Author: Eva Wilkinson

Digital Literacy and Computing Science Glossary

Accessibility tools help people to access information. Accessibility includes technical requirements that ensure websites work well with assistive technologies such as read aloud, text to speech, and screen magnifiers. Read more here. 

Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) is a term that’s used to describe various methods of communication that can help people who are unable to use verbal speech to communicate. Read more here. 

Consume, create and communicate content  is a term to describe what we do when we are online.  

  • When consuming content, we might be viewing images or videos, tv programmes and films or listening to music. We consume content for enjoyment and to search for new information. 
  • As our confidence develops, we might begin to experiment with creating content of our own; capturing images, audio, video, annotating over images, using generative AI services to create images, adding voice overs to videos and investigating ways to bring audio and visual content together. 
  • As our confidence in Literacy and English (reading and writing) develops, we might start to think about sharing our content by communicating this online with others through; email, messaging and call services, uploading to blogs and websites, social media platforms and video uploading, sharing and streaming platforms. Read more here. 

Computational thinking  is all about solving problems effectively – with or without a computer. It is the building blocks of our digital world, with the concepts forming the basis of much computer science. Computer scientists are interested in finding the most-efficient ways to solve problems, maximising accuracy and minimising resources (e.g. time / space). Read more here. 

Cyber Resilience Internet Safety (CRIS)

  • Cyber Resilience is being able to prepare for, withstand, rapidly recover and learn from deliberate attacks or accidental events in the online world. It is about learning how to recognise, react and recover appropriately to incidents involving devices, data, wellbeing and identity in relation to yourself and others.  Cyber Security is a key element of being resilient, building understanding of cyber risks and threats, enables people to take appropriate measures to stay safe and get the most from being online.  Read more here. 
  • Internet Safety encompasses the skills, knowledge and understanding that people require to stay safe online. This includes safe and responsible use and behaviour.  Read more here. 

Digital Literacy is the knowledge of when and how digital technologies are required and having the ability to critically evaluate what digital technologies are most appropriate for the chosen task. Digital literacy enables people to find, sort, evaluate, manage and create information in digital forms (consume, create, communicate). Read more here. 

Digital Skills is knowing how to use digital technologies. Read more here. 

Digital Technology encompasses a far stretching range of ever advancing electronic systems and resources that we play, learn and communicate with in our everyday lives. From calculators to smartphones, digital thermometers to drones, smart speakers to virtual reality headsets, the list is never ending. Read more here. 

Digital Wellbeing is the impact of using digital technology on our social and emotional wellbeing. Digital wellbeing can be promoted through strong Cyber Resilience and Internet Safety (CRIS) practices within our schools and their communities. Read more here. 

GDPR

Tinkering  is when we try out something new to discover what it does and how it works. Tinkering is when we have the freedom, space and time to play, explore, investigate and learn through cause and effect. Read more here. 

Unplugged computing science can be described as exploring computational thinking without a device or screen. Instead, we could be working with paper and pens or physical objects to explore and create sequences of events and instructions or directions. Read more here. 

 

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Introduction to the Digital ELC Award for Scotland.

Introduction to the Digital ELC Award for Scotland. 

The Digital Early Learning and Childcare Digital Schools Award for Scotland is a national award scheme to promote, recognise and encourage a whole setting approach to the use of digital technology in ELC settings.  

The award framework echoes national practice guidance for the early years in Scotland, Realising the Ambition: Being me (2020), which guides and supports the ELC sector to provide high quality early learning and childcare, meeting the developmental needs of our youngest learners, enabling children to flourish as successful learners, confident individuals, responsible citizens, and effective contributors.   

 Purpose of the award. 

This award has been designed to support ELC settings to integrate digital technologies into children’s play and learning experiences, both outside and indoors.  Opportunities to learn with and through technology in practical and creative situations, provide children with flexibility and choice while exploring technology as a way to solve problems.  

Investigating virtual environments through digital technology can inspire curiosity and creativity, encouraging children to develop imagination, beyond what is possible without the stimulus afforded by technology.  Through immersive, stimulating learning environments and meaningful adult-child interactions, children are inspired and motivated to learn. 

Read the draft framework in full and have your say on it today via the anonymous feedback form!

(The Form close date has been extended until on 22/04/24).

Access the draft framework and feedback Form here.

Summer term early level webinar dates for you diary.

The series of This is early level Digital and Spotlight CLPL sessions will be delivered for the final time in April and May. If you missed out on the previous webinars, there is still time to sign up.

The webinars are suitable for practitioners working with children at early level across a range of ELC settings and schools.  A Glow log in is NOT required to sign up or join the online sessions.

