Integrating+Digital+Literacy+into+Backward+Planning

By: Adam Bisceglia, Alicia Mott & Martha Oakes
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= Table of Contents: = I. Introduction II. Literacy III. Digital Literacy IV. Backward Planning V. Benefits of Backward Planning VI. Digital Literacy Helps With Differentiation VII. What Digital Literacy Should Look Like In A Lesson/Unit Plan VIII. Advantages and Disadvantages of Digital Literacy Integration IX. Conclusion X. References

= I. Introduction: = Schools improvement plans focus on two different approaches. Plans to improve instruction focus on "effective instructional practices in teaching to the state standards" and "analysis of achievement data to develop improvement plans" (McTighe and Thomas 2003). In order to improve students scores on standardized tests, students have to be motivated and interested in what they are learning. By thinking backward and thinking about a concept all students should know and how that concept relates to their life and then developing meaningful instruction to get all students involved through differentiation could produce results school systems are looking for. The three stage backward design process does just that. "Educators must identify the desired results, analyze multiple sources of data, and determine the appropriate action plan" (McTighe and Thomas 2003). The use of technology would be one way to collect data from multiple sources and analyze the effectiveness of the improvement plan of a district. In addition to using technology to collect data to analyze students progress more could be done to intergrate technology into planning. In todays information age technology has reached new heights. Unfortunately most schools have yet to catch up. In many schools technology is limited. There are a few working computers in a classroom and with 15-25 kids in a room, technology is not being utilized as it should. Between smart phones, laptops, tablets, and video games children are inudated with technology. As an educator assessing the skills t he students already have with technology and integrating it into the curriculum can create an enriched learning experience. Digital literacy in the classroom could change the way students are evaluated as well as make for a more rounded education.

= II. Literacy: = In order to better understand digital literacy, one must first have a proper understanding of literacy in a traditional sense. In the most basic context, literacy refers to a person's ability to effectively read and write in a "predominantly print context" (Goodfellow, 2011). Common examples of print materials include such things as newspapers, bills, forms, etc. Scribner and Cole (1981), and Street (1984), expanded the definition of literacy to include a cultural and communicative aspect, describing it as, "general cultural ways of utilising written language which people draw upon in their lives" (Goodfellow, 2011).

Literacy is often thought to be considered an essential skill when describing one as a fully functional "autonomous social being." From a very young age, students are taught that mastery of reading and writing, or literacy, is a fundamental precursor towards becoming valuable participants to the social world. Furthermore, developing strong reading and writing skills in young children is considered by many to be a crucial part of "general cognitive and cultural development" (Goodfellow, 2011). As a result, a tremendous amount of pressure is placed on early childhood educators who are tasked with the responsibility of planting the initial seeds of literacy that will eventually blossom and enable children to become fully integrated members of modern society.

In today's adult society, literacy is considered an essential skill in job acquisition, and social mobility and achievement (Goodfellow, 2011). However, societal implications of literacy, and therefore illiteracy, have evolved over time and are specific to the social norms of a given time period. Also, what constituted literacy in decades past, is not necessarily relevant in today's modern society. For example, historically there have been certain professions where literacy was not considered to be an essential function of success. In contrast, not only is it the social norm to be literate in today's society, but it is also no longer satisfactory to have only a grasp on reading and writing using pens and paper. In order to keep up with today's modern world, one must now also know how to read and write using digital means. Taking social change into consideration, literacy is an ever evolving term that requires flexibility on the part of both educators and learners alike. As a society, we must adapt to this ever evolving world, and continually redefine what it actually means to be "literate."

= III. Digital Literacy: = As outlined by the library of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, "digital literacy" is defined as:

//"The ability to use digital technology, communication tools or networks to locate, evaluate, use and create information; the ability to understand and use information in multiple formats from a wide range of sources when it is presented via computers; a person’s ability to perform tasks effectively in a digital environment…Literacy includes the ability to read and interpret media, to reproduce data and images through digital manipulation, and to evaluate and apply new knowledge gained from digital environments" (Garcia, Walstrum, Morrison, 2011).//

Digital literacy is the latest in a long line of descriptive terms used to describe the incorporation of new information and communication media into educational activities. This is an ever evolving term that has previously been referred to by the following roots: 'computer' (-based, -assisted, -mediated), 'online', 'networked', 'web-based', and 'e-'. There has been a significant change/development in the scope of each term and the "entities they qualify." For example, the term "computer-based", was originally used to describe specific teaching materials. Fast forward to today's modern world, however, and the term "digital" constitutes a much wider scope including entire institutions ("digital university") and even entire eras ("the digital age", "the digital world") (Goodfellow, 2011).

