Tools and Resources relating to: Digital Literacy/Fluency

  • DLFteach Toolkit (Volume 2): Lesson Plans on Immersive Technology - The DLF Digital Library Pedagogy group (aka #DLFteach) is a grassroots community of practice within the Digital Library Federation that empowers digital library practitioners to see themselves as teachers and equip them to engage learners in how digital library technologies shape knowledge infrastructures. This resource is a great guide for educators working with Extended Reality technologies.   DLFteach Toolkit Website
  • TechBoomers - Explore the basics when it comes to navigating the internet. Access over 100 free website and app courses along with thousands of useful articles with the Tips and Tricks you need to take your tech skills to the next level.   TechBoomers
  • CommonSense - Common Sense is a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of all kids and families by providing the trustworthy information, education, and independent voice they need to thrive in the 21st century. Common Sense is an independent voice for kids, families, and communities everywhere, combining original research with game-changing advocacy efforts to make the digital world work better for all kids. Their advocacy work highlights legislation related to technology and identifies solutions that protect consumer privacy, push for better connectivity for students and families, and hold tech companies accountable to ensure a healthy internet for all. Common Sense Media rates movies, TV shows, podcasts, books, and more so families can feel good about the entertainment choices they make for their kids. We offer the largest, most trusted library of independent age-based ratings and reviews. Timely parenting advice supports families as they navigate ...
  • Digital Skills Library - This Digital Skills Library is a collection of resources, tutorials, lessons, etc. which has been built by educators through EdTech Maker Space events focused on content curation of digital skills activities. Through hundreds of hours of service, volunteer contributors have helped to compile nearly 2,000 learning activities that support digital skills development.   Digital Skills Library
  • ACRL Visual Literacy Competency Standards for Higher Education - Visual literacy is a set of abilities that enables an individual to effectively find, interpret, evaluate, use, and create images and visual media. Visual literacy skills equip a learner to understand and analyze the contextual, cultural, ethical, aesthetic, intellectual, and technical components involved in the production and use of visual materials. A visually literate individual is both a critical consumer of visual media and a competent contributor to a body of shared knowledge and culture. The Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) through the ACRL Visual Literacy Standards Task Force (VLTF) created a recent revision of the ACRL Visual Literacy Competency Standards for Higher Education.   ACRL Visual Literacy Competency Standards for Higher Education ---- Companion Document to the ACRL Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education: Visual Literacy The ACRL Visual Literacy Task Force Zotero library shares additional supporting documents and resources.
  • DigitalLearn.org - DigitalLearn.org contains a collection of digital skills tutorials on topics such as how to use a search engine, how to get started on a computer, an introduction to email, online safety, video conferencing, Microsoft Word and Excel, and others. These courses are created by the Public Library Association and are available completely free to everyone! The courses are broken down well and information is presented clearly and at a pace appropriate for digital novices. The topics are taught through storytelling using real-world, practical scenarios. There are also interactive practice activities to reinforce learning. Most courses are either new, or newly updated.   DigitalLearn.org
  • Link Lock - Link Lock is a tool for adding a password to a link; in other words, for encrypting and decrypting URLs. When a user visits an encrypted URL, they will be prompted for a password. If the password is correct, Link Lock sends them to the hidden website. Otherwise, an error is displayed. Users can also add hints to remind them of the password.   Link Lock
  • Spot-the-Troll Quiz - The Spot-The-Troll quiz is an educational tool created by Clemson University Media Forensics Hub to help the public learn to spot the markers of inauthenticity in social media accounts. Can you spot a troll?   Spot-the-Troll Quiz
  • BCcampus - Search for quality Open Educational Resources (OER), including open textbooks, offered in a variety of digital formats; the first step in adopting open educational resources. Search by subject and download them to your computer. BCcampus
