Julie Coiro Keynote at Summer Institute in Digital Literacy 2021

1. Building a Culture of Inquiry
in Your Learning Community
Julie Coiro, Ph.D.
School of Education
University of Rhode Island
jcoiro@uri.edu
@jcoiro #PDInquiry

2. Acknowledgements
Beth Dobler
Emporia State University
Emporia, KS
Karen Pelekis
Grade 1 Teacher
Scarsdale, NY
Coiro, Dobler, & Pelekis (2019). From Curiosity to Deep Learning.
Personal Digital Inquiry in Grades K-5. Stenhouse.

3. DIGITAL LEARNING: THE SECRET SAUCE

4. PERSONAL emphasizes the significance of the
personal relationship between teachers and
students, and the roles that students have in
the learning process.
DIGITAL reflects the important role that
digital texts and tools have come to play
in both learning and teaching with inquiry.
INQUIRY lies at the core of PDI, because
learners grow and change with relevant and
authentic opportunities to identify problems
and generate solutions.
What is Personal Digital Inquiry?

5. But now? After this year?

6. “Time together is more special.”
“It’s good to see people come
together in times of crisis.”
“The culture of life has slowed
down a bit.”
“I have more clarity about what is
really important.”
“I’m completely exhausted.”
“I’m running out of money and I
can’t pay my rent.”
“Daily life is an emotional
rollercoaster.”
“I’m not sure what comes next.”
89% mentioned at least one negative change
73% mentioned at least one unexpected upside
67% simultaneously experienced at least one
negative and at least one positive change since the
pandemic began.
Pew Internet Study, Sept. 2020

7. Simultaneous Challenges & Joys
Kristin Ziemke Renee Hobbs

8. Each of us is different now

9. Enter in the chat:
One unexpected positive change
in your world of work or family
since the pandemic began

10. Re-entry Anxiety…
Doomscrolling...
Vicarious trauma...
Compassion Fatigue...
Empathy Fatigue…

11. And the hundreds of days in Zoom…

12. But we’re human and we will ALWAYS find ways
to connect with each other!!!

13. We’re also resilient and we will ALWAYS find ways to
connect with, laugh, and learn from each other!!!
[How to] Birthday Parties [How-To] Dance Parties
Free Zoom Dinner Parties [How to] Teach and Learn Yoga

14. Enter in the chat:
What is one way that you
used a virtual space
this past year to CONNECT,
LAUGH, and/or LEARN?

15. PERSONAL emphasizes the significance of the
personal relationship between teachers and
students, and the roles that students have in
the learning process.
DIGITAL reflects the important role that
digital texts and tools have come to play
in both learning and teaching with inquiry.
INQUIRY lies at the core of PDI, because
learners grow and change with relevant and
authentic opportunities to identify problems
and generate solutions
What is Personal Digital Inquiry?
In/After a global pandemic
with physical distancing??
YES, ESPECIALLY NOW!
SERIOUSLY????
Can I foster personal
inquiry remotely????
Hmmm…. Are there
any problems we could
learn about and solutions
that we could discuss?

16. Silver linings
and being
HUMAN –
Staying safe,
educated, and
positive
Finding connections and building relationships always matters the most
but…. don’t we have to teach something too – or get some work done?

17. We can create opportunities to connect,
read and learn about serious issues and…
discuss and provide hopeful ideas

18. We can create opportunities to connect, read and learn
about serious issues and… discuss and provide hopeful ideas

19. LGBTQ+

20. Sources for Inquiry and Discussion

21. Sources for Inquiry and Discussion
(Beyond “Text” as paragraphs)
Lots more on Julie’s Wakelet

22. Opportunities to
validate our feelings
and take care of our
hearts
Wonder & Discover
Collaborate & Discuss
Analyze & Reflect
Create & Take Action
Our Well Being?

23. What is your most favorite resource
for your learners or
your work context?
Enter something into the chat box.
Sources for Inquiry and Discussion

24. 2020
Personal Connections
With My Family
across
3 generations,
14 homes,
9 states and
2 countries

25. 2021
Two Personal
Celebrations
31st Year
Anniversary
to my husband,
Charlie Coiro
Our older daughter
Meghan just got married
to Anthony on June 26 –
we have a new son-in-law!

26. Searching for (and sharing) … recipes and … COVID-19 data updates

27. Creating, sharing and
connecting privately… Creating, sharing and
connecting publicly…
In 2021: A new form
of creative expression
even now…

28. Creating together in
analog spaces….
Creating together
in digital spaces…. Creating (and sharing)
together in hybrid
spaces….

