Julie Coiro & Jill Castek: Framing Keynote to the Summer Institute in Digital Literacy 2017 at the University of Rhode Island

1. Welcome to the Summer
Institute in Digital Literacy
“Education is not the filling of a bucket…but the
lighting of a fire.” ~ W.B. Yeats

2. What is digital literacy?

3. We define digitalliteracyas having the
skills,strategies,and dispositions to use
the Internet productively to:
• Generate useful questions to solve problems
• Locate information
• Critically evaluate information
• Synthesize information
• Communicate answers/solutions
Leu, Kinzer, Coiro, Castek & Henry (2013). New literacies: A dual-level theory of
the changing nature of literacy, instruction, and assessment. Theoretical Models
and Processes of Reading, Sixth Edition.

4. Others define digital literacy in
different ways
Doug Belshaw
Michael Eisenberg
Delia Neuman
Mia MacMeekin
Chris Lehmann
Civic-minded citizens able to… generate
their own questions; listen in order to
understand; actively co-create their
learning community; critically analyze and
reflect on their practices
Dan Gillmor

5. Personal Digital Inquiry for Digital
Media Literacy (PDI-DML)
Digital media literacy
competencies
(Renee Hobbs)
are advanced through
regular and
intentionally designed
opportunities for
inquiry-based
learning
(Julie Coiro)

6. Often, these varied definitions
reflect our varied roles in teaching
and learning
Technology
Specialists
Librarians and
Library Media
Specialists
Community
Media Makers
Researchers &
College Professors
Classroom
Teachers

7. But…we have much in common (in
addition to special areas of
expertise)!
Classroom
Teachers
Community
Media Makers
Librarians and
Library Media
Specialists
Researchers &
College
Professors
Technology
Specialists

8. Turn and Talk (5 minutes)
• Introduce yourself and identify your role/work context
• What does digital literacy mean to you?
• Identify a similarity and a difference compared to your
partner’s definition.
Is there enough in common to support each other in
designing productive learning experiences?
How might you capitalize on your individual areas of expertise?

9. The Only Tools You Really Need
Passion, Curiosity and Other People --
Building relationships …. Everyone learns from everyone

10. PersonalDigital
Inquiry:Connecting
LearnersinWays
ThatMatter
Julie Coiro, Ph.D.
School of Education
University of Rhode Island
jcoiro@uri.edu
uri.academia.edu/JulieCoiro/Papers
Jill Castek, Ph.D.
College of Education
University of Arizona
jcastek@email.arizona.edu
https://www.coe.arizona.edu/jill-m-castek
Monday Keynote (on wiki)

11. Personal vs. Personalized:
What’s the differencewhenit comesto
movingtowardstudentdirectedlearning?
• “Personalized” is about a top-down designed or
tailored approach to learning; customized for the
student, but still controlled by the teacher (serve up
learning based on a formula of what a child needs)
• “Personal” is something human where the learner
initiates and controls parts or all of the learning
process; often emerges from engagement with
others about one’s personal wonderings and
building relationships in the process.
True personal learning:
It’s all about curiosity & relationships!

12. Where (and how) does
STUDENT-DRIVEN INQUIRY
fit into digital literacy?
• Quick context setting: Engaging Today’s Learners
• What is important to consider when designing
opportunities for personal (student-driven) inquiry?
• What role does the teacher play in the inquiry process?
• How can we choose technologies that can deepen
learning meaningful ways as part of the inquiry process?
• What does Personal Digital Inquiry look like in
classrooms across different grade levels?
• It sits at the core of everything!

13. The Challenge:Connecting Learnersin Ways
That Matter
“We need to move beyond an
industrial model of universal school
toward new era focused on lifelong
learning and individual choice – or we
will lose our learners emotionally &
physically.”
~ Allan Collins & Richard Halverson (2009)

14. Gallup Poll (2012) - 500,000 US students, Gr. 5-12
Center for Education
Policy (2012)
TheChallenge:ConnectingLearnersinWaysThatMatter

15. Gallup Poll (2015) – 929,000 US students, Gr. 5-12
Percentage who strongly agreed with the statement: “The adults at my
school care about me, “ declined from 67% (Grade 5) to 23% (Grade 11)…
Many students don’t feel individually known or cared for at school.
THIS is the PERSONAL we need to focus on!