  • WordTalk - WordTalk is a free text-to-speech plugin for Microsoft Word. It serves as a text reader and creates a spoken version of the document which it reads back to you while highlighting the words. Create an audio file of text (as it appears in a document) to speech (wav or mp3) using a simple WordTalk feature.  A "best free text-to-speech software of 2021." Features Speaks entire document, paragraph, or word Highlights the text (word, paragraph, or document) as it is read Talking dictionary Adjust the word highlight colors Change the voice and the speed Convert text to speech (.wav or .mp3) WordTalk is available only in Microsoft Windows.   WordTalk   Keywords: Microsoft, Word, Text to Audio
  • IT Security Basics Course – Indiana University - Everyone should have a clear understanding of IT security basic skills, in today's world where our digital lives and connections are increasing constantly. Enroll in the IT Security Basics online course to learn 10 simple and effective skills, habits, and tools to stay safe online. This short, user-friendly course also includes an opportunity to earn an achievement certificate by passing the course's Final Exam.   IT Security Basics Course - Indiana University
  • Copyright and Fair Use | Stanford Libraries - The Copyright and Fair Use Overview section is derived using content from NOLO, with much of it taken from the book Getting Permission (October 2016) by Richard Stim. It is a very comprehensive guide to copyright. This page shares useful information including info about Measuring Fair Use: The Four Factors.   Copyright and Fair Use | Stanford Libraries
  • Checkology | The News Literacy Project - Checkology® Virtual Classroom can help educators, students, and anyone learn how to tell the difference between fact and fiction. Checkology | The News Literacy Project
  • Critical Media Literacy Library Guide – UCLA Libraries - This guide has many free resources to help learn skills to become a critical media literacy consumer and is created and maintained by the  University of California Libraries. Critical Media Literacy Library Guide - UCLA Libraries  
  • UB Libraries’ Authority Research Guide - This Research Guide will help you better understand authority in the context of research and information and provide you with methods of evaluating an information source to determine its authority. Authority, generally, represents the right to give orders, make decisions or have control over something. In information, a source that is authoritative contains credible, reliable evidence and conclusions typically from some sort of expert in that area. In truth, it is a rather complex aspect of information to assess. UB Libraries' Authority Research Guide
  • UB Libraries’ Applied Digital Literacy Coursera MOOC Specialization - This Coursera MOOC Specialization is intended for anyone seeking to develop online, internet researching skills along with advanced knowledge of multimedia for the creation of digital objects such as presentations, infographics, posters, commercials, podcasts, and movies. Through these three courses, learners will cover how to identify their information need, understand which tools to use when fulfilling that need, employ advanced search techniques and tools in various type of information platforms (databases, websites, government repositories, and libraries to name a few), and how to organize the information they find using open data management tools like Endnote and Zotero. In addition, learners explore not only finding and ethically using multimedia but also how to create visually compelling digital artifacts for their personal and professional use. All of these skills will prepare them to conduct effective research (business, academic, and personal) and present ...
  • 10 Advanced Web Search Techniques You Probably Never Knew About - Understanding how to perform sophisticated searches of online information will greatly increase your chances of finding what you want. While most popular search engines let you define your search criteria in very specific ways, not all function identically.   10 Advanced Web Search Techniques You Probably Never Knew About
  • Search Tips: Getting Started - Learn how to find and use library materials at UB and across SUNY. We now have a single, unified system that gives you the ability to search databases, UB library collections, and all SUNY campus library catalogs, all in one place, all at one time.   Search Tips: Getting Started  
  • Research Skills Tutorial - This is a self-paced, non-credit course that covers research skills, critical thinking, media and internet literacy, and understanding the complexities of the modern information environment (including libraries.)   Research Skills Tutorial   Keywords: Advanced Searching
  • Microsoft Digital Literacy Course - Learn how to effectively use devices, software, and the internet to collaborate with others and discover, use, and create information. The Microsoft Digital Literacy course is for anyone with basic reading skills who want to learn the fundamentals of using digital technologies. The course is at a reading level like that of most newspapers around the world. Learners who complete the course will understand basic computing concepts and skills. After completing each module, learners will receive a Digital Literacy Certificate of Completion that they can download and save. Microsoft Digital Literacy Course