The scope of digital literacy has outgrown the confines of the academic world, and has expanded relevancy over the entire social world as well. While literacy is still a requirement of a "fully functional social being," traditional literacy is only one half of the new equation. All of the core skills required to become traditionally "literate," have little value if utilized in an isolated context. Instead, today's society has determined that these specific literacy skills are only relevant if you are able to apply them to a modern and/or digital context. One of the defining aspects of "digital literacy," is the ever evolving and fluid nature of the term. As advances and changes in technology are continuously novel, we, as digital citizens, are expected to adapt to it which in turn dictates the flexibility required in defining digital literacy.

According to Mark Prensky (2001), "today's students were no longer the people our educational system was designed to teach." Simply put, today's students are one of the first generations to grow up fully immersed in this era of new technologies. Prensky goes on to note that, "Today's average college grads have spent less than 5,000 hours of their lives reading, but over 10,000 hours playing video games (not to mention 20,000 hours watching TV). Computer games, email, the Internet, cell phones and instant messaging are integral parts of their lives." As a result, today's modern students are often referred to as "digital natives." This term stems from the fact that they are all fluent, or "native speakers" in the field of digital technology. Those who were not born into this modern world, are referred to as "digital immigrants." Prensky goes on to say, "As Digital Immigrants learn – like all immigrants, some better than others – to adapt to their environment, they always retain, to some degree, their "accent," that is, their foot in the past." This stark divide between digital natives and digital immigrants has forced many to adapt in order to stay relevant both socially, and in the job market (Prensky, 2001).

While "literacy" once implied the ability to both read and write in a predominantly print context, the digital age has expanded and changed the definition to include much more. As Robin Goodfellow writes, "Contexts of communication practice in the modern world are now so diverse, and the media of communication so multimodal, that it is not useful to think of literacy education solely in terms of developing generic competences that can be transferred from context to context" (Goodfellow, 2011). It is now essential to think of digital literacy in terms of the acquisition, evaluation/analysis, and understanding of information/content. Additionally, people are now expected to think critically about the effect technology is having on the information itself and culture as a whole. In order to work and communicate more efficiently in this modern world, it is imperative to be digitally literate. Those who do not adapt to the modern digital world will unfortunately be rendered obsolete, and replaced by a more fluent digital citizen.

= IV. Backward Planning: = Teachers often struggle with teaching to a test and creating meaningful instructional activities that will enhance students learning and thinking that will make students well rounded individuals and independent thinking. With knowledge of different leaning styles and the ways students learn that teachers have today planning can be complex. "Teachers must be able to negotiate the needs of the students in front of them, the institutional requirements and material circumstances of their contexts, and their knowledge of content to decide what to teach and how and when to teach it" (Graff 2011). When planning teachers must ask themselves multiple questions. Teachers need to have a clear understanding of what they want the students to accomplish at the end of the lesson and what scaffolds are required for all students reach that goal. "Teachers must design and implement lessons to meet both unit and lesson objectives." (Jones, Varmetter, & Jones 2009).

Backwards planning helps teachers do all that. The three stage process helps teachers organize units so that an essential questions "a question that human beings perennially ask about the world and themselves" (McTighe and Thomas 2003) is tied to the curriculum. The essential question is both thought provoking and helps to make meaningful connections from the curriculum to the students life.

While students are seeking the answers to the essential question that relates to the curriculum "students learn specific facts, concepts, and skills- those that typically appear on standardized tests- in the concept of exploring and applying the larger ideas." (MsTighe and Thomas 2003). Instead of starting with the activities and lessons a teacher will start with what is it the students should all know and why should they know it.

Understanding by Design (U.B.D.) is one way to backward plan. There are three main parts to a U.B.D. plan. The first step is to "identify desired results", the second is to "determine acceptable evidence" and the third step is to "plan learning experiences and instruction" (Wiggins and McTighe 1998). The desired results should be what every student should know. When thinking about the desired results from the state curriculum teachers frame an essential question that gets all students thinking. The essential question represents a big idea that has an enduring value beyond the classroom. The essential question should co-inside with with the discipline's curriculum, relate to the curriculum objective, and engage all learners.

