Jeffries,+Cheryl+Denise


 * *My __Closing Reflection__ is located at the bottom of this page. **

** Cool Tools Review and Application Plan ** ** by Cheryl Jeffries **

I attended several Cool Tools sessions during the Institute. Exposure to such a wide variety of technology tools will indeed enhance my instructional activities with my high school English students. Integrating these technology tools will fulfill several purposes: 1) satisfy a number of the National Educational Technology Standards, 2) satisfy several English Language Arts Common Core Standards, and 3) cause students to be more engaged, active learners.

I chose to attend a session on eReaders. The session compared and contrasted Nooks, Kindles, Sony readers, and ipads. The session also discussed using a classroom set, checking out eReaders from the Media Center, the logistics of ordering books, acceptable use policy and forms, and pros & cons of eReaders. I found the session to be somewhat helpful; however, it seemed to be better suited for those who were considering purchasing eReaders. Since my school had already purchased Nooks, the discussion on the different types was not immediately helpful to me; perhaps, if my school decides to purchase additional eReaders in the future, I can utilize that information regarding the merits of different eReaders. As a classroom teacher who will have a set of eReaders in my classroom, I was really hoping for hands-on activities to learn how to actually use an eReader. Although the session was generally informative, it was not exactly what I expected.

As well, English teachers were required to attend a session on online role-plays to teach argumentative writing. The session covered social bookmarking through Diigo and Ning as types of online role-play. Other technology tools that were introduced in the session included Bubbl.us mapping and Voicethread. The session also distinguished between argumentative and persuasive writing. This session was extremely helpful because it focused on the specific needs of English / Language Arts teachers and ways to address argumentative writing by integrating technology. This session exceeding my expectations, and I look forward to trying out the activities with my high school English students.

In addition, I attended the Cool Tools Carousel; consequently, I was briefly exposed to the following technology tools: Google forms, Tricider, Symbaloo, Livebinder, Engage Community, iRubric, SimilarSites.com, Google Docs, Blabberize, Sock Puppets, ToonDoo, Edmodo, Twitter, Glogster, Prezi, SlideRocket, and Information Fluency Wizards. The carousel was my favorite part of the entire Institute. I enjoyed learning about so many useful tools. I do wish that we would have had more time in each of the sessions and that we would have had an opportunity to experiment with each of the tools while they were being presented.

All of the Cool Tools that I was exposed to were beneficial. I plan to experiment with the various tools and will seek to integrate several of them in my lessons. For example, one of the first units that I teach is a short story unit. Incorporating several of the tools in the short story unit could be accomplished as follows:

Ninth grade English I students will use technology 1) to read and respond to short stories, 2) to produce and publish original short stories, and 3) to interact and collaborate with others.
 * Short Story Unit Objectives: **

1) **//Sliderocket//** will be used to present definitions and examples of literary elements. 2) Students will use **//eReaders//** to read several short stories as models for their original short stories. 3) Students will periodically respond to various aspects of the story through a **//Google form//**. 4) Students will use **//Bubbl.us//** to brainstorm and generate ideas for their original short stories. 5) Students will use **//Edmodo//** to share their ideas and to respond to the ideas of their classmates. 6) Students will use **//Microsoft Word//** to type and edit their original short stories. 7) Students will use **//Google docs//** for peer editing of their classmates’ original short stories. 8) Students will use //**Glogster, Prezi,** or **Animoto**// to publish their original short stories. 9) Students will use **//Voicethread//** to comment on their classmates’ projects. 10) Students will use **//Livebinders//** for electronic portfolios for their original short stories and future projects. 11) Students will use **//ToonDoo//** to create a comic book version of their short stories.
 * Activities: **

//RubiStar// rubrics will be used to assess and evaluate activities.
 * Assessment / Evaluation: **