Please click on the hyperlinks below for session information and sign up details.

APRIL 2024

Tuesday 16th April 4pm This is early level Digital: CRIS 3 part course. SESSION 1

Thursday 18th April 4pm  This is early level Digital: Spotlight on Practitioner Collaboration.

Tuesday 23rd April 4pm This is early level Digital: Spotlight on Transition

Tuesday 30th April 4pm This is early level Digital: CRIS 3 part course. SESSION 2

 

MAY 2024

Tuesday 14th May 4pm This is early level Digital: CRIS 3 part course. SESSION 3

Tuesday 21st May 4pm This is early level Digital: Spotlight on Outdoor Play

Tuesday 28th May 10am This is early level Digital: Spotlight on Making Data Visible

 

Sign up coming soon:

Monday 13th May 4pm – The New Digital ELC Setting Award

Thursday 16th May 10am – The New Digital ELC Setting Award

Friday 17th May 12.30pm – The New Digital ELC Setting Award

Safer Internet Day 2024

Safer Internet Day 2024 took place on the 6th of February 2024, with celebrations and learning based around the theme ‘Inspiring change? Making a difference, managing influence and navigating change online’.

Safer Internet Day is held every February all around the world. Last year, over 170 different countries celebrated the day! Safer Internet Day is a chance to think about any worries we might have about using technology and the internet, but it’s also about celebrating all the fantastic things technology can help us with.

Safer Internet Day is the UK’s biggest celebration of online safety.

Created in consultation with young people across the UK, this year Safer Internet Day will be focusing on change online, this includes covering:

  • Young people’s perspective on new and emerging technology
  • Using the internet to make change for the better
  • The changes young people want to see online
  • The things that can influence and change the way young people think, feel and act online and offline

Coordinated in the UK by the UK Safer Internet Centre, the celebration sees thousands of organisations get involved to promote the safe, responsible and positive use of digital technology for children and young people.

Visit UK Safer Internet Centre or browse the links below to become involved!

Education Resources   (suitable for early level to senior phase)

Supporters Registration

Films

Get involved on social media

Parents and carers

Supporters Map

 

 

You may also find education resources from Common Sense Education helpful to begin conversations and explore digital citizenship.  Check out our webinar calendar for upcoming live lessons with Jenna Khanna from Common Sense Education.

Common Sense Education – Daily Activities for Primary

 

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Activity 11 – Snowman Algorithm

Day 11 – Build a snowman algorithm

 

  • How do you build a snowman?
  • How many steps are there?
  • What are the important features of a snowman?
  • What steps come first, next, last etc.
  • What position should the parts be placed in?
  • What materials and parts will you require? (If there is no snow outside, what else can you build with or use to create an alternative 2D snowman?)

Create an algorithm (sequence of instructions) to show how to build a snowman. Capture your algorithm on paper/whiteboard/drawing app by drawing or writing it down. This Barefoot handwashing poster might help you to get started. Please also see the Collaborative Crazy Characters activity in Barefoot bytes resource.

You can create your snowman with snow, playdough, clay, plasticine etc or by drawing/painting a 2D snowman, similar to the Collaborative Crazy Character activity. 

To make sure your algorithm is is working correctly, you will need someone else to help you test it. You might want to explore taking on the roles of programmers and testers from CS Unplugged.

Will your friends be able to follow your algorithm to correctly build the snowman or will you have to debug the algorithm, to find the bugs (errors) then tinker with a different sequence in your algorithm and try again? This is why it is helpful to capture you algorithm on paper. You may not need to change the whole algorithm if you can spot the bug(s).

You might want to try out the algorithm sequencer template  to help you organise your sequence of instructions.

Supporting resources for creating your algorithm:

Try it for yourself and share your algorithm with us on social media @digilearnscot using #12DaysofCreativity 

 

 

 

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Activity 5 – Explore Sounds inside and out (early level)

Day 5 – The sound of Christmas

 

What does Christmas sound like?

What does it sound like outside?

What does it sound like indoors? 

 

 

 

Use your senses to see, touch, smell and HEAR everything that means CHRISTMAS to you!

Once you have identified the sound of Christmas, capture this in an audio recording and then invite your friends to listen to the recording and try to identify the sound you have captured.

Will they identify the sound correctly, or will they need a clue?

