TECHNOLOGY INTEGRATION ANDLITERACY INSTRUCTION:Efficacy, Implementation, and differentiation

Eryn Porcelli and Rebecca EricksonELD-306Fall 2010

TECHNOLOGY INTEGRATION ANDLITERACY INSTRUCTION

“The result [of technology integration] is that students engage in rigorous and relevant learning using the tools of their time to access, analyze, create, and innovate.” (Boone, 2009)

Efficacy: Does it work?

Implementation: How can we use it?

Differentiation: Will it work for us?

Does using technology in the classroom really make literacy curriculum more effective?

Efficacy of Technology Integration

How does technology affect literacy outcomes?

Despite popularity, efficacy is not clear Many research studies are conducted by the corporations that

develop the curriculum, and are not trustworthy.

Eugene Judson, 2009 Students who used technology regularly in the classroom made

small gains in language fluency, but the difference between hi-tech and low-tech classes was very small.

Kingsford University, 2008 Study sought to evaluate whether the use of Smartboards

improved student outcomes, but found that student fluency had much more to do with effective teachers than expensive technology

Why isn’t it working as well as we expect?

Student ability Students often acquire technology skills separately from academic

instruction, through recreational use Technological Literacy (US Dept of Ed): “The ability to use

computers and other technology to improve learning, productivity and performance”

Teacher ability Fewer than 12% of teachers rate themselves as fluent using

technology, and less than 2% feel capable of teaching others to use it. (Liang et al., 2007)

Teacher ability is the #1 predictor or student outcomes

How can we use technology in the classroom so that the outcomes are better?

Implementation

What about implementation needs to change?

In many classrooms, computers and Smartboards are available but not utilized. Students are often sent to a separate instructor to learn

technology skills Technological literacy does not serve to enhance academic

instruction

Integration must be seamless For whole-class curriculum, use project based technology

integration rather than “removable” digital media like BrainPop, which more useful for specific student interventions.

Case Study: West Virginia

Six specific, developmentally appropriate technology-based tasks are assigned to each grade level Teachers can implement the tasks however they like, so that technology

best fits their curriculum

Example: Digital Picture Book Language arts: Create a personal narrative Science: Profile an endangered species Social Studies: Day in the life of a Native American

In each use, both technological and language literacy skills are used Writing a cohesive and comprehensible text Using images to expand on a text Using technology tools (search engines, word processing) to accomplish an

academic goal

When done in PowerPoint, illustrations can even be animated.

Digital Storybook Sample

How can we prepare teachers to use technology to reach all students?

Differentiation

Why aren’t teachers more fluent in technology?

Most teachers can use basic technology, but in education the available resources are nearly endless! How do we know what to use, and when? Which technologies are useful for which students?

Teacher preparedness in technology is tied closely to effective student evaluation Meeting the needs of every student, with or without

technology, can be very daunting.

Differentiating Instruction with Technology

Use short internet activities to boost lower achieving students, especially those with attention problems

BrainPop, KidBrain, EduPlace, Scholastic etc. provide short activities that target specific literacy skills.

Tim and Moby explain how to find the main idea in a passage

BrainPop

Using technology in the inclusive classroom

Technology can be an effective intervention for learning disabled students, but only if it is implemented very early on. Technology provides multi-modal learning

opportunities for different kinds of learners If implemented too late, the student may not

be able to catch on to the learning curve of using the technology itself

Falling too far behind in both language and technological literacy simultaneous can make mainstreaming very difficult

Technology can help improve literacy outcomes, but only if used thoughtfully by a technologically fluent teacher.

Summing it all up

Works Cited

Baker, Elizabeth (Betsy) A., and Linda D. Labbo. "Preparing Preservice Teachers to Use Technology for

Responsive Literacy Instruction." Journal of Reading Education 32.2 (2007): 31-39. Wilson Web.

Web. 29 Aug. 2010.

Boone, Kathy. "Building Technology Literacy into the Curriculum.” Principal Leadership 10.2 (2009): 68-

70. Print.

"Digital Media Benefits Primary Prep.” T.H.E. Journal 36.10 (2009): 1. Wilson Web. Web. 29 Aug. 2010.

Judson, Eugene. "Improving Technology Literacy: Does It Open Doors." 58: 271-284 Wilson OmniFile Full

Text Mega Edition. H.W. Wilson, 29 Aug. 2009. Web. 12 Nov. 2010.

Liang, Guoli, Jihua Song, Guoyu Li, Zhouxiu Wang, Hua Yin, Geping Liu, and Richard T. Walls.

"Comparative Study on Technology Preparation in Teacher Education: The U.S. and China."

International Journal of Instructional Media 34.3, 2007. Web. 29 Aug. 2010.

 Smolin, Louanne Ione, and Kimberly A. Lawless. "The Reading Teacher." Becoming Literate in the

Technological Age: New Responsibilities and Tools for Teachers 56.6 (2003): 570-77. Wilson

Web. Web. 12 Nov. 2010.

Weikle, Bobbie, and Azar Hadadian. "Preventing School Failure." Can Assistive Technology Help Us to Not

Leave Any Child Behind? 47.4 (2003): 181-186. Wilson Web. Web. 12 Nov. 2010.

Wood, Ruth, and Jean Ashfield. "The Use of the Interactive Whiteboard for Creative Teaching and

Learning in Literacy and Mathematics: a Case Study." British Journal of Educational Technology

39.1 (2007): 84-96.