There are some schools where using technology is the goal of the instruction. At my school, however, learning is the goal of the instruction, and technology is simply a tool for learning. With that in mind, I aim to include the use of more technology in my classes - namely a wiki - because I believe authentic learning can happen through the use of technology. As Andes and Claggett state, "Technology alone is not the answer, but the purposeful integration of technology in literacy instruction is an innovation whose time has come!" (2011). A wiki allows students to work collaboratively, learn new digital literacies, and become motivated to participate in their own education. Using a wiki, students are able to access and share the same information or text, learning from - and hopefully acquiring - each others' literacy practices (Beach, 2012). Having created this wiki, I am now able to integrate this technology into my classroom. I could do this by giving my students the URL address of this wiki and encouraging them to search it for resources. As I progress through each unit of study, I can link or upload pertinent websites, blogs, and documents that they can then access. Polls or quizzes are also a fun thing to incorporate on the wiki. The students would love those. I can also teach students how to edit and upload documents so that they, too, can be a participant in the creation of this wiki. Beach, R. (2012). Uses of digital tools and literacies in the English Language Arts classroom. Research in the Schools, 19 (1). 45-59. Andes, L. & Claggett, E. (2011). Wiki writers: Students and teachers making connections across communities. The Reading Teacher, 64 (5). 345-350.
file:///Users/lauravogelzang/Downloads/delicious.html
There are some schools where using technology is the goal of the instruction. At my school, however, learning is the goal of the instruction, and technology is simply a tool for learning. With that in mind, I aim to include the use of more technology in my classes - namely a wiki - because I believe authentic learning can happen through the use of technology. As Andes and Claggett state, "Technology alone is not the answer, but the purposeful integration of technology in literacy instruction is an innovation whose time has come!" (2011). A wiki allows students to work collaboratively, learn new digital literacies, and become motivated to participate in their own education. Using a wiki, students are able to access and share the same information or text, learning from - and hopefully acquiring - each others' literacy practices (Beach, 2012). Having created this wiki, I am now able to integrate this technology into my classroom. I could do this by giving my students the URL address of this wiki and encouraging them to search it for resources. As I progress through each unit of study, I can link or upload pertinent websites, blogs, and documents that they can then access. Polls or quizzes are also a fun thing to incorporate on the wiki. The students would love those. I can also teach students how to edit and upload documents so that they, too, can be a participant in the creation of this wiki.
Beach, R. (2012). Uses of digital tools and literacies in the English Language Arts classroom. Research in the Schools, 19 (1). 45-59.
Andes, L. & Claggett, E. (2011). Wiki writers: Students and teachers making connections across communities. The Reading Teacher, 64 (5). 345-350.
file:///Users/lauravogelzang/Downloads/delicious.html