Digital Literacy The Basics ent

Libraries and the Academy published by Johns Hopkins University Press “Preliminary data suggest that the majority of students begin a research assignment with the Internet, most often with a commercial search engine. What is not known is whether students have adequate information literacy skills to find authoritative information and then to evaluate the information for use in their research. Evidence indicates that there is yet room for improvement in how students conduct research...”

Why teach digital literacy? Students are using the Internet daily for social networking, online malls, chat rooms and watching videos and playing games. They have learned how to use these tools on their own or from each other with no formal training in the Internet’s specific literacy.

Why teach digital literacy? Even though they can “Google” they have not taught themselves to doubt, research and verify. We have to remember that just because they can use Facebook doesn’t mean that they understand netiquette and collaboration.

What is it? Digital literacy is the ability to locate, organize, understand, and evaluate digital information.

Electronic Databases published journals, magazines, reports, documents, newspapers, books, image collections, and more Available via the internet are not freely available to the public. Information is reviewed and of good quality Often experts have created the information Information is sometimes a primary source

Two Bags of M&Ms One bag represents a database the other a search engine Each m&m represents digital data Count out 5 blue m&ms (don’t look in bag!) Blue=relevant, accurate, appropriate data Other colors=promotional websites, personal websites, high reading level, low reading level, inaccurate data

Which one is faster? One person will use Google and the other will use InfotracGoogleInfotrac Barack Obama What was the name that Barack Obama went by when he was a child? Wildlife Trade Which two countries tried to uplift the band on international trade in ivory? Activity 1

Keyword Searching Askkids.com Tigers Tigers animal Activity 2

Searching the Internet Directories and Search Engines Directories Search Engines

Directories directories are actually collections of human reviewed web sites that have been arranged into topical categories. Good to use when you're not sure how to narrow your search from a broad category When you enter a search in the directory engine, only the category you are currently in will be searched. This can be particularly useful in restricting your search to a particular topic or domain. A directory will take the description from your submission information. Activity 3

Search Engines They search the Internet using software called spiders. They select pieces of the Internet -- based on important words. They keep an index of the words they find, how many of the same words they find and where they find them.

Search Engines-cont. The usual starting points are lists of very popular pages. The spider will begin with a popular site, indexing the words on its pages and tags associated with the pages. Next it will follow every link found within the site. In this way, the spidering system quickly begins to travel, spreading out across the most widely used portions of the Web. Website creators can also pay to have a site at the top of the list

What does this mean? Kids are not aware of how search engines work. Popular sites listed first, not necessarily the most relevant Tags associated with webpages are not always accurate Websites can be created by anyone and may contain false information.

Digital Literacy This doesn’t mean we say don’t use the internet This means we teach kids how to use the internet ----Let’s Play! Activity 4