From May 27 to June 1, the City of Toronto is celebrating Digital Literacy Week, highlighting the importance of this new form of literacy as well as the challenges and opportunities it creates for people of various ages and skill levels.
The meaning of digital literacy and what it could be in the future will be explored at events throughout the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), including sessions, exhibits and workshops at York University through the University Libraries. Featured events at York University include a panel discussion on fake news and how to deal with it in the run up to the 2019 federal election; a seminar on how researchers can open up academia to a wider audience by looking at citizen participatory research; a day-long workshop for graduate students on data management and research computing; and a photography exhibit providing a behind-the-scenes look at the early evolution of Canada’s Information Age.
All events are offered free of charge.
Fake News and the 2019 Federal Election
With a federal election coming up in October, learn how to best separate the real news from all the fake information circulating online. John Dupuis, associate librarian in the Steacie Science & Engineering Library, together with a panel of experts will discuss just what constitutes fake news, why it is so prevalent and how to spot it.
Date: May 27
Time: 1 to 2:30 p.m.
Location: Scott Library – Collaboratory
Opening up the Academy – harnessing the power of community collaborations to advance research and scholarship
Joy Kirchner, dean of Libraries at York University, will describe trends in citizen participatory research and scholarship. She will draw on a variety of examples that speak to a new vision for citizen-engaged research and scholarship.
Date: May 28
Time: 11 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Location: Steacie Science & Engineering Library
Data Management and Research Computing Bootcamp
Note: This event is fully booked. (Due to its popularity, another event will be held in the fall semester.)
This day-long event aimed at graduate students will cover the basic data management and research computing skills needed to get more out of one's research in less time. Covering everything from how to create a data management plan to how to clean data with R and OpenRefine, this workshop will help graduate students take their research to the next level.
Date: May 30
Time: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Location: Scott Library
Portraits of Digital Canada: A Photo Exhibit
Get an inside look at how one of the world’s most influential companies has evolved from the early 20th century up through the beginnings of mainframe computing all the way up to this new era of digital literacy. Cultivated from thousands of photographs donated by IBM, see how Big Blue went from developing punch cards to shaping the way modern businesses work today.
Date: May 27 to June 1
Time: 8 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Location: Scott Library – First Floor
About Digital Literacy Week
Digital Literacy Week is the result of the City of Toronto and the Toronto Public Library collaborating with an innovative and digitally inclusive group of more than 20 local organizations, including the Toronto District School Board and the Toronto Catholic District School Board, to host digital literacy-themed events throughout the city.
To learn more about the events happening in and around the GTA, visit toronto.ca/explore-enjoy/festivals-events/digital-literacy-week.