  • Wikipedia List of Fact-checking Websites - In this age of misinformation, the internet and mass movement of data on the internet and plethora of data has made is more difficult to know what is true and what is not. People nowadays are looking for instant gratification and quick response and reaction. Fact-checking has become an extremely viable tool.   List of fact-checking websites
  • Typology of Free Web-based Learning Technologies - The 2020 Typology of Free Web-based Learning Technologies from the EDUCAUSE research library contains 226 free technologies arranged into 40 types and 15 clusters that educators can use to promote more productive and interactive learning. Brief descriptions, example tools and pedagogical uses are provided for each category. This Typology has been developed by Matt Bower and Jodie Torrington from the Department of Educational Studies at Macquarie University, Australia.   2020 Typology of Free Web-based Learning Technologies 
  • Hoax or Fact - Hoax or Fact is an attempt to spread knowledge and wisdom. To bring out the truths and facts behind all kinds of online rumors and hoax messages. The people, at Hoax or Fact, research, and analysis of various online issues in-depth, so as to put a check on all kinds of online spammers, thus preventing their unfair motives. They thrive to encourage healthy wisdom. Their main goal is to educate Internet users by exposing all kinds of scams, viruses, deceptions, misconceptions, misbeliefs, and unfair hoaxes and rumors. This way, they educate, alert, and save the internet users from unwanted dangers and frauds online. They also provide necessary safety measures and tips to avoid any kind of damage from these online hoax messages.   Hoax or Fact
  • Seeing Isn’t Believing: The Fact Checker’s guide to manipulated video - The Fact Checker's guide to manipulated video is a multimedia module created by Nadine Ajaka, Glenn Kessler, and Elyse Samuels.of the Washington Post. The guide explains the three most common types of manipulated video (missing content, deceptive editing, malicious transformation) and two sub-types of each type. Examples of each type are provided, and at the end of the guide is a form readers can use to tell the authors about videos they believe have been manipulated. Videos in the presentation play without sound, which is helpful for viewing the guide in public and for people with hearing impairments. It is unclear when the guide was first published, but at the time of viewing (April 2020) video examples seemed to be mainly from 2018-2019.  The manipulated videos were usually about political figures, or ideas politicians were trying to promote. The guide may be ...
  • Khan Academy - Khan Academy is an American non-profit educational organization created in 2008 by Salman Khan with the goal of creating a set of online tools that help educate students. The organization produces short lessons in the form of videos. Its website also includes supplementary practice exercises and materials for educators. All resources are available for free to users of the website and app. Teachers can post their relevant subject quiz to their customized students with the class creating feature enabled as in Google Classroom.    Khan Academy
  • Directory of Learning & Performance Tools – Centre for Learning & Performance Technologies - This searchable Directory has been compiled by Jane Hart. The directory contains over 1,000 entries categorised into 35 headings. This directory compliments the website that shares the Top Tools for Learning compiled from an annual survey sent out through the Centre.   Directory of Learning & Performance Tools – Centre for Learning & Performance Technologies
  • 7 Things You Should Know About Digital Literacies – EDUCAUSE Learning Initiative (ELI) - The concept of digital literacy encompasses a range of skills and knowledge necessary to evaluate, use, and create digital information in various forms. Digital literacies include data literacy, information literacy, visual literacy, media literacy, and metaliteracy, as well as related capacities for assessing social and ethical issues in our digital world. Administrators, faculty members, librarians, instructional designers, and others have a pivotal role to play in helping students understand how information is shaped and shared today across the digital landscape. The 7 Things You Should Know About... series from the EDUCAUSE Learning Initiative (ELI) provides concise information on emerging learning technologies. Each brief focuses on a single technology and describes what it is, where it is going, and why it matters to teaching and learning. Use these briefs for a no-jargon, quick overview of a topic and share them with time-pressed colleagues.   7 Things You Should Know About ...
