Teaching With the Common Core Standards - Book Club - Chapter 8 - Technology and the Common Core Standards

This chapter was one I identified with a great deal. While I wouldn't say that I am a technology wizard, I'm certainly not a techno-phobe. I feel quite comfortable with using technology and have used it in my classroom in a variety of ways. Other teachers I know use it with even greater alacrity and I am amazed at the things they create and share with their classrooms and others. Many of the resources that are listed in this chapter - and there are a good amount - I have had personal experience using and others I have seen or heard others use.

The chapter's authors, Erica C. Boling and Christina Spiezio, bring out the point in the opening lines the fact that literacy goes beyond just the ability to read and write, it now encompasses the ability use these skills while navigating the technology rich world of the 21st century. One of the concerns voiced is that there is a wide gap between the skills that most students traditionally learn in their schools and the skills and knowledge that they will need in higher education, modern workplaces, and even within their own communities.

While there is not a specific standard for technology within the Common Core Standards it is implied that 21st century students to be college and career ready will be literate in a variety of technologies. References to digital media and technology are scattered liberally throughout the ELA standards. Differentiation is made between learn "from" and learning "with" technology and, while both are important, it is felt that learning "with" technology that has been "reflected and embraced" (pg. 154) by the standards. This is showcased by the "call for students to be able to critically analyze and produce various types of media." (pg. 154) Because students are expected to present what they find and create it integrates the speaking and listening standards within the ELA standards. Furthermore this technology literacy is not relegated solely to the ELA standards, but is expected throughout other content areas.

Several classroom vignettes showing the use of technology within ELA classes as well as other subjects are given. The technology showcased in the vignettes are:
VoiceThread (http://voicethread.com) - a way of capturing stories digitally
Glogster (www.glogster.com) - a place for creating interactive online posters
Wikispaces (www.wikispaces.com) - which, while used for a variety of other reasons, can be used as a safe and password protected place for students to publish writing and share work with others online
Voki (www.voki.com) - another online digital recording program which allows a student to create a cartoon character that resembles them (which will "speak" for the student) then record a podcast - in this case responses to class readings - for others to listen to
Google Earth (www.google.com/earth) - an online interactive satellite globe which was used to allow students to take "virtual" field trips
Creation of student produced videos - the use of a Flip (small, easy to use) video camera was mentioned as well as using Windows Movie Maker to edit the short science videos

Two pages of resources are shared that deal with help in using these technologies and resources where teachers can find out about more technology to use in the classroom. The authors conclude by reiterating the vital importance of embedding the use of technology throughout all content areas to create digitally literate students who will be prepared to interact and succeed in an increasingly digital and technological world.

As a teacher I have used several of the resources mentioned, though some such as video podcasting and the use of a wiki have been ways of disseminating information to students rather than having students actively participate. However, after reading this chapter I am eager to try even more with my students actively involved.

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Questions for this chapter can be found in the comment section. Please use the 'reply' function to respond. I can't wait to hear all of your thoughts! Links to the previous chapters' discussions can be found here:

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Be sure to check back next Monday, August 5th, when 2 Brainy Apples hosts a discussion about

Chapter 9 - Assessment

Teaching With the Common Core Standards - Book Club - Summary - Chapter 5 - Writing Standards

This chapter, authored by Steve Graham, focuses on the Common Core State Standards for Writing. He begins by giving some context to the current state of writing instruction in most schools, concluding that in order to meet the CCSS writing instruction must drastically change for most schools.

The Writing Standards make two broad assumptions:

1) Students will master described skills within the school year. 

2) Students' writing will increase in sophistication and their application of learned skills will increase as they master these skills. 

The standards are centered around four applications of skills in writing:

1) Text Types and Purposes - This includes writing for numerous purposes.

2) Production and Distribution of Writing - This includes creating and sharing text that is well-organized and appropriate to the assigned task by using planning, revising, editing, and collaboration.

