CITL
NEWS
02.27.2024

CITL Teaching & Learning News: February 27, 2024

Instructor Voices

TTLL podcast s2e3

Strategizing Online Education: Insights from Christine Shenouda

Nowadays, many higher education institutions and degree programs are considering developing online offerings. In Teach Talk Listen Learn Season 2 Episode 3, we have the pleasure of hosting Christine Shenouda, a Teaching Assistant Professor at UIUC's Department of Psychology, who has been building online programs for a long time. Christine will share the strategic journey of crafting online offerings and provide valuable insights into building robust online programs, as well as the rationale behind those choices.

Did you enjoy this episode, or do you have a story to share about your teaching? Drop us a note at ttll@illinois.edu. 

This podcast was produced by the Center for Innovation in Teaching & Learning at the University of Illinois. Episodes can be found on our website, Teach Talk Listen Learn - A CITL Podcast and major podcast platforms. We hope you’ll find us there and join the conversation!

 

Teaching Tips

Digital Literacy

Have you ever had a conversation with a colleague about digital literacy and realized that you weren’t quite talking about the same thing? The idea of digital literacy in higher education is broad and ever-evolving. Just consider the recent impact AI has had on how we interact with technologies for writing, multimedia production, organizing data, and assessing students. Given these contexts, you can expect to find multiple definitions of what it means to be digitally literate. 

Definitions that account for a broad base of skills and evolving technologies appear to be most useful. The American Library Association Digital Literacy Taskforce (2011) describes digital literacy as “the ability to use information and communication technologies to find, evaluate, create, and communicate information, requiring both cognitive and technical skills.” Adapting to changes in technology is emphasized in other definitions as mental habits or lifelong learning processes, which point out a need for continuous monitoring and learning of new digital technologies (Hays & Kammer, 2021).

Definitions can bring us closer to understanding what it means to be digitally literate, but taxonomies give us a common language to better parse how technologies can be purposefully applied to learning communities and to understand the level of integration used by instructors and students. The Technology Integration Matrix (TIM)  provides a helpful evidence-based framework for understanding how technology can be utilized to enhance student learning. The degree of responsibility for using technology shifts from instructor to students over the five levels of technology integration. Each level has significance for technology use across five different types of learning environments: active learning, collaborative learning, constructive learning, authentic learning, and goal-directed learning. 

TIM's level of technology integration: Entry, Adoption, Adaption, Infusion, and Transformation.
Figure adapted from Florida Center for Instructional Technology (FCIT), Technology Integration Matrix (2019)
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However, it is not necessary to always move students toward higher levels of technology integration, but we should understand how technology can help our students better meet learning objectives in these types of learning activities.

So, how can we increase digital literacy for our students and ourselves? Kammer and Hays (2024) recommend starting small. When you adopt a +1 approach to digital literacy or any aspect of your pedagogy, you will begin to see a significant impact on your students’ learning experiences. Here are some tips that you can work into your teaching practice little by little:

  1. Stay Updated: Keep yourself updated on the latest digital tools, trends, and best practices in digital literacy education. Attend workshops, watch videos, or ask colleagues about what works well for them.
  2. Evaluate Digital Tools: Determine if digital tools help your students achieve their learning objectives. This includes learning management systems (LMS) like Canvas or Moodle, interactive presentations, online collaboration platforms like Google Workspace or Microsoft Teams, and educational apps relevant to your field.
  3. Teach Your Students: Host training sessions specifically focused on digital literacy or integrate it with just-in-time learning for your students. Cover topics such as navigating online resources, effective internet searching, evaluating online sources for credibility, digital communication etiquette, and data privacy and security.
  4. Provide Resources: Curate a list of resources such as tutorials, articles, videos, and online courses related to digital literacy. Share these resources with your students and encourage them to explore and learn independently.
  5. Assign Digital Projects: Design assignments that require your students to use digital tools and platforms. This could involve creating multimedia presentations, conducting online research, collaborating on documents or projects using cloud-based platforms, or participating in online discussions and forums.
  6. Model Digital Skills: Demonstrate good digital practices in your own teaching and communication. Use technology effectively during lectures, provide timely feedback via digital channels, and communicate clear expectations regarding digital assignments and participation.
  7. Encourage Student Peer Support: Foster a collaborative learning environment where students can learn from each other's digital skills and experiences. Encourage peer-to-peer support and group projects that require digital collaboration.
  8. Feedback and Reflection: Gather feedback from students about their experiences with digital tools and assignments. Use this feedback to refine your approach and make adjustments as needed. Additionally, encourage students to reflect on their own digital skills and areas for improvement.
  9. Continuous Adaption: Digital literacy is an evolving skill set, so make it a priority to continuously improve your own digital skills and adapt your teaching methods accordingly. Stay open to feedback and be willing to explore new technologies and teaching strategies.

Would you like to learn more about digital literacy? Please register for our upcoming workshop on Zoom –Embedding Digital Literacy in Your Course, Wednesday, April 17, 2024, from 11:30 a.m. until 12:45 p.m. (CDT).