  • Paywall: The Business of Scholarship - This full-length (1 hr.) documentary focuses on the need for open access to research and science, questions the rationale behind the $25.2 billion a year that flows into for-profit academic publishers, examines the 35-40% profit margin associated with the top academic publisher Elsevier and looks at how that profit margin is often greater than some of the most profitable tech companies like Apple, Facebook and Google. This film is free to view both in personal and public venues with a CC BY 4.0 Creative Commons license.   Paywall: The Business of Scholarship   Keywords: Creative Commons, Copyright, Open Educational Resource (OER)
  • Remix Project – improving media literacy across the curriculum - The goal of the Remix Project is to improve media literacy across the curriculum so that all students are better prepared for the media-rich world of the twenty-first century. The Remix Project is a collaborative effort of the Hesburgh Libraries and the Kaneb Center for Teaching and Learning from the University at Notre Dame. The Remix platform supports the creation of media as part of college coursework. Remix provides resources for students and faculty. The website provides step-by-step instructions for assignments, along with links to tutorials and other resources. The projects fall under four categories: Audio, Image, Video, and Data, with projects, such as infographic, scientific research posters, and public service announcements.   Remix project   Keywords: tutorials, lesson plans, audio, podcasts, video photos,
  • Digital Note Taking Strategies That Deepen Student Thinking - In a world of competition and exhilaration, success comes to those who are actively organized. A vital tool to aide students in today's digital era where as much of learning happens online as it does in an in-person classroom is a proper note taking strategy. KQED Inc. describes how digital note taking strategies can enhance students' thinking ability and thus, assist them to achieve success.     Digital Note Taking Strategies That Deepen Student Thinking     Keywords: organization, note taking, digital notes, efficiency  
  • Screenshot Tools, Tips, and Shortcuts: How to Capture Anything on Your Screen - Screenshots are a simple way to show what displays on your screen. Screengrabs can help you point out a bug, save a picture on Facebook to your camera roll, or demonstrate anything you see on your screen. All operating systems comes equipped with a screenshot tool. Use this guide to help you take screenshots.   Screenshot Tools, Tips, and Shortcuts: How to Capture Anything on Your Screen: The Best Screenshot Apps and Shortcuts   Keywords: screengrab, screenshot
  • SOL*R Repository - SOL*R is a repository service provided by BCcampus that allows educators to access free online learning resources. SOL*R includes learning resources from a wide variety of disciplines and subject areas. Resources range from open textbooks, individual learning activities, and tools, all the way to full programs.   SOL*R Repository
  • Open Culture - Open Culture brings together high-quality cultural & educational media for the worldwide lifelong learning community. Web 2.0 has given us great amounts of intelligent audio and video. It's all free. It's all enriching. But it's also scattered across the web, and not easy to find. Our whole mission is to centralize this content, curate it, and give you access to this high-quality content whenever and wherever you want it.   Open Culture 
  • Mason OER Metafinder - The Mason OER Metafinder searches seventeen targets in real-time, instantly returning the top several hundred or so relevant hits from each site. Searches include open textbooks, libraries, museums and organizations from around the world.   Mason OER Metafinder
  • Openly Available Sources Integrated Search (OASIS) - Openly Available Sources Integrated Search (OASIS) is a search tool for open educational resources (OER). OASIS currently searches open content from 52 different sources and contains 155,375 records. Use OASIS to discover quality, free open textbooks, courseware and more. OASIS was developed by the SUNY Geneseo Milne Library, in consultation with SUNY OER Services.   Openly Available Sources Integrated Search (OASIS)
  • Creative Commons - CreativeCommons.org is the official site for Creative Commons, which is an American non-profit organization devoted to expanding the range of creative works available for others to build upon legally and to share. The organization has released several copyright-licenses, known as Creative Commons licenses, free of charge to the public. Use the tools found on Creative Commons tools to share your work. Free, easy-to-use copyright licenses offer a simple, standardized way to give your permission to share and use your creative work. Adopt one of the various CC licenses to share your work according to the conditions of your choice. Creative Commons Licenses dictate whether a resource can be revised and remixed, as well as whether or not commercial entities can use it. The two most “open” licenses are CC By and CC BY– SA because they allow for revisions and remixes along ...