16. The Challenge:Connecting Learnersin Ways
That Matter
Sense of Belonging – Do I fit in? Am I relevant? Do people care about me?
OECD PISA 2015 Students’ Well Being (April 2017)

17. • If we engage learners with rigorous academic content
and expect them to know why, when, and how to apply
knowledge to answer questions & solve problems
(National Research Council, 2012)
• We can “lessen the achievement gap in ways that lead to
positive adult outcomes for more young people”
• High school students engaged in deep, relevant, and
personal (student-driven) learning opportunities:
• Demonstrated higher levels of interpersonal and
intrapersonal skills (American Institutes for Research, 2014)
• Achieved better outcomes in every aspect of life, including
academic, career, civic, and health (Center for Public Education,
2009)
Optimistic Findings

18. Sohowcanweusetechnology(and
goodteaching)todesignpersonal,student
directedspacesforlearning?
Coiro,Castek,&Quinn(2016)TheReadingTeacher
Coiro,Dobler,&Pelekis(2018) PlanningTowardPersonalDigitalInquiry
This applies to how we design the Institute experience in ways
that model and engage you in the same practices
we hope you will apply to your own projects & teaching.

19. Choosing technology: What’s the
coolest new tool you’ve seen?
Hey, that’s
cool!
1.
How could I
use that?2.
Hmmm…how
might this
connect with
what I teach?
3.

20. Choosing technology: What’s the
coolest new tool you’ve seen?
Hey, that’s
cool!
1.
How could I
use that?2.
Hmmm…how
might this
connect with
what I teach?
3.Turn and talk
some more…

21. Are we asking the right questions?
Hey, that’s
cool!
1.
How could
I use that?2.
Hmmm…how
might this
connect with
what I teach?
3.
But how? Which
parts and why?
For whom? In
which contexts?
How will your learners
actively engage with
this tool? To what end?
What will your
learners know,
understand,
and be able to do
before/during/after
using this tool?
How does this
connect with the
real world?

22. Afterexploringdigitaltexts & tools, whatifwe
refocusandflipthe sequenceof our planning
questionsfor teachingwith technology?
1 2 3
What will my
students know,
understand, and
be able to do?
How will my students
be actively engaged
and to what end?
Which digital tool(s)
would work best
and in what ways?
1. Set learning
outcomes
2. Create authentic
opportunities for
students to be
actively engaged
3. Then…make
purposeful
choices about
technology (or no
technology)
1. Hey that tool
is cool!
2. How could I use
that?
3. (maybe) How
might this connect
with what I teach?
RATHER
THAN…

23. A critical piece is classroom
culture…
A classroom culture that values
curiosity and honors student voices
while encouraging choice,
collaboration, problem solving,
risk taking, and reflection.
Buildingacultureofinquiryiskey!
(BEFOREtechnologycanplay aneffectiverole
inteachingandlearning)

24. What do we mean by culture?
Precise
Adapted from Ritchhart, 2015

25. 1. Set learning
outcomes
2. Create authentic
opportunities for
students to be actively
engaged
3. Then…make purposeful
choices about technology
(or no technology)
trust and respect

26. Learning is social
and part of a mutually
constructive process
that involves face-to-
face talking, listening,
and consensus building.
Whatmight acultureofinquirylookandfeellikein
a digitalage?(Foursetsofcorevalues/practices)
Generating questions
and lived experiences
with real issues is
personally fulfilling;
Inquiry can happen
on several levels.
Creative learners make
personal connections
and take action to build
awareness and/or foster
change. “I belong and I can
make a difference”
True inquiry involves
critical analysis, reflection
& self-monitoring,
which leads to
more questions.

27. Wonder & Discover

28. Wonder & Discover
Gr. 1: What
is that ant
going to do
next? Gr. 4: What
makes our
school
great?
Gr. 12: How
can I make a
difference?

29. VariedLevels of [Digital]Inquiry
• Modeled inquiry: Students observe models of how
the leader asks questions and makes decisions.
• Structured Inquiry: Students make choices which
are dependent upon guidelines and structure given
by the leader (may vary).
• Guided Inquiry: Students make choices during
inquiry that lead to deeper understanding guided
by some structure given by the leader.
• Open Inquiry: Students make all of the decisions.
There is little to no guidance.
Alberta Inquiry Model of Inquiry Based Learning (2004)

30. Four places to start to let go

31. Four places to start to let go

32. Four places to start to let go

33. Four places to start to let go

34. Social Practices: Request & give information; jointly
acknowledge, evaluate, & build on partner’s contributions
Cognitive Strategies:
Read, question, monitor, repair, infer, connect, clarify, and interpret
Collaborate & Discuss

