Week 9 writing in digital spaces

 As I write my blog entry, I'm thinking quite a bit about my own New Literacy practices, particularly around collaboration on writing projects in digital spaces.  This blog is one example, but it is probably the least collaborative of what I've had to work on.  One project we (and that is me and my research collaborators, none of whom are at OU) are working on is analyzing data from interviews that each of us did of teachers who are exemplars of knowledgeable teaching. We have copies of each others interview transcripts in Dropbox, we enter our coding notes into a Google form and will all leave comments on what we see as themes as comments on the spreadsheet.  Ultimately we will write our article on Google docs.  Then there is my Uganda team who is creating a professional development program (and writing the textbook to go with it) and creating curriculum guides for interdisciplinary units for use in the different levels of the curriculum. This week we spent four hours together examining the Ugandan primary  (grades 1-7) curriculum for overarching themes we could use to spiral the curriculum and turn a curriculum for children into one for adolescents and young adults. It is all now on Google docs (or will be). 

You are going to be reading about writing and collaboration in digital spaces. Before you read, I'd like you to think about the following terms or ideas:  zines, blogs, wiki, vlog, digital story, digital anchor charts, mentor texts, genres, websites, cloud computing, writing craft, audience, purpose, writing notebook. Are there any of these you don't know what they are? or at least aren't too sure?  If so, identify them and make a prediction in your response to this blog about what you think they are.  If all of these are familiar to you, tell me how they are related to collaborative writing in digital spaces.

As you write your own blogs, I'd like each of you to include at least 1 hyperlink in your comments.  hyperlink needs to be related to your topic of discussion.  In addition, I'm inserting a picture of a piece of text that has suggestions for comment starters that you can give to students to help them getting started in commenting on a blog post to start a discussion.  Use one of them in your commenting.  

A couple of questions and ideas I'd like for you all to discuss in your blogs as well.  For what kind of activity do you think it would be better to have students collaborate on a wiki and for what kind should  they collaborate on a blog?  Why? Look up your topic or look up New Literacies on Wikipedia.  What did you find?  How accurate was it? How  do you know? Which of these ideas that you read about would you like to try with students? which have your tried?

Finally, please complete a Virtual Check In this week by Friday morning.  I'll check them regularly and respond to questions or requests as I can. Here is the link: VCI

Have a good weekend and Good Week!

Week 8 Research and critical thinking part 2

This week you will be reading about creating students who are critical consumers and producers of digital texts as well as tools that can help them organize and critique their research.  Before we get into that, I'd like to respond to some questions that came up on the VCI.

How often do your small groups meet?  I believe that we determined that your writing groups will meet 3 times:  Sometime in Week 8, sometime in Week 11 and sometime in Week 14.  You all decide when and just send me a summary of what you did/talked about.  These meetings are supposed to be a place to bounce ideas, get feedback, be supportive to each other.  You decide how they run and what you all do. You can meet via Hangouts, a chat, Skype, or I'll set up Adobe Connect.  You just need to meet synchronously.  See the notes from Sept 26 which I uploaded on D2L in the Module 2 section. I know that there are more questions that would be of interest to all, but as I write this (Friday afternoon at 2:30), Google Drive seems to be having an issue and although I can see the spreadsheet with your responses, I keep getting a page that says the file is not there. Hopefully by Saturday I can find it and will then respond.

You will be reading about critical literacy as well as critiquing.  What does critical literacy mean to you?  How is it different from critical thinking? How might it be important to inquiry and research?

There are 5 articles and 1 chapter of BABR to read this week.  I'd like everyone to read the BABR chapter and the IRA Critical Literacy piece. Divide up the other 4 articles so each person reads 1 of the articles.  If there is only 3 in your group, leave out the Digital Lit Circles piece.  Then, the blog leader will lead a discussion on the common readings and summarize key points of his/her article and ask for connections to inquiry, research, critical thinking and the main readings.  The rest of the people in the group, as part of your response to the blog and your participation in the discussion will need to summarize your unique article and make connections to the theme of the week and the other readings.  Please use the following vocabulary in your discussions:  multiliteracies, curator, constructor, critical response, critique, online collaborative inquiry, searchability, annotations, integrate ideas, triangulate data.

Have a good week, and don't forget to have an online small group meeting and send me a summary of what you did by Saturday, Oct. 17.  I"ll send out an e-mail with responses to the rest of your questions as soon as I can access the response sheet from the VCI.

Week 7 Inquiry: Research and Critical thinking part 1

This week I met with Sister Rosemary Nyirumbe, the nun for whose orphanage we are creating and adult basic education program for the abused child mothers that she takes in whose lives and education have been disrupted by war. Sister Rosemary is passionate that her girls have access to education so that they can find their own voices and move beyond their circumstances. Sister's work began because of her own inquiry into circumstances in her country, and she is not afraid to communicate what she knows and believes, collaborate with diverse groups of people, create opportunities that help the downtrodden build self-worth, and critically evaluate circumstances.  Listening to her reinforced for me that supporting literacy, new and old, is the foundation to empowerment for all learners.

