Jaiyana Samji/ staff reporter

This year, Gleneagle has started a brand-new way of teaching their student digital literacy. Last year students only had a few assignments a year, but now there will be a new assignment every other week. Reyanne Roberts, librarian and digital literacy teacher, and David Gilbar, technology and digital literacy teacher, have worked to come up with and execute this new system.

According to Roberts, the new digital literacy system is called ‘on the DL’ and it works by having the students watch a short video before completing a small assignment to show their understanding. They release the videos and assignments every two weeks trying to follow the early dismissal schedule.

“Most of the assignments can be completed in under 30 minutes,” said Roberts

 Gilbar believes that once schools were back to in person learning, it was the perfect opportunity to re-envision the program. They realized that many students had a need for digital literacy skills.

“For a long time, people have assumed that students are just supposed to be good with technology and know how to use the cloud” explained Gilbar.

Last year digital literacy students only had a few things to do and then nothing for months; now that the program is more consistent with the work, the teachers feel that it’s going to be lot better than last year.

“The rate of completion is much higher, and the authenticity of the participation does anecdotally seem better” said Gilbar.

Ms. Roberts has been a big help with bringing a level of consistency and polish to digital literacy according Gilbar.

Many students feel that the new system for digital literacy will not be as efficient as it was meant to be.

Danilo Ibarra, grade 9, believes that having biweekly assignments is way too much work for them considering they just came out of middle school

“Now that we’re in high school and have a lot more homework and stress on our shoulders, I feel like adding on digital literacy is just too much for us”

Nikoo Moradi, Grade 9, says,

“I wish our school could have the same system that Pinetree has because their students get a designated block one day a week to complete their assignments and get help if they need it”

Maryam Nasimi, Grade 10, is glad that she took digital literacy last year because she already struggled with the amount of homework she had from her other classes.

Joseph Song, Grade 10, feels that “It will be more efficient in the sense that the students get more work done and get used to the new class faster, but I feel like most students won’t actually end up doing most of the work as they already have so much on their plates”