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Hello and welcome to Digital Literacies II. I'm Emil Ahangarzadeh, Coordinator of Integrated
Technology Services at the San Diego County Office of Education and I will be your course
facilitator. This course is developed as a continuation of the Digital Literacies I course.
Although completing the first course is not a prerequisite for being enrolled in this
one, learners are expected to have a thorough understanding of what it means to be digitally
literate as reviewed in depth throughout the Digital Literacies I professional learning course course.
In Digital Literacies I, we explored Web-based and other electronic tools, the grammar of
the Internet, what it means to be digital information fluent, advanced online search
literacy tactics, how to use electronic devices more efficiently, and frameworks for digital
education literacy. This course is more about applying the skills
and literacies reviewed in the first course. As such, we will look at the use of Creative
Commons licensing, the use of Web 2.0 tools, and ways to apply Google's productivity
suite. We'll also look at using mobile technologies for teaching and learning, techniques for
developing non-linear presentations, and methods for using Quick Response codes in teaching
and learning. You'll also learn how to develop and publish a website on the Internet.
Additionally, though we tend to think of digital literacy as something done with a computer,
this course will expand that perception as we look at the use of digital cameras and
audio workstations for producing recordings and podcasts.
Although we expect this course to require some 30 contact hours, we determine that,
unlike Digital Literacies I which lasts six weeks, this course will span a 7-week period.
This will give you, working professionals, a bit more time to complete your final writing
project. Yes, there is a final writing project attached to this course.
You are required to submit a 750-1250 word composition about how you can support the
digital literacies of students. Your composition should cite specific ways in which you can
guide your students as they hone their skills with the six verbs found in our definition
of digital literacy. As a quick reference, digital literacy is defined as ...using digital
technology communication tools and/or networks to access, manage, integrate, evaluate, create,
and communicate information in order to function in knowledge societies.
Another point of order for those of you who have completed Digital Literacies I is that
there is no discussion assignment during week 1. As you hopefully know by now, if you've
reviewed the course syllabus, each week, you will be engaging your fellow learners in virtual
discussions. Since this course is designed for the working professional, we respect the
fact that we can learn from one another as well. As such, we've worked in the weekly
discussion assignment. Yes, just like in Digital Literacies I, there are six discussion assignments.
But since this is a seven week course, we are skipping the first week when it comes
to assigned discussions. However, you can always engage one another through the general
discussion forum. Also, there are no practice quizzes in this
course. Now you still need a minimal score of 90% to receive credit for the course work
but how you get there is slightly different then Digital Literacies I. In the first course,
the weighting was as follows: Assignments were worth 75% of your total grade,
practice quizzes were worth 5% of your total grade and exams were worth 20% of your total
grade. In Digital Literacies II, the weighting works
like this: Assignments are worth 60% of your total grade,
exams are worth 25% of your total grade, and your final writing project makes up 15% of
your total grade. Lastly, just like in all asynchronous online
professional learning courses provided through San Diego County Office of Education and especially
since this course is a bit more technically involved, we will continue to hold weekly
office hours for you on Fridays between 3pm and 5pm. Sign up forms are found on the front
page of each week's course work. You will need to have a Google+ account so if you didn't
start one up in the last course, go to plus.google.com and get one going. Weekly office hours will
be held via Google+ Hangout`s. We're delighted that you've decided to
explore and deepen your digital literacies by taking this course. Here is my contact
information. As always, you can contact met anytime via phone, email, or Twitter. Thanks!