Digital Literacy Debate, 1pm - 3pm Friday 27th March 2009
http://213.171.198.174/join_meeting.html?meetingId=1238086668315
This is a public meeting. There is no password - just enter your name & leave the password field blank.

Kick off is at 1pm GMT. Elluminate usually takes at least 5 minutes to get into - so do try and aim to get into the room 15-10 minutes early (you can always go make a cuppa once you're in).

We will be recording the session and making it freely available to everyone who couldn't make it (or found it so exciting they must listen again) afterward.
We may be taking the room chat transcript and making it available in whole or in part afterward. Messages sent between particular participants, ie not posted to the whole room, will not be reproduced.

13.00: Welcome & quick run over Elluminate functionality for people new to the platform
13.10: Introduction to and outline of the Digital Literacy Debate

13.15: Speaker 1: Martin Weller: Digital Literacy for Educators
Professor of Educational Technology at the Open University
Blog: edtechie.net
I want to consider what the digital skills or literacies might be educators and academics. I will look briefly at key skills and practice in publishing, research and networking, and some of the issues we need to consider.
A slidecast of my presentation and some thoughts after the session.
13.25: Questions/discussion - to be fed into hour two schedule

13.40: Speaker 2: Wesley Fryer - Moving at the Speed of Creativity
Co-Director, Celebrate Oklahoma Voices - Bio
I will provide a response to some of the pushback on digital literacy and 21st century skills, namely, the idea that nothing is new in education and critical thinking / higher order thinking have always been needed. I will address hyperlinked writing and digital citizenship as key elements of our learning landscape which HAVE changed and therefore necessitate a new focus on 21st century skills. I'll reference the Partnership for 21st Century Skills and the ISTE NETs.
13.50: Questions/discussion - to be fed into hour two schedule

14:05: Recap on definition discussion (from the room & the debate here)
Frances Bell suggests "Whilst digital literacy will take different meanings in different discourses and social practices, a general working definition can be the ability to use, understand, create and manage web-based and other digital technologies/resources." Andy Powell suggests digital literacy should enable people to "maximise the effectiveness of their use of digital technology".

1. What are the key components of digital literacy? On what broad areas should the digital literacy agenda focus? What are the constituent parts of a robust and meaningful digital literacy education?

14:20: Tabetha comments "Once people (teachers, students, policy makers) have a shared understanding of the basic concept of digital literacy, we can evolve definitions and discussions to incorporate greater understanding and complexity (when appropriate)."
1. How do we promote national discussion which feeds into and informs a shared recognition? Pages on key organisations and key sectors support this discussion.
2. What is the best way to support and promote more focused and complex engagement?

14.40: Next steps & actions

15:00 close