Learners are also empowered when they are able to ask questions about topics of interest and use those questions as a guide to finding information they can use to enrich their lives. So this week, we are beginning to read and discuss about inquiry.  While inquiry does include communication, collaboration, and comprehension, critical thinking is going to be a key focus here as is creativity.  Before you begin reading, I'd like you to respond to these questions: what does inquiry mean to you? What might be some advantages to doing inquiry with students at the age level you are interested in?  Some challenges? Why do you think critical thinking is key to inquiry? What is the creative part?

This week you are reading 2 articles and 3 book chapters.  I'd suggest reading the Johnson chapter first, followed by the two articles.  Read the BABR chapters last. They are really full of tools and strategies for inquiry, so much so that I was a bit overwhelmed!  Here is some vocabulary I"d like for you to use in your blog discussions: locate, evaluate, synthesize, integrate, divergent search phrases, repurposing, reinforcement, problem posing, online search, search engines, search strategies, curating, organizing, summarizing. I'd like each blog group to synthesize the information and collaborate on creating a definition of inquiry learning grounded in all of the readings for this week. Make this synthesis a generative synthesis (see the DeSchyver article for a definition of this term). Then I want you all to be critical evaluators.  Divide up the tools from BABR chapters to try out--your leader can either make assignments or you can volunteer.  Critically evaluate the tools that you tried out and write about them in your blogs. Don't forget the lists of tools that we started in your blogging groups last weekend in class and return to those Google docs and add in any that fit.

Remember that  this week you need to fill out the Virtual Check In form (http://goo.gl/forms/bNU839rZvq). Please do this by Thursday  midnight.  I"ll check regularly and get back to you.  Have a good fall weekend.

Week 6 Comprehnsion and e-books

Thanks for your collaborative work this weekend in class.  You spent time demonstrating your collaboration and communication skills for comprehension of readings, NL tools, and topics for your chapter of the iBook.

This coming week you will be extending the creative collaboration and communication around comprehension:  What is it in digital spaces? What supports it on Web 2.0? Which of the social practices might contribute to it?  An additional topic is how eBooks contribute to comprehension, and in fact, my aha moment of the readings, what "taken for granted" book handling skills need to be revisited in order to comprehend a story or a piece of text in the e-world.   So before you begin reading, here are some questions to think about: What does it mean to comprehend? How are vocabulary and fluency related to comprehension in digital spaces? What do you think might be different as you move from a print environment to a digital one?

As I was reading, I came upon a reference to Bloom's Taxonomy and its revision to be a digital taxonomy.  Take a look at it below.

Keep this in mind as you read the chapters in the Johnson book and the two articles.  In your blog discussion, refer to the digital Bloom's to identify the comprehension/thinking that you might be encouraging with students in each of the activities or ideas presented.  We will have started a list of Web. 2.0 resources and ways to support both NL and nl skills for collaboration and communication in class on Saturday, so be sure to discuss in your blogs making a list from this week's readings to bring to our whole group Adobe Connect meeting.

Have a good week!

Week 5 Collaboration and communication for comprehension

 I did get to visit a school, so here are 2 pictures of  the school setting.  I'll bring more pictures to class on Sept. 26 (remember that we are meeting from 1-5 in Rm. 334 on that date). I'll also bring pictures of those two young giraffes we saw snacking on trees on our way to school.

Just a note:  I've uploaded the rubrics for participation/professionalism and for the blogging onto D2L. I edited both of them a bit, so make sure you check them out.  Additionally, here is the link for you to fill out the form on choosing chapter topics for our iBook:  http://goo.gl/forms/jmqt16Hau6 
Please complete the form by Thursday evening. We will discuss and finalize topics in class.

Thanks for your diligence in responding to my blog and in writing  about the ideas related to New Literacies/new literacies. I do want to remind you that your blogs are discussions.  Try to stay away from serial monologues.

We are moving into Module 2 about Web 2.0 resources and supporting NL/nl skills and social practices--the more practical piece. Remember to always be thinking about why the resources and skills are related to NL theory and to the important social practices that underlie that theory and the uses of those skills.  This week we are focusing on collaboration and communication for comprehension--three of the C's that are key skills for participating successfully in NL.  Before you begin reading, think about your own collaboration and communication skills. What are your strengths in these areas? What about areas for improvement?  How do you think technology or Web 2.0 sites can help you become a better communicator and collaborator? What do you hope to find out in the readings about the relationship of these two key NL skills to comprehension?

In your blogs, make connections between key ideas in the readings and your blogging. Think about the ties to your own settings. Finally, in the blogs, let me know questions you would like discussed in our face to face class (about anything related to the topic or assignments).  We will be having a practice session on Google hangouts as well as deciding on dates for online class meetings and small group meetings via Google hangouts or another meeting format.
See you soon!

