If you CLICK they will succeed!

When I started teaching in South Carolina, almost seven years ago, I was very impressed with the technology available to students and educators.  There are Smartboards, Dell projectors, portable computer labs, and a surround sound system with wireless microphone capabilities in every classroom.  This is a far cry from the chalk dust and overhead projectors I was accustomed to in my previous school district.  

My district is currently working to get a personal computing device into the hands of the 25,000 plus students in our district.  Schools that have received their devices have already implemented a paperless and bookless system. The dusty copiers and printers are no longer churning and spitting out warm worksheets ready to be collated and stapled.  The quiet whispering of student conversations replaced with the repetitive tapping of secret Google Chat banter now fills these classrooms.  

While this movement is exciting and innovative there is an underlying apprehensiveness lurking in the teacher workrooms and creeping into staff meetings. "How am I going to teach my standards if I can not use books?" "Can I give a test using this tablet?" "What! No Microsoft Office?" 

The transition is overwhelming and will take some time to completely implement. My goal is help teaching professionals make the shift from textbooks to tablets (iPads, Chromebooks, Thinkpads) successfully by teaching them how to CLICK!

Lighting a Spark-"The Art of Possibility"

Lighting a Spark: Since my universe of possibility includes reaching the lives of others by igniting a spark I must remember to enroll myself as much as possible into the lives of those seeking passion and engagement. Sometimes I find myself unwilling to participate because of past fears or my inability to see pass personal limitations. My most valuable contribution can be to relinquish my judgments and accept those who may be reaching out to light a spark inside of me.

Being the Board: Living my life as the board puts me in control of all of the things, which come into my playing field.  I decide what happens when things get moved around. My response determines what possibilities are available to me.

Creating Frameworks for Possibility: Climbing out of the downward spiral is the key to taking full advantage of the possibilities available to me. Recognizing that division feeds the spiral will help me change how people respond to me.  I want to that teacher who makes the abnormal the status quo.  Like the second grade teacher who shaved her head I want to take a flash of insight and change it into a possibility.

Chapter 12. I would like to think that I have been able to tap into my inner power and use it to make a substantial difference in someone’s life. I just do know for sure if that is the case.  I have played many roles including mentor, teacher, mother, and friend.  I would like to believe that I have had a role in helping some of the people I have known realize their dreams.

Leading from Any Chair -"The Art of Possibility"

Chapter 5. Leading from Any Chair: Making a difference in the people we influence each day requires only one thing: humility. According to Zander & Zander, “…a leader who feels he is superior is likely to suppress the voices of the very people on whom he must rely to deliver his vision…” (p. 67).  Zander provides a wonderful example of how humility can work to improve many relationships.  Leaders must acknowledge their mistakes and provided opportunities for constructive feedback. Listening to those who help us make our dreams a reality is a sign that we appreciate their hard work and respect their feelings. 
Chapter 6. Rule Number 6: Don’t take yourself so seriously: Live, Laugh, and Love is my family motto! I have this motto hanging in our dining room we walk by it daily as we leave and enter our home.  I think it’s a great way to remind my family to smile as they leave the house each day and when they return in the evening. I know that is helps me stay calm at work.  Working with middle schoolers has taught me how powerful laughter can be in the learning environment.  Twelve-year-olds take life very seriously.  They are passionate about their friends, cliques, clothes, grades, and social status. It’s part of the calculating being, which dwells inside each of them.  I often diffuse very heated confrontations by recounting the situation using humor.  Laughter often helps to lighten up the situation.  I never belittle my students by trivializing their problems I just help them realize the lighter side.  Most of the time this approach is successful. There are times of course when one of the parties involved is just not ready to give up the spotlight and the calculating self remains-understandably so, these are of course middle schoolers.  But for those who transcend and move to the next level where the primary focus is not gratifying some inner need to be part of the “in crowd” – their in lies an inner peace. A serenity, which comes only with knowing in that one moment, she has grown up just a little and has for first the time recognized her central self. 
Chapter 7. The Way Things Are: I think understanding that “The way things are” should not be an excuse for accepting substandard treatment or complacent living. I have spent some time at both ends of this continuum.  Expecting nothing, sacrificing happiness, and stifling my progress, so some else could operate comfortably in the world have been a part of my life for many years. I think this has much to do with the world of measurements and living in a place where others control major aspects of our lives.  Sometimes we lie to ourselves by saying “I gotta do what I gotta do” but this is not case.  Complacent lifestyles can be are not always as satisfying as they look. They become easy so we live out our lives according to what we know best – routine.  I think people are afraid to move outside of their routines because they fear criticism.
Chapter 8. Giving Way to Passion: I do not believe that I am actively expressing my true passion in life because I am not sure what that passion really is.  I have had this conversation many times with a very close friend of mine – Dr. Alison Morgan-Black (she is also a critical friend for my ARP).  I have shared with her while I am please with my career choice I am uncertain whether or not if this is my calling.  I think Amanda says it best “…beauty glimmered all around me, but nothing was defined” (Zander & Zander. P 118)

