LIBE 477B: Broadening Horizons.

picture by gob-scure: https://flic.kr/p/ZJHHyU

Here is a list of topics I am considering for broadening my understanding in these areas. Any feedback is greatly appreciated!

Information Literacy:

This is one topic that has come up in a few other classes as well, the idea of cultivating skills to navigate and effectively use the massive amount of information that is at our fingertips (both for ourselves and especially for students). There is always the temptation to grab the easiest and quickest search result to support our arguments or positions, but is this the best option? Many school districts have access to catalogues and web magazines from vetted sources, but having the perseverance to properly sift through, sort, and curate a citation list is often not an immediately obvious skillset. Some questions: How “deep” should information literacy skills go, and how early in on in a student’s learning journey should it occur? 

Citing; Crediting:

This is another topic that often goes unnoticed by younger students, even before they are expected to write longer form essays or have an acceptable level of research to back up their assignments. I think proper citation attitudes and skills are an important competency to start considering even in elementary school. Even an idea as simple as “Hey, I grabbed this picture from the internet for my writing assignment, I through the author’s credit below it” would go a long way; and for older students, knowing about creative commons licenses, knowing what they mean and how to search through them. In our internet age for nearly infinite sharing, remembering to give credit where it is due allows proper recognition (for the original creator) and accountability (for the student synthesizing their content) to remain intact. Some questions: What level of accreditation is acceptable for students just starting out (eg. A grade 3 students learning how to capture an image online for a polar bear webquest)?