Virtual Horizons: Using Online Applications to Enrich New Literacies Tasha A. Thomas, SWP Director, USC Upstate Dawn Mitchell, SWP Partnership Coordinator

Essential Questions How do we establish a community of learners that extends beyond the classroom? How do we establish a community of learners that extends beyond the classroom? How do we engage students in ongoing literacy conversations outside of class? How do we engage students in ongoing literacy conversations outside of class? How can we provide students with the necessary critical literacy skills to navigate and manage today’s world of digital media? How can we provide students with the necessary critical literacy skills to navigate and manage today’s world of digital media?

Think, Pair, Share What do you already know about blogs, wikis and virtual libraries? What do you already know about blogs, wikis and virtual libraries? Do you currently use any of these technologies in the classroom? If so, how? Do you currently use any of these technologies in the classroom? If so, how?

Experience level of teacher with technology Experience level of teacher with technology Student accountability Student accountability Teacher control Teacher control Questions of assessment Questions of assessment Return on time and investment Return on time and investment Safety concerns Safety concerns Availability of resources Availability of resources Why are we sometimes reluctant to integrate technology?

Why integrate online applications? Technology is ever-present and increasingly invasive. Technology is ever-present and increasingly invasive. Wikis, blogs and virtual libraries encourage group social interaction and collaboration. Wikis, blogs and virtual libraries encourage group social interaction and collaboration. Students find that their learning is most effective when they are actively involved in the construction of their knowledge. Students find that their learning is most effective when they are actively involved in the construction of their knowledge.

Why integrate online applications? Participation in online learning communities promotes critical thinking skills and causes students to explore topics in a more in-depth manner. Participation in online learning communities promotes critical thinking skills and causes students to explore topics in a more in-depth manner. They facilitate communication between teachers and parents and guardians. They facilitate communication between teachers and parents and guardians. They increase student engagement and participation. They increase student engagement and participation.

What are blogs? Weblog: a shared on-line journal where people can post “diary” entries about their personal experiences and reflections. Weblog: a shared on-line journal where people can post “diary” entries about their personal experiences and reflections. Blogs provide authentic audience Blogs provide authentic audience Blogs build community Blogs build community Blogs can extend and connect classroom activities with real-world applications Blogs can extend and connect classroom activities with real-world applications

What do Blogs look like? Blogical Minds Classpage Blogical Minds Classpage Blogical Minds Classpage Blogical Minds Classpage Sarah Plain and Tall Book Blog Sarah Plain and Tall Book Blog Sarah Plain and Tall Book Blog Sarah Plain and Tall Book Blog Wrestling with Writing Wrestling with Writing Wrestling with Writing Wrestling with Writing SWP Summer Institute Course Blog SWP Summer Institute Course Blog SWP Summer Institute Course Blog SWP Summer Institute Course Blog

How can I use blogs? To ensure that every student has a voice To ensure that every student has a voice To teach the importance of audience awareness To teach the importance of audience awareness To build community and share new ideas To build community and share new ideas To extend classroom conversations To extend classroom conversations To keep parents up-to-date on classroom happenings, upcoming assignments, etc. To keep parents up-to-date on classroom happenings, upcoming assignments, etc. As an alternative to book reports: online book reviews As an alternative to book reports: online book reviews As a whole class reader response journal As a whole class reader response journal

Definition of Virtual Libraries Traditionally, a collection of digital texts, stored online and available for public access Traditionally, a collection of digital texts, stored online and available for public access For our purposes, a virtual library is a shared collection of book titles with descriptions, reviews and classroom application For our purposes, a virtual library is a shared collection of book titles with descriptions, reviews and classroom application

Our Virtual Libraries “Envisioning Units of Study” SWP Professional Development Course “Envisioning Units of Study” SWP Professional Development Course – “SWP Summer Institute” “SWP Summer Institute” – WP-2009-Summer-Institute-Virtual-Library WP-2009-Summer-Institute-Virtual-Libraryhttp://teachersteachingwriting.pbworks.com/S WP-2009-Summer-Institute-Virtual-Library

How can I integrate virtual libraries? As part of your class wiki to recommend books for reading and share writing that was influenced by those texts As part of your class wiki to recommend books for reading and share writing that was influenced by those texts To create a bank of text sets related to various content areas and umbrella topics To create a bank of text sets related to various content areas and umbrella topics To allow students to collaborate and share research sources as well as their own ideas for the use and implementation of those sources To allow students to collaborate and share research sources as well as their own ideas for the use and implementation of those sources

What are wikis? “Wiki” is Hawaiian for “quick” “Wiki” is Hawaiian for “quick” W hat I K now I s Thus a wiki is a web site that can be quickly edited by its visitors with simple formatting rules which means that the content can be edited by anyone who has access to it and the content is therefore the result of a collaborative, community effort. Thus a wiki is a web site that can be quickly edited by its visitors with simple formatting rules which means that the content can be edited by anyone who has access to it and the content is therefore the result of a collaborative, community effort.

What do Wikis look like? “The Right College for You” Created by High School Juniors “The Right College for You” Created by High School Juniors “The Right College for You” “The Right College for You” “Wild Wiki Writers” Created by English 102 Students “Wild Wiki Writers” Created by English 102 Students “Wild Wiki Writers” “Wild Wiki Writers” “Introduction to Teaching” course wiki from Dawn’s SMC course “Introduction to Teaching” course wiki from Dawn’s SMC course “Introduction to Teaching” “Introduction to Teaching” “Teachers Teaching Writing” SWP Summer Institute to which you will post resources from this course “Teachers Teaching Writing” SWP Summer Institute to which you will post resources from this course “Teachers Teaching Writing” “Teachers Teaching Writing”

How can I use Wikis? To promote collaboration (group research, literature circles, etc.) To promote collaboration (group research, literature circles, etc.) To promote critical evaluation of sources To promote critical evaluation of sources To teach responsible dissemination of information To teach responsible dissemination of information To promote sharing of resources To promote sharing of resources As an authentic alternative to traditional research reports As an authentic alternative to traditional research reports To publish student writing To publish student writing To provide a forum for students to demonstrate and record knowledge To provide a forum for students to demonstrate and record knowledge

Brainstorm Time! With a partner, think of the various ways in which you might incorporate the applications discussed today within your existing curriculum: With a partner, think of the various ways in which you might incorporate the applications discussed today within your existing curriculum: –Blogs –Wikis –Virtual Libraries

Additional Resources K12 Lesson Plans: Free Teacher Websites: K12 Lesson Plans: Free Teacher Websites: Free Educator Blogs: Free Educator Blogs: Free Educator Wiki/Website Builder: Free Educator Wiki/Website Builder: eLearners: al-libraries.asp eLearners: al-libraries.asp al-libraries.asp al-libraries.asp

Questions?

“We have a much larger and more complicated obligation to fulfill—that of trying to understand and make sense of, to pay attention to, how technology is inextricably linked to literacy and literacy education in this country.” -Cynthia Self CCCC