The document outlines methods for enhancing student engagement and academic communication through virtual literature circles, character blogging, and digital portfolios. It emphasizes using online tools like Edmodo and wikis to facilitate discussions, promote creativity, and assess comprehension. The initiative aims to adapt traditional literary experiences into digital formats to prepare students for future academic environments.

1. Virtual 4T Conference
May 2012
Dude, Can You Please
Edit?
Experiments with Digital Reading/Writing Workshop

2. The Students Take
Control:Virtual Literature Circles
What Are Literature Circles?
• Small book club groups
• Students read the same book & meet to discuss
How Do You Make Them Virtual?
Select an online tool or platform for online discussions
& other literature circle work traditionally done on paper
Why Virtual?
• Student engagement
• Builds and reinforces online academic
communication skills
• Prepares students for future academic experiences

3. The Students Take
Control:Virtual Literature Circles
Using Edmodo for Virtual Literature Circles
Setting Up the Circles
* Book talks and selection
* Forming the groups
* Establishing ground rules
* Making a reading calendar
Starting the Conversation
* Digital citizenship review
* Teacher-initiated discussions
* Student-led discussions
* Refining discussion skills-
(responding & asking follow-up questions)

4. The Students Take
Control:Virtual Literature Circles
Assessment and Benefits
Accountability
•Provides opportunities for
•Provides a transcript all students to contribute to
discussions discussions
Teachers can- •Focused, sustained
discussion
•See evidence of students
applying mini-lesson skills •Extends literary discussion
(questioning, text-referencing) beyond the classroom
•Monitor participation
•Evaluate contributions •Promotes academic online
communication skills
•Assess comprehension
•Engages students!

5. I am Arthur Dimmesdale:
Character Blogs for Literature Response
THE WHAT:
• Students take on the role of a character & blog from
his/her perspective at various points in the novel
• Students remain faithful to the literature through textual
evidence, but are allowed creativity by giving the blog
several modern twists (music, images,links)
THE WHY:
• Helps students engage with the literature
through a relevant & familiar medium
(blogs/wikis)...beyond the "reading guide"
• Helps students employ a wide range of
reading & writing strategies
• Requires students to use a variety of http://www.loudlit.org/image
s/scarletletter.jpg
technological & informational resources

6. I am Arthur Dimmesdale:
Character Blogs for Literature Response
THE HOW:
• Blog feature on Blackboard
• Other blogging sites, like
blogspot
• Pre-teach features of blogs
through Blog WebQuest
• Periodic peer evaluation of
blogs
THE RESULTS:
• Greater student engagement & comprehension
• Exposure & practice with technological literacy
• Students demonstrate understanding through
alternative assessment

7. Authentic Voices:
publishing student work
The Beginning Stages...
Writer's Workshop
* Brainstorming
* Drafting & Editing
* Publishing printed work
Storyboarding
* Identifying and breaking
down scenes in our
narratives
* Brainstorming key visual
elements to represent the
scene

8. Authentic Voices:
publishing student work
Taking it One Step Further...
Collecting Images
* Lesson on permission rights to
photos/images on the internet
* Don't get hung up on finding
the exact picture in your mind.
Creating in Photo Story 3
* Placing images in order
* Perfecting our speaking voices
and recording.
* Whole class presentations
* Student feedback and criticism

9. Authentic Voices:
publishing student work
Going Beyond our
Classroom...
Authentic Voices Wikispace
* Posting written work
* Recording and posting voice
Creating a Global Community
* Receiving and responding to
feedback from all over the
world
JOIN US ON
AUTHENTIC VOICES
http://authentic-

10. Dude, Can You Please Edit?
Wikis as Digital Portfolios
Why Wikis?
•One organized place to Wikis and the Writing Process
store and access student • Collecting
writing • Rehearsal
•Simple peer feedback • Drafting
(no need for printing • Revision*
multiple copies) • Editing*
Getting Started
• Publishing
•Blackboard or
Wikispaces
•Start one of your own!

11. Dude, Can You Please Edit?
Wikis as Digital Portfolios
Revision

12. Dude, Can You Please Edit?
Wikis as Digital Portfolios
Editing

13. Why we do it:
• this is how writers
write and how readers
discuss in 2012
• more students are
writing and engaging
with text
• as teachers, we gain a
broader perspective on
student strengths and
understanding
• authentic audiences
create authentic writing

14. Our challenge to you:
STEP ONE: make digital writing a
part of your classroom
•use Edmodo, wikis, blogs or other
online tools to get students writing
online
STEP TWO: give your students an
audience
•let students comment on each other's
work
STEP THREE: give your students a
global audience Give students
•find ways for students and chances to use
professionals outside of your classroom digital tools to
to comment on student work
get their voice
heard!

15. Resources:
• The Virtual Circle: When a teacher added online
discussions, her literature circles thrived
http://www.educationalleadership-
digital.com/educationalleadership/201009?pg=52&pm=
2&u1=texterity#pg52
• Creating Character
Blogshttp://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-
resources/lesson-plans/creating-character-blogs-
1169.html
• Art, Storytelling, Technology and
Educationhttp://www.jasonohler.com/storytelling/index
.cfm
• The Digital Writing Workshop by Troy
Hickshttp://hickstro.org/