The Digital Literacy Challenge….

A 2 year school-wide project

The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot
read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn.
Alvin Toffler

From Rachael Costello & Lindsey Barlow

 The Digital Literacy Challenge

The Digital Literacy Challenge...

Often librarians and technology specialists are tasked with
promoting digital literacy without classes. This year-long digital literacy
challenge project, took students and faculty beyond the bell and
outside the classroom, alternating library and web 2.0 learning
activities.

Message to students…
Welcome to the Digital Literacy Challenge. If you are a new or a
returning Digital Literacy Challenger we have some new and special
challenges in store for you this year. The DLCs are intended to expose
students to some educational, but fun web 2.0 applications that you
can use in your classes or for your own personal learning.
 The Digital Literacy Challenge

Table of Contents

Introduction
Promotion and Prizes
Activities
Year One
Year Two
Delivery
Testimonials
Plans for next year
 The Digital Literacy Challenge

Introduction
In our roles as high school librarian and the instructional technology
specialist, we don’t have regularly scheduled classes or students, so
we try to instruct beyond the walls and outside of the bell schedule.
The focus of this year -long project promoted digital literacy and
citizenship school-wide.
The school student and faculty population were challenged to online
tasks that included library 2.0 and web 2.0 experiences. Learning
activities included social book marking, online library catalog, online
book club, digital footprints, book review messaging, online giving,
database search, presidential pledge wiki, online study sessions,
wordle clouds, LibraryThing and more.
The challenges were communicated using different online methods,
podcasts, screencasts, etc. lending a multi-layered approach that
modeled new options for curriculum delivery to other classroom
teachers. All of the activities listed in this e-book can be customized
and reinforced in the regular classroom with ties to existing curriculum.
The Digital Literacy Challenge became our own vehicle for
instruction and introduction to library 2.0 features of the new high
school library catalog and web 2.0 sites.
As the challenge went on students became fans and waited for the
challenges to be posted. The format introduced a regular bite of
informal learning into the school calendar. Our promotion included
everyone in the school, students, staff, secretaries, nurses and
administrators.
Completion of the tasks required an email communication with us.
This increased our interaction with students and staff and increased
the amount of informal just in time professional development support.
“How did you do that?”
“Thanks, for the reminder to use this technology in the classroom.”
The activities helped spread the curriculum strategies back into the
formal lessons and classrooms.
 The Digital Literacy Challenge

Promotion & Prizes

Each Digital Literacy Challenge was promoted heavily throughout

the two-week period. The school uses an online management system
called schoolloop (www.schoolloop.com). This system allows us to post
news online, add the challenge as an item appearing on the student’s
calendar and email students directly
We got a small class of volunteer students to help place posters
around the school. These were also displayed in the school office.
Morning Announcements each day briefly reminded students about
the digital literacy challenge and what the activity entailed.
Prizes for each challenge were offered. A student winner and a
faculty winner were randomly chosen from the list of participants. The
winners could choose from $10 gift certificates from Dunkin Donuts or
the local pizza restaurant and we also had chocolate (which was a
favorite amongst the staff winners).
 The Digital Literacy Challenge

Activities
Each digital literacy challenge is outlined in the order we introduced
them. They can obviously be customized or reordered to fit the needs
of your students and school.

DLC#1

Online Library Catalog

Participants were asked to login to the new online library catalog,
asked to enter their email address and choose their preferred method
of messaging.
 The Digital Literacy Challenge

DLC#2

Social Bookmarking

The challenge asked students to go to www.delicious.com

click on explore tags, and type in the tag prhsdigitalliteracy
one link is revealed, when they click on it they are taken to a
netvibes page
which has the next clue.
The participants are to watch a short commoncraft video about
social
bookmarking.
To complete the challenge they have to email one website that they
would
want to save and share.
 The Digital Literacy Challenge

DLC#3

Online Book Club

Participants are required to logon to the school book club via the link
on the website. This is a free service offered by the regional libraries.
They had to add a favorite book under a special group for the digital
literacy challenge.
They could then log on to the online library catalog to see if the
school had their favorite book on the shelves.
 The Digital Literacy Challenge

DLC#4

What you put on the web, stays on the web

Participants were introduced to the website www.archive.org
They were asked to input the address of their favorite website into
the wayback machine and to choose the earliest date possible to go
back in time.