Students demonstrate creative thinking, construct knowledge, and develop innovative products and processes using technology. a. Apply existing knowledge to generate new ideas, products, or processes b. Create original works as a means of personal or group expression Students use digital media and environments to communicate and work collaboratively, including at a distance, to support individual learning and contribute to the learning of others. a. Interact, collaborate, and publish with peers, experts, or others employing a variety of digital environments and media b. Communicate information and ideas effectively to multiple audiences using a variety of media and formats d. Contribute to project teams to produce original works or solve problems Students understand human, cultural, and societal issues related to technology and practice legal and ethical behavior. a. Advocate and practice safe, legal, and responsible use of information and technology b. Exhibit a positive attitude toward using technology that supports collaboration, learning, and productivity c. Demonstrate personal responsibility for lifelong learning d. Exhibit leadership for digital citizenship . // Key Ideas and Details // 1. Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text. 2. Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze in detail its development over the course of the text, including how it emerges and is shaped and refined by specific details; provide an objective summary of the text. 3. Analyze how complex characters (e.g., those with multiple or conflicting motivations) develop over the course of a text, interact with other characters, and advance the plot or develop the theme. // Craft and Structure // 4. Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in the text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the cumulative impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone (e.g., how the language evokes a sense of time and place; how it sets a formal or informal tone). 5. Analyze how an author’s choices concerning how to structure a text, order events within it (e.g., parallel plots), and manipulate time (e.g., pacing, flashbacks) create such effects as mystery, tension, or surprise. 6. Analyze a particular point of view or cultural experience reflected in a work of literature from outside the United States, drawing on a wide reading of world literature. // Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity // 10. By the end of grade 9, read and comprehend literature, including stories, dramas, and poems. // Comprehension and Collaboration // 1. Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on //grades 9–10 topics, texts, and issues,// building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively. a. Come to discussions prepared, having read and researched material under study; explicitly draw on that preparation by referring to evidence from texts and other research on the topic or issue to stimulate a thoughtful, well-reasoned exchange of ideas. b. Work with peers to set rules for collegial discussions and decision-making (e.g., informal consensus, taking votes on key issues, presentation of alternate views), clear goals and deadlines, and individual roles as needed. c. Propel conversations by posing and responding to questions that relate the current discussion to broader themes or larger ideas; actively incorporate others into the discussion; and clarify, verify, or challenge ideas and conclusions. d. Respond thoughtfully to diverse perspectives, summarize points of agreement and disagreement, and, when warranted, qualify or justify their own views and understanding and make new connections in light of the evidence and reasoning presented. // Conventions of Standard English // 1. Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking. a. Use parallel structure.* b. Use various types of phrases (noun, verb, adjectival, adverbial, participial, prepositional, absolute) and clauses (independent, dependent; noun, relative, adverbial) to convey specific meanings and add variety and interest to writing or presentations. 2. Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing. a. Use a semicolon (and perhaps a conjunctive adverb) to link two or more closely related independent clauses. b. Use a colon to introduce a list or quotation. c. Spell correctly. // Knowledge of Language // 3. Apply knowledge of language to understand how language functions in different contexts, to make effective choices for meaning or style, and to comprehend more fully when reading or listening. a. Write and edit work so that it conforms to the guidelines in a style manual (e.g., //MLA Handbook//, Turabian’s //Manual for Writers//) appropriate for the discipline and writing type. ** s 9–10 stude1–1 ** // Vocabulary Acquisition and Use // 4. Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases based on //grades 9–10 reading and content//, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies. a. Use context (e.g., the overall meaning of a sentence, paragraph, or text; a word’s position or function in a sentence) as a clue to the meaning of a word or phrase. b. Identify and correctly use patterns of word changes that indicate different meanings or parts of speech (e.g., //analyze, analysis, analytical; advocate, advocacy//). c. Consult general and specialized reference materials (e.g., dictionaries, glossaries, thesauruses), both print and digital, to find the pronunciation of a word or determine or clarify its precise meaning, its part of speech, or its etymology. d. Verify the preliminary determination of the meaning of a word or phrase (e.g., by checking the inferred meaning in context or in a dictionary). 6. Acquire and use accurately general academic and domain-specific words and phrases, sufficient for reading, writing, speaking, and listening at the college and career readiness level; demonstrate independence in gathering vocabulary knowledge when considering a word or phrase important to comprehension or expression. // Text Types and Purposes // 3. Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, well-chosen details, and well-structured event sequences. a. Engage and orient the reader by setting out a problem, situation, or observation, establishing one or multiple point(s) of view, and introducing a narrator and/or characters; create a smooth progression of experiences or events. b. Use narrative techniques, such as dialogue, pacing, description, reflection, and multiple plot lines, to develop experiences, events, and/or characters. c. Use a variety of techniques to sequence events so that they build on one another to create a coherent whole. d. Use precise words and phrases, telling details, and sensory language to convey a vivid picture of the experiences, events, setting, and/or characters. e. Provide a conclusion that follows from and reflects on what is experienced, observed, or resolved over the course of the narrative. // Production and Distribution of Writing // 4. Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. (Grade-specific expectations for writing types are defined in standards 1–3 above.) 5. Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach, focusing on addressing what is most significant for a specific purpose and audience. (Editing for conventions should demonstrate command of Language standards 1–3 up to and including grades 9–10 on page 54.) 6. Use technology, including the Internet, to produce, publish, and update individual or shared writing products, taking advantage of technology’s capacity to link to other information and to display information flexibly and dynamically. // Range of Writing // 10. Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of tasks, purposes, and audiences.
 * Standards: **
 * __ National Educational Technology Standards for Students __**
 * 1. Creativity and Innovation **
 * 2. Communication and Collaboration **
 * 5. Digital Citizenship **
 * [] **
 * __ English Language Arts Common Core Standards: __**
 * Reading **** Standards for Literature 6–12 **** 10 students: Grades 11–12 students: **
 * Speaking and Listening Standards 6–12 **** : **
 * Language Standards 6–12 **** dents: **
 * Writing Standards 6–12 **** ades 11–12 students: **
 * [] **

