Literature and Technology

"Writing for Real Purpose" --Chinwe H. Ikpeze

Chinwe Ikpeze informs us of a fifth grade teacher, John Blain, who wanted to incorporate technology into his literature lesson plans. Blain assigned a couple readings, Because of WinnDixie and The Tiger Rising, and required the students to take part in an online discussion, a cross between a blog and wiki type discussion room. Blain generated questions for the students to take part in as well as the students needing to create own question and concerns they had with the readings; Blain then took the most popular online discussion questions (open ended questions) and brought them into the classroom for a more engaged conversation about the reading and their thoughts about the book(s). Another part of the activity was for the students to write about the main theme for the book and then talk about whether they agreed with the theme or not, and back it up with evidence and explanations. Blain noticed there was more engagement from the children along with higher reading and writing test scores.

I think this is a wonderful way to incorporate technology into the classrooms, and I think it's an easy way, too. There always comes the problem of some students not having the opportunity to have access to computers and internet, but I would like to have at least two computers in my classroom. Another idea for the problem would be to offer after school time for students who do not have access to computers, to stay and work on the computers in the classroom to make sure they are still getting the technology lessons and still being apart in the classroom activities as well. Students need to know how to incorporate technology into all lessons as it can be a successful solution to problems or questions they may need answered. 

Chatting online, is it beneficial for students?

Chatting It Up Online: Students Talk to a Favorite Author.

-Pamela Livingston

Mary Pope Osborne, author of the Magic Treehouse series was expected to be online and available to answers questions from young fans. At a elementary school in Philadelphia, the all boys 3rd grade class had the opportunity to have an "online chat" with one of their favorite authors, Osborne, and ask questions they wanted more information on. Herb Booth, Jackie Gwen and Barbara Wybar, school faculty members, went through a process to make an online chat accessible for their students; Wybar explains that to "get the children more engaged in reading" she needed to find a unique way to entice the students. Wybar went through the process of signing up for an online account, emailing the network ahead of time with questions the students were interested in, making sure network walls were down, having back up technical plans, and practicing the online chat situation before hand to make sure things went smoothly. The students were sent to the computer lab during the day of the scheduled chat, and had an experience they loved. They were able to ask open-ended questions, since simple questions could be found elsewhere, and the online chat with the author of a series of books they loved, ended with success!

The way these teachers took the initiative to find a new way to entice their students into a different learning environment is something that I would want to do for my own students. Livingston gave great examples of how to successfully complete an online chat, and it makes it seem easy enough to incorporate into my own classroom. Students would not only be learning about their favorite authors, or learning how to successfully write but they would be becoming more skilled and advanced in an era that soon will be based solely on technology. Students could be more successful in education if they were to become more familiar with computers and technology; if they have questions on a certain subject, the answers could be just a few mouse clicks away.

Current ISTE nets for teachers include: Facilitating and Inspiring Student Learning and Creativity, which involves promoting and supporting innovative thinking and to model digital age working and learning to name a few or many. The students ISTE nets are basic operations and concepts, knowing technology productive tools, and knowing how to communicate productively through technology. ISTE nets are important in making sure the teacher and the child are on the same page with the new technological advances.

Standards: NETS4