A Home for Converging Literacies:A Home for Converging Literacies: The Center for Digital Fluency at George Mason The Center for Digital Fluency at George Mason UniversityUniversity
Craig GibsonCraig GibsonAssociate University LibrarianAssociate University Librarian
Research, Instruction and Outreach ServicesResearch, Instruction and Outreach Services
Sharon P. PittSharon P. PittExecutive DirectorExecutive Director
Division of Instructional TechnologyDivision of Instructional Technology
CNI 2008 - Washington, DC
• For permission guidelines and use restrictions, please contact Craig Gibson ([email protected]) or Sharon Pitt ([email protected])
Copyright © George Mason University
Session Goals
• Background on information literacy/fluency • Convergences at Mason• The space• Examples of projects
A Home for Converging LiteraciesA Home for Converging Literacies : :The Center for Digital Fluency at George Mason UniversityThe Center for Digital Fluency at George Mason University
About….
• George Mason University– Public, research/doctoral institution– Founded in 1972– Enrollment: 29,889– Five campuses (one in the United Arab Emirates)– 159 degree programs
A Home for Converging LiteraciesA Home for Converging Literacies : :The Center for Digital Fluency at George Mason UniversityThe Center for Digital Fluency at George Mason University
Two Traditions
Library
Library Instruction Bibliographic Instruction User Education
Academic Computing
Computer Literacy Technology Literacy
A Home for Converging Literacies :A Home for Converging Literacies :The Center for Digital Fluency at George Mason UniversityThe Center for Digital Fluency at George Mason University
A Home for Converging Literacies :A Home for Converging Literacies :The Center for Digital Fluency at George Mason UniversityThe Center for Digital Fluency at George Mason University
Library
Library Instruction Bibliographic Instruction User Education
Focus:– skill development– specific libraries
& tools– individual student
Academic Computing
Computer Literacy Technology Literacy
Focus:– skills and training– computer software &
hardware– individual student
Two Traditions
Computer Literacy: Capsule HistoryComputer Literacy: Stages of Development (Allan Martin)
Mastery Phase (—mid-1980s) All powerful machines—knowledge/skill necessary for mastery computer programming languages computer basics training
Application Phase (mid-1980s—late 1990s) mass marketing, simple user interfaces computer is “everyday tool” practical skills rather than arcane knowledge
Reflective Phase (late 1990s—present) more than technical skills evolution into “IT Fluency” learning involves critical thinking, reflection merging with other learning agendas Educational Testing Service develops ICT literacy test
Martin, Allan. “Literacies for the Digital Age.” In Digital Literacies for Learning. London: Facet Publishing, 2006.
A Home for Converging Literacies :A Home for Converging Literacies :The Center for Digital Fluency at George Mason UniversityThe Center for Digital Fluency at George Mason University
Skills (Mastery) Stage
Applications
Reflective/Meta-abilities
A Home for Converging Literacies :A Home for Converging Literacies :The Center for Digital Fluency at George Mason UniversityThe Center for Digital Fluency at George Mason University
The Layering Effect:the movement toward general learning abilities
A Home for Converging Literacies :A Home for Converging Literacies :The Center for Digital Fluency at George Mason UniversityThe Center for Digital Fluency at George Mason University
Information Literacy: Capsule HistoryPrecursors: Bibliographic/Library Instruction (1960s)
grassroots movement in library reference services focus on skills and the individual student linked with behaviorist learning theory place-bound perspective (one library’s print resources) manifested in “one-shot” classes on library skills
Transitional Stage: Library-centric Information Literacy (1980s) professional recognition of instruction as specialty in librarianship focus on cognitive learning, concepts, critical thinking concern with learning transfer manifested in range of pedagogies and delivery mechanisms course-integrated is the ideal
Collaboration Stage: Convergences with others (mid 1990s—) conversations with multiple stakeholders formulation of Information Literacy Competency Standards concern with learning outcomes, outcome-based assessment connections with writing across the curriculum, evidence-based and resource-
based learning, critical thinking, undergraduate research sponsorship of the IL agenda by groups outside librarianship (AAHE, CIC) impact of the networked, digital environment
Socio-cultural Stage: Links with the Knowledge-Building (2003—) Web 2.0 applications; user-generated content the “Participatory Culture” concern with distributed cognition, collective intelligence student-led learning, mentoring, gaming, immersive environments connections with authentic learning contexts, internships, service learning,
knowledge management in business and community organizations focus on the practice of IL; also issues of engagement, ethics research of Henry Jenkins, Bereiter and Scardamalia
A Home for Converging Literacies :A Home for Converging Literacies :The Center for Digital Fluency at George Mason UniversityThe Center for Digital Fluency at George Mason University
Information Literacy: Capsule History
Information Literacy
Doyle
Library-centric, linear processes
Expert-determined
Individual attributes
Cognitive abilities only
KulthauProcess, seeking meaning
Recursive stages
Role of affect
Bruce
Multiple perspectives
Experiential dimensions
Both academic, non-academic
Socio-cultural
Learning enterprise-wide
Focus on authenticity, practice
Collective intelligence
Knowledge-building
Individual, skill-based
Collective intelligence
A Home for Converging Literacies :A Home for Converging Literacies :The Center for Digital Fluency at George Mason UniversityThe Center for Digital Fluency at George Mason University
IT Fluency
Foundational understandings: networks, computers
Contemporary software skills
Critical thinking applications (e.g., ethical issues)
National Research Council. Fluency with Information Technology, 2000.
