Enhancing Literacy with Technology

Elizabeth Years StevensSyracuse University

How can technology support inquiry based learning projects?

What about that classroom website? What Internet tools are available for use to

support literacy in all content areas? How do you "hook" your learners with

technology?

Leslie Garcea, Instructional CoachRoberts PreK-8

Essential Questions

Introduction to online inquiry based learning Explore and share

◦ Internet Reciprocal Teaching◦ Internet Workshops◦ Internet Projects◦ Internet Inquiries◦ Webquests

Study literacy and the classroom website◦ Literacy instruction and website◦ Features/tools for use on the classroom website◦ Getting started with your own website with Jessica

Rice

Agenda

“Schools for our kids right now have to be places of deep inquiry where they are solving real world problems because they have a lot of problems that they are going to need to solve. Where classrooms and teachers are learning basically how to collaborate with global peers to create beautiful and important work that they can share with the world that can teach others. Where we can help them find their passions and support those passions so they can become the lifelong learners in these contexts that we all want them to be…” Will Richardson, March 5, 2011

Inquiry

Purpose/Benefits:• Teaches comprehension strategies: predicting,

questioning, clarifying, and summarizing• Builds online reading comprehension strategies:

questioning, locating, evaluating, synthesizing, and communicating

Steps:• Phase 1- “The Basics” such as word processing skills,

Web searching, navigation basics, and e-mail• Phase 2- “Collaboration” including think aloud

demonstrations and minilessons by students and teachers

• Phase 3- “Student-Centered Learning” with students working both individually and in small groups using strategies and skills from the previous phases to develop lines of inquiry around curricular topics– focus on inquiry not product

Internet Reciprocal Teaching

Internet InquiryPurpose/Benefits:• Develops independent research skills• Allows students to pursue special

interests• Develops critical literacy skills

Steps:1. Develop a question2. Search for information3. Evaluate information4. Compose an answer to your question5. Share the answer with others

Internet WorkshopPurpose/Benefits: • Model for conducting research• Allows student exchange of learning

Steps:1. Locate a good site with content related to a

classroom unit of instruction2. Develop an activity requiring students to use

the site (May be assigned over a period of time.)

3. Have students share their discoveries, questions, and new literacy strategies during a short workshop session

Internet ProjectPurpose/Benefits: • Emphasizes communication skills• Builds cultural experience, global

community

Steps:1. With advance planning organize a

collaborative project for an upcoming unit 2. Create a clear description of your project in a

write-up with ALL details3. Post project in several locations on the

Internet4. Arrange details with those who agree to

collaborate5. Complete the project

Webquests

Purpose/Benefits:• Efficient, organized way to integrate the

Internet into the classroom

Steps:1. Introduction2. The task definition3. Information resources4. Guidance in organizing the information5. A concluding activity

Motivation Availability 24/7 Communication with parents and others Preparation for the future

http://literacywebdesign.missouri.edu/

Why create a classroom website?

In Wordle: Describe yourself as a teacher

Describe the literacy instruction in your classroom

Brainstorm

Baker, E. B. A. (2007). Elementary classroom web sites: Support for literacy within and beyond the classroom. Journal of Literacy Research, 39(1), 1-36.

Purpose: To understand how elementary classroom websites support children’s literacy

Theoretical framing: Literacy changes as culture changes (sociocultural perspective, transformative stance, new literacies)

Method: Data was collected by conducting three Google searches for classroom webpages, and of 1 million hits, 120 sites were selected as participants of this study. Data was analyzed with open and axial coding; researchers independently classified each feature of classroom websites.

Findings: Many websites contained classroom newsletters, external links to other sites, and published student work. Most websites contained features that fit into the basal/skill approach to teaching. No websites showed evidence of support for peer culture.

Baker’s suggested steps for designing or revising your classroom website:

1. Identify the instructional approach(es) you use in your literacy program

2. Select website features that reinforce your instructional approaches

3. Identify web development software/host that you can use to create your website

4. Create & launch your website 5. Watch your literacy program blossom

http://literacywebdesign.missouri.edu/How%20to%20use.htm

Designing and Revising a Classroom Website

Common instructional approaches◦ Basal/skills-based◦ Process-writing◦ Literature-based◦ Unit-based◦ Language Experience

http://literacywebdesign.missouri.edu/Approaches/Approach%20basal.htm

Identify Instructional Approach(es)

Website Features for Literacy Teachers

Website Features

Basal/skill-based Process-writing

Literature-based

Unit-based Language Experience

Links to children created websites

x

1. Start here http://literacywebdesign.missouri.edu/Features/Features%20Basal.htm for examples.

2. Write the feature(s) of your website in the column on the left and check off the appropriate literacy approach.

3. What can you learn about your classroom website and literacy instruction?

1. Twitter- micro-sharing site2. YouTube- video-sharing tool3. Google Docs- collaboration suite4. Skype- instant messaging/video5. WordPress- blogging tool6. Dropbox- file synching software7. Prezi- presentation software8. Moodle- course management system9. Slideshare- presentation sharing10. Wikipedia- collaborative encyclopedia11. Blogger/Blogspot- blogging tool12. Diigo- social annotation tool13. Facebook- social network14. Google Search- search engine15. Google Reader- RSS reader16. Evernote- note-taking tool17. Jing- screen capture tool

http://c4lpt.co.uk/top-100-tools-for-learning-2011/

2012…Think 2.0

Shift in Mindset

What features are you motivated to add to your classroom website?

What do these features say about your instructional approaches?

Features to Reinforce Your Instructional Approach(es)

Concluding thoughts

Collaborative work session

Design or Revise Your Classroom Website

Baker, E. B. A. (2007). Elementary classroom web sites: Support for literacy within and beyond the classroom. Journal of Literacy Research, 39(1), 1-36.

Knobel, M., & Wilber, D. (2009). Let's talk 2.0. Educational Leadership, 66(6), 20-24.

Lankshear, C., & Knobel, M. (2006, April 11). Blogging as participation: The active sociality of a new literacy. Paper presented at the American Educational Research Association, San Francisco, CA.

Leu, D.J., & Leu, D.D., Coiro, J. (2004). Teaching with the Internet (Fourth ed.). Norwood, MA: Christopher-Gordon.

McVerry, J.G., Zawilinski, L., & O'Byrne, W.I. (2009). Internet reciprocal teaching: Navigating the C's of change. Educational Leadership, 67(1). Available: http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/sept09/vol67/num01/Navigating-the-Cs-of-Change.aspx

References