JUST RELEASED – DigLitCon Agenda is Now Live!

Big News! The Digital Literacy Conference agenda has just been released! In it, you’ll find an assortment of engaging sessions on many of the most important aspects of digital literacy. Each session is also being led by one of your peers, offering you an unmatched opportunity to learn from their experiences and harness their insights as you strive to teach visual literacy, media literacy, digital citizenship, and so much more.

Regardless of what grade level or subject you teach, the Digital Literacy Conference has a session or two geared toward your professional growth. Check out of these session previews below for a taste of everything you have to look forward to at #DigLitCon!

Learning from the Best and Brightest

During this one-day virtual event, you’re sure to see and hear from some familiar names in the national and statewide edtech community. Here are just a couple of those presenters, each of which will offer #DigLitCon attendees new and interesting perspectives on several key facets of teaching digital literacy:

Dr. Kristen Mattson

Author of both Ethics in a Digital World and Digital Citizenship in Action, Dr. Kristen Mattson has become a nationally-recognized voice on all topics relating to digital citizenship and digital ethics. Dr. Mattson has previously presented at ISTE and will offer #DigLitCon attendees the chance to learn from her in three engaging sessions:

• Get the Picture! Using Images for Digital Citizenship Conversations
• Cut the CRAAP and Embrace Lateral Reading
• Information Literacy in the Age of Fake News

David Jakes

David Jakes of David Jakes Designs LLC has made it his mission to help educational institutions large and small strive toward creating lasting, impactful change in their teaching mindsets and learning environments. Through his work with schools across the nation, Jakes has become a driving force in understanding what works – both at a structural and practical level – when it comes to engaging today’s learners.

At #DigLitCon, attendees will have a chance to tune into “Transliteracy: Exploring New Dimensions in Digital Literacy.” In this session, Jakes will guide participants through the modern meaning of “literacy” and the many ways today’s students will need more than traditional reading and writing skills to remain “literate.” Jakes will also outline several ways schools can plan for and implement transliteracy to reshape students’ day-to-day learning experiences.

Focusing on the Big Questions

Digital literacy is gaining prominence in many schools as educators shift their focus toward the skills students need to be successful beyond the classroom. #DigLitCon will continue many of those important conversations and start a few new ones by focusing on some of these big-picture questions:

Should Teachers Disclose Their Opinions?

Presented by Mary Ellen Daneels from DuPage ROE 19, this session will highlight the enduring reality that all educators today are civics teachers with the capacity to influence young people’s thoughts on justice, power, and equity. Participants will learn more about the process of sharing one’s opinion with middle and high school students, as well as some best practices for engaging those students in civic, purpose-driven debates about the issues that matter to them.

Where to Start with Teaching Digital Literacy?

Many educators today are wondering just that – “what are the first steps to teaching digital literacy in the classroom?” The LTC’s Nicole Zumpano will walk you through this initial phase and highlight a variety of useful resources that can make this imposing task more manageable. Participants will also learn to create their own digital literacy resources designed specifically with their students, subjects, and grade levels in mind.

Digital Safety for Littles

By age eight, some 90% of children will have experience using the internet. With that in mind, educators need to start instilling practical internet safety skills in their students at a young age. This session, led by Lesley Grady from Central School District 104, will help today’s educators identify the most important habits of safe internet navigator, with a focus on helping K-4 students engage with social media, password protection, oversharing, cyberbullying, and more.

Strands Across Digital Literacy

The Digital Literacy Conference will also feature sessions spread across nine distinct strands, each of which will dive deep into a different aspect of fully-fledged digital literacy. Feel free to tune into every session in a particular strand or plan out your full day of digital attendance to take advantage of the conference’s post-event video recording library (which will include every session from every strand):

• Information & News Literacy
• Computer Literacy
• Visual Literacy
• Media Literacy
• Digital Communication
• Ethical Uses of Digital Resources
• Digital Tattoos
• Digital Citizenship
• General

You can read more about all of these strands and their respective sessions over on the #DigLitCon homepage.

Register Today for #DigLitCon!

The Digital Literacy Conference is coming up on June 4, 2021, and we hope you’ll join this unique opportunity to dig deep into one of education’s most relevant topics. Register today over on the #DigLitCon homepage and take your first step toward harnessing digital literacy’s full potential.

If you’re interested in learning more about the Digital Literacy Conference, you can also do so in another recent blog post.

Stay Tuned for More Updates from #DigLitCon

To keep up with the latest on the Digital Literacy Conference, follow the LTC on social media (@ltcillinois on Twitter and Facebook) or subscribe to our monthly newsletter. More information on the conference can also be found on the #DigLitCon homepage.