The second stage of planning is the assessment stage. What evidence is going to be collected to show students progress toward reaching the objectives of the unit. "Evidence should be credible and helpful." "Assessments should be grounded in real-world applications, supplemented as needed by more traditional school evidence, provide useful feedback to the learner, be transparent, and minimize secrecy." (Wiggins and McTighe 2002). In addition assessment needs to be valid, reliable, and aligned with the desired results of stage 1".

The third stage, the planned learning experiences and instruction, are the everyday lesson. When planning the third stage of a U.B.D unit a teacher should think about what needs to be covered so that the students have a good understanding of the essential question and objective outlined in sage 1 of planning. The learning experiences should be engaging and tie into the assessments planned in stage 2. Learning activities should be scaffolded and differentiated to meet all learning needs. Learning experiences should be presented in a variety of ways and concepts should all tie to stage one. Learning experiences in stage three are not independent of stage one and stage two but rather support previous stages.

= = = V. Benefits of Backward Planning: = Backward planning promotes differentiation. It helps the teacher figure out a goal and then decide which path each idivisual student will take to reach that goal. In a study done by Nelson Graff new teachers were trained in backward planning and were asked for feedback on their experience with planning using a backward design model. Teachers commented that they "felt prepared for planning and curriculum and that learning the backwards design framework helped them feel so" (Gaff 2011). Teachers reported having that "having a process by which to figure out what students needed and plan to meet those needs" and gave them a focus (Gaff 2011). Through backward planning a teacher is able to assess the needs of each student and really individualize to meet each students needs as long as they are all working on the end goal.

An article by McTighe and Thomas suggests that the benefits of backward planning go well beyond the classroom. School systems looking to improve scores and making learning meaningful could see a great increase in achievement through backward planning. By making learning experiences authentic for the students test scores will automatically go up. Students will retain more if they make connections from the learning experiences they have in the classroom to their lives. "Through the unified process school teams can identify learning goals and collect, summarize, and analyze evidence from multiple sources of data to determine how well students are doing" (McTighe and Thomas 2003). By connecting the curriculum to life long lessons, students will inherently retain more information which as a result will increase test scores.

= = = VI. Digital Literacy Integration Helps With Differentiation: = Technology has been used for quite a while in evaluating, tracking and reporting the progress of students in education. Incorporating computer usage into the content area of teaching provides a multitude of benefits to all of our students. Students have been using computers and the internet to communicate with others, play games, help with homework and do research on a variety of topics. Using computers in the classroom capitalizes on students motivation in order to increase their reading, writing and communication skills. Integrating digital literacy in to classrooms allow teachers the opportunity to differentiate instruction for students who need it without the stigma associated with doing something 'different' from the other students.

The traditional method of textbook learning where a textbook is used by all students in a class as the one source of learning makes it difficult for all students to access the content that they need to. Today most content textbooks come with an online electronic book aspect/feature that can be used in many ways to differentiate learning for a variety of students depending on the background and needs of the learner. "For example, text-to-speech capacity can provide a student with dyslexia access to important content in a digital text. When the goal is to learn about the subject matter of that text, text-to-speech offers access to the necessary information."(Pisha & Coyne 2001). Electronic textbooks allow for students to access information in a way that is useful for them. Either in a text-to-speech format, enlarged print, or using an outliner feature of the chapter as an organizer. Students could also use a highlighter feature in order to highlight important information. Another feature of electronic textbooks are embeded relevant video clips that allow students to view relevant material and make visual connections to what they are reading and learning.

