Rules For Posting To This Blog and Weekly Blog Question

1. Only use your first name (no last names, addresses, IM screen names, etc.)
2. Show respect and consideration of others when posting and commenting. This includes individuals, students, organizations, political parties, colleagues, etc.
3. Check all posts for spelling and grammar errors before posting.
4. Protect the privacy of others. Gain permission from other people before you write about them. Avoid sharing someone else's last name. Use job titles or pseudonyms when writing about experiences with your co-workers or students.
5. Watch your language. Use politically correct and non-offensive language.
6. Make sure you write about things that are factual.
7. Keep your postings education-oriented. Avoid discussing plans for the weekend, etc.

FINAL BLOG POST - OUR "DAILY TRIPLE" (DUE 12/1).
This week I would like you to use your imagination. You have just won the lottery and will leave your teaching post immediately to travel around the world. As you leave your keys you meet your replacement. You are asked to give this new teacher just ONE piece of advice. What would that be, and why? Enjoy your world expedition!

Blog Post - Week 7
This past week in my own teaching I felt a little disconnected which prompts my question to you, "What was the moment (or moments) when I felt most disconnected or disengaged as a teacher - the moment(s) I said to myself, I'm just going through the motions here?"

Fall Semester 2016 Blog Post - Week 6
For the past couple of weeks you have experienced asynchronous online learning (doing modules by yourself). Previously this semester you have experienced synchronous online learning (all together in the Collaborate room). Which do you think is more effective and why do you think that? Which do you like better, and why?

Fall Semester 2016 Blog Post - Week 5
This week we have what we call "open mic." You can write a post about anything related to your teaching that you would like responses from your classmates.

Fall Semester 2016 Blog Post - Week 4
Here is this week's question: "What was the event that most took me surprise this week - and event that shook me up, caught me off guard, gave me a jolt, or made me unexpectedly happy?"

Fall Semester 2016 Blog Post - Week 3
Please write a post about the following question, "In thinking about my past week teaching what is one thing I would do differently, and why?"

Fall Semester 2016 Blog Post - Week 2
Please write a post about the following question, " In thinking about my teaching activities this past week, of what do I feel most proud? Why?"

Fall Semester 2016 Blog Post - Week 1
Describe something you used in your program in the first weeks of school that you learned in the summer NTI program. How did it work? Did it get you off to a stronger start than last year?

Saturday, September 22, 2012

Is all information equal?
Absolutely not! As many of  us have discovered for ourselves as adult learners and as many of us have heard in the news from time to time, there are very unreliable resources on the world-wide web (WWW).  I remind my students (as young learners) every time we do a project that requires them to do research that they must use reliable and accurate resources.  This historically has only included the traditional library-type media informational research from magazines, books, newspapers, microfiche etc.  In today's educational arena information now comes to us from more sources and we have to realize that information literacy now includes computer literacy, visual literacy and media literacy. All these resources have room for inaccuracy and inequality. As a teacher, I have to responsibility to teach my students this and to "do due diligence" in checking on their resources listed on their assignment submissions. This job is made easier if I give them several reliable resources to choose from as they learn this concept of information accuracy.

Is it accurate, worthy of our attention?
It is worthy of our attention if it is accurate. Some information will be accurate and some not again, depending on the source. Accurate information comes more from the bigger sites like NBC, CBC, CNN, Fox News, AJC, etc. These companies are more careful about what they put out to the public because they have a lot at stake if they are not accurate. Smaller more local websites from local news companies are accurate as well and all of these companies are quick to publicly apologize for any errors or misinformation they make.
How do you decide which information to take in and which to discard?
This takes some work on the part of the researcher. Cross-checking with several sites usually helps one find little discrepancies that can lead to either accepting or discarding information. I find having a student list their resources makes them think twice before just throwing something together. Having to have facts like that instead of their opinion on a subject helps point them in the direction of accuracy. Also, having them list the date of their found information helps keep it current.
What is information literacy?
There are many definitions "out there" on the WWW.  I liked the one by the American Library Association:
Information literacy is a set of abilities requiring individuals to "recognize when information is needed and have the ability to locate, evaluate, and use effectively the needed information." Information Literacy Competency Standards for Higher Education. American Library Association . 2006. (Accessed 27 May 2009).
I interpret this as meaning that it is the ability to identify the need for information, the ability to find it , then evaluate it for worthiness and usefulness and then to then be able to apply this information in a useful way.I really liked how information literacy was described by:
Parkins, G. 2004, 'E-Learning Adventures Beyond the LMS', Parkin's Lot, Retrieved September 2005. http://parkinslot.blogspot.com/2004/11/e-learning-adventures-beyond-lms.html
Parkins uses the example of music CD's to help explain information literacy. Once upon a time  the only music format available was on CD's and thus, the music industry dictated what was on that CD which was very limiting. The internet revolutionized how we collect music. We are no longer limited on what music we listen to nor are we limited on how we save our music. We have Ipods, blog postings and more! There are thousands of possibilities now and not limited by the music industry.

How will you teach your students about information literacy?
I will have to repetitively teach them about the process of  locating, evaluating and utilizing accurate information/data. I am responsible for guiding them to appropriate websites by making them part of my lesson plans. At the same time, I must be careful as to not limit them to a small number of websites. I need to encourage those students that do not have the digital literacy of some of their peers. Finally, I must recognize and stay updated on the changes in technology as they occur in order to keep my students engaged.  Students come much more savvy in many literacies (visual, aural, digital, etc.) that go beyond what we grew up with. This will continue to change even more in the generations to come!




 
 
 
 

1 comment:

DAB said...

Theresa I agree with your comment about having students document not only their source of information but the date of the article/posting. This, I think, visually helps students evaluate the quality of the article based on relevance. Information can become outdated rapidly. Using the most current information typically is better. Great tip!