesis, & Evidence-Based Reasoning
Preparing to Take Action

54. Online role play, collaboration, and argumentation
writing around controversial issues
School Internet Usage Policies
Opportunities to Wonder, Collaboratively Dialogue and Take Action

55. Remixing
to Creatively
Synthesize
Information
Opportunities to Wonder, Collaboratively Dialogue and Take Action

56. Public Service Announcements
http://studentpsa.com/psa/
Opportunities to Wonder, Collaboratively Dialogue and Take Action

57. Changing the World
Opportunities to Wonder, Collaboratively Dialogue and Take Action

58. Digital Literacy
is a PROCESS, not a product.
• INQUIRY prompts the digital literacy process by
framing learning tasks in high-level, authentic
questions and then guiding/teaching students to pose and
answer these questions themselves.
• DIALOGUE & COLLABORATION continue the process
with think-aloud supports, peer/peer collaboration, and
reflection while actively building new knowledge
• TAKING ACTION expands the process by enabling
students to create and share an authentic product
of their inquiry process
Opportunities to Wonder, Collaboratively Dialogue and Take Action

59. In conclusion…
• Today’s learners face a range of digital
reading and writing demands and
challenges.
• Online research and collaborative inquiry
is a complex, messy, and constantly
changing process involving essential skills!
• With a focus on inquiry, dialogue, and
collaboration, the Internet can play a vital
role in addressing these learning
demands.
Opportunities to Wonder, Collaboratively Dialogue and Take Action

60. The BIG QUESTION:
How can we foster inquiry,
dialogue, collaboration & action
using a common instructional
framework and effective teaching
practices to support digital literacy
education?
After the break…

61. Things to consider when planning a lesson
• Context: Your personal values about
teaching and learning; learner
needs, school resources and values
• Purpose: Curricular goals and learning
standards
• Materials: Texts and tools
• Pedagogy: Organizing instructional strategies to shape
learning (informed by your values and beliefs)
• Assessment: Work products and criteria for
judging quality

62. The Digital Literacy Curriculum Framework
Opportunities to Wonder, Collaboratively Dialogue and Take Action

63. Structured Inquiry Prompts In Grades 3-5
(With Built-In Scaffolds to Support Learning)
Coiro, Sekeres, Castek & Guzniczak (2014)
Opportunities to Wonder, Collaboratively Dialogue, and Take Action

64. Opportunities to Wonder, Collaboratively Dialogue, and Take Action

65. Opportunities to Wonder, Collaboratively Dialogue, and Take Action

67. Opportunities to Wonder, Collaboratively Dialogue, and Take Action

68. Social Practices: Take turns, read
aloud, collaboratively plan and monitor,
discuss actions and decisions
Cognitive Processes: Plan, Question, Connect,
Elaborate, Infer, Monitor, Use Prior Knowledge
TJ & Shantel Gr. 3
Opportunities to Wonder, Collaboratively Dialogue, and Take Action

69. Social Practices: Request & give information;
jointly acknowledge, evaluate, & build on
partner’s contributions
Cognitive Strategies: Read, question, monitor, repair,
infer, connect, clarify, and interpret
Opportunities to Wonder, Collaboratively Dialogue, and Take Action
William & Evan
Gr. 5

70. Opportunities to Wonder, Collaboratively Dialogue, and Take Action