Patti Hutinger Carol Bell Linda Robinson Denita Clover

1. Integrating Technology and Early Literacy Instructional Strategies for Children, Teachers, and Families Patti Hutinger Carol Bell Linda Robinson Denita Clover

2. Projects • Early Childhood Emergent Literacy Research Project • Literacy Demonstration (ITLC) • LitTECH Interactive Outreach • Early Childhood Emerging Literacy Technology Curriculum (ELITEC) • LitTECH Outreach

3. Research • Qualitative three year research study involved eight early childhood sites in Illinois 8 teachers and 255 children in 16 half-day preschool classes in rural and urban Illinois) • Four different types of classrooms • New to technology • Technology familiar classroom • Technology familiar classroom (Observation/control site) • No Technology (Observation/control site)

4. Key Findings of Research • Carried on conversations • Acquiried socialization and communication skills • Used appropriate vocabulary • Articulated key concepts • Identified environmental print • Attended • Shared/Took turns

5. Key Findings of Research • Made judgments • Solved problems • Used related literacy materials • Listened • Predicted sequence and outcomes • Looked at or ‘reading’ a book

6. Effective Instructional Strategies • Appropriate software • Curriculum integration with adaptations • Management strategies Consistent with NRC Recommendations

7. Software • Three types of software • Story based software • Tool and graphics software • Authoring/Multimedia programs

8. Early Learning Standards • Reading • Shows beginning understanding of concepts about print • Begins to develop knowledge about letters • Demonstrates phonological awareness • Comprehends and responds to stories read aloud • Shows appreciation for books and reading

9. Early Learning Standards • Writing • Uses letter like shapes, symbols, and letters to convey meaning • Represents ideas and stories through pictures, diction, and play • Understands purposes for writing

10. Establishing and Maintaining • Investigate • implementation and • maintenance in multiple settings • Compare results to original research results

11. 3 Components of the Model • Curriculum • Technical Assistance to Teachers • Technical Assistance to Families

12. Participants over 3 years • 17 classrooms, 18 teachers, 438 children • 7 classrooms early childhood special education • 7 pre-kindergarten at risk • 3 inclusive programs • Teaching experience ranges from 4 - 25 years

13. Treatment Groups • Group 1 (G1) 3 classrooms Year 1 (2 continued in Years 2 and 3); received training and follow-up Years 2 & 3 • Group 2A (G2A) 5 classrooms in Year 2 & 3 • Group 2B (G2B) 2 classrooms that participated in Year 3 • Group 3 (G3) 7 classrooms whose teachers had prior experience with model • Group 4 (G4) comparison classroom in Year 3

14. Findings across both studies • Carries on a conversation • Makes judgments • Listens • Attends • Predicts sequence and outcomes • Shares/Takes turns

15. Findings continued • Social interaction among children • Social interaction between children and adults • Uses appropriate vocabulary • Solves problems • Uses related literacy materials

16. Conclusions • Need for support through technical assistance and follow-up after training • Changes in children’s learning influences effective implementation • Takes the passage of a generous amount of time to implement an innovation (more than one or two years of training)

17. Maintenance • Compared G1 teachers with G3 teachers in Year 1 • No significant differences between children’s individual literacy at beginning of study or their behavior interactions (one exception) • Both groups made significant but similar gains

18. Taking a deeper look • G3 teachers participated in training and follow-up in subsequent years • Children started at a higher level • Outperformed other groups • Teachers started earlier • Teachers used more elements of the model • Twice as much literature based software • Two thirds more graphic and writing software • Greater use of authoring programs

19. Results demonstrated • Technology provides access to literacy activities • Integrated curricular approach used in the model offered a meaningful context for learning • Children with disabilities as well as children at risk made gains in aspects of both literacy and technology use

20. Early Reading First • Positive impact on • print knowledge • letter knowledge, • No impact on • phonological awareness • oral language.

21. Early Childhood Technology Integrated Instructional System (EC-TIIS) • Phase 3 Steppingstones Project • Based on Phase 1 and Phase 2 Projects • Evidence-Based Content

22. EC-TIIS Website Content Nine Online Workshops • Adaptations • Computer Environment • Curriculum Integration • Emergent Literacy • Expressive Arts • Family Participation • Math/Science/Social Studies • Software • Technology Assessment

23. EC-TIIS Website Content Combination of: • Activities • Links • PDF files • Information • Resources • Performance Indicators

24. EC-TIIS Web Site • Registration/LogIn • Main Menu • Site Map

25. EC-TIIS Workshops • Emergent Literacy • Introduction • Position Statements on Early Literacy • Emergent Literacy Concepts • Stages of Writing • Designing the Environment • Labeling • Designing Centers for Literacy • Management Techniques

26. EC-TIIS Workshops • Emergent Literacy • Technology Integration • Interactive Commercial Software • Green Eggs and Ham activity - pdf • Tool Use Software • Kid Pix • Adaptations/Customization • Adapted Books • Computer Adaptations

27. EC-TIIS Workshops • Emergent Literacy • Assessment • Creating Portfolios with Authoring Software • Assessment Instruments

28. EC-TIIS Groups • Early Childhood Special Educators • Head Start Educators • Child Care Providers • Families • University Faculty • University Students • Extended

29. Phase 3 Design 3 related multistrand mixed model studies Study 1 • Make comparisons to EC-TIIS 2 findings • Determine effectiveness of workshops on large number of diverse users • Answer exploratory research questions related to web site use • Participants are Educators, Families, and Extended groups

30. Study 1 Measures • Technology Survey • Classroom Use of Technology • Family Use of Technology • Pre and Post Workshop Assessments • Exit Survey

31. Phase 3 Design Study 2 • Confirm and compare the findings of Study 1 • Randomly select participants from Study 1 • Educators and Extended who complete 3 workshops • Families who complete 1 workshop

32. Study 2 Measures • Interviews - Teachers, Families • Samples of Child Products • Digital Pictures • Video • Interesting Incident Reports • Action Plans

33. Phase 3 Design Study 3 • Explore, confirm and compare findings related to use of workshops as: • supplement to university courses • stand-alone graduate course

34. Study 3 Measures • Faculty • Survey • Questionnaire • Student • Survey • Workshop Pre and Post Assessments • Workshop Exit Survey • Performance Indicators

35. Data Analysis Procedures • Data from Online Surveys downloaded directly into MySQL database • Transferred into SPSS for analysis

36. Participant Positions N=1280

37. Participant Locations N=1280

38. Emergent Literacy Workshop Assessment Results

39. Emergent Literacy Workshop Assessment Results

40. Credit Options • Continuing Education Units (CEUs) • Continuing Professional Development Units (CPDUs) • Certificate of Completion • Graduate Course - IDT 573

41. Center Website www.wiu.edu/thecenter