A Home for Converging Literacies :A Home for Converging Literacies :The Center for Digital Fluency at George Mason UniversityThe Center for Digital Fluency at George Mason University
Research agenda: Media education
The Participation Gap
The Transparency Problem
The Ethics Challenge
Jenkins, Henry, et. al. Confronting the Challenges of Participatory Culture: Media Education for the 21st Century. Comparative Media Studies Program, Massachusetts Institute of
Technology, 2006.
A Home for Converging Literacies :A Home for Converging Literacies :The Center for Digital Fluency at George Mason UniversityThe Center for Digital Fluency at George Mason University
Forms of Participatory Culture
expressions
collaborative problem-solving
circulations
Jenkins, Confronting the Challenges of Participatory Culture, 2006.
Memberships: Facebook, MySpace
New creative forms: digital sampling, filmmaking, zines
Teams that develop new knowledge or skills: wikis, gaming
Shaping media: blogging, podcasting
A Home for Converging Literacies :A Home for Converging Literacies :The Center for Digital Fluency at George Mason UniversityThe Center for Digital Fluency at George Mason University
affiliations
A Home for Converging Literacies :A Home for Converging Literacies :The Center for Digital Fluency at George Mason UniversityThe Center for Digital Fluency at George Mason University
Play
Performance
Simulation
Appropriation
Multitasking
Distributed Cognition
Collective Intelligence
Judgment
Transmedia navigation
Networking
NegotiationJenkins, Confronting the Challenges of Participatory Culture, 2006.
The core skills for media education
A Home for Converging Literacies :A Home for Converging Literacies :The Center for Digital Fluency at George Mason UniversityThe Center for Digital Fluency at George Mason University
Play
Performance
Simulation
Appropriation
Multitasking
Distributed Cognition
Collective Intelligence
Judgment
Transmedia navigation
Networking
Negotiation
Formulating questions
Searching
Evaluating
Managing information
Presenting results
Applying ethical standards
Information Technology Fluency
Core Skills of Media Education
Core Abilities of Information Literacy
CNI 2008 - Washington, DC
Skills (Mastery) Stage
Applications
Reflective/Meta-abilities
A Home for Converging Literacies :A Home for Converging Literacies :The Center for Digital Fluency at George Mason UniversityThe Center for Digital Fluency at George Mason University
The Layering Effect:the movement toward general learning abilities
Experience, multiple perspectives, social learning
Process, meaning, affect
Attributes, Individual Skills
A Home for Converging Literacies :A Home for Converging Literacies :The Center for Digital Fluency at George Mason UniversityThe Center for Digital Fluency at George Mason University
Convergences: A series of prisms
Information Literacy prism
A Home for Converging Literacies :A Home for Converging Literacies :The Center for Digital Fluency at George Mason UniversityThe Center for Digital Fluency at George Mason University
Research Process
“Approved Content”
Information Mgt
Critical Thinking
Format-independence
Focus on ethics
IT Fluency prism
A Home for Converging Literacies :A Home for Converging Literacies :The Center for Digital Fluency at George Mason UniversityThe Center for Digital Fluency at George Mason University
Flexible reasoning applied to technology use (“fluency”)
Developmental stages
Focus on ethics
Media Education prism
A Home for Converging Literacies :A Home for Converging Literacies :The Center for Digital Fluency at George Mason UniversityThe Center for Digital Fluency at George Mason University
User-generated content, creativity
New learning environments
Social learning
Authentic practice
Focus on ethics
Convergences: A series of prisms
“Search”
Information Management
Internalized criteria for searching
Internalized criteria for evaluation of information
Knowledge-building, user-
generated content
Reflection and Self-assessment
Knowledge management
“Practice” in academic and non-academic
settingsFluency with technology
Ethical standards
A Home for Converging Literacies :A Home for Converging Literacies :The Center for Digital Fluency at George Mason UniversityThe Center for Digital Fluency at George Mason University
A Home for Converging Literacies :A Home for Converging Literacies :The Center for Digital Fluency at George Mason UniversityThe Center for Digital Fluency at George Mason University
User-generated content forces questions of authority