=**Closing Reflection**=

**by Cheryl Jeffries**
1. Now that you’ve had this #|professional development experience, how are you defining “new literacies?” How do you think your definition has changed or evolved this week? **From the perspective of an English teacher, I am now defining new literacies (in terms of communication skills) using technology to improve reading, writing, speaking, viewing, listening, and critical thinking skills in digital ways. My definition has evolved this week because initially I only related literacies in my content area to reading and writing.**

2. Describe some new literacies that you learned about this week? What did you know about these topics before the week began and how has your experience this week contributed to your understanding of these new literacies? **The new literacies I learned about this week include social/collaborative reading and writing to learn; Diigo annotations, sticky note annotations, dialogic interaction annotations, and summary writing annotations; and using game/simulations and digital role-play to learn. I was familiar with the concepts, but I did not realize that they were new literacies. What I learned this week has contributed to my understanding of how these concepts can be used to enhance student learning.**

3. In what ways are the new literacies prompted by technology? How do they affect one another? **The new literacies definitely seem to be prompted by technology. In fact, the new literacies seem to have emerged as a result of new technologies.**

4. How do new literacies affect the way we think about academic]] content? Describe an examples of how some specific academic content is affected by changes in the ways we reading write and thinking (i.e. new literacies). **New literacies affect the way we think about our content areas because we cannot continue to attempt to reach twenty-first century students by using traditional approaches. Content remains king; however, if we are unable to interest and engage our students, the content will not be grasped. We have to first engage them – reach and connect with the students, before we can teach them our content. As an English teacher, my specifc academic content is greatly affected by new literacies -- changes in the ways we read, write, and think. One example is writing – instead of the traditional essay written with pen and paper, students are able to use word processing to write their papers, Google docs to collaboratively write and edit papers, and publishing software to publish their writing. Another example is reading. Students are no longer limited to having a copy of a book to read, but students can read online or with e-readers.**