  • Nine Themes of Digital Citizenship - Mike Ribble identified Nine Themes of Digital Citizenship that comprise a digital citizen and he explains each on his website. The updated Digital Citizenship definition is "the continuously developing norms of appropriate, responsible, and empowered technology use."   Nine Themes of Digital Citizenship   Keywords: Digital literacy, Digital Fluency
  • Edulai for employability skills development - Edulai is an Educational Technology software that offers the possibility to university students and teachers to access freely available learning materials for improving 8 key employability skills such as critical thinking, communication, team-work, leadership, problem-solving, interculturalism, digital technology, and English language. Edulai makes use of artificial intelligence and has a dynamic library that suggests different content according to the level you have developed a specific skill. Edulai also allows you to add resources to your library space if you find some new useful material!   Edulai  
  • True Key By McAfee - True Key is the easier, safer way to unlock your digital world. It’s an application you can download on all your devices, to remove the hassle of passwords. Get started by logging in to the True Key app using unique factors such as your fingerprint or a device you own. From there, the app works quietly in the background to make your current passwords stronger, remembering them, and instantly logging you in – so you don’t have to. The True Key app offers customizable security so you can log in with one factor for fast access, or combine multiple factors together for added security – you decide. To log in to your favorite sites with True Key, click the site you want to access. True Key automatically fills in your login details to provide access.   True Key   Keyword: security
  • Four Moves & A Habit (infographic) - Michael Caulfield, Washington State University Vancouver, leads the American Association of State Colleges and Universities"s Digital Polarization Initiative ("DigiPo"). The work is framed by his "Four Moves & A Habit" strategy from his OER Web Literacy for Student Fact Checkers. Caulfield's work is important, and this infographic of Four Moves & A Habit, provide an exceptional resource for anyone who is trying to teach or practice digital literacy.   Four Moves & A Habit
  • Excelsior Online Writing Lab (OWL) - This open education resource (OER) is designed to assist with reading and writing at the college level. The Excelsior Online Writing Lab (OWL) provides multimedia support to students preparing for college-level writing, as well as students making the transition out of introductory-level writing courses. The Online Reading Comprehension Lab (ORC) is the, first of its kind, online reading resource, which offers an abundance of support materials designed to help students develop college-level reading skills. The OWL site is OER and CC licensed and hundreds of activities are available that can be directly embedded in your own blog or course site.   Excelsior Online Writing Lab (OWL)   This 60-minute webinar about the Excelsior Online Writing Lab (OWL) about Writing in the Disciplines was presented by Dr. Francesco (Frank) Crocco, Director of the Online Writing Lab at Excelsior College.   Keywords: writing, reading, OER  
  • NewsPrism - Newsprism offers links to a wide range of newspapers, commentary, and opinion sites.  The site arranges news and opinion content from Left/Liberal to Center to Right/Conservative enabling readers and researchers to explore differing perspectives, understand arguments from another perspective, and challenge their own ideas.   NewsPrism  
  • SurfSafe - Defend the internet. Bring the world to the Internet without false news. If you see something that is false, report it! Supercharge your browser to catch fake news! SurfSafe is protecting users from misleading, photoshopped, and fake news throughout the Internet. The extension marks the level of safety of an image or article on the corners. Never again will you be misled by photoshopped images scattered throughout the Internet. You can also decide which organizations to base the truth off of. Add the extension to Chrome for free!   SurfSafe
