Technology and Literacy in the Classroom

1. Technology and Literacy in the Classroom Presented by Cynthia K. Russell RLA 516 May 5th, 2010

2. *Disclaimer I am not a techno wizard or web guru… I barely know how to copy and paste, let alone embed video clips and vokis… I am a really slow (bad?) typist; my colleagues invariably “take over” when it’s group presentation time… However… I love to explore and learn new things! It all started when some foolish administrator thought I might like a Smartboard in my classroom… Whoot! I recognize that children today learn MUCH differently than I did (and do!). I know that the key to successful technology use is integrating it into the curriculum so that computers are a means, not an end. Finally… I realize that no one will do it for me, so I wrote my first grant request and received $500 toward integrating technology into my classroom!

3. Today's Topics Discussion: Why use technology to read books? Some Research Findings The “New” Literacies Using Technology in Before, During, and After Reading Activities Software, Hardware, and Websites Exemplars and Samples Questions?

4. Why Use Technology to Improve Literacy? Books are good. Why mess with a good thing? Since Gutenberg's moveable type printing press, the typewritten text has allowed humans to create, persuade, and exchange information at what in the 1400’s would have been considered a dizzying speed. Surprisingly, leaders of the time felt that this new technology could only create chaos, a shift in power and the eventual fall of society. It would seem that Gutenberg’s legacy has evolved in the form of an e-book. Let’s discuss…

5. A simple response… “The current public policy debates on reading instruction must address a central point: When students complete their school careers, most of their reading will take place within ICT (Information and Communication Technology) such as the Internet.”-Integrating Technology In the Classroom: A position statement of the International Reading Association (2002) http://www.edutopia.org/technology-integration-introduction-video

6. Some Research Findings… “O'Dwyer, Russell, Bebell, and Tucker-Seeley (2005) found that, while controlling for both prior achievement and socioeconomic status, fourth-grade students who reported greater frequency of technology use at school to edit papers were likely to have higher total English/language arts test scores and higher writing scores on fourth grade test scores on the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) English/Language Arts test.” “Michigan's Freedom to Learn (FTL) initiative, an effort to provide middle school students and teachers with access to wireless laptop computers, has been credited with improving grades, motivation and discipline in classrooms across the state, with one exemplary school seeing reading proficiency scores on the Michigan Education Assessment Program (MEAP) test, administered in January 2005, reportedly increasing from 29 percent to 41 percent for seventh graders and from 31 to 63 percent for eighth graders” (eSchool News, 2005).

7. Another Definition of Literacy “Being literate in a real-world sense means being able to read and write using the media forms of the day, whatever they may be. For centuries, consuming and producing words through reading and writing and, to a lesser extent, listening and speaking were sufficient. But because of inexpensive, easy-to-use, and widely available new tools, literacy now requires being conversant with new forms of media as well as text, including sound, graphics, and moving images. In addition, it demands the ability to integrate these new media forms into a single narrative, or "media collage," such as a Web page, blog, or digital story (Ohler, J. 2009)”.

8. Literacy Related to Technology Comprehension and Use Information Literacy: The ability to access and use information, analyze content, work with ideas, synthesize thought, and communicate results. Digital Literacy: The ability to attain deeper understanding of content by using data-analysis tools and accelerated learning processes enabled by technology. New Literacy: The ability to solve genuine problems amidst a deluge of information and its transfer in the Digital Age. Computer Literacy: The ability to accurately and effectively use computer tools such as word processors, spreadsheets, databases, and presentation and graphic software. Computer-Technology Literacy: The ability to manipulate the hardware that is the understructure of technology systems. Critical Literacy: The ability to look at the meaning and purpose of written texts, visual applications, and spoken words to question the attitudes, values, and beliefs behind them. The goal is development of critical thinking to discern meaning from array of multimedia, visual imagery, and virtual environments, as well as written text. Media Literacy: The ability to communicate competently in all media forms—print and electronic—as well as access, understand, analyze and evaluate the images, words, and sounds that comprise contemporary culture. Ann Holum, Ph.D., and Jan Gahala, M.A. “Critical Issue: Using Technology to Enhance Literacy Instruction” North Central Regional Educational Laboratory

9. Using Technology In the Reading Process Locating Texts Building Prior Knowledge in Before Reading Activities Developing and Supporting Comprehension in During Reading Activities Demonstrating Learning in After Reading Activities

10. Using Technology to Locate Texts www.amazon.comwww.bn.comwww.goodreads.com The LIBRARY! http://www.easthartford.org/page.cfm?p=320

11. Before Reading Activities http://www.mrdonn.org/ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0U05WeXPGlk

12. During Reading Activities Using Technology http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=105660765 http://www.readwritethink.org/files/resources/interactives/bio_cube/ http://www.readwritethink.org/files/resources/interactives/acrostic/ http://www.rhymezone.com/