5. How do new literacies affect the way we think about our teaching practices? How do they affect the development of new teaching practices or approaches to teaching? **New literacies affect the way we think about our teaching practices by requiring us to have to change the way we teach. They encourage the development of new teaching practices and approaches to teaching by requiring instructors to draw on the new skills and prior knowledge that the students bring to the classroom learning environment. As teachers, we have always had to consider prior knowledge and skills, now those include technology since the students are digital natives, having been exposed to various technologies from their earliest years.**

6. During the week, you learning about several conceptual / theoretical frameworks for understanding the new literacies including, project-based inquiry, TPACK, Bloom’s revised cognitive theory, online identity, and #|global literacies (i.e. cultural competence, cultural awareness, cosmopolitanism). Describe your personal perspective on new literacies as it is informed by these conceptual and theoretical ideas. **My personal perspective on new literacies as informed by these conceptual and theoretical ideas is as follows:**
 * ** Project-based Inquiry: I believe that this is an effective way of approaching and working with new literacies. It requires students to be active learners and instructors to facilitate their learning. I like the step-by-step process in that it walks students through what they need to do, providing needed structure and organization for students and requiring them to be accountable for their learning. This is needed for both the instructor and the students since many times the literacies are new not only for the students, but also for the instructor. **
 * ** TPACK: I believe this is an effective way to integrate new literacies. It requires a continued focus on content and pedagogy, but notes the importance of also integrating technology to enhance instructional strategies and activities. Since the literacies are new, approaching them through using TPACK allows instructors the opportunity to continue to focus on content and pedagogy and to begin slowly integrating technology. **
 * ** Bloom’s revised cognitive theory: I believe new literacies are an effective way to utilize the cognitive aspects of Blooms revised theory because the new literacies draw on both the knowledge and cognitive dimensions. **
 * Online identity: I’m not **sure that I really “get” the connection between online identity and new literacies. I suppose that it addresses the fact that our students are really “into” social media. Hence, as instructors who desire to reach our students where they are, we should examine ways to make use of social media with our students by using tools such as Twitter, texting and Edmodo in the classroom.**
 * ** Global literacies (Cultural competence, cultural awareness, cosmopolitanism): New literacies make global connections much easier. With the ability to connect digitally with people all of the world, our students now have the opportunity to learn about different people and places in a way that has never before been possible. Students can communicate and collaborate by video-conferencing with Skype and other technology tools; as a result, students need to be culturally aware and competent as they connect globally with people of different cultures. **

7. How does the design process you learned about in your design studio work and the video digging deeper session support your understanding of the creative process? **Both the** **design process that I learned about in the design studio work and the video digging deeper session support my understanding of the creative process in** **several ways: 1) They helped me to truly see the benefits of the collaborative process since I had to actually be a participant and use it to create a product. It’s** **one thing to require students to work collaboratively or to listen to a lecture about it, but it’s totally different when you have to actually use the process. Many** **times, as instructors, we are comfortable assigning collaborative work to our students, but sometimes we tend to shy away from it ourselves. 2) Having to work** **through the steps of the creative process required me to be cognizant of the approaches I automatically use when given an assignment or project; having to** **slow down and be purposeful in going through the process allowed me to better understand and be able to articulate (in a step-by-step fashion) to my students** **what I inherently know and do.**

8. You learned this week about how to manage, and in some cases create, your online identity. What action steps will you take (are you taking) to manage and further extend your online identity?
 * To manage and further extend my online identity, I will take the following steps: I will continue to be mindful of the kinds of information I choose to include on **** public social networking sites. I understand the importance of maintaining professionalism, even on personal sites, since persons can search my name and **** various aspects of my identity will be available. Although I have chosen not to participate in certain networking sites, such as LinkedIn in the past, in order to **** extend my online identity, I will consider signing up for those that are positive and professional in nature. **

9. If you had one more day in the Institute, what would you like to learn more about and why? **If I had one more day in the Institute, I would like to learn more about the** **various technology tools that were introduced. I would like the opportunity to actually experiment with and practice using the tools. I would also like to learn** **about ways to actually integrate the tools into my content area. I would want to leave with several lesson and unit plans that I could actually use with my** **students when school begins.**