Blog Entry #5

 Digital Graphic Organizers

    I tried out several graphic organizer websites, including Popplet and StoryboardThat, before settling on those for my sample GOs. I think my third grade students would find Popplet and StoryboardThat easy to use. I liked the simplicity of Popplet and how once I started with one box, it was easy to create another. I also liked that there weren't any distracting features on the website. StoryboardThat is a good choice if there is enough time for students to explore the options. I think some of my third graders would be overwhelmed by how many customization options there are. If I used this website in my classroom I would make sure they have a specific directive to help them narrow down the features. 

    Some activities that I could implement using digital graphic organizers are brainstorming, note-taking, and group work. Before writing time, I can encourage students to use a graphic organizer to help them organize their thoughts and ideas by brainstorming. This is something I typically have students do with paper and pencil. I think that some students would continue to prefer doing it with paper and pencil while other students may be more inclined to use a digital option. After a lesson, I could include time for students to create a GO based on the topic we learned. This could help with their comprehension of the lesson while letting them visually categorize the new information. When I implement digital graphic organizers I will start with individual work and build up to group work. I think that digital graphic organizers can help facilitate collaborative activities, with all students working on the same GO together. A lot of websites are making it possible for students to edit the same document at the same time, like Google Draw. 

    Two concerns I have about using digital graphic organizers are the learning curve and distractions. Like I stated before, some students may still prefer using paper and pencil to make their GOs. They may feel like they have more control. It is still important to teach them to use the digital option, but it may take them longer to feel comfortable using the new websites. The other concern I had is with distractions. Any tools that you use to make digital graphic organizers need to be looked at for distracting features. Distracting features may make the creation of the graphic organizer take much longer than necessary. 

Blog Entry #4

 Digital Audio Tools

Blog Entry #3

 Visual Literacy

Image from: https://www.fineart.pub/american-landscape-painters/

Blog Entry #2

 Digital Reading

            I was happy to see so many resources for finding free children’s e-books. The first website I explored was Amazon. I use Amazon a lot to download e-books for myself. I purchased a Kindle last year and find myself alternating between enjoying print books and e-books. I downloaded the book Feeling in Colors by Diane Alber. I liked how easy it was to purchase and download the book. The next website I explored was FreeBooksy. A children’s book that they recommended to get for free was Pepe the Key West Rooster by Victoria Scudder. The link redirected me to Amazon, and I purchased it there. Next, I explored OneHundredFreeBooks. It was very easy to navigate to the children’s section. They recommended The Flying Tree by Ingo Blum and sent me to Amazon to purchase it. Next, I looked at Freebook Sifter. Unfortunately, I was disappointed by the lack of book covers, making it difficult for children to choose books on this website. Also, the Children's eBooks section didn't provide appropriate options for younger children. One of the books listed was about addiction. I was able to find an appropriate book in the subcategory Early Learning, where they recommended The Great Rainbow Chase by Mark Rusk. I was sent to Amazon to download it. I would not recommend this website based on the inappropriate book found under the children’s category. The last website I explored was BookBub. I like that the books can be filtered by price and by retailer. I selected the book Marky the Magnificent Fairy: A Disability Story of Courage, Kindness and Acceptance by Cynthia Kern Obrien and bought it through Amazon.

When I opened each book in my Kindle app on my iPad, I noticed that the interface was very simple and easy to navigate. The e-books were not interactive. I liked the simplicity, but there wasn’t anything interactive about it that I think kids would like more compared to a print book. Marky the Magnificent Fairy: A Disability Story of Courage, Kindness and Acceptance was only formatted to show one page at a time, instead of the usual two page spread. I think this choice disrupted the story and made the illustrations hard to view.

I think digital reading in the classroom can be a valuable resource when implemented correctly, considering the student’s interests and skills. I have used digital reading in my third-grade classroom for the past two years. One of my students’ favorite websites was ‘EPIC!’. They loved all the story options, and they enjoyed that the story could be read to them. Some students still opted for a print book during reading time, but a lot of students looked forward to reading on their Chromebooks.

For my reading instruction we use Wonders, which comes with a digital component. Each week, we explore a new featured story as a class, analyzing it throughout the week. I liked the online component because it offered to read the text to the students and offered fun vocabulary and grammar games that I could assign to them. However, I received feedback from students expressing a preference for me to read the story aloud rather than relying on the computer. Although flattered, I was curious why they enjoyed being read to on EPIC! but not during our Wonders sessions. I also noticed that when I requested them to refer to the text throughout the week, students reached for their printed copies of the Wonders textbook instead of accessing the digital version on their Chromebooks.  As a result, I began reading the story aloud to them while still utilizing the Wonders online component for vocabulary and grammar games. This adjustment met their preferences while incorporating the benefits of the digital text.

As I work to implement digital reading in my classroom, I will continue to consider student preferences as well as using digital texts that enhance the reading experience. Next year I am teaching Kindergarten. It will be very important that they learn how to read and use print books, but I also want to introduce them to digital texts. While many students may already have some familiarity with digital texts, I will demonstrate how to transfer strategies from print reading to digital reading.

Blog Entry #1

 New Literacies

    I think that is is very important to teach new literacies as part of my ELA instruction. I think that teachers have to adapt to the digital age, and incorporate these skills in ELA instruction. Many of the skills encompassed by new literacies align closely with ELA standards, making them a natural fit within the curriculum. For instance, students learn to comprehend information on websites, identify main ideas, and analyze supporting evidence. These are skills that directly correlate with reading comprehension standards. It also teaches them critical thinking skills when they evaluate information given to them on various platforms. This skill is essential given the vast amounts of information at their fingertips. By preparing students to effectively engage with digital media, we equip them with the tools needed to thrive in the modern world.

     There are several obstacles that teachers will face as we try to tame new literacies. The biggest obstacle is the changing landscape of technology. Technology is evolving rapidly, and it poses a challenge for teachers to keep pace. Teachers would need ongoing professional development to stay updated. Another obstacle is curriculum constraints. If the school district has not updated their curriculum recently, it may not align well with new literacy instruction. This misalignment poses a hurdle for teachers who must find ways to bridge the gap between existing curriculum and the incorporation of new literacies. I find as a teacher there is not much extra time in my day, if any at all. Educators with outdated curriculum will struggle with finding extra time to instruct students on new literacies. Overcoming the challenges of a rapidly changing technological landscape, addressing curriculum constraints, and finding dedicated time for instruction are crucial for successful integration.