Zander, R. S., & Zander, B. (2000). The art of possibility. Boston: Harvard Business School Press..

Thinking outside the box- "The Art of Possibility"

        Thinking outside the box we live in requires changing our experiences. Our experiences determine our perceptions therefore we can become bound by our limitations if we do not seek opportunities to expand those boundaries.  According to Zander & Zander “The frames of our minds create define-and confine-what we perceive to be possible”  (p. 15). We also create subconscious assumptions, which makes “…every dilemma, every dead end we find our selves facing in life, [appear] unsolvable” (Zander & Zander, p. 14). In order to change this perception we must create positive assumptions built around what appears to be impossible.  Simply put it does not matter if the glass is half empty or if it’s half full. It’s your attitude after you drink the water.  Your outlook determines what you invent. Inventing new experiences and possibilities will bring new choices and opportunities.

        My thoughts and actions are a result of the numerous measurements imposed on my life.  Making decisions about where to work and live are just two examples of decisions I have made based on these measurements.  I do believe however that measurements have helped me achieve a sense of security, stability, and maturatity.  Deciding where to live was based on the type of lifestyle I was accustomed to as a child.  Believing that I had to provide a certain type of home for my family, in a particular neighborhood was a result of measurements as well. While I am a northern girl to the core – I currently reside in the Southeast because this is where I “measure up” to those standards.  Accomplishing all goals are a result of one’s recognition of measurements. Within those measurements are indicators of success and I have used each one to make decisions and take advantage of all the possibilities available to me. However, according to Zander & Zander

     After ten years of teaching the “Giving Yourself an A” theory is something I have practiced numerous times but did not know what is was until I read this book.  Teaching requires that you develop and maintain the ability to see possibilities in all situations, even when it seems that all means have been exhausted. This is especially true when you have so many other factors like, unsupportive administrators, dissatisfied parents, and of course No Child Left Behind, to contend with; all different forms of measurements.  I teach my students to help each other.  My classroom is a community and it extends beyond room 210.  Each year I encourage my students to develop selfless attitudes and to help their peers do the same.  I think “Giving Yourself an A” is very similar to “paying it forward”.  You have to look beyond your limitations to make someone else’s day.  Once the ball gets rolling the possibilities are endless. Students extend genuine courtesies to peers from an intrinsic force, which is recycled time after time. 

      I will continue to maintain a positive attitude even when I struggle to see the possibilities.  Helping others reach a point where they too can see the possibilities is my focus.   Being a contribution is not about personal gain instead it’s about effecting change.  Each smile, kind word, and helping hand is a contribution. These small selfless gestures change attitudes and evoke possibilities.   
Zander, R. S., & Zander, B. (2000). The art of possibility. Boston: Harvard Business School Press.