13. After Reading Activities http://www.edutopia.org/stw-differentiated-instruction-technology-elementary-video

14. Software, Hardware, Websites, and more… Read-180, RocketReader, Renaissance Learning Smartboards, Clickers, Media-Rich Paper, e-books and apps Inspiration/Kidspiration, Scolastic, PBSKids, Funbrain, Kumon http://teacher.scholastic.com/products/read180/ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DaQRHzB-Qwc&feature=related http://kidspiration.com/videos/Inspiration

15. To highlight or underline key vocabulary ortext passages to increase word recognition andcomprehension • To attach a document with spelling words, definitions, questions, or prompts relating to thetext • To attach students’ literature response journals • as an electronic document, which provides easy • access while reading • To accommodate struggling readers by changing • font size and page format or by attaching • an audio file with supportive comments or recorded • text An Extreme Example: The Electronic Readers' Workshop Larson, L. (2008). Electronic Reading Workshop: Beyond Books With New Literacies and Instructional Technologies. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 52(2), 121-131. Retrieved from Academic Search Premier database.

16. Excerpts from Larson's ERW Larson, L. (2008). Electronic Reading Workshop: Beyond Books With New Literacies and Instructional Technologies. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 52(2), 121-131. Retrieved from Academic Search Premier database.

17. Or As Simple As Videotaping: teacher wins IRA’s Reading and Technology Award by using simple technology to help her students improve ability to self-monitor “St. John initially videotaped herself reading a book that was at the same level her students were reading so the text would be accessible to them. She then videotaped each student reading a book they had read together as a group in a previous lesson. She compiled the tapes and created a checklist so students could note the “good and bad spots” in their videos. St. John and her students continued the process, performing the same viewing, recording, analyzing, and discussing activities while watching a video of each student in the group. She said, “With each student’s video, the discussions got better and more useful to the student who was reading on the video…. By the end of watching the videos, [they] all had a much clearer goal to work toward when they read.” To wrap up the unit, St. John once more recorded each student, reading a book. She said each compared how many errors were made compared to how many were made in the first video. “They were so impressed by their progress! I intend to use this series of lessons again…as this proved incredibly powerful with my students” (Reading Today, 2008).

18. Blogs, Wikis, and Websites…Oh MY! http://bhaeffner.wikispaces.com/ http://bgenglish.blogspot.com/ http://www.teachwatts.com/ http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/ http://grovesite.com/page.asp?o=vchs&s=eng11s&p=18361 http://www.explorebiology.com/ http://www.thwt.org/historywikis.html http://teach.fcps.net/talk/ http://thatenglishteacher.ning.com/

19. Pitfalls and Problems? What concerns should be discussed? Money? Professional development? Teacher buy-in? Living in the Facebook age? Student usage? What can we do to insure that our students have access to the technology that will help them in a 21st century economy? “Can’t”s to “Can”s

21. Simply no more room… Sylvester, R., & Greenidge, W. (2009). Digital Storytelling: Extending the Potential for Struggling Writers. Reading Teacher, 63(4), 384-395. Retrieved from Academic Search Premier database. Flynt, E., & Brozo, W. (2010). Visual Literacy and the Content Classroom: A Question of Now, Not When. Reading Teacher, 63(6), 526-528. Retrieved from Academic Search Premier database. Byrd, M. (2001). TECHNOLOGY HELPS INCREASE READING SCORES. Media & Methods, 38(1), 12. Retrieved from Academic Search Premier database.

22. Questions? Comments?

23. References eSchool News. (2005a, August).Mich. laptop program shows early success. Staff and wire service reports. p. 15. Holum, A. Ph.D., and Gahala, J. M.A. “Critical Issue: Using Technology to Enhance Literacy Instruction” North Central Regional Educational Laboratory. http://www.ncrel.org/sdrs/areas/issues/methods/technlgy/te800.htm#issue Larson, L. (2008). Electronic Reading Workshop: Beyond Books With New Literacies and Instructional Technologies. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 52(2), 121-131. Retrieved from Academic Search Premier database. O'Dwyer, L.M., Russell, M., Bebell, D., and Tucker-Seeley, K.R. (2005, January). Examining the relationship between home and school computer use and students' English/Language Arts test scores. The Journal of Technology, Learning, and Assessment. (Vol. 3 No. 3). Available: www.bc.edu/research/intasc/studies/USEIT/pdf/USEIT_r10.pdf Ohler, J. (2009). New-Media Literacies. Academe, 95(3), 30-33. Retrieved from Academic Search Premier database. Self-correcting reading behaviors can be enhanced with effective use of "simple" technology. Reading Today, 2008, 26(3), 45. Retrieved from Academic Search Premier database.