THE PROBLEM:

Even though Hill students are 'connected' to technology in their daily lives, how many are truly digitally literate?

Being a digital native ≠ being digitally literate.

A recent Stanford University study finds that most students cannot effectively judge the credibility and reliability of information they read online.

In fact, college students continue to struggle with other Information Fluency skills that are embedded within Digital Literacy:

Students' constant use of technology also does not translate into being digitally literate. In fact, the addictive nature of technology among adolescents has even caused Apple shareholders to write an open letter to the company to demand more measures to mitigate tech and screen addiction for younger users.

Article: "Teens and Tech: Distinguishing Addiction from Habit"

Information Literacy & Fluency is an integral part of Digital Literacy. The Global Digital Citizen Foundation outlines the 5As of Information Fluency as:

Let's do a quick assessment of your own information literacy skills via this TRAILS Assessment:

The video below features an approach to help students become more digitally literate in a more authentic way.

How might we adapt this approach to help Hill students develop their own digital literacy through building specific information literacy or technology skills?

Your Challenge:

The LC is interested in two things regarding the digital literacy dilemma:

How to help develop students' information fluency while dealing with their addictive behaviors towards technology, and actually use that as an advantage.

Another Wrinkle in the Problem:

How do we really assess literacy? How can you show what you've learned - and what you are able to do? Both higher education and employers are demanding more evidence of what their graduates are able to do...via competency-based learning / digital badging.

Potential Project Ideas

Design a Badge for Badge Hub:

The badge would include original content created by your team, including any screencasting tutorials, informational videos, and any other multimedia content.

POSSIBLE TYPES OF BADGES

• On a Search APP
• On a specific Information Literacy skill
• On a specific tech tool/application
• On a specific 21st Century Skill