  • Learning for Justice (formerly Teaching Tolerance) - Learning for Justice (formerly Teaching Tolerance) provides free resources to educators—teachers, administrators, counselors and other practitioners—who work with children from kindergarten through high school. Educators use the materials to supplement the curriculum, to inform their practices, and to create civil and inclusive school communities where children are respected, valued and welcome participants. The program emphasizes social justice and anti-bias. The anti-bias approach encourages children and young people to challenge prejudice and learn how to be agents of change in their own lives. The Social Justice Standards show how anti-bias education works through the four domains of identity, diversity, justice and action.   Teaching Tolerance   Keywords: diversity, global citizenship,
  • 9 Ways to Be a Good Digital Citizen – using technology appropriately - This webpage from Digital Citizenship, developed by Mike Ribble, shares Nine Elements of Digital Citizenship. They fall into three categories, which are listed below.   Respect Your Self / Respect Others Etiquette Access Law Educate Your Self / Connect with Others Communicate Literacy Commerce Protect Your Self / Protect Others Rights & Responsibilities Safety (Security) Health and Welfare   9 Ways to Be a Good Digital Citizen   Keywords: digital literacy, digital fluency
  • Open Attribution Builder - Open Attribution Builder is a tool to help you build attributions for Open Educational Resources (OER) and other items you find that have Creative Commons licensing. Fill out a form and the app automatically generates an attribution for you. This website is created by the Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges.   Open Attribution Builder   Keywords: Digital Literacy, Open Educational Resources (OER) & Open Access
  • FutureLearn: Free Online Courses - FutureLearn is a Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) learning platform that includes a number of international partners, including non-university partners. They also push learning further with online Programs and Degrees. "Whether anyone wants to develop as a professional or discover a new hobby, there's an online course for that."  Future Learn provides a variety of courses from leading universities and cultural institutions from around the world. These are delivered one step at a time and are accessible on mobile, tablet, and desktop, so you can fit learning around your life. Future Learn tends to believe that learning should be an enjoyable, social experience, so their courses offer the opportunity to discuss what you’re learning with others as you go, helping you make fresh discoveries and form new ideas. It is a private company owned by The Open University with the benefit of over 40 years of experience in distance learning ...
  • Google – Search Better Tutorial at GCFGlobal - This site shares a number of Google search strategies and tips created by the Goodwill Community Foundation (GFC) Global to get you started on your quest to find new things to learn about. Learn the basics and advanced strategies for searching for info online. Get more out of your Google Search results with this helpful tutorial. Learn about the many hidden features of Google Search in this tutorial.   Google - Search Better Tutorial at GCFGlobal   Keywords: Digital Literacy, Lifelong Learning
  • 7 Things You Should Know About Open Education – EDUCAUSE Learning Initiative (ELI) - Open educational resources (OER) are teaching, learning, and research materials in any medium that reside in the public domain or that have been released under an open license that permits no-cost access, use, adaptation, and redistribution by others. The 7 Things You Should Know About... series from the EDUCAUSE Learning Initiative (ELI) provides concise information on emerging learning technologies. Each brief focuses on a single technology and describes what it is, where it is going, and why it matters to teaching and learning. The 7 Things You Should Know About... series from the EDUCAUSE Learning Initiative (ELI) provides concise information on emerging learning technologies. Each brief focuses on a single technology and describes what it is, where it is going, and why it matters to teaching and learning. Use these briefs for a no-jargon, quick overview of a topic and share them with time-pressed colleagues.   7 Things You Should Know About Open ...
