Category: Learner Digital Literacy

the skills and knowledge taught to learners

ON DEMANDDigiLearnScot: App Prototyping

Join the DigiLearn team for a live lesson exploring the impact of apps on our lives and lead learners through the steps to create their very own app designs.

Designing apps is a great way to work together and solve challenges that exist in the community. This virtual app prototyping activity will give aspiring coders a chance to celebrate their ingenuity as they develop their ideas and share solutions with their peers.

The best apps start with an idea, and this activity will start the same. Before attending, it is advised to brainstorm an idea with pupils. Think of the purpose, who will benefit, what problem will it solve or is it simply an entertaining way to share information.

Using the PPT/Keynote template you will build your prototype to figure out exactly how your app will work and what the user experience will be.

You will then have the opportunity to build your working prototype that you can share for feedback and evaluation.

This lesson will be led on Keynote on iPad but other presentation apps, such as Google Slides or PowerPoint (desktop/app), can be used in the same way. We will share a template that can be easily edited on PowerPoint (online version users can edit content but not the navigation buttons).

There will be a short video tutorial on how to create the template, link slides, and use navigation buttons in PowerPoint/Keynote.

If you wish to prototype an app using pencil/paper you are more than welcome to watch along and gather ideas.

 

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Screening Shorts

Screening Shorts: reading film and images

This live lesson will give your learners an opportunity to explore film and screen images as texts. They will explore strategies to make predictions about a film, then use still images from the film to learn about sequencing a screen narrative, leading to the first steps to creating their own short film.

The text we’ll be exploring is ‘Mobile’ on Screening Shorts (GLOW LOGIN REQUIRED). 

In this adorable animation, a lone cow hangs by herself on one side of a child’s mobile. Although her weight balances that of the others on the opposite side, she feels lonely. When kindly Mouse invites Cow over, and she tries to find ways to join the animals on the other side, chaos ensues. Can they find a balance?

Resources required:
Sharing thinking: anything you’d normally use, such as post-its, or go digital with our O365 Whiteboard | Google Jamboard

Sequencing images: you could do this with pen and paper, print these slides, or go digital and share these slides with learners

Annotating images: you could draw the images and add speech bubbles or indirect speech on paper, or you can use the slides and draw speech bubbles with text or record and add audio to them

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How to make a copy of the O365 Whiteboard | Google Jamboard

How to download or print the slides PowerPoint | Slides | Keynote

How to make a copy of the slides and share with your learners PowerPoint | Slides | Keynote

How to add speech bubbles PowerPoint | Slides | Keynote

How to record and add audio PowerPoint | Slides | Keynote

28 November 16:00, This is iPad: Everyone Can Create

Everyone Can Create

In this session we will look at ways in which we can use the iPad as a digital pencilcase, develop the freedom of creativity and expression and pupils, sharing knowledge in ways that are relevant and engaging

  • How can pupils use creativity to explore their learning?
  • What are some of the resources that will help me get started?
  • Wht are some of the ways in which creative lessons can be introduced?

https://www.apple.com/uk/education/k12/everyone-can-create/

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Prior knowledge

It is recommended that you are familiar with the basic operation of your iPad.

It is also recommended that you have started to gain your badges on Apple Teacher https://education.apple.com/en

Visit our YouTube channel to see some tips on using your iPad:

YouTube player

02 November 16:00, This is iPad: Accessibility Features in the Classroom

Explore the built in Accessibility features of iPadOS and how these can be used to support learning & teaching for all learners

About this event

Accessibility

Having an accessibility need can be a daunting prospect for learners. Having an Additional Support Need that isn’t visible c`an impact pupil confidence and ability to take part in classroom activities. Accessiblity features on iPadOS can benefit all learners. Especially those with SEN/ASN.

  • What are some of the built in features that can support learner needs?
  • What are some of the ways these features can be used to enhance learning & teaching?
  • How can these be used?

Book your space now

Prior knowledge

It is recommended that you are familiar with the basic operation of your iPad.

It is also recommended that you have gained the iPad and Keynote badges of Apple Teacher https://education.apple.com/en

Visit our YouTube channel to see some tips on using your iPad:

YouTube player

Digital Critical Friends – ScotlandIS and DYW Glasgow

What is this project?

In response to the Logan Review, ScotlandIS has worked with DYW Glasgow to develop an innovative and responsive project to provide every secondary school  in Glasgow, North Lanarkshire, and South Lanarkshire with a senior tech expert at their disposal – these are Digital Critical Friends.    

ScotlandIS aim to raise awareness of the skills and knowledge required for working in the tech sector amongst educators, learners and their families. The programme will help teachers shape a curriculum that matches the needs of industry and ensure learners are aware of the opportunities for work, training, and further study.

