The first ever Canadian Institute for Digital Literacies learning began with a week of intensive professional learning at the Faculty of Education at the University of Ottawa. From July 10-14, 2017 seventy-five educators — K-12 classroom teachers, teacher candidates, graduate students, administrators, disciplinary educational consultants, technology integration specialists, media makers and university professors — came together to think deeply about conceptions of digital literacies, how to teach digital literacies, and how we might design learning experiences that support digital literacies learning for students. It was an incredible week.
Highlights included:
A keynote talk by Dr. Janette Hughes, Canada Research Chair in Technology and Pedagogy who shared recent findings from her province-wide study of how teachers and schools are building makerspaces.
A keynote talk by Dr. Sarah Gretter from Michigan State University who offered historical perspectives on literacies and technologies to inform our current conceptions of how digital technologies are, and are not, driving innovative ways of thinking, knowing and communicating.
A visit to the Canadian Museum of History where we first learned about the Virtual Museum of Canada, its collections, and future plans for innovative investment in digital collections across Canada from Executive Director, Megan Richardson. We then learned about new directions in digital collections, including virtual reality, at the Museum of History from research associate Anthony Scavarelli. We even got to briefly visit the digital testing and prototyping lab in the basement of the museum! Very cool.
Two days of thinking, creating and reflecting with colleagues in one of four theme-based groups: Online Inquiry, Critical Digital Video Production, Serious Games and Digital Making. Participants in the Maker group were lucky to work with student mentors at the Richard Labbé Makerspace Sandbox in the Faculty of Engineering.
A final salon of learning where everyone shared their ideas, their project plans and their questions.
Having taken a short break from our activities to rest and get ready for the 2017-2018 academic year, we are now sharing ideas and insights online at our Slack Channel.
