This course prepares learners to empower themselves through metaliteracy in a connected world. Metaliteracy promotes critical thinking and self-reflection to consume, create, and share information with others. Participants will learn how to critically navigate, evaluate and produce information in open, online, and social media settings. This course features videos, readings, discussions, and learning activities that promote metaliteracy competencies. Participants will become active and collaborative digital citizens who locate and evaluate information in 21st century social environments, including Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs), while making contributions to these spaces as self-reflective and empowered metaliterate learners. Metaliteracy is an empowering idea because it encourages individuals to be active and self-reflective participants in today’s expanding information environments. This approach is relevant to anyone who wants to be an informed consumer of digital information and active contributor to social settings mediated by technology. It is invaluable to learners in a variety of fields and disciplines that involve evaluating and managing information. Metaliteracy is also relevant to anyone in the workplace who wants to improve the ability to search, evaluate, produce, and distribute information. This approach supports college students who want to expand their critical thinking capabilities through research, writing, and adaptation to emerging technologies. It is also relevant to anyone taking a MOOC or pursuing social learning opportunities because it empowers users to be active and engaged digital citizens.
Metaliteracy: Empowering Yourself in a Connected World
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Syllabus - What you will learn from this course
Your Role as a Metaliterate Learner
This first week explains what metaliteracy is and what it means to be a metaliterate learner in today’s collaborative information environment. The course materials in this section describe the concept and why it is important to learners who want to make the most out of their active involvement in social networking, social media, and online communities, as well as any context that includes social interaction. We discuss the need to work collaboratively in social environments and what it means to be a self-reflective learner. This first module prepares learners to think about their roles as critical thinkers and collaborative digital citizens capable of effectively navigating, creating, and sharing relevant information. We will also discuss how emerging technologies impact this process of discovery and participation.
Becoming a Digital Citizen: Creating and Sharing a Social Identity
This week explores the complex concept of social identity in the online environment. Content investigates the multi-faceted aspects of our online identities, and the important connected concept of personal privacy. Learners will not only research and analyze their own online persona, but they will also consider the social identity or identities of others. Metaliteracy promotes the production and distribution of digital information, while thinking critically about how we interact with others and present ourselves online.
Becoming a Digital Citizen: Understanding Intellectual Property
This week explores intellectual property. It will challenge you to look critically at what you understand about intellectual property, and the basics of copyright and open access. Since metaliteracy encourages the creation of new information and repurposing of open content, we need to examine the ethical dimension of this work. Doing so will prepare you to expand your role as a digital citizen in changing information environments.
Becoming a Digital Citizen: Ethical Use of Information
This week explores information ethics. Content includes the following topics, all of which are connected to a broad understanding of information ethics, including information use, and ethically remixing and sharing content. The module challenges you to look critically at what you understand about how you currently use, share, remix, and distribute information.
Top reviews from Metaliteracy: Empowering Yourself in a Connected World
Cannot recommend this course enough, especially for librarians and other educators.
Instructors
Dr. Thomas P. Mackey
Professor
Professor Trudi Jacobson
Distinguished Librarian; Head, Information Literacy Department
Kelsey O'Brien
Information Literacy Librarian
Dr. Michele Forte
Assistant Professor, SUNY Empire State College
About The State University of New York
Frequently Asked Questions
When will I have access to the lectures and assignments?
Once you enroll for a Certificate, you’ll have access to all videos, quizzes, and programming assignments (if applicable). Peer review assignments can only be submitted and reviewed once your session has begun. If you choose to explore the course without purchasing, you may not be able to access certain assignments.
What will I get if I purchase the Certificate?
When you purchase a Certificate you get access to all course materials, including graded assignments. Upon completing the course, your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile. If you only want to read and view the course content, you can audit the course for free.
What is the refund policy?
Is financial aid available?
More questions? Visit the Learner Help Center.
