A scoville unit is a measure of capsaicin, the chemical that makes a hot pepper hot. Most capsaicin is found in the ribs and seeds of a pepper, which is why seeding a pepper makes its heat less potent. The scoville scale is a way to rate the relative spiciness of chili peppers so you can…
An ethnography is an examination of a group or a culture, specifically about things we call “folkways” — customs and beliefs practiced by a particular group. In my language and literacy courses, I have students critically reflect on their identity, and the pathways that brought them to this point in their lives. They research and write…
Increasingly, students are using the Internet to obtain information about both general and academic topics. Along with this trend there is a growing concern about the dubious nature of online information, and users’ ability to validate or evaluate this information. Research shows that students are frequently deceived when viewing online content and are not able…
A 21st century educational system must educate all students in the effective and authentic use of the technologies that permeate society to prepare them for the future. As part of this future, learners need opportunities to not only read, but also write the web. Despite the transformative possibilities associated with the inclusion of the Internet…
In our everyday interactions, we utilize a variety of digital texts and tools to create and curate a digital identity. We have websites linked to other websites. Social media links connecting this work to the work of peers and colleagues. We use social networks to tweet, blog, and post our ideas and share his out with the world to…
My fourth column as Multiliteracies Department Editor for the Journal and Adolescent and Adult Literacy (JAAL) was published. The column, titled Guiding Students as They Explore, Build, and Connect Online discusses the Web Literacy Map I’ve been helping to develop over the last couple of years. In the column, I work with Greg McVerry and Doug…
As we move to the close of the first week of the #WALKMYWORLD project as series of questions have been raised, and I have many more floating around in the back of my head. Some of these questions are a bit simple to answer. “I didn’t get started yet…can I just jump in?” Of course, come…
Today at 1 PM (EST) we’ll have the inaugural episode of the Digitally Literate show. The show is an hour long netcast that will be produced using a Google Hangout-on-Air and is part of the Networked Learning Collaborative. The DL show will be held on the last Monday of every month and focus on “meta-level”…
TL;DR Version: In this blog post I share the strategies I use to conduct research on personal, health, and academic topics using online tools. I promote the use of online virtual library connections, Internet searches, and Google Scholar to conduct research. During classes in secondary classrooms or higher education courses many times you will need to…
I have the privilege of presenting today at the 2013 Summer Institute in Digital Literacy at the University of Rhode Island. The theme of the institute is Innovative Teaching and Learning with Digital Media Texts, Tools & Technologies. Please follow along the work of the week at #DigiURI on Twitter, or by clicking here. I’ll be presenting…