What the experts are saying

Larson, L. C. (2010). Digital readers: the next chapter in e-book

reading and response. The Reading Teacher, 64(1), 15-22. Retrieved October 12, 2010, from doi:10.1598/RT.64.1.2

Digital Readers: The Next Chapter in E-Book Reading and Response evaluated the use of e-books in a primary educational setting. The article suggests that students who interact with digital readers are exposed to a wide assortment of written text. It is also suggested that these devices may help with comprehension skills and build reader response skills. Educators must realize that reading does not just include what has been traditionally recognized as text. Words written in books, magazines, and newspapers do not begin to encompass what we now must accept as text. Larson (2010) argues that: Today, text is professed as much more than written words and images. Students are using various media to compose and exchange ideas and messages. Many times it is a combination of media, which is used to express these thoughts, educators should understand that these types of media have changed literacy. E-books provide students with an opportunity to interact with text on more than one level. Animation, sound, and text are joined to create an interactive experience.
Some researchers felt that the multimodal exposure is a distraction and students who struggle with comprehension may find it difficult to make sense of the material. However, Larson (2010) noted a study conducted in 1996 by Glasgow, which indicted that reading motivation appears higher after children interact with multimodal text, especially among children with reading difficulties. Larson’s article evaluated a study conducted in a second grade classroom where students were taught how to use the features of an Amazon Kindle. Students learned how to take digital notes and how to use the tool’ s built in dictionary. These students were observed using these features to search for meanings and clarification of concepts while reading. The parents of these students revealed notable changes in reading dispositions and personas (Larson, 2010). It was reported that students expressed excitement about reading after interacting with the Kindle. Larson also provided a plan of action for teachers interested in using electronic reading devices in their classrooms.

Judson, E. (2010). Improving technology literacy: does it open

doors to traditional content?. Educational Technology Research and Development, 58(3), 271-284. Doi: 10.1007/s11423-009-9135-8

Improving technology literacy: does it open doors to traditional content, analyzes if students enhanced technology skills positively influenced academic performance across other content areas.

Means, B. (2010). Technology and education change: focus on

student learning. Journal of Research on Technology in Education, 42(3), 285-307. Retrieved October 12, 2010, from http://www.eric.ed.gov/PDFS/EJ882507.pdf

Technology and Education Change: Focus on Student Learning examined how reading and math software implementation impacted the academic performance of below average students.

Sutherland-Smith, W. (2002). Weaving the literacy web: changes

in reading from page to screen. The Reading Teacher, 55(7),

662-669. Retrieved October 10, 2010, from http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=10

&hid=10&sid=a41a9f59-a639-43e2-b35e

6069712c3edc%40sessionmgr10

Weaving the Literacy Web examined the need to teach students new reading strategies to help them decode meaning from digital text versus the skills needed to decode meaning from written text.

Classtools.net-Review

WWW.CLASSTOOLS.NET

Why spend hours online searching subject related, interactive games to use in your classroom when you can create them using Classtools.net? This Web2.0 tool allows teachers to develop their own games using pre-designed templates. The basic program is free and has many features. A subscriber can create fun and interactive games students will enjoy playing. 

Once you have registered for an account select the type of game you wish to create, enter the questions and the answers into the required fields and you are done. The program will create the game and the rules for playing automatically.  I think this is a great way to differentiate instruction in your classroom because you write the types of questions you want your students to answer.

I think this will be a great tool to use for my ARP because I can create a post-reading discussion question WORDSHOOT game or vocabulary preview MATCHING game.  Classtools.net also lets you use the same questions to create different types of of games. This is a great timesaving feature.

There are advanced features available for an upgrade fee, but I think with so many free options to explore the basic package may provide more than enough resources for the novice user.

 

CHOOSE A GAME TEMPLATE

CREATE THE QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

CLASSTOOLS CREATES THE RULES

WORDSHOOT

MATCHING

Literacy and Technology: What are the experts saying?

Editorial: Literacy and technology: questions of relationship

            Editorial: Literacy and technology: questions of relationship, examines how technology has changed the meaning and function of literacy. Some researchers suggest redefining what literacy means because of the advancements in technology. Another field of study suggested that the focus should be on how these advancements were used to enhance literacy skills. It was also determined that the written language could not be the primary focus because technology has transformed how and what our students read.  This editorial examined three fields of literacy and technology in relation to alphabetical print and competence. One group of researchers used two computer-based programs to examine phonological and reading skills in 7 to 9 year olds.  The other two ideas explored in this paper were quite similar in that each believed scientifically researched technology products would yield accurate measurements once data had been collected and evaluated. 