“Tools like the Internet Archive's Wayback Machine have long made
it difficult to disavow your digital history.” The Economist

Leave Positive Digital Footprints!

 The Digital Literacy Challenge

DLC#5

Comment on a book
Your comments needed! The 5th Digital Literacy Challenge is to post
a comment about a book in the online library catalogue.
Then Click Post or edit your comments on this item.
Write a 2 or 3-sentence review of the book.
 The Digital Literacy Challenge

DLC#6

Using your powers for good

Tis the season! So from now until Holiday break, the DLC is taking
you to a site where you can help people with just a click of the mouse
Go to http://www.thehungersite.com
Go to each tab and click to give.
 The Digital Literacy Challenge

DLC#7

Find an article on EBSCO databases

Using the Ebscohost Databases, find the article identified below.
Article:
Too Much Homework? By Madeleine Brand from NPRs Day to Day
from 9/11/2008
 The Digital Literacy Challenge

DLC#8

Visual Dictionary visuword.com

Students were directed to a link to our netvibes page which had a

podcast embedded with audio instructions for the challenge.
The podcast was made using gcast which was free at the time. To do
this again I would make a voice drop on drop.io.
The audio message directed them to the visual dictionary and asked
them to look up the work experience and send a screenshot.
 The Digital Literacy Challenge

DLC#9

Presidential Pledge wiki

This challenge was running at the time of the inauguration of

President Obama
Go to the netvibes digital literacy challenge page
Step 1: Watch "Wikis in Plain English Video"
Step 2: Watch "Presidential Pledge Video"
Step 3: Go to Presidential Pledge wiki and write a sentence or two
stating your pledge.
 The Digital Literacy Challenge

DLC#10

Make a wordle from a google news article

View Jing screencast here

Students were required go to google news, copy an article and make
a wordle out of it.
 The Digital Literacy Challenge

DLC#11

Library List Mania

Login to online library catalogue
Search for any book you have read in the catalogue.
Once you have the book click "save to your lists" on the right side.
Add the book to a new list or an existing list
 The Digital Literacy Challenge

DLC#12

Online Study Sessions using Wiziq

www.wiziq.com

Week One: Study Skills

Week Two: Websites to help you study
Study sessions were held in the evening for an hour. Students
logged onto WiZiQ and participated in a chat and an online whiteboard
session.
 The Digital Literacy Challenge

DLC#13

It’s a Library Thing

Where you can organize your books, get suggestions and meet like-
minded readers.
First, follow the link and watch the video for instructions.
Go to http://www.librarything.com/, sign up and start adding books
to your personal catalogue.
 The Digital Literacy Challenge

DLC#14

Collective Writing Exercise

Advice for incoming freshman on good online habits

Using Etherpad
http://etherpad.com/pBQan3dsAh
(2010 update: Etherpad has been bought by Google, but there are
other collaborative writing web 2.0 sites such as PiratePad or Primary
Pad)
 The Digital Literacy Challenge

Year 2 DLC #1

Summer Reading Program is Over so…

whatshouldireadnext

First review how to capture a screen shot by watching this video .

Then go to whatshouldireadnext . Type in the title and author of a
favorite book and click the button "What should I Read Next”
Once you have a results page, take a screen shot and save it as a JPEG
Then email the JPEG as an attachment to Ms. Costello
costello@prsd.org . You must include DLC1 in the Message box and
you must include the name of the teacher from whom you heard about
this DLC.
The Digital Literacy Challenge
 The Digital Literacy Challenge

Year 2 DLC #2

Online Study help with Hippocampus

Go to Hippocampus and choose a subject in the left hand menu you

are studying this year. Click on the textbook tab and find your textbook
or one that is similar
A list of videos by chapter will appear so you can easily find the
content you are currently studying.

