Alec Couros: Network Literacy and Tools of Engagement
Alec Couros, professor of educational technology and media at the University of Regina, kicked off the third week of our Summer Teacher Institute with his session, Network Literacy and the Tools of Engagement:
The workshop explored the concepts of knowledge, social networks, personal learning networks, media literacy, and the tools and techniques that can support these ideas/skills in the classroom. From the myriad examples Alec shared and the extended discussions that ensued, perhaps the two points that resonated most deeply with the participants were (1) the relative ease with which anyone (and especially our students) can create, remix, consume, and respond to media on a global scale, and (2) the need for educators to develop learning networks and engage in social media so they can effectively guide their students through the intricacies of living in a networked world.
Attending the workshop was a step down the path for all the teachers who joined Alec yesterday; those wanting to explore network literacy further and experience its power firsthand should consider experimenting with Twitter, Ning, Diigo (or any of the tools of engagement) and/or watch this segment from Alec’s morning session:
