ABC’s of Technology and Literacy Integration By: Heather Keck hkeck@gmx.com

1. ABC’s of Technology and Literacy Integration By: Heather Keck hkeck@gmx.com

2. 21st Century Literacy Literacy has evolved, becoming now a mastery of communication, rather than simply a mastery of text. Students in the 21st Century still need to know how to read and write, but they also need to know how to speak and listen effectively. Their audience is no longer the person sitting behind the teacher’s desk – it is global. The tools to get there are no longer limited to pencils and paper. Technology provides the key to increased student engagement, motivation, and education by providing students with meaningful uses of tech to teach them to become literate. These are just a few ways to shape 21st century students into 21st century masters of literacy.

3. A Animation You need: Something to take digital photos. Something to turn the images into animation . I would integrate this by allowing students to present their more traditional book reports in film format. Students would be responsible for creating the sets, filming the feed, and editing it. Stop Motion Studio iDevice Smoovie iDevice iMovie iBook/iMac MonkeyJam PC Stop Animation is comprised of a series of images taken in which only a tiny potion of the picture changes. The images are then played in sequence to give the illusion of a film.

4. B Blog You need: Something digital to write on. Something digital to write with. I would integrate this by having my students post their guided reflections to their reading. They can answer questions, post essays, or the more traditional diary entries. Wordpress.com Web/iDevice Blogger.com Web/iDevice Weebly.com Web/iDevice Edublogs.org Web A blog is like a digital diary that everyone can see and comment on. There are some well written, professional blogs out there, as well as a growing variety of student work.

5. C Comic Life You need: A story. Pictures. I would integrate this by having my students create their own comic strips. They could be used to summarize books they’ve read, or used to supplement their own writing. Drawing Art Photos Comic Life is a program that allows students to create comic strips by providing an easy drag and drop interface that they can use with their own images and photos.

6. D Dropbox You need: One class dropbox account. Stuff to save into it. Dropbox would be used in my classroom by providing a class file storage area. I would have folders for each student and allow them to save their work in it to transfer from one device to another. They can work on their writing from anywhere, edit their fellow student’s work, and view assignments I’ve posted there. Drawing Art Photos Writing Dropbox is like a virtual briefcase. You can store your files on it and access them anywhere. This program allows for multiple connections from one user name, so it’s really easy to have a class account.

7. E eBook You need: Something digital to write on. Something to write about. Something to write with. I would integrate this by having my students create eBooks of their work. They could be representations of their own work, book reports, or even used as a way to present social study or science work. Book Creator iPad iBooks Author Mac Adobe Digital Editions PC eBooks are books in a digital format. They can be read on computers, tablets, or eReaders. Typically their pages scale automatically to fit the device they’re being read on. You can also include sound, video, and clickable web links in an eBook, where you can’t in a printed one.

8. F Facebook You need: A Facebook account for your ‘Teacher Life’. Security. (Facebook for Educators) Something to post. • Facebook as an Instructional Tool • 50 Reasons to invite Facebook into your Classroom • 100 Ways to use Facebook in your Classroom I would integrate this by having a Facebook page set up for my students. They can respond to questions set up on the wall, or post their own. I would, of course, make sure this is okay with the parents since not every student is on Facebook, or has appropriate security settings set up. Facebook is the largest social media site. Rather than shy away from the media our students use, we should embrace it. If you make the tools meaningful to the students, you’ll find their motivation to succeed goes up.

9. G Google Docs You need: Something digital to write on. Something digital to write with. I would use Google Docs in my classroom to highlight the editing part of the writing process. Students can peer edit others work in real time. This would allow me to provide guidance and assistance on a document in process without interrupting the Wordpress.com Web/iDevice Blogger.com Web/iDevice Weebly.com Web/iDevice Edublogs.org Web Google Docs is a free service provided by Google. It allows multiple users to work on a single document at the same time from anywhere without anyone overwriting anyone else.

10. H Hands on, Mind on You need: Technology. A meaningful way to use it. The biggest mistake teachers make when integrating technology into the classroom is using the tech as the end, not the means to an end. There needs to be a purpose to using it other than the sake of using it. EducationWorld.com KansasTRC.org Edutopia.org Hands on, minds on is a catchphrase that perfectly describes the increase in engagement when the students are given something ‘fun’ to work with.

11. I Internet You need: Something to connect with. Something to do. The Internet really reflects the definition of literacy. It can be used for writing, reading, viewing, and presenting. It can be used for research, exploration, demonstration, creation, communication and publication. The key is to use it not because it’s cool, but because it allows you access to so much more than just print. Read Write Speak Listen The internet is a series of computers all connected together. You access it by ‘connecting’ your device to it. The benefit of the internet is that it allows you a way to instantly communicate through email, or messaging. It allows you instant access to photos, files, articles, music, and video. It allows you to create your own space (webpage) that anyone can see where you can publish your work.

12. J Just Right Tech Things to consider: • Is the tech being used simply because it’s there? Yes? Then there’s no real impact on the learning process? • Is the tech being used to do ‘Old things’ in ‘Old ways’? Yes? While publishing a piece of writing in Word rather than just publishing it handwritten is faster, easier, and more efficient it is still just doing the same ‘Old’ things that has been done for years in education. • Is the tech being used to do ‘Old things’ in ‘New ways’? Yes? Now we can do a virtual tour of a distant city, not just read about it, look at the original manuscript for book, or watch famous speeches on YouTube. This is the same ‘Old’ thing with a more modern way of looking at it. • Is the tech creating new and different learning experiences for the students? Yes! The tech lets the students learn from people they never could have learned from without it. The tech lets the students interact with information in a way they couldn’t without it. The tech lets the students learn things they never would have been able to learn without it. This is the goal of using the right tech. I would implement this by checking out other websites to see what students of the same grade level are doing with the tech. Not only is this a great way to get ideas on how to use a smart board to teach sentence structure, or YouTube to review classic literature. Just Right Tech refers to using the right tech for the right job at the right level. Just because that iPad app is designed for kindergarteners it doesn’t mean that they will find it easy to use or engaging. Just because you put an iPhone in the hands of a student and ask them to take photos, while they may be engaged, they may not be doing what you want them to.

13. K Kindle Fire You need: Kindle Fire. eBooks. I would integrate this by having my students use them during silent, or guided reading. Imagine having access to easier versions of a book to accommodate all readers without other students even knowing, or a variety of books for a novel study with one purchased copy allowed on six machines. A Kindle Fire is a type of eReader. This specific model is able to access the internet, and has speakers so it can play audio books, or books that will read to emergent readers. Most eBooks purchased can be installed/used on six devices from one license. Many libraries today also allow you to ‘rent’ digital editions, and there are several websites that provide free eBooks. That really lowers the cost of class sets!

14. L Laptop You need: Something to do with them. I would integrate laptops into my daily routine. Just as I would not schedule time with a pencil or a paper, I would not schedule time with a computer. They are tools to be used on demand, not simply research and publication machines. I would use laptops and tablets to run all the programs and apps to enrich my language arts program. • WebQuest • Webpage design • Email composition • Research Project • Author Study • BlogReader’s Response • Watch books being read • Learn though games • Create Art • Virtual tours A laptop is a portable computer, and is different from a tablet because it has a keyboard where a tablet has a touch screen. Laptops should be used the same way you would use a computer, where as a tablet should be used as a paper-free machine to create only digital media.

15. M Minecraft You need: A copy of Minecraft. MinecraftEdu.com Something to use it on. Something to do with it. I would integrate Minecraft in my classroom by allowing students to create a virtual 3D representation of their work. They can visualize their comprehension of a novel, vocabulary terms, or use it to illustrate their own writing. Minecraft is a sandbox game where the users create the content and set the rules. Anything goes in Minecraft, and if you can imagine it, then you can do it. It can be used to engage and educate in many ways.

16. N Mr. Nussbaum You need: Something to do there. One way I would integrate this website in my classroom would be to include it in my activities, or assign games from it for homework. It’s one way to retain educational value while practicing long vowel sounds in a fun way. Read Write Speak Listen MrNussbaum.com is a website with thousands of educational games. This is a great way to engage students in learning about language arts in a fun way.

17. O Open Source You need: Something to download onto. Something worth downloading. I would integrate using open source software in my classroom to allow students who don’t have access to certain programs (such as Word) at home have a way to get these programs at no cost. I would encourage the collaboration found in projects like Wiki’s to allow students to share their knowledge with the world. OpenOffice.org Free Microsoft Office Alternative Gimp.org Free Image Editing Software Mozilla.org Free Internet Explorer Alternative MediaWiki.org Free Wiki platform Open Source Software is free software that’s being developed by anyone. Wikipedia is a great example of an open source concept. You can get word processors, image editors, webpage design programs, and many, many more types of software of professional caliber with full support at no cost.

18. P Pinterest You need: A pinterest account for the class to use. (pinterest.com) Something to browse the web with. A board to pin to. I would use pinterest to help students organize their research projects. They can pin the websites they visit in one location that they can view from anywhere. By using one class account, there is no risk of strangers contacting my students. Pinterest is a digital cork board or a visual bookmarking tool for websites. After you have an account, you can browns the web and ‘pin’ interesting things to your board. You can have more than one board at a time, and can pin from multiple computers/devices at once.

19. Q QR Code You need: Something to scan the code with. A code to scan. Instead of having students type out long website addresses, I would provide them with QR codes. This will allow them to follow a Web Scavenger Hunt with ease. Another way I would use this would be to provide ‘answers’ to questions on worksheets. Scan the code and get the answer. qrcode.kaywa.com Make QR Codes wordle.net/create/ Wordle Website about.me/hkeck My website A QR Code is like a digital fingerprint. If you scan it with a QR reader, usually on a smartphone, and it will take you to a website, or generate text based on the ‘picture’.

20. R Little Reader You need: Something to read on. Time to read. I would use the Little Reader line of apps in my classroom in a literacy center. The ease of use and interest will help emergent or ELL readers develop their sight word collection. Little Reader is a line of iDevice apps that focus on teaching emerging readers to read by pairing words with images and sounds. It’s sort of like a digital flashcard program that’s fun.

21. S Smart Board Smart boards make learning accessible to all in a fun and interactive way. One way would be to use it with a document camera when reading a picture book so everyone can see the picture and the words. Another way would be to use it with fill-in-the-black sentences for students to write in. You could use it to type up the beginning of a story for students to finish .. There are just so many ways to use it! You need: Something to do with it. Volunteers. Read Speak Write Listen A Smart Board is a brand of interactive whiteboards. It’s like a normal whiteboard except it’s hooked up to a computer so you can show anything on it like you would through a projector. You can save what you write on the whiteboard to a file for later use. It also is touch sensitive, so you can run educational apps directly on the board like an oversized iPad.

22. T Twitter You need: Something to tweet on. Something about. I would use twitter to hold after-school communications with my students. Another way would be to have my students tweet as if they were characters in their current novel study. • How historical figures would tweet - historicaltweets.com • Tweet a story - twitterfall.com • Use twitter as a research diary Twitter is another very popular form of social media familiar to many students. It’s a micro-blogging site that allows users to make short posts that others can follow.

23. U User Safety Netiquitte: Bad Netiquette Stinks – NetSmartKids Video Netiquette for Kids – Swag Soft iPad app Cyber Bullying: Lessons & Activites– CyberSmartCurriculum.org User Safety: Webonauts Internet Academy – PBS.org Game There are apps, videos, and games out there to teach all these things, and I would certainly use them to supplement my own teaching of using the internet safely. Just because you’re teaching ‘the rules’ it doesn’t mean it can’t be engaging. User safety is important to consider. While students may have access to tech at home, their parents/guardians may not know how to use it effectively. Lessons on ‘Netiquitte’ , ‘Cyber Bullying’, and ‘User safety’ should be considered when planning your lessons. Just like you teach students not to run with scissors, they need to be taught not to make themselves targets.

24. V Video Capture You need: Something to record video with. Someplace to put it. I would use video capture to record students’ work. Imagine a reader’s theatre for everyone to see at anytime, or an author’s chair that can be collaborated with students in Australia. YouTube Class Website Vimeo Video Capture is a fancy term for recording something to video. By making a video of students’ work, they are more motivated and engaged by raising the level of concern. You can even post the videos on a class or student website so friends and family can share in the student’s learning.

25. W Website You need: Something to make it on. Something to make it with. Student portfolios in the form of websites really show off their learning. I would have each student create his own page complete with his own biography. I would have him post copies of his published work for his friends and family to view. Google Page Creator Educational site Weebly.com Teacher controls ClassJump.com Free Classroom Homepage In the digital world, websites are user created pages published for the world to see. They can contain stories, facts, pictures, art, opinions, sound clips, videos .. Anything! They are a permanent public portfolio highlighting their author’s opinions and education.

26. X Text You need: Text messaging device. Text messaging program. I would use texting in my classroom as a method for students to ask questions, or answer them on the fly. I’d also have them submit information via a text poll combined with the smart board to show students graphically predictions for upcoming events in a novel. socrative.com Text Polling ClassParrot.com Secure texting Remind101.com Free Texting WeTxt.com Free Texting Texting, short for text messaging, is a way of communicating through quick, written short messages usually sent on a cellphone or through a text messaging program on the computer such as MSN. Texting will make you stupid. I know I’ve heard that one before. However, what most people fail to notice is that every time someone sends a text, they have to write it first, and someone else reads it. This makes students today prolific readers and writers, creators and communicators. Why not harness this passion and use it to differentially teach kids, participate in a silent group-discussion, or poll students?

27. Y YouTube You need: Something to watch videos on. Something worth watching. One way to integrate YouTube in the classroom would be to use it to watch a movie of a book we’ve just read, or watch someone else read another version of a fable. Students could compare and contrast them. Three Billy-Goats Gruff tinyurl.com/cv4zr5x Three Billy Goat Gruff tinyurl.com/cbbygmo 3 Billy Goat Gruff Puppets tinyurl.com/bp7rp5t YouTube is a video hosting site. There are thousands of videos posted in a user moderated forum. With YouTube students could view books being read to them, share their own reader’s theatre presentations, watch plays being preformed, and learn how to do things visually. Make sure you preview the videos you plan to show, and turn off ads.

28. Z Reading A-Z Reading A-Z could be accessed during class time, but it’s more likely that I would use this in conjunction with Raz-Kids for a strong home reading program. There are a lot of books available to span many different interests. You need: Something to read on. Something to read. Reading A-Z is an online leveled reading program with a strong emphasis on emergent literacy. This program has 875+ stories and Raz-Kids integration, allowing for differentiated learning for all students.

29. Index A – Animation B - Blog C – Comic Life D – Desktop, Document E – eBooks F – Facebook G - Google Docs H – Hands on, Minds on I – Internet J– Just Right Tech K – Kindle Fire L – Laptop M – Minecraft N - Mr. Nussbaum O – Open source P – Pinterest Q – QR Code R – Little Reader S – Smart board T – Twitter U – User Safety V – Video Capture and edit W – Webpages X – Text Y – YouTube Z – Reading A to Z