Challenge of creating authentic, assessable learning tasks connected to the “participatory
culture”
Need for integrative skill sets among collaborators (e.g. educational technologists, librarians, faculty, assessment specialists)
Collaborative curriculum design process
Implications for teaching and learning
A Home for Converging Literacies :A Home for Converging Literacies :The Center for Digital Fluency at George Mason UniversityThe Center for Digital Fluency at George Mason University
Implications for teaching and learning
Designing curricula and assignments to encourage student leadership in ethical
behavior
Students as teachers, mentors, co-creators of curricula and projects
Leveraging the co-curriculum and Student Life
Designing physical and virtual spaces for blended literacies to be practiced
Convergences at Mason• President’s Library Task Force Report (2005)
– Information literacy is an educational priority for the GMU Libraries
• State Council of Higher Education of Virginia (2006)– SCHEV designates critical thinking as one of six competencies that
all students who graduate from Virginia institutions should acquire
• Technology across the Curriculum (2007)– TAC needs to ensure sustainability, including the need to broaden
impact, expand awareness, acquire production support, and strengthen collaboration among program stakeholders
• Division of Instructional Technology (2007)– The reorganization of DoIT recognizes the evolving importance of
digital technologies in the learning mission of the University and the convergence of national and local trends in information fluency
A Home for Converging Literacies :A Home for Converging Literacies :The Center for Digital Fluency at George Mason UniversityThe Center for Digital Fluency at George Mason University
Stakeholders
• Beyond faculty and students– Center for Teaching Excellence– Critical Thinking across the Curriculum– Technology across the Curriculum
– Division of Instructional Technology– Educational Services– New Century College
A Home for Converging Literacies :A Home for Converging Literacies :The Center for Digital Fluency at George Mason UniversityThe Center for Digital Fluency at George Mason University
What’s in the CDF?
Facilities for:– Student collaboration and study– Communication and collaboration– Training and certification testing– Creation of technology-enhanced learning materials
A Home for Converging Literacies :A Home for Converging Literacies :The Center for Digital Fluency at George Mason UniversityThe Center for Digital Fluency at George Mason University
• Reconfigurable Furniture• Accessible, Acoustic Dry Erase Boards• Wireless Network Access• Collaborative software/tools
– Videoconferencing– Personal response systems– Present from anywhere systems
A Home for Converging Literacies :A Home for Converging Literacies :The Center for Digital Fluency at George Mason UniversityThe Center for Digital Fluency at George Mason University
Design Considerations
• Flexible spaces with movable furniture– active involvement and a sense of ownership
• Easy demonstration and modeling• Easy work sharing, archiving and reflection
– group assessment, sense of achievement and continuation of projects
A Home for Converging Literacies :A Home for Converging Literacies :The Center for Digital Fluency at George Mason UniversityThe Center for Digital Fluency at George Mason University
Considerations for Collaboration
Examples of IL Projects• Creation of tutorials for discipline-specific information
fluency within a learning management system
• Members of the Multimedia Users Group meet with a media literacy expert, via videoconference
• The TAC coordinator, cohort faculty, and assessment staff evaluate projects created by TAC students
• University Life collaborates with instructional designers to develop cybersafety training for students
• Faculty teaching CTAC courses work with librarians to create online materials that support critical thinking learning objectives.
A Home for Converging Literacies :A Home for Converging Literacies :The Center for Digital Fluency at George Mason UniversityThe Center for Digital Fluency at George Mason University
Questions – Answers – Contact Info• Craig Gibson
• Sharon P. [email protected]
A Home for Converging Literacies :A Home for Converging Literacies :The Center for Digital Fluency at George Mason UniversityThe Center for Digital Fluency at George Mason University
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