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Digital Literacy Toolkit

The Digital Literacy Toolkit

The Digital Literacy Toolkit Lesson Plan series was created with the support of the Ontario Ministry of Education. All materials are aligned with the new digital media literacy focus in the Ontario Literacy and English curriculum from 2023.

Grade 4-6: Deepfakes and Synthetic Media

With the rapid proliferation and sophistication of AI-generated content, information has become increasingly difficult to discern between ‘real/authentic’ or ‘manipulated’ content. This lesson equips students with the critical thinking skills necessary for identifying deepfakes and synthetic online content, and assessing their purpose, credibility, and accuracy.

Resources

Slide deck
PDF
PowerPoint

"A Picture's Impact"
PDF
Word

"Shockwaves"
PDF
Word

Grade 7-8: Mis- and Disinformation

Today’s multimedia age and the resulting ‘information pollution’ from various sources and types of media, require the development of core skills for critical thinking and information discernment to navigate the complex information ecosystem. Beyond simply equipping students with an understanding of the concepts of mis- and disinformation, this lesson will help students understand the importance of accurate information, and common techniques used to deliberately spread false and misleading content.

Resources

Mis/disinfo fact cards
PDF
Word

Fact-checking materials
PDF
Word

"Bad News" game graphic organizer
PDF
Word

Classification game examples
PDF
Word

Exit ticket handout
PDF
Word

Grade 9: Responsible use of Social Media for News

Canadians are increasingly turning to online sources from traditional media sources to consume their news. This lesson will equip students with an understanding of the importance of consuming credible news, and with strategies for seeking out informative and accurate news content. Activities will provide a chance for students to reflect on the influence of emotional appeals, sources of polarization, and how they can seek out news to stay better informed.

Resources

Slide deck
PDF
PowerPoint

The medium is the message
PDF
Word

Understanding bias
PDF
Word

Discussion guide
PDF
Word

Acknowledgements

This digital literacy toolkit could not have been created without the contributions and support of the following individuals:

Allison Starks, UC Irvine
Fiona O’Connor, Toronto Public Library
Julianna Kowlessar, York University
Kate Rombough, Toronto Metropolitan University
Leah Fiore, Toronto Public Library
Marcus Kolga, DisinfoWatch
Neil Anderson, Association for Media Literacy (AML)
Pam Ryan, Toronto Public Library
Stephanie Stearman, Grand Traverse Academy
Viivi Korpela, University of Jyväskylä
Vivian Lee, M.Ed., Ed.D Candidate, Ontario Digital Learning and Access Network

And the 35+ educators from TDSB, TCDSB, and independent schools who participated in the beta testing of these materials!