  • Creative Commons – CC License Definitions, Search for Materials, & Share Your Work - The links below explain the various levels of permissions and Creative Commons licenses, enable searching for Creative Commons licensed materials, and provide information to those who wish to share their work using Creative Commons licenses.   Creative Commons Website   Creative Commons Licenses Search Creative Commons Materials Share Your Work using Creative Commons Licenses   Keywords: Copyright, Creative Commons, Digital Literacy, Lifelong Learning, Searching
  • Web2Access (Disabilities and Tests) - Web2Access is a resource that aims to help those making decisions about their use of freely available 'Web 2.0' interactive and collaborate e-learning tools. The website provides rankings based on its accessibility.   Web2Access   Web2Access (Disabilities and Tests) - tests the accessibility of Web 2.0 tools based on different disabilities. Using the results, they then rank the tools from most accessible to least accessible based on that specific disability being tested. Keywords: Accessibility, Websites    
  • Creative Commons USA - Creative Commons USA is a chapter of the CC Global Network. This site provides an array of resources that can be used to further your understanding or train others on Creative Commons such as what it is, how to use materials, implementing, etc.   Creative Commons USA   Keywords: Audio, Collaboration, Copyright, Creative Commons, Digital Footprint/Identity, Digital Literacy, Lifelong Learning, Open Educational Resources (OER) & Open Access, Photos & Images, Video
  • Web Literacy for Student Fact-Checkers - This electronic book helps readers learn how to fact-check claims made on the Internet on a variety of topics. Web Literacy for Student Fact-Checkers   The author, Michael Caulfield, also has a companion blog: Four moves   Keywords: Copyright, Creative Commons, Digital Literacy, Lifelong Learning, Media, Open Educational Resources (OER) & Open Access, Searching
  • The 10 Best Fact Checking Sites - This list of the top 10 sites helps students, or anyone, determine the bias and accuracy of information, which is published by International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE). This site introduces you to 10 fact-checking sites.   Top 10 sites to help students check their facts   Keywords: Digital Literacy, Lifelong Learning
  • ALA Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education - The Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education which has been published by the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL). The Framework is organized into six frames, each consisting of a concept central to information literacy, a set of knowledge practices, and a set of dispositions. The six concepts that anchor the frames are presented alphabetically: Authority Is Constructed and Contextual Information Creation as a Process Information Has Value Research as Inquiry Scholarship as Conversation Searching as Strategic Exploration ALA Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education   Keywords: Digital Footprint/Identity, Digital Literacy, Lifelong Learning
  • How can we learn to reject fake news in the digital world? - This article, published by Trudi Jacobson and Tom Mackey in the journal "The Publication," talks about what it means to be a metaliterate person in today's society that is filled with fake news. It also provides strategies to become a critical consumer of information.   How can we learn to reject fake news in the digital world Keywords: Digital Literacy, Lifelong Learning  
  • Public Records and Factual Research (Harvard Law School Library) - This website maintained by the Harvard Law School Library has numerous resources to find public records consisting of business, property, and personal records. Many of the resources are freely available and some provide more in-depth information for a fee.   Public Records and Factual Research (Harvard Law School Library)   Keywords: Digital Footprint/Identity
  • What the Internet is Doing to Our Brains - This video, produced by KarmaTube, discusses the hazards of surfing from page to page on the Internet without taking time to deeply consider what we are interacting with. It brings this point to our attention so that we instead take time to try to focus and contemplate on the information that we do come across.   What the Internet is Doing to Our Brains (4-min. video)  
  • TinEye Reverse Image Search - Tineye is a reverse image search engine. Upon uploading a saved image a user has, TinEye creates a "unique and compact digital signature or fingerprint" of the image and matches it with other indexed images. It is helpful in finding the original source of an image to provide proper attribution.   TinEye Reverse Image Search   How to Use TinEye   Keywords: media, photos, images, Creative Commons, copyright Review Accessibility/Security Info
  • LastPass - In this current world of multiple sign-ins, it's difficult to impossible to remember all our passwords. Password managers can be a big help. LastPass remembers all your passwords so you don't have to. Once it's been stored in LastPass, you'll always have it wherever you go. LastPass generates long, randomized passwords that are a barrier to hacking. It goes further to fill in forms and payment details for you once the information is safely stored. It also makes it possible to store digital records and share important information safely.   LastPass   How to use a password manager and why you really should - As the title says, discusses the why and how of keeping passwords safe. Provides links to several informative articles as well as two other password manaagers. (Note: I'm not sure why they don't mention KeyPass - another popular password manager.)   Keywords: ...