35. ReneeHobbs(2013)
The Life Of A
Homeless Person
(after a photo walk
Discovery)
Discussion…
Research….
Composition…
Revision…
10 page
Comic book
Create&
Take Action

36. Learning Task: Gr. 9
Research a
global issue;
Engage in advocacy
on a local level
Blue Pride:
Collected 500
signatures to ban
plastic bags and
use reusable
shopping bags
Next Steps:
Class has ended but
on to legislators…
I belong to this community and
I can make a difference!
Create&
Take Action

37. What’s important to you? (Fostering student agency,
sense of belonging & personal voice)
Create& Take Action

38. Analyze & Reflect
Before…during...after inquiry experiences

39. Analyze & Reflect
Building conceptual understanding

40. Analyze & Reflect
CITELIGHTER:
Close reading and viewing to actively build knowledge

41. What decisions informed your design of your Wonder Project?
Analyze & Reflect

42. ReflectionasassessmentANDpeerteaching asaform
ofcreating&takingaction(increasingawareness)
Analyze & Reflect

43. Reflectioncanincludepeopletoo!
Analyze & Reflect

44. In reality – these four core elements are
iterative, dynamic, & interdependent practices
that vary with each situation & context

45. 1. Set learning
outcomes
2. Create authentic
opportunities for
students to be
actively engaged
WONDER &
DISCOVER
COLLABORATE
& DISCUSS
CREATE &
TAKE ACTION
ANALYZE
& REFLECT
Withinthecultureofthesefoursetsofinquirypractices,
3. Then…make
purposeful
choices about
technology (or no
technology)

46. Knowledge-Based Learning Outcomes
How will studentsuse their knowledge?
Access
Knowledge
Build
Knowledge
Express
Knowledge
Reflect On
Knowledge
Act On
Knowledge
Learners
passively receive
[digital]
information
given or
modeled by
others
Learners [use
technology
to] connect
new
information
to prior
knowledge
Learners [use
technology
to] share
their new
knowledge
with others
Learners [use
technology
to] reflect on
and evaluate
their inquiry
processes and
products
Learners [use
technology to]
translate their
knowledge
into action for
real-world
purpose
Lower Order
Thinking
Higher Order
Thinking
Purposeful Technology Use
Howcantechnologysupportorenhancelearning?

47. VariedPurposesfor Using Technologyto
Support DigitalInquiry
Access
Knowledge
Build
Knowledge
Express
Knowledge
Reflect On
Knowledge
Act On
Knowledge
Teachers
point learners
to specific
websites (UN,
CNN) and
these have
additional
links with
resources
Learners locate
online sources &
use Google Docs
to create source
analysis
documents; Use
email,
Hangouts,
Twitter to
contact experts
in fields related
to their topic.
Learners use
Google Slides
Presentations to
pitch initial
findings; present
from websites,
infographics,
Twitter, and
YouTube in
Community
Showcase
Technology
not used in
this capacity
in this project.
Learners use
technology to
communicate
suggested
action steps to
stakeholders
and raise
awareness for
the causes.
Lower Order
Thinking
Higher Order
Thinking
Gr. 9 Global Advocacy Project

48.  DEPENDING ON THE CONTEXT & PURPOSE, choices in inquiry-based
learning can move from teachers using technology for giving
information and prompting deeper thinking toward students actively
using technology to make and reflect on new content

49. DesigningOpportunitiesforPersonalDigital
InquirywiththePDIPlanningGuide
Learning Outcomes Student-Centered Inquiry Practices
(modeled > prompted > guided > open)
Curricular: (subject-specific or
multidisciplinary)
Participatory: (join partners, start
conversations, raise awareness, take
action, change minds)
Standards:
Digital Competencies:
Wonder & Discover:
Collaborate & Discuss:
Create & Take Action:
Analyze & Reflect:
[Digital] Experiences to Deepen Learning & Increase Engagement
Acquire
Knowledge
Build
Knowledge
Express
Knowledge
Reflect On
Knowledge
Act On
Knowledge
1 2>
3
>

50. To help you visualize core elements of your inquiry project
before you create all of the details…
• What are the key learning and participatory outcomes?
• How do these align with standards and digital media literacy
competencies?
• How will your students actively engage in each of the four sets
of inquiry practices to accomplish these outcomes?
• What level(s) of support will you provide during their inquiry?
(model > structure > guide > open)
• Which digital texts and tools might work best to support
learners and increase their personal engagement?
• What questions remain to guide the next steps of your own
inquiry during the week?
PersonalDigitalInquiry Planning Guide

