skip to main content

Leading adult education through support for and the effective application of technology.

21Things4Students-Digital Literacy and Citizenship

Details

Activity Description

In this activity you will teach your students the basics of computer literacy including navigation, image capture, shortcuts, browsers, safe and secure online, email and email etiquette. 21Things4Students uses videos, key vocabulary, tutorials, checklists, quizzes, certificates and even badging to motivate the students. 

Youtube video: https://youtu.be/LYEuspb8vNg

21Things4Students is a website designed to help us teach digital literacy and citizenship to our students. It does this through quests or projects. Students learn to collaborate online, create digitally and communicate what they have learned. And every step of the way, the digital skills needed to accomplish the task are also taught. Everything you will need is there available to get started immediately. And if that isn’t enough, the website 21Things4Teachers is available to help train you as a teacher. (see Teacher Tips)

Screenshot of 21 Things 4 Students homepage listing all 21 Things Lessons

21Things4Students-Digital Literacy and Citizenship-1

Preparation

To see how the site works, begin with the Orientation to 21things4students. Watch the video. After you watch the video go to the Quizlet learning quiz and take Quiz 1 on Video controls. Here is a pdf of the icons. As you can see, materials are well prepared and make it easy to start using the site immediately.

For this quest, you will use:  1. Basics, there are 8 Quests or mini-lessons including Navigation, Image Capture, Shortcuts, Web Browsers, Tech Gymnastics, Safe and Secure, Email, and Email Etiquette.

Go through the material and select the quest you want to use. For a suggested plan see Example Document 1, 21ThingsStudents Assigned Activities #1.

How-To

  1.  Demonstrate the site.
  2. Go through the introduction video in 1. Basics
  3. Give each student the handout, 21Things4Students Assigned Activities #1 (see Example Document 1
  4. Go through the different sections of the Thing, 1. Basics: Scroll through Introduction, Learning Objectives, Quests,(the ones you have decided to use) and Proceed to the graduation page for this Thing.
  5. Assign students to work in pairs or small groups to complete the quests.
  6. Gather students to report back on what they have learned.

Teacher Tips

This site is huge. There is so much wonderful material; take time to see what you would like your students to learn.

Go through the Teacher Start Page

Take time to look at the 21Things4teachers. there are amazing materials to help you with professional learning, differentiated Instruction, Universal Design, Evaluation and Assessment, Flipping your Classroom, Emerging Technologies as well as the 21 Things the students are being taught.

Use 21Things4Students document 3 as a master template to assign other Things you want your students to learn.

More Ways

A second Thing, Search Strategies, addresses a current concern, Fake or Real News. Use 21Things4Students Assigned Activities #2 (Example document #2) and the Thing 9. Search Strategies site.

Program Areas

  • ABE: Adult Basic Education

Levels

  • All Levels

Documents

Subjects

  • Reading
    • Critical Thinking/Decision Making

Tags

21Things4Students, 21Things4teachers, be legal and fair, collaboration, computational thinking , cyber safety, design thinking, digital footprint, digital images, digital storytelling, interactives, OTAN, OTAN Teaching with Technology, presentations, search strategies, social networking, Teaching with Technology, troubleshooting, visual learning

Creative Commons License

CC BY-NC-SA
CC BY-NC-SA:This license allows reusers to distribute, remix, adapt, and build upon the material in any medium or format for noncommercial purposes only, and only so long as attribution is given to the creator. If you remix, adapt, or build upon the material, you must license the modified material under identical terms.
Scroll To Top

OTAN activities are funded by contract CN240137 from the Adult Education Office, in the Career & College Transition Division, California Department of Education, with funds provided through Federal P.L., 105-220, Section 223. However, OTAN content does not necessarily reflect the position of that department or the U.S. Department of Education.