  • 7 Things You Should Know About Creative Commons – EDUCAUSE Learning Initiative (ELI) - This concise and well-organized document by Educause explains Creative Commons and its relationship to copyright. Creative Commons allows copyright owners to release some of those rights while retaining others, with the goal of increasing access to and sharing of intellectual property. It further discusses who's using it and how; and the implications for teaching and learning. The 7 Things You Should Know About... series from the EDUCAUSE Learning Initiative (ELI) provides concise information on emerging learning technologies. Each brief focuses on a single technology and describes what it is, where it is going, and why it matters to teaching and learning. Use these briefs for a no-jargon, quick overview of a topic and share them with time-pressed colleagues.   7 Things You Should Know About Creative Commons   What we do - What is Creative Commons? - Information about how Creative Commons works, its programs, platforms, and ...
  • Google Search Advanced Feature - Google can be helpful in finding reusable resources. It explains how to use their advanced search features and explains various types of usage rights.   Google Search Advanced Feature   Google Guide making searching even easier - More information about how to use this tool - with examples.   Keywords: Audio, Copyright, Creative Commons, Digital Footprint/Identity, Digital Literacy, Media, Music, Open Educational Resources (OER) & Open Access, Photos & Images Searching
  • Lifelong Learning and Technology Article - This article looks at the interest in lifelong learning among adults. It reports on a Pew Research Center survey on the topic showing considerable interest amount the American public. The Internet is instrumental in meeting this interest, but the use of it varies inversely with levels of education and income.   Lifelong Learning and Technology   Lifelong Learning and Technology by John Horrigan - A podcast on the topic by John Horrigan, a senior researcher at the Pew Research Center who just released the report.   Keywords: Digital Footprint/Identity, Digital Literacy, Lifelong Learning
  • TED Talks: lifelong learning playlist - TED is a nonprofit devoted to spreading ideas, usually in the form of short, powerful talks (18 minutes or less). This playlist is of 5 TED Talks related to lifelong learning. Titles include "The Nerd's Guide to Learning Everything Online"; The Life-long Learner"; "What We're Learning from Online Education"; "On Being Wrong"; "What Adults Can Learn from Kids."   TED Talks: The love of lifelong learning   Keywords: Digital Footprint/Identity, Digital Literacy, Lifelong Learning
  • Intellectual Property: Part I Video - This entertaining video explaining intellectual property rights and discussing how you can share and protect your rights simultaneously is created the State University of New York Metaliteracy Learning Collaborative.   Intellectual Property: Part I Video (3 min. video)   What is Intellectual Property? - A definition and resources from the World Intellectual Property Organization   Keywords: Copyright, Creative Commons, Digital Footprint/Identity, Digital Literacy, Media, Open Educational Resources (OER) & Open Access
  • Four Reasons to Care About Your Digital Footprint - This enlightening 8-minute video demonstrates the lesser-known issues that can arise from our trips around the Internet. It discusses how extensively our online views are tracked and shows how this information is of commercial value to various entities, how little control we have over who gets access, the possibility of identity theft, and the potential impact on our reputations.   Four Reasons to Care About Your Digital Footprint   Keywords: Digital Footprint/Identity, Digital Literacy
  • 11 Myths of Digital Literacy, Debunked - Designed primarily for educators but relevant for students as well, "11 Digital Literacy Myths, Debunked" provides a definition of "digital literacy." The authors then explore why being digitally literate matters, focusing particularly on common misconceptions.   11 Myths of Digital Literacy, Debunked   Keywords: Digital Literacy
  • Ten Basic Rules of Netiquette or Internet Etiquette - The rules of etiquette are just as important in cyberspace as they are in the real world -- and the evidence of poor netiquette can stick around to haunt you for much longer. Following these basic rules of netiquette, to avoid damaging your online and offline relationships.   Ten Basic Rules of Netiquette or Internet Etiquette   Keywords: Digital Footprint/Identity, Digital Literacy
  • Google Alerts - You can get emails when new results for a topic show up in Google Search. For example, you can get info about news, products, or mentions of your name. This Google support page below provides clear instructions.   Google Alerts   Five Creative Uses for Google Alerts - Discussion of the power of Google Alerts and five specific ways it can be useful.   Keywords: Lifelong Learning