digital literacy

Submitted by Cristy Moran on March 3rd, 2016
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Short Description: 

This is a short, engaging activity suitable for learners of all levels. In it, students evaluate web sources that are provided by an instructor using the acronym CRAAP (currency, relevance, accuracy, authority, and purpose). Students work together in groups and explore evaluation processes aloud, with guidance from the CRAAP cards and the instructor. This is an adaptation of various evaluating sources activities available in LIS literature and professional resources. This activity is ideally implemented as a kind of collaborative game moderated by the instructor. It is highly adaptable. o Students are grouped into 5 groups - one for each criterion of CRAAP. Each group will receive a CRAAP card or 3x5 index card with evaluation questions pertaining to Currency, Relevance, Accuracy, Authority, and Purpose – different for each table. o A source will be shared with the class on the projector. These sources will include scholarly articles, websites (blogs and orgs), and reference entries. It is essential that the instructor select sources that are relevant to their students (either by course, subject, or level) and that would be likely results on a student Internet search for a research topic/ question. o Each group will evaluate the source aloud on the single criterion they’ve been assigned. If it “passes,” then the source gets asked the next question. If it “fails,” the source is dismissed. o This activity can be repeated with various websites or web sources.

AttachmentSize
CRAAP Cards 2 sideddisplayed 948 times3.97 MB
Learning Outcomes: 

o Students will examine sources for currency, relevance, accuracy, authority, and purpose. o Students will explain how different elements of a source (author, date, scope, slant, reading level, etc.) effect how the source meets or doesn’t meet their information gathering needs.

Individual or Group:

Course Context (e.g. how it was implemented or integrated): 

This is implemented in one-shot library instruction sessions at a state college. It has also been implemented as a way to model the activity in professional faculty workshops.

Additional Instructor Resources (e.g. in-class activities, worksheets, scaffolding applications, supplemental modules, further readings, etc.): 

CRAAP Cards print 2 sided for criterion (ex: Currency) on one side and questions (ex: What date...?) on back.

Potential Pitfalls and Teaching Tips: 

This activity is engaging, student-centered, and metacognitive. It is recommended that instructors curate a list of acceptable or recommended Internet resources for their various subject areas and use those among not recommended web sources for this exercise.

Suggested Citation: 
Moran, Cristy. "Evaluating the Interwebz with Designated Skeptics." CORA (Community of Online Research Assignments), 2016. https://projectcora.org/assignment/evaluating-interwebz-designated-skeptics.
Submitted by Lani Smith on February 17th, 2016
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Short Description: 

Students create an entry in the Fremont Wiki - http://localwiki.net/fremont. Students incorporate information literacy concepts, have hands-on experience conducting research, and create actual content on the Internet [while also learning how easy it is for anyone to change that content]. It could also be a great chance to get students into local museums and archives.

Attachments: 
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create a fremont wiki entry.docdisplayed 994 times537.5 KB
Learning Outcomes: 

coming soon

Course Context (e.g. how it was implemented or integrated): 

This would be greatly strengthened taught in a learning community. Could work well with English, History, Journalism, LGBT History, and more.

Additional Instructor Resources (e.g. in-class activities, worksheets, scaffolding applications, supplemental modules, further readings, etc.): 

If there isn't one in your town, a LocalWiki is easy to set up. You can also contact the folks who run it who graciously supply their wonderful support. https://localwiki.org One of the exciting things this does is to get some of this history out of the archives into to a wider audience. See Oakland Wiki http://oaklandwiki.org/ for an incredibly dynamic example.

Suggested Citation: 
Smith, Lani. "Create an entry in a LocalWiki." CORA (Community of Online Research Assignments), 2016. https://projectcora.org/assignment/create-entry-localwiki.
Submitted by Dean Scheibel on June 10th, 2015
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Short Description: 

Students are asked to reflect on their experience writing a required “literature review” for the course through a first-person “comic.” The visual narrative format allows students to come to terms with their own experience of what was hard, easy, or confusing about the literature review process and express it in a creative way.

Attachments: 
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assignmentCMST 204 COMIX CRITERIA.docxdisplayed 818 times23.34 KB
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Activitiesdisplayed 685 times21.91 KB
Tipsdisplayed 639 times23.8 KB
Learning Outcomes: 

To reflect on the process of writing and executing a thorough Review of the Literature on a topic within the field of Communication Studies

Individual or Group:

Assessment or Criteria for Success
(e.g. rubric, guidelines, exemplary sample paper, etc.): 
AttachmentSize
CMST 204 RUBRIC FOR COMIC REFLECTION.docxdisplayed 731 times22.18 KB
Suggested Citation: 
Scheibel, Dean. "Using Comics to Reflect on Academic Work." CORA (Community of Online Research Assignments), 2015. https://projectcora.org/assignment/using-comics-reflect-academic-work.

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