29. College Students need Remote
Classroom Communities too!

30. And with
modeling and
opportunity,
your students
will begin to
share and
connect too!
IT’S HUMAN
NATURE!!

31. Ok, but what about REAL learning?
(in school…. and in homes/communities)
• What interesting happenings have caused me
to wonder recently?
• What’s going on in my neighborhood or local
community? What matters to me?
• What problems need to be solved? How can I
matter?

32. Gallup Poll (2012) - 500,000 US students, Gr. 5-12
Center for Education
Policy (2012)

33. Gallup Poll (2016) – 910,000 US students, Gr. 5-12
Percentage who strongly agreed with the statement: “The adults at my
school care about me, “ declined from 67% (Grade 5) to 23% (Grade 11)…
Many students don’t feel individually known or cared for at school.
THIS is the PERSONAL we need to focus on!

34. The Challenge: Connecting Learners in Ways
That Matter
Sense of Belonging – Do I fit in? Am I relevant? Do people care about me?
OECD PISA 2015 Students’ Well Being (April 2017)

35. • Is it ripe enough to eat (or is
it already bad)?
• Is there a really big pit like a
mango?
• How do I cut it?
What do I do with this
[papaya]???
• Wait – it’s a green papaya –
do I have to cook it first?
• How do people eat it?
• Wait, you can eat the skin
and the seeds?

36. Papayas, Limes, and Peppercorns –
Who Knew?!
1
2
3
4
WONDER & DISCOVER…
COLLABORATE & DISCUSS
ANALYZE & REFLECT
CREATE & TAKE ACTION

37. Imagine extensions from papayas to
learn about…
• Healthy Foods
• Exotic Foods
• Plants - Grow
An Avocado from the Seed
• Culture, Recipes, and
Geography (Central
America, Mexico)
• Mission Biomes
(Tropics)
https://bit.ly/300V7vy

38. What is making that
screeching sound???
Out on a
walk…

39. From Baby Hawks to Adults in 48 days!
• How many babies do hawks
have?
• How do they learn how to fly?
• How long do they stay in the
nest?
• What kind of hawk is it?
• What do hawks sound like?
• How do hawks mate?
• Yikes – beware of their speed!
• How close can I get?
WONDER & DISCOVER…
COLLABORATE & DISCUSS

40. https://wke.lt/w/s/qDa7Cn
CREATE & TAKE ACTION
ANALYZE & REFLECT

41. Learning is social
and part of a mutually
constructive process
that involves face-to-
face talking, listening,
and consensus building.
Creative learners make
personal connections
and take action to build
awareness and/or foster
change. “I belong , I matter, and
I can make a difference”
What might a culture of inquiry look and feel like in a
digital age (alongside a global pandemic with social
distancing)? (Four sets of core values/practices)
Generating questions
and lived experiences
with real issues is
personally fulfilling
True inquiry involves
critical analysis, reflection
& self-monitoring,
which leads to
more questions.

42. Building a culture of personal inquiry means
intentionally making time (and designing digital
spaces) to Analyze & Reflect and then
Wonder & Discover
• What interesting happenings have
caused YOU to wonder recently?
• What’s going on in YOUR
neighborhood or local community?
• What problems do YOU think need
to be solved?

43. But I’m still
confused!!
Will our spaces of inquiry
be face-to-face, hybrid,
remote?
I feel so disconnected
from my students?
How can I possibly plan
something intentional
amidst all of this
confusion?

44. Renee Hobbs and Julie Coiro (Design Studio Dyad Partners 2012-2021)
Inquiry Question: How can we create a hands-on, minds-on learning
experience that continues to grow a strong community of digital literacy leaders?
2021: How can we moving beyond
“Emergency Remote Teaching”

46. Anytime/Real-Time Learning Framework

47. ANY-TIME (Teaching and Learning)

48. REAL-TIME (Teaching and Learning)
Renee
Hobbs

49. Everyone Learns
From Everyone
The Power
of Two
Digital and
Media Literacy
Leadership and
Civic Action
INQUIRY & OUR CORE VALUES
Plus 150 of YOU….
with your own stories,
challenges, and own
successes from 2020-
2021
THE SECRET SAUCE

50. Tier 1
• Teaching & Learning Digital Literacy
(Anytime and Real-Time)
Tier 2
• Leading Digital Literacy & Learning
(Model the Way, Inspire Shared Vision, Challenge the Process,
Enable Others to Act, Encourage the Heart)
Tier 3
• Reflecting on Digital Literacy &
Learning (Choose Your Own Adventure)
Inquiry Question: How can we create a hands-on, minds-on learning
experience that continues to grow a strong community of digital literacy leaders?

51. What does my version of personal digital inquiry look and feel
like during a global pandemic?
JULIE
COIRO
SIDL 2021

52. Create to Learn
Model the Way …. Inspire Shared Vision

53. Model the Way …. Inspire Shared Vision

54. And it all began with a question
(plus a thought partner)!
What will your inquiry question be?