Digital Literacy and the Importance of Copyright

Good morning readers!

What is Digital Literacy and why is it Important?

Having digital literacy in todays society is very important. Digital Literacy is having the knowledge and ability to use a range of technology tools for varied purposes. We are using a variety technology in our everyday lives for example: phones, computers, tablets, smart boards and those are just a few of the many that are out there.

Picture from: www.canstockphoto.com

There are many advantages for being digitally literate from a young age; students will develop healthy habits and attitudes when using technology and prepares students to safely technology in the future. Digital literacy is very important for students because it promotes higher order thought skill, it also breaks down the wall of learning and information and prepares students for digital post k-12 world.

Digital literacy is used throughout the classroom, at least a lot more then when I was in elementary school, and even more-so in the upper grades. Some examples may include using Google a Day Challenges to develop advance research strategies. Another way teachers can use digital literacy in the classroom is showing videos in class about a related topic and having a class discussion about it. Students can also use the computers to create a blogging site as journal entries as a way of updating their family members and friends what they are learning in school. 

Outside of school, children are engaging with these media, not as technologies but as cultural forms. If educators wish to use these media in schools, they cannot afford to neglect these experiences. On the contrary, they need to provide students with means of understanding them.  Some examples of digital literacy at home may include: social media, email, texting, calling people on the phone, research for a paper, watching television, and playing video games to name few.

Picture from: www.socialmediaexaminer.com

What is copyright and why is it Important?

Copyright is a "form of protection in the U.S. Constitution and granted by law for original works of authorship fixed in a tangible medium of expression. Copyright covers both published and unpublished works," Essentially, if I'm going to uses someone else's intellectual thoughts or art, I would have to credit them for the work and not pawn it as my own original idea. 

Teaching students about copyright is very important to them as well as protect them from taking someone else's work as their own. Therefore as teachers we want to teach students that they need to credit the other persons thoughts, ideas, or art and that it is not their own thought. Teachers also need to teach students that they can not copy and paste as well as use their own thoughts and if they do, it can possibly lead to consequences. 

Sources: 

"Copyright Kids!" Copyright Kids!Web. 18 Feb. 2016 http://www.copyrightkids.org/cbasicsframes.htm

Crowley, Brianna. "What Digital Literacy Looks Like in a Classroom." Education Week Teacher. 29 Oct. 2014. Web. 18 Feb. 2016

Google Doc. https://docs.google.com/document/d/15AzZGptODaoynhX9Zagy2L7atoEMvDHKnz9JCkWTkbo/edit --Completed by: Brittany Ledek, Jessica Kravchak, Jessica Cachia, Jasmine Dietiker

Pennington, Molly, PhD. "Tips to Help Your Child Avoid Plagiarism." Noodle. 4 Dec. 2014. Web.     18 Feb. 2016 https://www.noodle.com/articles/tips-to-help-your-child-avoid-plagiarism

Learning: PBL/ IBL

Hello to my fellow readers!

Today I am going to be talking about two different types of learning; Project based learning and Inquiry Based Learning. I have just recently learned about these two learning styles and felt like it was important to share with you guys. 

 Project Based Learning is a teaching method in which students gain knowledge and skills by working for an extended period of time to investigate and respond to an engaging and complex question, problem, or challenge.  PBL is a great way to teach students because it is based on real world contexts, allowing students to work together in groups on a project, and present their findings to the class/ teacher. Not only is Project Based Learning interactive, it build success skills for college, their careers and life in general. It will help to teach students to work with technology and allows them insight to the real world and their communities. (http://bie.org/about/what_pbl)

Some examples of Project Based Learning is learning about a country and having them do research on that country. Students will then have the chance to take a "field trip" to the country they have selected, after they have learned about it and what it takes to travel there. In one of the video we watched student make passport, the teacher assigned two students to be a pilot and co- captain, and they "flew"/ watched a video about the country they had selected. (http://www.edutopia.org/kindergarten-project-based-learning-video)

After watching videos in my Technology class it is very different from what I personally experienced in the classroom. When using project based learning students have the opportunity to come up with their own plans and ideas. Whereas when I am in the classroom I typically see students in structured learning. Most of the time students are doing worksheet and not really using their own thoughts and ideas and the teacher was there to help and support them.

Moving on the the next type of learning, Inquiry Based Learning. This type of learning uses involvement in learning to help student possess skills and attitudes that permit you seek resolutions to questions and issues while you construct new knowledge. Inquiry Based learning has a lot of advantages when it comes time to using it in the classroom. Students are involved in complex projects where they prepare for engagement as well as collaborate with others. This will help them for future schooling, their workplace, and in general. Engaging students in this type of learning allows students to apply classroom- gathered knowledge to real-world problems. Students will also develop habits that will last a lifetime and will also enable creative thinking and working well with others.   

A good way of understanding what a Inquiry Based Learning concept is through an example. After watching a video of this I was better able to understand. In the video students were presented with a question by the teacher: Would you advise someone visiting from out of town to go tubing in Boulde Creek (based on water quality)?  Based on this question students were able to get samples form the creek and perform research on the question and come up with an answer.

Comparing what I learned today to what I see in the classroom in my practicums Inquiry Based Learning is different then what I am use to seeing in the everyday classroom. This type of learning is based off of skill whereas in a classroom setting they are more focused more on learning the content. It is rare to see a teacher just give students a question and have them come up with research to back up their findings. 

Sources: 

Crombie, Scottie. "What Is Inquiry-Based Learning?" YouTube. YouTube, 26 May 2014. Web. 04 Feb. 2016.

"Five-Year-Olds Pilot Their Own Project-Based Learning." Edutopia. N.p., 09 May 2007. Web. 04 Feb. 2016. 

"Inquiry-Based Learning in the Science Classroom." YouTube. YouTube, 15 Aug. 2015. Web. 04 Feb. 2016.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1FrtW_V33TcUbe6wKtUnbYy2L379PJcMCESaScBMp-f0/edit (completed by Brittany Ledek, Jessica Kravchak, and Jessica Cachia)

About Me

Good Afternoon! My name is Brittany Ledek and am currently a Junior at East Carolina University. I am studying Elementary Education with a concentration in reading, and am loving every minute of it! 


I am originally from New York, but moved to North Carolina about 10 years ago. I have 2 sisters; Alicia (older) and Stephanie (younger) as well as my parents Patricia and Michael. A little over a year ago I adopted a kitten named Sophie, she can sometimes be a pain, other then that I love her so much!













In my free time I love hanging out with friends and family. I also have a newfound appreciation of working out and doing fitness classes up at the rec. center on ECU's campus. When I have spare time I like reading mostly sappy love stories by Nicholas Sparks. One of my favorites is The Last Song. I also enjoy spending time at the beach, and watching some good old Pirate football!

From a young age I've always enjoyed working with kids. I started off babysitting when I was about 14. When I got to high school I was able to apply to get into a course that let me go to an elementary school and work with the teachers and students. There I was able to work with a kindergarten, and first grade class. I wasn't in the first grade classroom long before the teacher I was with assigned me to work 1 on 1 with a student; that was having trouble writing the letters of the alphabet. After a few weeks of working with her I saw a great improvement. One day that I was working with her and the little girl remembered how to write the letters. She looked up at me, hugged me and thanked me for my help. From that moment on I knew I wanted to become a teacher. Little moments like that and making an impact on a child's life is what I strive to do. 

I hope you enjoyed reading this! Stay tuned for a new post coming soon!