Different ways to capture audio:

  • Talking button/postcard, recordable microphone, karaoke machine, Dictaphone, talking/recordable toys.
  • Recording audio on an iPad with built in apps Voice Memo or GarageBand
  • Recording audio on a Chromebook with Vocaroo | Online voice recorder (website will work on any browser/device with Microphone access permission)
  • Recording audio on a Windows device with built in Voice recorder
  • Recording an audio clip in Microsoft Sway with record audio
  • Recording an audio clip in Scratch Jr app with sound blocks (play video at 38 seconds)
You may be required to adjust privacy settings to enable your microphone to work.

Try it for yourself and share your audio creations with us on social media @digilearnscot using #12DaysofCreativity

 

 

ELC Practitioner Feedback Opportunity, help shape the future of Digital CLPL

There is a draft ELC practitioner Digital Literacy Framework / list of core skills currently required to enable practitioners to use them for communication, collaboration, planning, facilitating learning, capturing/documenting learning, and assessing learning

We would like to hear your feedback, to ensure the core skills are relevant to your every day practice and welcome your feedback.

We would also welcome feedback on where CLPL is required to enable you to develop confidence and knowledge of the core skills. This will inform the webinars that we will offer Nationally.

If you would like to help shape future ELC practitioner support in Digital Literacy, please click on the link to the Form and submit your feedback through this anonymous survey. The survey will take approximately 1O  minutes to complete.

ELC Practitioner Feedback – Digital Literacy Framework / Core Skills

Bongles Text image

Exploring early level Cyber Resilience with The Bongles and the Crafty Crows.

The Digital Team and The Bongles have joined forces in partnership with Cyber Scotland, Cyber Aware and the Scottish Book Trust to introduce younger learners to develop understanding of cyber awareness at early level, through the publication of the new Bongles book ‘The Bongles and the Crafty Crows‘, produced by Edinburgh based Story Learning Ltd.

Who are the Bongles?

The Bongles are a group of monster friends who live on a paradise-like planet.

They reuse and repurpose items that wash up onto their planet’s pristine shore and turn trash into treasure.

The rhyming stories are full of slapstick and silly humour, which both children and adults alike will find funny. The quirky and whimsical watercolour illustrations are sure to capture the attention of young readers.

The Bongles and The Crafty Crows – The newest book in the series helps children to learn about cyber resilience in a fun-filled way.

Story Summary

Three wooden crates wash up onto the shores of Bongle Island.

The Bongles really want to keep this new found treasure safe from the crafty crows.

Will the crows outsmart the Bongles’ padlocks and passcodes?

Will the crows take the crates full of treasure and keep it all for themselves?

‘The Bongles and the Crafty Crows‘ story book was included in the P1 Bookbug Family bags for every primary one child in Scotland in 2023/24!

There is also a variety of practitioner-created learning and teaching resources to accompany the story, a downloadable PDF of the book and an animation on the Bongles website  and links to recordings of previous educator information sessions and children’s ‘read alongs’ at the bottom of this page.

You will also engage with this story in the 3-part series of early level Cyber Resilience and Internet Safety webinars, This is early level Digital – CRIS and through various cyber events throughout the year, which will be advertised here, on the blog.

The Bongles and The Crafty Crows articles and related links:

Early level learners paving the way for a cyber secure nation (linkedin.com)

Teaching Children Cyber Security Skills Is An Investment In Our Future – TeachingTimes

CyberScotland Week – Cyber Scotland 

Three random words – NCSC.GOV.UK 

The Bongles and the Crafty Crows Campaign Report November 2023

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This is early level Digital. Spotlight on: Making Data Visible. (Live Webinars).

This is early level Digital. Spotlight on: Making Data Visible.

Via Forms and Excel within Microsoft Office.

Do you have access to Microsoft Forms and Excel within your ELC setting but are unsure how they can help you to gather, visualise and analyse data? Please join us in this 60-minute practical demo session, for beginners, where we will focus on how you can use Microsoft Forms and Excel to gather data more easily, better understand what the data you are gathering is telling you and how you can share this visually with children, colleagues and families.

In this session, we will demonstrate how to create a Forms Survey, how to view responses and how to export the results into an Excel file, where you can drill down deeper to interpret and analyse the data you have collected by exploring charts, pivot tables and slicers.

The demo session will be a take place within Glow, however you do not need a Glow log in to join this session.

*Please check with your local authority digital team or organisation lead officer for Information Security on protocols for gathering and storing data.

This session is for ELC practitioners working across a variety of settings in Scotland.

The session will be repeated 5 times throughout the year with morning and twilight options.

A Glow login NOT required to join.

Click here to select one of the morning or twilight webinar dates.

You may also be interested in This is early level Digital. Spotlight on: Practitioner Collaboration. (Live Webinars).