ORMS Community Literacy Blog

News Literacy Program

2009-10-15T09:32:00.000-07:00

President Obama has declared October, 2009 National Information Literacy Awareness Month.
As the proclamation declares, "Rather than merely possessing data, we must also learn the skills necessary to acquire, collate, and evaluate information for any situation.... to help in our day-to-day decisionmaking."

Another worthwhile link to check out is the News Literacy Project created by a Pulitzer Prize winning journalist to offer an innovative program in helping middle and high school students "sort fact from fiction in the digital age."

Benjamin Zander Keynote @ BLC 09, July 29, 2009

2009-07-29T05:49:00.000-07:00

Brief notes re: Opening keynote is Benjamin Zander, conductor of the Boston Philharmonic Orchestra and author of The ARt of Possiblility. I am thrilled to see and hear him, having read his book, heard his TED presentation and know his enthusiastic view of life!
Being at this conference, day 1, is quite overwhelming and full of terrific energy. HOT outside and another hot inside. Cathy, Margaret Kelley and I are expecting great things for our learning and our collaborative network expansion. youth orchestra of the Americas in town and will be performing at the Hatch Shell tonight and we get to go and experience that as well.
coming here "opens my mind" for 1000 attendees.
BZ talks about leadership in the informal sense - not the old male centered, hierarchical, closed form
artists usually allowed to 'serve' the economic institutions and provide emotional response to what is. artist in each one of us to transform self and others.
BZ left formal school at age 15, studied music in Italy, and was sent to London to 'see' a philosopher thanks to his mother's decision of his needing more education. Think of one's own problem during this presentation to realize own transformation over the 2 hour presentation.
"new leader masterful in creating and holding distinctions" - BZ; "one buttock playing" - student's gradual reduction of impulses over time in learning to 'play' the piano; eduction is opening up of new categories not transfering of info. choose your response to anything- resignation, anger, or possibility.
out of the box thinking - 9 dot game without taking pen off paper needs to have you go out of box to accomplish task. what assumptions am I making that I don't know I am making ( ex. 'using the whole sheet of paper....) every org. needs someone noticing what assumptions are being made and be able to say so.
framemaker - creating new frameworks to solve problems
rhythm of transformtion is lighter, brighter, and more lively/faster (than the rhythm of expectation) we are going into a new world - what kind of world do you want and who do you need to be for the journey
BZ talked about starting each of his classes for motivated international students by giving each student an A and then assigning each student the writing of an essay about where they will be in a year's time. this allows for the possibility of living into the A; afterall the A is an invention, whay not invent something more possible, more promising. having a perfect life is all invented so become an inventor.
when you make a mistake raise your arms and shout "How fascinating!"

The Future is Now: Presentation

2009-06-04T10:19:00.000-07:00

Take a look at this 7 minute compelling video by Dr. Richard Miller of Rutgers, and the New Humanities students of today who are expected to participate as collaborators and creators in today's read-and-write-web. The Future is Now: Presentation to the RU Board of Governors

Technology Integration Through Teacher Training - Action Research Proposal

2009-04-23T16:44:00.001-07:00

Check out this SlideShare Presentation:

Technology Integration Through Teacher Training - Action Research Proposal

View more presentations from Marc Stephens.

Remember Bob Sprankle?

2009-04-15T06:55:00.000-07:00

If you read Web Literacy for Educators, you may recall that Alan November put in his acknowledgements Bob Sprankle from Wells, ME. Both having Alan refer to Bob's impact for his learning and having Bob so nearby had me wanting to know more. But of course, I got sidetracked in my searching for Bob and only now have I once again seen Bob's name come across my screen at his blog, http://bobsprankle.com/bitbybit_wordpress/
I paused long enough to read his April 9 post Line up for the future, and the wisdom shared by 4th graders. Worth a read!

Just heard Alan November!

