Course Syllabus
8th Grade Digital Literacy Course Syllabus
Course Description
This course allows students to develop basic computing fundamentals, improve digital communications, identify the importance of protecting individual data, apply key applications, and maintain positive digital wellness. Students will have opportunities to use digital devices to apply skills to accomplish tasks more efficiently using creativity, critical thinking, productivity, and collaboration in the classroom and day-to-day life. This foundational knowledge will serve as a connection to future educational pathways.
Course Objectives
Objective One: Keyboarding Efficiency
Students will enhance keyboarding skills. This strand will be incorporated throughout the course and scaffolded for student ability depending on prior knowledge.
Objective Two: Information Processing Cycle
Students will identify a computer as a device that utilizes hardware and software to accept input, process data, store data, and produce output.
Objective Three: Digital Communication
Students will use digital tools for the purpose of learning through connecting to the Internet, navigating websites, and sending and receiving communications digitally.
Objective Four: Digital Citizenship and Wellness
Students will recognize the rights, responsibilities, and risks of learning and working in an interconnected digital world, modeling behaviors that are safe, legal, and ethical while balancing in-person responsibilities and relationships.
Objective Five: Digital Tools and Applications
Students will use a variety of digital tools to organize resources, produce creative artifacts, and create meaningful learning experiences for themselves and others.
Objective Six: Digital Media Creation
Students will communicate clearly using a variety of platforms, tools, styles, formats, and digital media appropriate to their goals.
Required Materials
- No textbook is needed for this course.
- All modules on Canvas will include applicable assignments and explanations of requirements.
Grading Policy
This class is project-based. Grading is conducted based on a district rubric.
Course Coverage
The course will cover all objectives throughout the school year, ensuring a comprehensive understanding of digital literacy.
Grading Rubric
| Criteria | Excellent (4) | Good (3) | Satisfactory (2) | Needs Improvement (1) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Content Understanding | Thorough understanding, insightful analysis | Good understanding, minor gaps | Basic understanding, some inaccuracies | Lacks understanding, significant inaccuracies |
| Creativity and Originality | Highly creative, unique perspective | Creative, some unique elements | Basic creativity, few unique elements | Lacks creativity, very standard |
| Technical Skills | Excellent use of tools, no errors | Good use of tools, minor errors | Basic use of tools, some errors | Poor use of tools, many errors |
| Collaboration | Works extremely well with others | Works well with others | Sometimes collaborative | Rarely collaborates |
| Presentation | Clear, engaging, professional | Clear, mostly engaging | Somewhat clear, not engaging | Unclear, disengaging |
Class Policies and Expectations
For more detailed class policies and expectations, please refer to the attached document.