The document discusses how technology can support inquiry-based learning projects and literacy instruction through the use of online tools and websites. It provides examples of internet tools for projects, literacy strategies, and classroom website features. The purpose is to explore how to effectively integrate technology into the classroom to engage students and support literacy development.

1. Elizabeth Years Stevens
Syracuse University

2.  How can technology support inquiry based
learning projects?
 What about that classroom website?
 What Internet tools are available for use to
support literacy in all content areas?
 How do you "hook" your learners with
technology?
Leslie Garcea, Instructional Coach
Roberts PreK-8

3.  Introduction to online inquiry based learning
 Explore and share
◦ Internet Reciprocal Teaching
◦ Internet Workshops
◦ Internet Projects
◦ Internet Inquiries
◦ Webquests
 Study literacy and the classroom website
◦ Literacy instruction and website
◦ Features/tools for use on the classroom website
◦ Getting started with your own website with Jessica Rice

4. “Schools for our kids right now have to be places
of deep inquiry where they are solving real world
problems because they have a lot of problems
that they are going to need to solve. Where
classrooms and teachers are learning basically
how to collaborate with global peers to create
beautiful and important work that they can share
with the world that can teach others. Where we
can help them find their passions and support
those passions so they can become the lifelong
learners in these contexts that we all want them
to be…” Will Richardson, March 5, 2011

5. Purpose/Benefits:
• Teaches comprehension strategies: predicting,
questioning, clarifying, and summarizing
• Builds online reading comprehension strategies:
questioning, locating, evaluating, synthesizing, and
communicating
Steps:
• Phase 1- “The Basics” such as word processing skills, Web
searching, navigation basics, and e-mail
• Phase 2- “Collaboration” including think aloud
demonstrations and minilessons by students and teachers
• Phase 3- “Student-Centered Learning” with students
working both individually and in small groups using
strategies and skills from the previous phases to develop
lines of inquiry around curricular topics– focus on inquiry
not product

6. Purpose/Benefits:
• Develops independent research skills
• Allows students to pursue special interests
• Develops critical literacy skills
Steps:
1. Develop a question
2. Search for information
3. Evaluate information
4. Compose an answer to your question
5. Share the answer with others

7. Purpose/Benefits:
• Model for conducting research
• Allows student exchange of learning
Steps:
1. Locate a good site with content related to a
classroom unit of instruction
2. Develop an activity requiring students to use the
site (May be assigned over a period of time.)
3. Have students share their discoveries, questions,
and new literacy strategies during a short
workshop session

8. Purpose/Benefits:
• Emphasizes communication skills
• Builds cultural experience, global community
Steps:
1. With advance planning organize a collaborative
project for an upcoming unit
2. Create a clear description of your project in a
write-up with ALL details
3. Post project in several locations on the Internet
4. Arrange details with those who agree to
collaborate
5. Complete the project

9. Purpose/Benefits:
• Efficient, organized way to integrate the Internet
into the classroom
Steps:
1. Introduction
2. The task definition
3. Information resources
4. Guidance in organizing the information
5. A concluding activity

10.  Motivation
 Availability 24/7
 Communication with parents and others
 Preparation for the future
http://literacywebdesign.missouri.edu/

11. In Wordle:
 Describe yourself as a teacher
 Describe the literacy instruction in your
classroom

12. Baker, E. B. A. (2007). Elementary classroom web sites: Support for
literacy within and beyond the classroom. Journal of Literacy
Research, 39(1), 1-36.
Purpose: To understand how elementary classroom websites support
children’s literacy
Theoretical framing: Literacy changes as culture changes (sociocultural
perspective, transformative stance, new literacies)
Method: Data was collected by conducting three Google searches for
classroom webpages, and of 1 million hits, 120 sites were selected as
participants of this study. Data was analyzed with open and axial
coding; researchers independently classified each feature of classroom
websites.
Findings: Many websites contained classroom newsletters, external
links to other sites, and published student work. Most websites
contained features that fit into the basal/skill approach to teaching.
No websites showed evidence of support for peer culture.

13. Baker’s suggested steps for designing or
revising your classroom website:
1. Identify the instructional approach(es) you
use in your literacy program
2. Select website features that reinforce your
instructional approaches
3. Identify web development software/host
that you can use to create your website
4. Create & launch your website
5. Watch your literacy program blossom
http://literacywebdesign.missouri.edu/How%20to%20use.htm

14.  Common instructional approaches
◦ Basal/skills-based
◦ Process-writing
◦ Literature-based
◦ Unit-based
◦ Language Experience
http://literacywebdesign.missouri.edu/Approaches/Approach%20basal.htm

15. 1. Start here
http://literacywebdesign.mis
souri.edu/Features/Features
%20Basal.htm for examples.
2. Write the feature(s) of your
website in the column on the
left and check off the
appropriate literacy
approach.
3. What can you learn about
your classroom website and
literacy instruction?
Website Basal/skill-based Process- Literature- Unit-based Language
Features writing based Experience
x
Links to
children
created
websites

16. 1. Twitter- micro-sharing site
2. YouTube- video-sharing tool
3. Google Docs- collaboration suite
4. Skype- instant messaging/video
5. WordPress- blogging tool
6. Dropbox- file synching software
7. Prezi- presentation software
8. Moodle- course management system
9. Slideshare- presentation sharing
10. Wikipedia- collaborative encyclopedia
11. Blogger/Blogspot- blogging tool
12. Diigo- social annotation tool
13. Facebook- social network
14. Google Search- search engine
15. Google Reader- RSS reader
16. Evernote- note-taking tool
17. Jing- screen capture tool
http://c4lpt.co.uk/top-100-tools-for-learning-2011/

18.  What features are you motivated to add to
your classroom website?
 What do these features say about your
instructional approaches?

19.  Concluding thoughts
 Collaborative work session

20.  Baker, E. B. A. (2007). Elementary classroom web sites: Support
for literacy within and beyond the classroom. Journal of Literacy
Research, 39(1), 1-36.
 Knobel, M., & Wilber, D. (2009). Let's talk 2.0. Educational
Leadership, 66(6), 20-24.
 Lankshear, C., & Knobel, M. (2006, April 11). Blogging as
participation: The active sociality of a new literacy. Paper
presented at the American Educational Research Association, San
Francisco, CA.
 Leu, D.J., & Leu, D.D., Coiro, J. (2004). Teaching with the
Internet (Fourth ed.). Norwood, MA: Christopher-Gordon.
 McVerry, J.G., Zawilinski, L., & O'Byrne, W.I. (2009). Internet
reciprocal teaching: Navigating the C's of change. Educational
Leadership, 67(1). Available:
http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-
leadership/sept09/vol67/num01/Navigating-the-Cs-of-
Change.aspx