2009-03-25T08:28:00.000-07:00

The Literacy Integration Team along with many who participated in the PLC on Web Literacy for Educators and other colleagues were able to attend SES sessions offered by Alan November on 3/20/09. He didn't disappoint! Those of us already familiar with his views on providing grammar for the internet appreciated seeing some of his pointers we had read about put into action and elaborated on.
I have already begun creating some glossary terms for web literacy in wordle formats to post in our library. Our PLC had discussed how it would be useful to develop a glossary of terms for common understanding and use for all learners - kids and adults alike.
Looking forward to being able to work with Alan and his ideas more through the upcoming summer conference in Boston as well as potentially having him come onsite to build capacity for our colleagues, many of whom are already excited by his approaches and suggestions.

PLC group

2009-02-04T18:19:00.001-08:00

Basic Teacher Technology Skills

2008-12-10T05:08:00.000-08:00

At yesterday's PLC we discussed the need for teachers to have basic technology skills. We also realized that even though we might have a list of basic skills those skills will continue to change as the technology changes. We need to stay on top of the technology to be a productive citizen in the 21st century.
Click here for a list of basic tech skills that was created two years ago. This is a starting point to the conversation about what teachers should know about basic skills.

Web Literacy for Educators by Alan November, Session 3

2008-11-19T08:31:00.000-08:00

Nov. 18, 2008 discussion highlights by the PLC of 11 staff members,

Discussion focused around book’s chapters 4 & 5: Look at the Links and Research Outside the Box: A Guide to Smart Searching

Important and random ideas shared and discussed by 5 participants included:

As educators we need to stop assuming that students know how to search appropriately for important information to support their learning. We are often remiss about understanding students’ need for being taught the critical thinking skills of good searching and need to allow time for providing pre-assessment of skills, as well as modeling, teaching, reviewing, and stopping instruction to re-tool our instruction.

What is meant by 2.0 web? Think of the original access to web information being static and meant to be only provided by limited sources to read. Now with 2.0 the web is a social network of sites intending for both reading of information and writing of information to be contributed by many for many. Our students seem to be skillful at using email, chat, facebook, and youtube for their social entertainment. However, research requires different skills at searching that our students and most adults are not skillful at. Sometimes adults – teachers and parents – believe students when they are told that the student knows how to search, but this is a false sense of confidence for students and adults need to have more skills and confidence at knowing how to guide children in their search efforts.

Some teachers are conducting action research to identify areas that our students need further instruction, evidenced by the data collected in observations.

Today there are so many presentation possibilities – powerpoint, photo story, podcasting, moviemaker, etc.- and an emphasis on research skills has been substituted by an emphasis on presentation programs – definitely creating a gap of the critical thinking skills in learning to be a learner. Beware flash over substance!

We discussed knowing how to use a book – index, table of contents, title page, author, works cited, etc. – is a good comparison for knowing how to use a web source. This reminds us that we need to be concerned about a potential disconnect in appreciating the skills needed for using today’s digital resources.
We cannot absolve ourselves of helping students learn to be learners in today’s world with today’s tools. Even if we ourselves are not currently skillful at searching using a critical thinking approach, we need to be active learners and gain access to better techniques/understanding.

Members of the PLC discussion feel a responsibility to expand our awareness of web literacy through this reading with students, colleagues and parents.
Ideas discussed to help share information included collaborating our instruction with other colleagues to provide web literacy, developing a common language of web literacy (glossary of terms), to identify the key concepts from our reading to share with others, to consider presenting to PTO, helping parents grow in their confidence about assisting their children needing to learn web literacy, and to ask Marcia about some time to do some of this work within the school year following the end of our after school PLC. The PLC also mentioned continuing the meetings following our next and final session, allowing more time to intentionally pursue the learning of web literacy together.
Reading November’s book has made us look at the web differently.
We know that there are different levels of technology learning and see web literacy as a critical area for all learners, adults and children.

We discussed the idea of approaching curriculum with a less is more consideration – what are the critical content and process skills that my students need to leave this grade level with; to learn from grade 5 – 8 in preparation for our high school and beyond? Quality information is valuable when it provides a learner authentic knowledge and developing wisdom.