3) Research to Build and Present Knowledge - This includes "using writing to recall, organize, analyze, interpret, and build knowledge about a topic..." (p. 88).

4) Range of Writing - This includes differing text task lengths to encourage learning across other disciplines such as science, and social studies, as well as varying audiences.

Graham does note that this are also depended upon the ability of students to record their ideas in a variety of ways including handwriting and electronic means as well as being able to using spelling and grammar correctly, form sentences correctly, and make appropriate word choices to convey meaning.

 The next part of the chapter acknowledges that while there is theoretical and empirical support for having writing standards there are concerns including underestimating the abilities of some groups of students as well as vagueness in explanation of certain of the standards and expectations at each grade level. After expressing his concerns the author then recommends the use of "tested and expert evidence-based practices."

The CCSS in Writing for grades 3 - 5 state that students should be writing for three purposes: to inform, to persuade, and to entertain. They are to "write in a planful, thoughtful, reflective, and collaborative manner." They are also expected to write in support and analyses of other content areas. As the standards are set the basic standard does not vary from grade to grade, however the elements within that basic standard do change between grades. The book then shows in tables these similarities and differences. This applied across all four applications of writing that were listed above.  Additionally, several teaching vignettes are shared to demonstrate some of the practices the author suggests are effective in teaching writing to students in these intermediate grades.

Graham feels that Range of Writing is the that is weakest standard in terms of necessary specificity. It stands that students will do both short and more lengthy writing exercises across content areas but it lacks any real guidelines. He suggests that some of these pieces of writing would include student note taking, question creation, completion of graphic organizers, and summaries, as well as lengthier pieces where students "personalize, apply, and analyze" the things they read. He also states the importance of writing in the subjects of math, social studies, and science. Writing in these areas requires students to make decision about what information is important, what the consequences of actions are, and how to organize and present the information students find. Doing this forces students to deal in greater depth with the materials they are presented and therefore encourages greater comprehension and synthesis of the information.

Links to the previous chapters can be found here:

Introduction

Chapter 1
Chapter 2

Chapter 3
Chapter 4

Summer Learning - Post #1 - Teaching with the Common Core Standards - Chapter 1

Just a reminder that our Summer Book Club has started and our first post by Mr. Hughes of An Educator's Life has been posted. Read through the post and leave us your thoughts. Remember - you can participate in this discussion even if you haven't read the book. Our second post will be up next Monday.

Summer learning...

I am very excited to have been asked to participate with a group of wonderful and talented educators in a summer book club. The purpose of this collaboration is to help all of us - and you - to become more familiar with the Common Core State Standards in ELA - English Language Arts. In order to have a common point of reference we are reading Teaching With the Common Core Standards (Grades 3-5). (The picture on Amazon that goes with the link shows the K-2 book, but it is the correct link and information for grades 3-5.)

Click HERE for a link to purchase the book.

I'd like to invite you to join with us in our study and discussion of this book. Each chapter will have a different discussion leader, but all are encouraged to comment and respond. A helpful hint is to follow these wonderful educators and their blogs to keep up to date on our progress this summer. In addition, their blogs are a fabulous resource for anything education related. It's a real brain trust! :)

Mr. Hughes of An Educator's Life and Created by Mr. Hughes has graciously been willing to lead the group and has gotten us up and running. You will be directed from his blog post each week to the corresponding blog and chapter discussion.

Here are the awesome discussion leaders/hosts and the chapters they will be taking the lead on. If you click on the buttons below you will be taken to each of the educator's blogs. Feel free to take a look around.

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Below is the schedule for the dates of the posts. We will be starting one week from today. Hooray!

If you plan on joining us, please leave a comment so we know who you are. We can't wait for this awesome experience to begin!

Remember, even if you don't get the book we'd still love to have you join our discussions. There are so many excellent ideas and conversations we can have as we all learn together.

Let the learning begin... 

- Ms. D.