Revising the Writing Workshop for a Digital Age Troy Hicks, Ph.D. Central Michigan University St. Clair County RESA August 13, 2008

Today’s Talk Discussing Principles of the Writing Workshop as Relevant to Digital Writing Current Professional Development Work through Red Cedar Writing Project Implications of Current Work and Discussion of Emerging Technologies (Questions, Answers, and Tech Demos)

Discussing Principles of the Writing Workshop as Relevant to Digital Writing

Current Professional Development Work through Red Cedar Writing Project

Implications of Current Work and Discussion of Emerging Technologies (Questions, Answers, and Tech Demos)

Re-imagining English Today, new technologies are changing the types of texts we and our students create and interpret even as they are influencing the social, political, and cultural contexts in which our texts are composed and shared. Since these technologies are influencing the development of individuals, institutions, and communities (and since individuals, institutions, and communities are shaping these technologies and their uses), it is essential for English educators to turn a critical eye toward the benefits and affordances; the limitations and liabilities of integrating these newer technologies into our teaching. - Swenson et al. (2005)

Today, new technologies are changing the types of texts we and our students create and interpret even as they are influencing the social, political, and cultural contexts in which our texts are composed and shared. Since these technologies are influencing the development of individuals, institutions, and communities (and since individuals, institutions, and communities are shaping these technologies and their uses), it is essential for English educators to turn a critical eye toward the benefits and affordances; the limitations and liabilities of integrating these newer technologies into our teaching.

- Swenson et al. (2005)

Writing Inst. “ Grammar of Schooling” Assessment Attitudes Genres Adol. Lit. Literacy “Crisis” Curriculum Relationships Relevance Rigor Digital Lit. Changing Technologies Newer Literacies Access and Infrastructure

Principles of the Writing Workshop Student choice about topic and genre Active revision (constant feedback from peers and teacher) Author’s craft as a basis for instruction (mini lessons and conferring) Publication beyond classroom walls Portfolio assessment But… what does this mean in a digital age?

Student choice about topic and genre

Active revision (constant feedback from peers and teacher)

Author’s craft as a basis for instruction (mini lessons and conferring)

Publication beyond classroom walls

Portfolio assessment

But…

The Pedagogy of Multiliteracies In this book, we attempt to broaden this understanding of literacy and literacy teaching and learning to include negotiating a multiplicity of discourses... We argue that literacy pedagogy now must account for the burgeoning variety of text forms associated with information and multimedia technologies. New London Group, p. 9

In this book, we attempt to broaden this understanding of literacy and literacy teaching and learning to include negotiating a multiplicity of discourses... We argue that literacy pedagogy now must account for the burgeoning variety of text forms associated with information and multimedia technologies.

New London Group, p. 9

Effective Professional Development Engaging in pertinent literacy practices that will be used in their classrooms Observing teacher leaders demonstrate these literacy practices Focusing on students’ needs and achievements

Engaging in pertinent literacy practices that will be used in their classrooms

Observing teacher leaders demonstrate these literacy practices

Focusing on students’ needs and achievements

Project WRITE Shared Readings Images from amazon.com, lulu.com, and stenhouse.com

Current Project Work Monthly Professional Development Sessions Focus on adolescent literacy, writing assessment, boy writers, digital literacies Project Wiki Reading and Discussion Developing Own Curriculum Collaborating with Others Summer Workshop

Monthly Professional Development Sessions

Focus on adolescent literacy, writing assessment, boy writers, digital literacies

Project Wiki

Reading and Discussion

Developing Own Curriculum

Collaborating with Others

Summer Workshop

http://projectwritemsu.wikispaces.com/

Implications / Emerging Technologies Questions and Answer Session Demos of Teachers’ and Students’ Work Demos of Particular Digital Writing Technologies Blogs Wikis Digital Stories Other

Questions and Answer Session

Demos of Teachers’ and Students’ Work

Demos of Particular Digital Writing Technologies

Blogs

Wikis

Digital Stories

Other

References New London Group. (2000). A pedagogy of multiliteracies: Designing social futures. In B. Cope & M. Kalantzis (Eds.), Multiliteracies: Literacy learning and the design of social futures (pp. 9-37). London ; New York: Routledge. Swenson, J., Rozema, R., Young, C. A., McGrail, E., & Whitin, P. (2005). Beliefs about technology and the preparation of English teachers: Beginning the conversation. Contemporary Issues in Technology and Teacher Education [Online serial] Available: http://www.citejournal.org/vol5/iss3/languagearts/article1.cfm, 5 (3/4).

New London Group. (2000). A pedagogy of multiliteracies: Designing social futures. In B. Cope & M. Kalantzis (Eds.), Multiliteracies: Literacy learning and the design of social futures (pp. 9-37). London ; New York: Routledge.

Swenson, J., Rozema, R., Young, C. A., McGrail, E., & Whitin, P. (2005). Beliefs about technology and the preparation of English teachers: Beginning the conversation. Contemporary Issues in Technology and Teacher Education [Online serial] Available: http://www.citejournal.org/vol5/iss3/languagearts/article1.cfm, 5 (3/4).

Photo Credits In the Middle from http://images.barnesandnoble.com/images/9870000/9878306.jpg Warriner’s from http://www.setonbooks.com/viewone.php?ToView=P-EN10-11 Logos from Wikipedia, Edublogs, del.icio.us, YouTube, and Wikispaces are screenshots from the respective sites and copyrighted by those sites. Book covers from amazon.com, lulu.com, and stenhouse.com All other images: Troy Hicks or Red Cedar Writing Project, Michigan State University

In the Middle from http://images.barnesandnoble.com/images/9870000/9878306.jpg

Warriner’s from http://www.setonbooks.com/viewone.php?ToView=P-EN10-11

Logos from Wikipedia, Edublogs, del.icio.us, YouTube, and Wikispaces are screenshots from the respective sites and copyrighted by those sites.

Book covers from amazon.com, lulu.com, and stenhouse.com

All other images: Troy Hicks or Red Cedar Writing Project, Michigan State University

Produced by Troy Hicks [email_address] hickstro.org This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 United States License.