"Tomorrow will not be like today": Literacy and identity in a world of multiliteracies

            Bronwyn T. Williams examines the various ways in which adolescents communicate with one another using technology.  He explains that while students are engaged in online chat, social networking, blogs, instant messaging, and virtual reality sites they are building, creating and using multiliteracy skills.  These technological advancements have thrust our students and children into a fast paced, ever changing, highly developed arena where they must learn to manipulate the features most times independently.  While it may appear that these kids are simply wasting away sitting in front of the computer isolated from the real world and depriving themselves of social interaction it is quite the opposite.  Our students are interacting with other users, creating new languages, reading blogs, creating blogs, and learning new online programs most of the time using trial and error.  These kids are technologically literate and advanced.  So why is there a lag in literacy?  Educators and parents must first understand then accept that this new literacy has changed the way our students learn and interact.  Once that has been accomplished then its time to bring these concepts into our classrooms and use them as tools to help students succeed on all academic levels.  

Enhancing adolescent literacy achievement through integration of technology in the classroom

Enhancing adolescent literacy achievement through integration of technology in the classroom focuses on the literacy needs of the children in the state of Connecticut.  The research found that over eight million students in grades 4 to 12 nationwide were identified as struggling readers.  Connecticut educational leaders have used that data as part of an initiative to improve student literacy in their state.  They have also acknowledged the impact that technology has had on literacy as well.  Educators realized that while students had access to Internet connected computers, ipods, cell phones, and other technological devices educators were not sure how to use this knowledge to enhance literacy.  Researchers developed a seven point agenda to begin the constructive infusion of technology into the curriculum. The seven steps were: (1) state-offered virtual courses and delivery systems, (2) communication tools, (3) artificial intelligence, (4) word processors, (5) new literacies practices, (6) professional development, and (7) technology for parents.

Integrating Literacy and Technology: Making a Match Between Software and Classroom.

Integrating Literacy and Technology: Making a Match Between Software and Classroom offered suggestions about how to determine which technology best meets the needs of learners.  The article explained that most literacy software is evaluated by a rubric, which examined media presentation, navigation, and built-in assessments. The authors suggested that an Evaluation Framework be established to determine which software and web-pages would be most useful in a given learning environment. This software and webpage Evaluation Framework would look at the following areas: Theoretical perspectives of literacy, Stances toward technology, Aspects of literacy, and Types of educational software.  Each area had a list of criteria, which provided guidelines for the evaluator.  Deciding which software and webpages to use for literacy instruction is a significant aspect of building a literacy program.

 References

Baker, E. A. (2003). Integrating Literacy and Technology: Making AMatch  Between Software and Classroom. Reading & Writing Quarterly, 42(3), 1-6. Retrieved October 8, 2010, from http://www.eric.ed.gov:80/ERICWebPortal/search/detailmini.jsp?_nfpb=true&_&ERICExtSearch_SearchValue_0=EJ672805&ERICExtSearch_SearchType_0=no&accno=EJ672805

Marsh, J., & Singleton, C. (2009). Editorial: Literacy and technology: questions of relationship.Journal of Researchin Reading, 32(1), 1-5. Retrieved October 6, 2010, from http://http://content.ebscohost.com/pdf9/pdf/2009/D8C/01Feb09/36077557.pdf?T=P&P=AN&K=36077557&S=R&D=ehh&EbscoContent=dGJyMNHr7ESep644zdnyOLCmr0iep69Ss6m4SLeWxWXS&ContentCustomer=dGJyMPGvr0izqbdJuePfgeyx44Dt6fIA


Sternberg, B.J., & Kaplan, A., & Brock, J.EReading Research Quarterly
Vol. 42, No. 3 (Jul. - Sep., 2007), pp. 416-420 
(article consists of 5 pages) Published by: International Reading Association http://www.jstor.org/stable/20068306


Williams, B.T. (2008, May). “Tomorrow Will Not be Like Today”: Literacy and Identityin a World of Multiliteracies. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 51(8), 682–686. doi: 10.1598/JAAL.51.8.7

Literacy and Technology: What the are experts saying?