Post the link to your SchoolLoop digital locker so you can quickly get
back to it.

In the top right their is a link button, click on it, copy the link and email
it to Ms. Costello at costello@prsd.org or through Loop mail to be
entered into the DLC!!

Be sure to put DLC #2 in the message box of email and be sure to tell
us which teacher suggested you participate.
 The Digital Literacy Challenge

Year 2 DLC #3

Review a Book

First, watch the video to learn how to login to your account on the
library catalogue. Then search in the online library catalogue for a
book you have read. Once you have gotten to that book’s page then
scroll down to the “Comments” tab in the middle of the page and click
on it. Then look for the link “Post or Edit Your Comments on this item,”
Click on it and type a 3-5 sentence review of this book for your school
mates. Click the submit tab when your review is complete. I suggest
typing it in MS Word first so you can spell and grammar check, then
copy and paste it into the comments box. It will then come to me for
approval. I can not edit your reviews only approve or reject. You can
say you don’t like a book, but obviously your review will be rejected if
the language is inappropriate.
 The Digital Literacy Challenge

Year 2 DLC #4

Google Wonderwheel

Investigate the Google WonderWheel which is a feature that allows you

to narrow search results visually. It is also a great place to start to get
ideas for any research assignment.
Watch the video for instructions.
Once you have to two screen shots email them to Ms. Costello at
costello@prsd.org
Watch the video, if you need to review how to take a screen shot.
 The Digital Literacy Challenge

Year 2 DLC #5

Digital vs. Print Debate

Sherman Alexie on ColbertNation

Print vs Digital? Where do you fall in the debate? Watch the Sherman
Alexie video from Colbert Nation then go to the Etherpad and respond
to the following question.

Is Sherman Alexi right to protect his book by not letting it out in any
electronic form? Or does he have to accept the digital age?

Don’t forget to include your full name and if a teacher suggested you
do this DLC, then include their name as well.
 The Digital Literacy Challenge

Year 2 DLC #6

Evening Workshops with WizIQ

Join Ms. Costello for an online, evening workshop that will help you
prepare for mid-term exams and sharpen your note-taking skills
for a fresh academic start to second semester. Workshop dates,
times and topics are outlined below.

Thursday 1/7 Test Taking Strategies 7:15pm Online

Wednesday 1/13 Test Taking Strategies 7:15pm Online

Tuesday 1/26 Note-taking Strategies 7:15pm Online

Thursday, 1/28 Note-taking strategies 7:15pm Online

Enter the class here

 The Digital Literacy Challenge

Year 2 DLC #7

Using your town library’s online catalogue

Since there is so much student research going on second

semester, Ms. Costello wanted to encourage you to check out
resources in your Public Library’s digital catalogue for DLC #7.

Watch the video tutorial and then go to your public library website
(links below) and find the “catalogue”
and search the topic of your research paper or any subject.
Choose 3 Books/Resources and “add” them to a list.
Now go to the list and take a screen shot and email it to Ms.
Costello at costello@prsd.org or through Loopmail.
Earn a second chance to win, by showing Ms. Costello your public
library card.

G.A.R. Public Library –West Newbury

Merrimac Public Library

Langley-Adams Public Library-Groveland

 The Digital Literacy Challenge

Year 2 DLC #8

Google Books for Research

DLC #8 will explore Google’s “Electronic” Books. Watch the video

tutorial that shows you how to effectively search Google Books related
to your research and reading assignments.

Go to GoogleBooks and search for a book related to your research.

