Enhancing literacy and curriculum using digitalized collections and approaches

Abstract

Digitized collections offer a wealth of resources for improving a wide variety of literacies that promote critical thinking skills, instruction and curriculum enhancements. Digitized collections and processes are increasing rapidly in their development and availability and as such introduce issues such as public access, copyright laws, limitations on use, and the integration of both free and commercially available digitalized materials. Governments around the world offer an abundance of digitalized information, often with curriculum guidance. Together with these issues, questions concerning how to evaluate and integrate curriculum and literacy ideas into instruction using digitalization are considered. This paper provides examples of subject areas attuned to digitations including literature, history, current events, sociology, health and science, and local collections. Suitable policies and procedures are discussed promoting efficient programming including collection development, project management, technical needs, online dissemination, and reference and consultation services.