Week 4 Planning for New Literacies/new literacies

Hi all,  I was hoping to have the following paragraph as the head in for this week: As  you read this, I will have just completed 4 days of school visits to primary schools in Kaijado County, Kenya. This county in Kenya borders with Tanzania and is predominantly rural.  The population is primarily (although not exclusively) Masai.  The teachers will all speak Maa (if they are Masai) or another tribal language, English, and Swahili (the 2 official languages of Kenya and the languages of instruction in schools).  Primary schools are grades 1-8. Teachers in most primary schools do not have university degrees.  If I have decent access to internet before this blog goes live, I'll try to insert some pictures of what I've seen.  The schools I'm visiting are part of the project I work with call Reading Kenya. The first cohort of 25 schools each received a trunk of books to start their school library as well as training for a teacher librarian.  The teachers in grades K-3 in the schools are attending 3 week-long workshops taught by school leaders in the county (who worked with us for 9 months to learn the content and how to do interactive PD), the third of which is beginning on Sept. 14.  They have learned about early literacy development and teaching strategies and activities to support literacy learning. What really happened is that the teachers here are on strike, and have been for 2 weeks, with no end in sight. The law mandated a raise in salary of 50% (from about $200 per month to about $300 per month) but the Ministry office that oversees teachers (the Teacher Service commission) refused.  The teachers went to court and were supported all of the way to the Supreme Court but the TSC is still refusing.  So as you read this, I have been able to visit 1 school and observe a kindergarten teacher (they are not part of the teacher's union---long story).  As I write, I am in Nairobi and have met with my Kenyan colleagues both out in the country and here.  If you read this on Saturday, I'm on my way home (but don't tell anyone!). :)  I've been without internet so I'm late in reading your blogs but do look and see how I have commented.  I'll also be getting back to you from the VCI early this coming week.

The readings for Week 4 focus on the planning process for integrating New Literacies/new literacies into your teaching and classrooms.  Last week's readings also alluded to planning as part of describing new literacies on classrooms.  I hope that as you read, even if the literal content is not about your teaching area or grade level, that you have been making connections to your own situation and in your mind, thinking about how the information could be used at your grade/age level.

Before you read, I want you to think about teh planning process that you use now in planning for instruction in your educational setting. Is there a framework you use? If so, what is it? How do you think that framework will carry over into planning for integration of new literacies? If you don't follow a framework for planning, what is your process.

As you read the BABR chapter and the articles, think about how the ideas they put forth are part of planning for instruction.  How are they related to last week's readings? Compare and contrast the different frameworks? How are the readings all connected to this week's overarching topic? What is new to you about this process and what is just an expansion of what you already do?

Have a good week! I'll be back in Oklahoma by Monday so if you need me, I can Skype.

Week 3: What do New Literacies/new literacies look like in classrooms?

As you are reading this blog, I'm in Capetown, South Africa at the Pan Africa Reading for All conference.  After two days of traveling to get here (and arriving in the late evening) I first went to a preconference institute sponsored by the International Literacy Association around universal literacy.  I learned quite a bit about what the challenges are for educators on the African continent. It gave me a chance to learn more about these initiatives and what goals are for the future.  I presented with my friend Dr. Angela Ward and our two Kenyan colleagues, Dr. Adelheid Bwire and Dr. George Andima, about starting up professional reading groups with our Kenyan teacher trainers and how they started them with their teacher groups. That presentation went well.  I've heard from teachers who have between 56 and 120 elementary age children in their classrooms and how they are trying to support their literacy learning with only limited materials.  Creativity is the key.  I'll be flying to Kenya on Sunday, Sept. 6 to begin work with our teacher trainers and teachers there.  I'll try to post pictures of the schools in the area on either next week's blog or the week after that.  Access to New Literacy tools and connections may not be available away from the training facility. 

Last week's readings were dense with terminology and concepts related to New Literacies and the skills, strategies, dispositions, social practices that are inherent in them. There was quite a bit to digest, and readings for this week were relatively less dense, so please make sure to revisit the ideas and use them in this week's blogs. 

This week I'd like you to continue to think about what makes new literacies  new and especially consider what they look like in classrooms.  New literacies are not just about integration of technology but about how literacy is transformed.  On this blog, tell us how you integrate new literacies into your classroom now. What do you do that you consider a transformation of literacy practices to fit with Knobel's definition of new literacies. Which social practices from the BABR chapter do you think you already focus on?

As your groups create your new blog entries for this week, please make sure to use the following terms in your discussions: goal driven reading and writing, affordances, constraints, open networked environments, multimodal texts, close or deep reading, design, literacy practices, social practices, collaboration, communication, critical stance.  You will be introduced to frameworks for classroom practice including TPACK, TPACK+, 21st century literacy learning, open learning, IRT.  You have already read about Literacy 2.0 and activity based curriculum. Discuss your thoughts on all of these frameworks: similarities, differences, challenges. Can you combine them? I know the discussion leaders will also have other insightful questions and reflections for you as well.
Don't forget to complete a virtual check in form for me please.  Here is the link:http://goo.gl/forms/3BtgryiI9G
  I'll get back to those of you via e-mail who have questions.

I'll be out in the country until Friday visiting schools so may not respond to any blogs until then. Have a good week!