There were 35 schools in Glasgow involved in the pilot programme and they have also matched schools and partners in: North Lanarkshire, East Dunbartonshire, Scottish Borders and developing partnerships in: South Lanarkshire, West Dunbartonshire, Inverclyde, Renfrewshire and East Renfrewshire. 

 

Why is this programme needed?

There is currently a shortage of learners qualifying in, studying, or having the opportunity to study Computing Science in some schools – especially girls and young women.

Only 27% of young women say they would consider a career in technology, and only 3% would say it is their first choice of career. (PwC UK, Women in Tech Report) 

 

The tech industry in Scotland promises creative, flexible, and highly rewarding career pathways, and it is estimated that around 80% of future jobs will require STEM skills, including Computing Science. 

13,000 digital tech job opportunities are created every year in Scotland, filling all of them would add £1bn to Scotland’s economy. (ScotlandIS)  

 

How does this work?

ScotlandIS will work with individual DYW regional teams over the next 12 months to provide a Digital Critical Friend in every secondary school in that region. 

Digital Critical Friends will inform teachers and pupils of what is happening in the sector: where the new technologies are, share emerging career opportunities and how to access them. They can also support teachers and management tap into increased funding for their department to encourage more young people to study the subject.    

Digital Critical Friends can connect flexibly, by video call, email or over coffee. They will act as a sounding board, a friend, a guide to the teachers. They’ll be willing to take part in catch-ups and could present to students about subjects that interest them, demonstrating how exciting the tech sector is. Teachers and Digital Critical Friends may also arrange a visit to each other’s workplace in order to understand the opportunities and challenges that they work with.  

This programme also complements others that are available, including Tech She Can and Scottish Digital Literacy Week (03/10/22).

 

Who is involved and supporting?

There are already a number of well-known organisations supporting the programme, including but not limited to:

  • Strathclyde University
  • RIIOT Digital
  • Leidos
  • BJSS
  • Morgan Stanley
  • Capgemini
  • Capito

YouTube player

If you are interested in becoming a Digital Critical Friend or would just like more information on the programme, please feel free to contact Nicola Taylor, Head of Operations and Skills at ScotlandIS: nicola.taylor@scotlandis.com 

Save the Pacific Northwest tree octopus activity

Welcome

We want to alert you to our very important activity this week: we want the learners of Scotland to help us save the Pacific Northwest tree octopus!

 
This website has lots of great info about the octopus and ways for you to help it:

Octopus website

 

Once you’ve read a bit more about the octopus – have a think about how you could use your digital literacy skills to find out more about it and use this info to create some posters, slides and websites to raise awareness of the octopus’ plight and help save it!

tree octopus

Let’s get started!

Wait a minute, though… tree octopus?

Before you go making any resources we want you to check some things:

  • Who created the page and wrote the information?
  • Does it have pictures or video that show you the tree octopus?
  • Are there links to other sites about the octopus?

     

  • See inside the page

Teachers click here

What next?

Hopefully, you spotted the clues that the tree octopus isn’t real pretty quickly and pointed this out to your teacher!

We think that by learning some of the skills used to make the fake info on this website, you’ll be better prepared to spot other info like this and know how to check it for accuracy.

We want you to create your own fake animal awareness campaign. You’ll need to think of an animal and then imagine it living in a biome, or habitat, that isn’t it’s natural home… like a mountain-dwelling narwhal or Arctic elephant!
Then you’ll need some facts that sound believable, even though they’re not true – so things like what your imaginary animal eats, where it sleeps and how big it is.

Finally, you’ll create some online content, maybe using slides, websites, blogs or even a video.

You can share these with us on twitter: @DigiLearnScot

Activity 1 – fact finding and note making

  • Use your web browser to find out three (or more) facts about an animal
  • Then pick a biome it wouldn’t normally live in and find out three facts about that place and how animals normally survive there
  • Make notes of this info as you go – it’ll come in handy later

 

teachers might want to use some of these ideas to expand upon the features of fake news and unreliable sources:
Digital Media Literacy: The Blur Between Facts and Opinions in the Media (gcfglobal.org)

Digital Media Literacy: What is Fake News? (gcfglobal.org)

Activity 2 – photo manipulation

The photos on the octopus site were faked and so are many other photos online and in newspapers and magazines too. 
Read this page to find out more about manipulated photos

You don’t need fancy software to edit photos, here are some tips:
PowerPoint – remove background
Keynote – instant alpha

  • Start with a background photo of the place your imaginary animal is going to live – add it to your app
  • Then add the photo of your animal
  • Now, use either the remove background in PowerPoint or instant alpha in Keynote, for example, to cut out any background on your animal picture
  • It should now look like your animal lives in the place you have as the background

Here’s my mountain-dwelling narwhal from earlier:

Activity 3 – making fake news

You now have an imaginary animal, some facts about it and a photo proving its existence – now all you need to do is put it together and share it with the world to convince them of it’s existence!

