Simon Fraser University
Engaging the World

Course Outlines

Fall 2022 - EDUC 710 G003

Special Topics

Digital LIteracies & Justic

Class Number: 8025

Delivery Method: In Person

Overview

  • Course Times + Location:

    Sep 7 – Dec 6, 2022: Tue, 4:30–7:20 p.m.
    Vancouver

Description

CALENDAR DESCRIPTION:

Variable units: 3, 4, 5.

COURSE DETAILS:

Digital literacies and digital justice

The aim of the course is to support aspiring and practicing educators in K-12, community-based and university settings to incorporate theories and pedagogies that address the educational implications of a digital society, including digital literacies and equity, the politics of algorithmic environments and the creative ways that youth, adults and educators are challenging big tech through critical digital production and invention. The course adopts a digital justice approach, understood as the creation of “spaces through which people can investigate community problems, generate solutions, create media, and organize together” (Our Data Bodies, 2021), supporting students to engage with critical digital literacies pedagogies in their educational practice.

COURSE-LEVEL EDUCATIONAL GOALS:

a) Develop awareness of digital equity and connectivity and how these intersect in education settings to produce new forms of discrimination;
b) Deepen understanding of critical digital literacies (Emejulu & McGregor 2019) including the politics of platform design, the role of surveillance and decision-making algorithms in education settings, and the production of disinformation and social polarization online and off;
c) Develop awareness of how new digital literacies and technologies are being reinvented toward justice and data sovereignty – creating new possibilities for digital and social equity.

Grading

  • Critical reading/viewing responses of selected course materials. (x3) 30%
  • Analysis of a digital equity/digital justice issue in a chosen education setting (i.e. privacy, internet connectivity, social media bullying, fair design, and so on). Written and oral presentation. 30%
  • Building on this analysis, generate curricular, pedagogical or design responses to this digital equity/digital justice issue. Oral presentation and course website. 40%

NOTES:

*possibility to extend course assignment to accommodate 5 credits. Course may require field trips/visits off campus.

REQUIREMENTS:

Prerequisites: Enrolled at the graduate level. 4th year undergraduate students with permission from instructor.

Materials

REQUIRED READING:

Course readings will be provided via Library Reserves on Canvas. There are no required texts.


REQUIRED READING NOTES:

Your personalized Course Material list, including digital and physical textbooks, are available through the SFU Bookstore website by simply entering your Computing ID at: shop.sfu.ca/course-materials/my-personalized-course-materials.

Graduate Studies Notes:

Important dates and deadlines for graduate students are found here: http://www.sfu.ca/dean-gradstudies/current/important_dates/guidelines.html. The deadline to drop a course with a 100% refund is the end of week 2. The deadline to drop with no notation on your transcript is the end of week 3.

Registrar Notes:

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY: YOUR WORK, YOUR SUCCESS

SFU’s Academic Integrity website http://www.sfu.ca/students/academicintegrity.html is filled with information on what is meant by academic dishonesty, where you can find resources to help with your studies and the consequences of cheating. Check out the site for more information and videos that help explain the issues in plain English.

Each student is responsible for his or her conduct as it affects the university community. Academic dishonesty, in whatever form, is ultimately destructive of the values of the university. Furthermore, it is unfair and discouraging to the majority of students who pursue their studies honestly. Scholarly integrity is required of all members of the university. http://www.sfu.ca/policies/gazette/student/s10-01.html