51. In Summary
• The Personal Digital Inquiry (PDI) Framework for Digital
Media Literacy and Planning Guide can serve as a springboard
to inspire ideas for engaging learners in the full range of
digital inquiry practices while intentionally planning for how
students use technology to acquire, build, express, reflect on, and
act on the knowledge gained during their inquiry.
PDI Framework for DML
PDI Planning Guide

52. Possibilities: Using Inquiry and Technology
to Enhance Wondering, Discussion,
Creation & Reflection in Kindergarten

53. Three minute stretch & gab…

54. Karen’s Think-Aloud
Grade 1: Garden Inquiry
Jen’s Think-Aloud
MS Library Unit
I DO
WE DO
YOU DO
A successful past
project from your
experience
Digging Deeper…

55. Karen Pelekis
Garden Inquiry Project
Grade 1
Scarsdale, NY

63. VariedPurposesfor Using Technologyto
Support DigitalInquiry
Access
Knowledge
Build Knowledge Express
Knowledge
Reflect On
Knowledge
Act On
Knowledge
Teachers
shows online
resources &
videos to
build
background;
teachers and
students take
photos in
garden to
use in writing
Students use Pebble
Go for research to
build knowledge &
vocab; Research
about how to stop
insects from eating
garden plants;
students use online
resources and decide
what info. to include
in posters
Student pairs
create poster
on selected
plant topic
using creativity
software
(Pixie)
Collaborative
pairs evaluate
content on
digital posters
(accuracy,
detail, layout,
clarity) and
make changes
as needed
Students
share digital
posters with
buddy
classes (K
and Gr. 5) to
teach others
and answers
questions
about plant
topics
Lower Order
Thinking
Higher Order
Thinking
Gr. 1 Garden Inquiry Project

64. STRUCTURED INQUIRY GRADE 1: THE PLANT CYCLE

70. Reflectonasuccessfulprojectyou havedesigned(or
wouldliketodesign)involving inquiryand/ortechnology.
Discusswithapartnerandreflecton.…What’spresent
andwhat’sabsent?HowmightitbetteralignwithPDI?

71. Yourtaskthis week: Whatmight acultureofpersonal
digitalinquirylooklikeinYOURworkcontext?

72. PersonalDigital
Inquiry:Connecting
LearnersinWays
ThatMatter
Julie Coiro, Ph.D.
School of Education
University of Rhode Island
jcoiro@uri.edu
uri.academia.edu/JulieCoiro/Papers
Jill Castek, Ph.D.
College of Education
University of Arizona
jcastek@email.arizona.edu
https://www.coe.arizona.edu/jill-m-castek
Monday Keynote (on wiki)

73. 1
Digging Deeper: PDI Planning Worksheet
1. UNDERSTANDING YOUR IDENTITIES, MUTUAL INTERESTS, AND TYPES OF LEARNERS
3. ONE PERSONAL DIGITAL INQUIRY PLAN (developed over course of this week)
4. TWO DIGITAL PRODUCTS CREATED (teaching artifact & learning artifact)
5. PROJECT ABSTRACT, FINAL SUMMARY, AND PROJECT REFLECTION
6. SHARE YOUR PLAN WITH OTHERS
2. INITIAL PDI PLANNING GUIDE (brainstorming)

74. To accessthePDI
worksheettemplate:
(onceyou have formed
your dyad)

75. See your handout

76. DesignStudio Process:Planningfor Personal
Digital Inquiry
Intentionally design opportunities
for inquiry-based learning
aligned to high-level
knowledge outcomes
Integrate ways of applying
digital media literacy
competencies for
authentic purposes
Visualize digital inquiry experiences
aligned with learning outcomes with
aim of deepening learning
and increasing learner engagement
(and sense of belonging)

77. Design Studio Products

78. Some examples
(see Monday Keynote on wiki to
explore more carefully)

80. GUIDED INQUIRY GRADE 4: THE HUMAN BODY
Reflecting on learning products

82. GUIDED INQUIRY GRADES 4-5 (RHYS DAUNIC)
Applying/reflecting on media literacy competencies

83. OPEN INQUIRY GRADE 12: Global Issue & Advocacy

84. OPEN INQUIRY GRADE 9: Global Issue & Advocacy
I belong to this community and I can make a difference!

85. Learning Task:
Research a
global issue;
Engage in advocacy
on a local level
Blue Pride:
Collected 500
signatures to ban
plastic bags and
use reusable
shopping bags
Next Steps:
Class has ended but
on to legislators…
OPEN INQUIRY GRADE 9: Global Issue & Advocacy
I belong to this community and I can make a difference!