You could have a look at these:
https://www.beano.com/games/random-animal-mash-up 
https://switchzoo.com/newzoo/zoo.htm 

There are lots of great tools for creating and sharing content online, here are just some of them:
Sway

Glow blogs

Slides

Sites

We can’t wait to see your fake news imaginary animals on twitter!

ALL CREDIT FOR THE OCTOPUS CONTENT TO THE SITE’S OWNER: Save The Pacific Northwest Tree Octopus (zapatopi.net)

make it happen

Make It Happen – supporting schools with digital learning

What is Make it Happen?

‘Make It Happen’ is a charity who inspire young people in digital technology. Our aim is to encourage young people to go from passive consumers of technology to digital creators. 

 

App-Design Competition

Make It Happen offer App-design competitions for entire schools P1-7. Pupils are given the opportunity to consider how apps could help them solve a problem or make their life easier. They then design their app idea using our paper based submission sheet. The winner of your schools competition will then have their winning app idea built by our team of volunteers and published for all to use. 

 

In regards to the process of running the App-design competition – typically we visit each individual class to present the competition,  hear the pupils ideas, answer any questions and get them generally excited about different app ideas and uses for technology. This normally takes around 20 minutes per class and then we leave the submission sheets with staff to complete at a convenient time.  

 

Once the classes have completed their submissions we can collect the final entries, pick a winner and start building the winning app. When the app is built we will return to the school to announce the winner, runners up and inspiring ideas and finally, publish the winning app. I should say, that the whole event is completely free.

 

All Resources – https://makeithappen.club/what-we-do 

Previous Winners https://makeithappen.club/winners

 

Workshops 

At Make It Happen we aim to give all pupils the opportunity to experience a variety of digital learning experiences. We have developed a range of workshops to suit a variety or ages and interests:

  • Stop Motion
  • Green Screen
  • Coding 
  • App Design
  • Dragons Den 
  • Micro:Bit 
  • Spheros (resource depending)

 

Make It Happen High 

The ‘Make It Happen High’ program is ultimately a ‘step up’ from our original competition, allowing pupils to see how an app idea progresses through the App ‘development cycle’ (app design -> development of app -> test app to find and fix issues -> launch the app). In the series of lessons we use ’Thunkable’ to create a fully functioning app that can be live tested on all devices and subsequently published. 

 

Additional Resources 

Digital Progressions planner (Early to Third Level) https://www.makeithappen.club/digital_progression_planner_primary.pdf

 

Microsoft Accessibility Tools Quick Guide Posters for Learners by Viewforth High School

At Viewforth High School, we are on a digital journey to ensure all learners and educators are able to benefit from digital technology to raise attainment and improve outcomes for all.  

Most of our students are familiar with Microsoft Teams accessing via Glow and staff have been using it to set work and assignments during previous lockdowns and continue to do so now we are back in school.  

However, some pupils are faced with challenges when trying to access digital learning both in school and at home and to support our pupils in accessing their learning we identified areas where both the skills of staff and pupils needed to be developed. One of these key areas was the accessibility features (and knowledge of these) of digital tools for pupils and ensuring staff know how to use these tools with pupils.  

In response to this, I have created several Quick Guides to support both staff and pupils in accessing and using the features of Microsoft Tools.  

 

I created guides for each of the following tools: 

  • Immersive Reader 
  • Live Captions 
  • Speech to Text  
  • Translate 
  • Office Lens 

These guides have been shared amongst staff and with colleagues in other schools across the country to support them to support their pupils.

Tech We Can: Tech for the Planet lesson resource

Tech She Can is delighted to share the brand new Tech We Can lesson, ‘Tech for the Planet’ which is out now!

“Since the COP26 climate summit earlier this month, topics such as sustainable living and protecting the future of our planet have dominated the news agenda, as well as entering our everyday conversations, including those taking place in schools and among young people.

Our latest free on-demand Tech We Can lesson, ‘Tech for the Planet’ aims to show some of the innovative ways in which technologists around the world are using technology to protect our air, reduce waste, help clean the oceans and preserve our wildlife. It also highlights role models working in these areas – Lucinda Jones from Unilever and Mikya Rozner from Tesco – which we hope will inspire young viewers to consider a future career in technology.

You can watch the lesson, aimed at 8 – 14 year olds, and taught by Becky Patel and Katie King here.

If you’d like to explore other Tech We Can educational resources, for use at school or at home, please head over to techwecan.org to gain access to a wide range of on-demand lessons and lesson packs. Each explores the use of technology in a different area – from sport, to food and outer space – and highlights the types of careers that students could go into in the future.

 

 

Go to Tech We Can resources