Of course electronic textbooks are only one digital literacy tool that can be used for differentiation. Teachers can use the Internet itself by setting up WebQuests, Internet Workshops as well as Internet Inquiries. These strategies allow teachers ways to allow students to use Internet resources under supervised guidance. These tools can be used to build background knowledge if necessary, are student centered and allow for inquiry based learning. = = = = =** VII. What Digital Literacy Should Look Like In a Lesson/Unit Plan: **= To be literate in today's world means that you additionally need to be digitally literate. Since being digitally literate is such an important part of the work world we should not be shying away from letting the students use technology to enhance an unit. Digital literacy gives the students another way to explore the essential question and get a better understanding of the big picture. When planning a backward design unit plan, teachers need to plan activities to enhance students understanding of the bigger picture and essential question. Technology can be integrated into all three parts of a unit plan. For example, digital technology can be used at the beginning of a unit as part of a K-W-L chart where a list would be made of what students know. They would then be directed to selected, relevant websites in order to develop questions that would help to guide the study of the unit. This type of usage allows for a greater ownership of students' learning. Another way of using a form of digital media in a unit might be by taking a virtual or video field trip. By either using a DVD or streaming a video a teacher can take a class to another country in order to learn about a different culture or a history class could visit a different time period in order to enhance their understanding of what people were experiencing. Students could then engage in communication with another school in another country via email or write to senior citizens in order to interview them regarding their past and video tape the interview for broadcast over a school TV show. This type of virtual field trip would also be helpful in activating prior background knowledge. Another way to enhance learning through the use of digital media might be by using online journaling or posting sites such as Blackboard or Edmondo. Students would be able to respond or reflect on articles, or literature that they are reading or have read in class. This type of interaction allows for feedback from the teacher and possibly other classmates,. It also encourages more engagement from the students.

Teachers can use digital literacy as an end product by having students do an on-line journal/diary as a project for a **history** class. In a **writing class** students would be able to view newspaper articles in both print and digital versions in order to examine the usage of language in news articles. In a **Literature class** a PowerPoint presentation could be used to present a plot diagram of a work of literature, or relevant vocabulary. During a **class field trip** a video of the activity could be made that would then be posted on a school's website. In a Science class students could work in groups doing Webquests on various scientists or view a National Geographic video of a scientific exploration. = = = = = VIII. Advantages and Disadvantages of Digital Literacy Integration: = Despite the fact that we are now living in a highly digital/technologically advanced world, many schools are slow to adapt to this new digital age. However, when properly integrated into a school curriculum, technology can help students develop the appropriate skills necessary to survive/compete in a "complex, highly technological knowledge-based economy" (Edutopia Staff, 2008). Incorporating digital literacy into today's modern classroom consists of more than simply teaching students basic computer skills. In fact, considering that most of the current student population consists of "digital natives," this type of instruction would be somewhat redundant. In order for digital integration to be effective, it must support four key components of learning: active engagement, participation in groups, frequent interaction/feedback, and connection to real-world experts (Edutopia Staff, 2008).

Benefits of such digital integration include increased student creativity and imagination, critical thinking, and organizational/planning skills. One of the most important benefits of digital integration (if not the most useful) is the ability to provide students with a realistic idea of what a "modern office" looks like. In a "modern office," students will be expected to communicate/network through digital means (email, text, etc.), research and compile electronic information, and eventually present ideas through a variety of different forms of media (audio, pictures, movies, powerpoint). Through digital means, the most up to date and interesting information is readily available and easily accessible to all students. Additionally, digital integration can help change the way that teachers teach. Teachers no longer limited to standing at the front of the classroom and lecturing to their students. Instead, teachers can take on more of an advisor role, and help students discover information on their own through digital means. Instead of dictating the material to students, teachers can guide them to finding the answers/information on their own. This is an essential skill necessary for students when they eventually enter the workforce. Technology also provides teachers the opportunity to tailor material to a students individual need. They can adapt material as needed or create alternative materials that present the needed concepts in a more accessible format. As students become more active and engaged learners, off task behaviors will inevitably decrease (Edutopia Staff, 2008). Finally, by integrating digital literacy into schools, students are gaining the ability to be "more critical consumers of media literacy skills" (Leopold, 2010).

With technology being used everywhere outside of the school room it is important that educators give students a safe place to acquire and practice the skills of digital literacy. "Digital literacy, itself, is not enough preparation, however, for our students to thrive in today's global, information-driven world. Students must also acquire the skills of digital inquiry: connecting ideas to personal interests and a desire to know, asking questions that probe beyond simple fact gathering, investigating answers from multiple perspectives, constructing new understandings, expressing the new ideas through a variety of formats, and reflecting on both the process and product of learning."(Stripling 2010).