 News Wire
       Reading Projects Incorporating the Web suggests a number of resources a teacher can use to incorporate technology into a reading curriculum.  The article describes several activities, which use reading, web-based research, writing, and presentation activities.  Some projects require students to work independently but many ask students to collaborate to complete the assignment.  One project, Import-Export with Keypals, lets the teacher assign their students a penpal/epal who students share pictures and letters with via the Internet. Students can make new friends with students across the state or out of the country.  Many of the assignments suggested can be used in several academic areas giving teachers an opportunity to plan cross-curriculum units of study.

Oliver, K. (2003). Reading Projects Incorporating Technology. News Wire. 2-3. Retrieved October 1, 2010, from http://www.seirtec.org/_downloads/publications/NWv6n1.pdf

Teacher Wisdom Stories: cautions and recommendations for using computer-related technologies for literacy instruction

           Teacher Wisdom Stories: Cautions and recommendations for using computer-related technologies for literacy instruction offers advice to classroom teachers about how to use computers effectively to deliver literacy instruction. The authors conducted a survey to determine teacher’s areas of interest and concern in regard to using technology to teach literacy. Once the data was collected and evaluated suggestions were made to help these teachers enhance literacy instruction.  Some teachers reported that they felt isolated and unsupported when they attempted to use computers during instruction.  The recommendation was to seek computer-related professional development opportunities. Teachers were also advised to ask other colleges in their district about technology support resources. The article also included advice about appropriate software, Internet safety, and computer lab/classroom management. A number of links were also provided to help teachers with resources for building effective lessons.  One of the links included was a link to the National Educational Technology Standards. These standards offer guidelines for writing technology lesson objectives for students in grades K-12.

Labbo, L. D., Leu, D. J., Kinzer, C., Teale, W. H., Cammack, D. , & Kara-Soteriu, J. , et al. (2003). Teacher wisdom stories: Cautions and recommendations for using computer-related technologies for literacy instruction. Technology in Literacy, 57(3), 300-304. Retrieved October 2, 2010, from http://www.readingonline.org/electronic/RT/11

Critical Issue: Using Technology to Enhance Literacy Instruction

          Critical Issue: Using Technology to Enhance Literacy Instruction provides valuable resources for educators seeking to build not only their reading curriculum but also ideas for writing and research are also included.  The contributors begin by defining several types of literacy: Information, Digital, New, Computer, Computer-Technology, Critical, and Media.  The information is divided into three specific areas: Research, Practice, and Professional Development which is followed with goals and suggestions for administrators, teachers, parents, media specialist and community partners to help student performance in the aforementioned areas. There are also many links to other websites offer support for implementing some of the strategies discussed.

Labbo, L. D., Leu, D. J., Kinzer, C., Teale, W. H., Cammack, D. , & Kara-Soteriu, J. , et al. (2003). Teacher wisdom stories: Cautions and recommendations for using computer-related technologies for literacy instruction. Technology in Literacy, 57(3), 300-304. Retrieved October 2, 2010, from http://www.readingonline.org/electronic/RT/11

Twenty-first Century Literacy and Technology in K-8 Classrooms 
     Twenty-first Century Literacy and Technology in K-8 Classrooms explored how new technology has impacted instruction.  The contributors explored what twenty-first skills teachers should be considering when deciding to incorporate technology into their instructional plans.  The article also explains that students are spending less time seeking information from parents and teaches and relying more on technology based resources.  Therefore, it is important that they are taught how to choose reliable resources and how to use them once they have accessed the information. An extensive list of resources is also provided with suggestions for how and to make most of these tools.    

Brown, J., Bryan, J., & Brown, T. (2005). Twenty-first Century Literacy and Technology in K-8 Classrooms. Innovative, 1(3), 1-5. Retrieved October 3, 2010, from http://http://www.innovateonline.info/index.php?view=article&id=17