There is a need to provide a beginning of the year literacy assessment of our incoming students’ skills – as readers especially which impact all their learning – which allows for the teacher to have a benchmark on each students’ needs.
A concern was raised about the value of electronic portfolio contributions being more than ‘glitz’ or the ‘doing of school’.
The discussion involved concern about the unevenness of grade level instruction of process skills and content information for our students.
Teachers need to reconsider the delivery of instruction to meet the needs of today’s learner – what subjects/topics are needed for today’s students?

Janet shared that her prime concern for students leaving her class at the end of grade 7 is their ability to be discerning about information, to analyze information for its credibility, authority, bias.

December 9, 3 - 4 will be the final discussion will be on chapters 6 & 7

Code of Best Practices in Fair Use for Media Literacy Education

2008-11-19T06:10:00.000-08:00

Cindy has provided this link from the NCTE site to help understand fair use for educators.

All the book's links!

2008-11-18T10:46:00.000-08:00

Go to Alan November's site for quick access to the many useful links he refers to in the chapters of our book, Web Literacy for Educators.

Think You're Multitasking? Think Again

2008-11-13T05:09:00.000-08:00

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=95256794&sc=nl&cc=es-20081019

I read this posting at NPR recently and thought it offered good insight for discussions with our students about what is really going on when we put our attention to more than one thing at a time. As with digital literacy and our need to help children have a better grasp on what they need to know to make good decisions, I thought the information in this article that offers scientific discussion about Multitasking: A Human Delusion? would be useful for helping kids and adults rethink their behaviors.

2008-11-10T11:33:00.000-08:00

New Additions to Our Blog

2008-11-07T08:22:00.000-08:00

Take a look at the updates to our Professional Learning Community Blog!
With so much information from so many varied sources, it always helps to know some of the current 'gurus' in the area of our interest.
The added list of Mentor Blog Lists are a source of excellent communication about web literacy for today's learners.
Notice that you can "subscribe" at the RSS feed spot to our blog so you will be automatically notified when additions are made.
Comments can be added to the end of postings by any reader of this blog. We would love to be getting this web literacy conversation growing so send along your comments.
Need help setting up your blog account so you can participate more?? Let Danielle, Cathy or Ellen know to set up a time for helping you get further underway.

Web Literacy for Educators by Alan November session 2

2008-10-29T09:06:00.000-07:00

Session 2, Oct. 28, 2008 discussion highlights by the PLC of 11 staff members

Discussion focused around book’s chapter 3– Get REAL: How to Validate Information on the Web.

Key questions raised – What’s your source REALLY? And So what – What matters?

Important and random ideas shared and discussed by 8 participants included:

Discussion about preparing ORMS Spotlight application
PLC will meet on November 12 8 -9 to fill out application; expect to meet in the conference room.

Discussion about an Alan November annual conference – Expanding the Boundaries of Learning – Boston, MA, July 29-31. We will consider it further during our next meeting to determine interest in attending.

Discussion about the presence of the literacy blog from the ORMS loading page and how to keep the discussion going by adding comments between our face to face discussion times; some members will need to create Blogger accounts to directly participate and can see Danielle, Cathy, or Ellen for further assistance in doing this.

Chapter 3 Discussion
Decoding the grammar of the web:
REAL: Read the URL, Examine the content, Ask about the author and owner, Learn!
Experience with teen at home revealed a difference in approach as a result of applying techniques and incite from chapter 1 &2: rather than making student defensive or feeling challenged resulting in teen/parent struggle, the teacher-parent posed questions including What’s your source? And what’s your source agenda? This goes beyond just citing a source and into the REAL matter of a source.
Students have an inherent sense of digital learning and this needs critical thinking awareness.

Web Literacy has raised our awareness - this book makes us realize that our responsibility as educators has been raised and this teaching cannot be ignored. Our teaching job includes providing web literacy skills and strategies, including teacher page links, and lessons on why critical thinking about the web is important.
ORCSD has a new backplan with standards to be met which is a good venue for wrapping this web literacy into and having building oversight in monitoring this.
Team/department discussions need to explore together how to make purposeful use of school provided online database use and web literacy awareness.
Part of meeting the need of web literacy is through common language – Web Literacy provides terms to develop for word wall/glossary of common understanding.
End of quarter exhibition of learning could include students demonstrating how they access information.
Can we enhance learning by integrating areas of learning? (Second session this has been raised).