The advantages of digital literacy integration are many but there are a few disadvantages to be found. One major disadvantage is that not all teachers are comfortable using technology for themselves let alone in the classroom. There needs to be greater collaboration between those who are use to technology and those who are not, as well as professional development that models ways to integrate technology in their classrooms. Another disadvantage is that teachers need to be clear in what the desired educational outcome is: For example text-to-speech allows access to information but does not help students to learn how to decode for reading skills.

//A brief video on digital integration in Harrison Central High School, Gulfport, Mississippi. "A Commitment to High Tech Education"://

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= IX. Conclusion: = There are many ways to incorporate digital literacy into a lesson regardless of the content area it just takes planning and preparation from teachers. Teachers also need to be aware of what their students can and cannot do. Younger students may need more direction and supervision than older students. Then again some students might not have had the exposure to some aspects of digital media and would probably need to have some direct instruction on how to use it. Teachers also need to be prepared with alternative plans in case some aspect of the technology malfunctions or if a website that you were planning on using has been taken down. As Judy Richardson said in 2004 "The technology is the means, not the content of the presentation. It should not overwhelm the lesson but enhance. If a non-technology based means of presentation would be more effective, then by all means use it. The simplest, most intriguing tool to impart instruction is the best tool" (Richardson 2004).

The thing to remember is that starting small so that a teacher is comfortable with the technology and planning is important so that it is a seamless part of the lesson and not something that is thrown in as an extra. Digital literacy should be integrated in a way that modernizes the traditional classroom environment including content, process, and production. It should give students chances to explore new concepts. Students will learn how to communicate more efficiently with peers and experts, both sharing and creating authentic products through digital means. The implementation of backwards planning integrated with digital literacy will help enrich the student's learning experience by promoting more open ended thinking, and in turn will prepare them for today's Information Age.

= X. References: = Edutopia Staff. (2008). // Why Integrate Technology Into The Curriculum?: The Reasons Are Many. // Retrieved June 5, 2012 from http://www.edutopia.org/technology-integration-introduction.

Gaff, N. (2011). "An Effective and Agonizing Way to Learn" Backwards Design and New Teacher' Preparation for Planning Curriculum. Teacher Education Quarterly, 38(3), 151-168.

//Garcia, L., Morrison, R.,// //Walstrum, M. (2011). From Embedded to Integrated: Digital Information Literacy and New Teaching Models for Academic Librarians.// Association of College & Research Librarians, March 30–April 2, 2011, 174-179.

Goodfellow, Robin. (2011). //Literacy, literacies and the digital in higher education//. Teaching In Higher Education. 16(1), 131-144.

Jones, K. A., Vermette, P. J., & Jobes, J. L. (2009). An Intergration of "Backward Planning" Unit Design with the "Two Step" Lesson Planning Framework. Education, 130(2), 357-360.

Jones_Kavalier, Barbara., and Suzanne L. Flannigan. "Connecting the Digital Dots: Literacy of the 21st Century. " //EDUCAUSE QUARTERLY 2// (2006): 8-10. Web.

Leopold, Lisa. (2010). //Digital Media Stories For Persuasion//. Communication Teacher, 24(4), 187-191.

McLaughlin, Maureen (2010) Content Area Reading,Teaching and Learning in an Age of Multiple Literacies, Boston, Massachusetts, Pearson Education, Inc

McTighe, J., & Thomas, R. S. (2003). Backward Design for Forward Action. Education Leadership, 60(5), 52-55.

Pisha, Bart, and Peggy Coyne. "Reading Online - Articles: Jumping off the Page." //Reading Online - Articles: Jumping off the Page.// N.p., Nov.2001. Web. 9 June 2012. []

Prensky, Mark. (2001). //Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants//. On The Horizon, 9(5), 1-6.

Richardson, Judy. (2004) "Content Area Literacy Lessons Go High Tech." //Reading Online,// 8(1) 6-16

Stripling, Barbara. "Teaching Students to Think in the Digital Environment:Digital Literacy and Digital Inquiry." //School Library Monthly// XXVI.8 (2010):16-19. Web. 5 June 2012 [].

"Welcome to Teaching Every Student." //Teaching Every Student.// N.p., n.d. Web. 9 June 2012. [].

Wiggins, G., & McTIghe, J. (1998). Understanding by design. Alexandria, Virgina: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.