Integrating Technology Tools into the Literacy Curriculum

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Integrating Technology Tools into the Literacy
Curriculum

• Judith Zorfass
• Bob Follansbee
• EDC
• October 12, 2005

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Agenda

• Setting the Context
• Entry Points for Technology Integration
• Scenarios of Technology Integration
• Factors Affecting Implementation
• Resources
• Technology-based Adolescent Literacy Programs
• Literacy Matters (with downloaded material)
• Follow-Up

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Setting the Context

• Curriculum Focus
• Grades 5-12
• Reading comprehension and writing
• Across the content areas
• Draws on EDC federally-funded research
• Student Focus
• Students who struggle
• Technology Focus
• Computer- or screen-based technology tools
• Versatile
• Easily available, including Web-based resources

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Entry Points for Technology Integration

• Curriculum and Instruction
• What are the curriculum goals for grade and
  content area?
• What are the instructional strategies?
• Students
• What are the students abilities and needs?
• What are the implications for the content area?
• Technology
• What are the features of the technology tools?
• How do these features align with the curriculum
  goals and students abilities and needs?
• Where and when can students access the technology
  tools?

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Features of Supported e-Texts(see attached
handout)

• Presentational Resource
• Navigational Resource
• Translational Resource
• Illustrative Resource
• Summarizing Resource
• Enrichment Resource
• Instructional Resource
• Notational Resource
• Collaborative Resource

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Summary of Scenarios of Technology Integration

• Entry Point Curriculum and Instruction
• 1) 5th grade ELA/social studies
• 2) 9/10th grade biology
• 3) MS/HS Research Project
• Entry Point Students Abilities and Needs
• 4) Expression and motor difficulties in writing
• 5) Motivation for writing
• Entry Point Technology Tools
• 6) definitions on demand
• 7) guided grammar practice

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Scenario 15th Grade ELA/Social Studies

• Curriculum and Instruction
• American History Idol Curriculum
• Goals Finding main ideas and details by
  gathering and sorting information and determining
  levels of importance drafting a persuasive
  paragraph (with main ideas and details as
  supportive evidence)
• Instructional Strategies eliciting prior
  knowledge, think aloud, graphic organizers,
  modeling, highlighting, etc.
• Technology Tool
• DraftBuilder

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Scenario 29/10th Grade Biology

• Curriculum and Instruction
• Use of BSCS curriculum, unit on cells
• Desired outcomes standards-based concepts
• Instructional strategies selective underlining,
  questioning the text, QAR
• Technology Tool
• SOLO

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Scenario 3 MS/HS Research Project

• Curriculum and Instruction
• Curriculum goals define question, develop a
  plan, locate and access information, synthesize
  information, share findings
• Instructional strategies I-Search or Big6
• Technology Tool
• 2Learn.caforTeens
• http//www.2learn.ca/2learnteens/site/default.
  html

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Inquiry Process in the I-Search Unit

• Phase 1 Immersion and Posing a Question
• Phase 2 Develop a Search Plan
• Phase 3 Gather and Integrate Information
• Phase 4 Prepare/Publish/Present Information

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2Learn.caforTeens
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Scenario 4 Expression and Motor Difficulties

• Jeffs Abilities and Needs
• Difficulty translating good ideas into written
  text across content areas due to motor problems
• Difficulty in reading text aloud due to motor
  problems affecting speech
• Technology Tool
• CoWriter

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Scenario 5 Motivation for Writing

• Students Abilities and Needs
• Has good ideas when shares verbally
• Not motivated to write in academic subjects
• Technology Tool
• Epals.com

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Epals.com
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Epals.com
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Scenario 6Definitions on Demand
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Scenario 7 Guided Grammar Practice
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Factors Affecting Implementation

• Cost
• What to buy? How to maintain? How to update as
  needed?
• Access and Allocation
• Where is the technology housed? Who has access?
  When can it be used?
• Training and Ongoing Support
• Who is the provider? Who participates (e.g.,
  teachers and students)? When and where does it
  occur?
• Effectiveness
• How will you know if it improves student
  outcomes?

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Resources Technology-based Adolescent Literacy
Programs

• Read 180 Scholastic
• Thinking Reader Scholastic Tom Snyder
  Productions
• Accelerated Reader Renaissance Learning

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Resources Literacy Matters

• www.literacymatters.org
• Technology and Reading
• Technology and Writing
• Technology and Communicating

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Follow-Up

• How can you disseminate this information about
  the integration of technology tools into literacy
  instruction?
• What additional support or information do you
  need?