Parents need to be informed; growing this awareness involves moving beyond an assumption that an adult would ‘know’ this information.

Currently, many students first criteria for picking a web site is readability level or being returned on the first page at the top (this equates to must be good information, without critical thinking).
Lots of information can be located through searches but “so what?” – information is not in and of itself useful – providing essential questions to provoke reflection and create new ideas as well as the process of learning is meaningful learning and sometimes missing in student assignments.

Reader expressed that it is exciting to know how to deconstruct and decode our URL use (through knowing about the web’s grammar, syntax, and cross-referencing).

Many expressed
wanting/needing time to play and learn and gain more comfortable experience by using sources provided by November in the book/through his site as links
How can we use our time to create more collaboration for learning? Wanting more conversations to light up learning for educators?
A fear expressed of not ‘getting the curriculum done by the end of the year’ was laid to rest as not a concern now or in the past by administration – we need to prioritize curriculum for today’s children. This involves considering what to master, simplifying lessons for learning and thinking less is more.
Consider good ideas, including differentiation of approach for our teaching.
A key focus of learning in school is helping students know ‘how to learn’.
wanting to better understand how to help kids and locate best places for them to learn from.

Web Literacy for Educators by Alan November

2008-10-22T17:50:00.000-07:00

Session 1, Oct. 21, 2008 discussion highlights by the PLC of 9 staff members

Discussion focused around book’s introduction, chapter 1 – web basics for critical thinking and chapter 2 – the empowered researcher

Key question raised - Do the kids know this?

Important and random ideas shared and discussed included:
 Discomfort in realizing how much is not known about web – increased desire to learn more.
 Kids are often naïve as are adults about assumptions regarding web use.
 Currently access to computers by each separate subject teacher is what drives how computers are used – sometimes this reduces focus on getting kids ready for the process of learning/searching so that the content can be accessed in limited computer availability slots. If teams could integrate curriculum, which involves compromise as curriculum approach changes, the planning for tools to support curriculum changes, and student’s studies are validated in different ways.
 Awareness of scaffolded learning important – what do elementary students coming here in grade 5 already know? Pre-test and post-test for incoming students would help establish MS needs.
 Learner needs are changing from awareness of software competency to understanding of the grammar of digital literacy.
 Creating glossary of terms for digital grammar would help all learners of today – adult and student. PLC teachers could offer parents some information to provide home support for their assisting their children learning new skills and understanding.
 Kids are not as capable as we like to think in using various digital tools thoughtfully, effectively, and efficiently – obligation for today’s educators to be aware and assist in this learning as in other traditional literacy learning.
 Between students unsure of how to proceed in their searching to students being allowed to decide for themselves where and how to search is an awareness of what type of learning and skills are needed for performing powerful searches, saving time, and reducing frustration.

For more information about the book, visit November Learning

ORMS front hall literacy display

2008-03-14T10:46:00.000-07:00

Making Connections Using Background Knowledge

2007-12-12T06:13:00.000-08:00

How do you help kids make connections to their reading?

Faculty Conversations About Increasing Student Learning

2007-11-07T09:45:00.000-08:00

Have you looked at the Fall, 2007 front hall bulletin board? This was posted following a school early release conversation about literacy. It has helped begin a conversation that we are continuing throughout the year about literacy and improving student learning.

How do you engage in literacy? What are some stumbling blocks to learning that you notice students have?

7 Keys to Comprehension:How to Help Your Kids Read It and Get It!

2007-11-07T09:06:00.000-08:00

Recently, the ORMS Literacy Integration Team picked the book 7 Keys to Comprehension How to Help Your Kids Read It and Get it! By Susan Zimmermann and Chryse Hutchins.

As a parent of a 7th grader, this book has helped me realize that teaching my children how to decode words is only one part of reading. For children to care about what they read, there is much more parents can do. This book describes simple things like reading to your child, sharing your thinking about what you read, and telling your child stories.

Have any of you read this book? If so, are there any comprehension strategies as parents or teachers you would like to share?