Explore the book. Go to pg 51 and take a screenshot and e-mail it to
Ms. Costello to be entered into DLC#8. Below is a model citation for an
e-book.
 The Digital Literacy Challenge

Year 2 DLC #9

Online Citation Generators

CitationMachine

DLC #9 is looking at online citation generators. Watch the video below

for instructions and then email Ms. Costello the screen shot of a
citation created using Citation Machine. Your name will be added to the
hat for prizes.
 The Digital Literacy Challenge

Year 2 DLC #10

Dropio

Earth Day Podcasts

Using your cell phone’s free nights and weekends (or home phone for
a long distance charge) record a downloadable audio file. Listen to
directions and choose the file names “Audio Directions for DLC #10”
Once you have finished listening to the directions dial 1-646-495-9205
x 64548 and record your response to the question,

what one activity can an individual do to protect the environment?

 The Digital Literacy Challenge

Year 2 DLC #11

Wallwisher

DLC Suggestions wanted

After 2-years of Digital Literacy Challenges we want your feedback.

Watch the video that shows how to use wallwisher then go to our wall
at wallwisher.com and add a post-it of your comments and
suggestions. Please use only your first name and only the first initial of
your last name. At the end of your message put the name of the
teacher that suggested you do this DLC. All comments are approved by
the administrator before they appear.
 The Digital Literacy Challenge

Delivery

The following websites and tools were used to deliver the activities
online.
Netvibes Public Pages:
Pentucket Library
The Digital Backpack
Screencasts:
Jingproject
Audio instructions:
Gcast
Drop.io
 The Digital Literacy Challenge

Testimonials
These are some of the comments we received in our emails from
students and teachers.
"This is SO cool!!!"
"this is the best ever"
"That was a neat site. I had never heard of it before."
"that is SOOOOO cool! I just emailed the link to myself at home to
show Charlotte!!"
"Great reminder to use this technology!! Thanks!"
"Woohoo, did number 9!!! I really enjoyed this one :)Bring on
number 10!"
"my favorite giving site was the child health and animal rescue. Of
course i liked them all i just happened to like these the best. I really
like how the digital literacy challenges are all very informative."
I really hope that the DLC's are something that will continue on next
year as there are many students who really enjoy it, and a lot can be
learned from them. Thank you, thank you, thank you."
"I am sad to say that I just finished the last digital literacy challenge
that I will ever get to do at Pentucket. Fourteen DLC's later- I can't
believe the time has gone by so fast. I wanted to thank both of you for
posting the DLC's. I enjoyed each and everyone one of them.
My favorite was the online class. I laughed and learned a lot from it.
The Wordle was neat too. I am definitely going to miss the DLC's next
year when I am in Florida, and of course both of you. Again, thank you
for putting in the efforts to these challenges. I learned a lot and will
hopefully get to use it in college.
“Actually, no teacher encouraged me to do this, I enjoy doing the
DLC's on my own.”

I thought the DLCs were fun this year=) I think it is something the
school should keep going, because it teaches kids about new
technology

“the prizes are cool.”

“I think that the DLCs are pretty good.”

“It was easy and not long. I did learn something.”

 The Digital Literacy Challenge

“I like the DLC, I've done one and it was neat.”

“The DLC helped me with my research paper.”

“DLC 7 helped me a lot. i have used easybib like four times already,
so thank you. ..the prizes are cool”

“DD gift cards are good.”

 The Digital Literacy Challenge

Plans for next year

Audiobook download onto MP3 player
www.shelfari.com
WizIQ session- online class
www.glogster.com –online posters
Awesome Highlighter-highlight important areas of any webpage
Picnik -free online image editing for digital projects
Google forms as a class poll
webspiration mind mapping ---for writing prep/essay/lab work/project
planning
google search guide & exercises.
Online quizzes using prof.com
Online and IPod App flashcards using Studyhive.com
Databases audio feature
Creating personal pathfinders for educational research
Record audio from youtube