Thinking twice online: Designing a Learning Material

Young people are constantly exposed and bombarded with amassive flow of information and multiple versions of reality in the digital media. From an educational point of view this raises a need to look for means to strengthen young people’scritical digital literacy (Alvermann 2010; Buckingham, 2007; Dezuanni, 2015; Lanksheare & Knobel, 2011; Pangrazio,2016; Selwyn, 2011). The concern is here how to help adolescents develop a critical attitude towards language andactions and to participate as a democratic citizen in local,regional, national and global communities (Bundsgaard,2009; 2017). The purpose of this paper is to discuss the design of a online learning material with the aim of enhancing young people’s critical digital literacy in a cross-curricular way in Danish public schools. The research question of the paperis the following: - How can an online learning material be designed with the purpose of enhancing adolescents’ critical digital literacy? This question will be answered through a case study of a new developed digital learning material called Omtanke Online. Focus in the analysis and discussion of the case will be on the pedagogical reflections on how to develop the digital empowerment of the young people in schools and what strategies to teach them. It is argued, how this material can be a resource to help the adolescents grow and develop resilience in their confrontation with different conflicting information on the internet and also how teachers across different subjects can use this material in an effective ways in Danish public schools.Theme of the presentation Textbooks, new media, curiosity and scientific/critical thinking Use of textbooks and educational media in schools