K-12 Online Conference: Keeping Literacy in 21st Century Literacy

             Keeping with the goal of this class in mind, using Web 2.0 tools to increase student engagement and enhance web skills, I viewed a presentation that introduced me to three more tools to use in class one of them we had already learned. In the presentation titled, Keeping Literacy in 21^st Century Literacy, presenter Drew Schrader organized the presentation into three sections, namely issue faced by student, literacy strategy being addressed or taught, and the introduction of the tool to enhance strategy learning. This clear and concise presentation was simple to follow, and the manner in which he demonstrated the tools made it easy for me to learn.

            Schrader’s strategies were based on the guiding belief as to how to make meaning from text and what new, free engaging web tools can be utilized by the student. He addressed three issues in this presentation. The first one was that students are not able to metacognate their own reading and how to use think aloud strategies which addresses this need by using the tool Screentoaster. The next issue that he talks about in the presentation is how students struggle to make use of text conventions when reading independently. He introduces the use of annotated text using the tool Diigo, a social bookmarking tool that allows a teacher to embed comments and share them with students to guide their independent reading. The last issue addressed was how students need to organize their ideas when responding to a prompt. He suggested using Prezi which is a fun way to mind map or create a web to organize thoughts and ideas.

            All of the tools that Schrader introduced in his presentation were simple to use and could be effective as I felt that they would be more engaging for the students instead of the traditional paper-pencil method. However, as I was viewing it couple of questions came to mind such as, "Is there enough time in a school day to teach and have students familiarize themselves with these tools and Are there enough computers or access to the computer labs at the elementary level for the students to be able to use these tools?" Again the question of equal access to technology also came to mind, and the fact that not all students will have computers at home to be able to take advantage of these tools. So what is the solution? Do I just say like I hear teachers say “would love to use technology but do not have time, skill or means to” or collaborate with teachers, administrators, and the community to find ways to integrate technology in the learning process. I choose the second…anything for the children our future as they are first!

Hyperlink to the presentation: http://k12onlineconference.org/?p=444