Creating lessons that affirm our humanity

The Emert article begins with this quote from Jason Ohler: “Stories are more than just good for us – they are essential to survival” (Digital Storytelling in the Classroom, p. 9). This sentiment is the foundation to what we do as language arts teachers. Reading, writing, and interacting with literature connects us to our humanity. Through the process, we learn that no matter what language we speak, we are more alike than different. And we’re on this journey together. While the Emert article stressed the importance of using digital storytelling with refugee children, his philosophy of emphasizing “visual language – in the form of structured sequential images” can benefit all students (p. 402).  Emert believes the use of the digital medium allows students to “tap skills and talents that might otherwise lie dormant [and] that will serve them well in school, at work, and in expressing themselves” (p. 402).

Digital storytelling can allow us to become more emotionally invested than reading or writing text alone. The Parker article particularly resonated with me because of the deep trust that was required for both the students and the immigrants to build with each other in order to create a meaningful film. The Tortilla Curtain by T.C. Boyle is one of my favorite books, and the level of engagement the students in the article were able to reach by creating a documentary informed by the text makes me want to try replicate it in my future classroom someday. It was a lot to ask of both students and the immigrants they interviewed, as both had to take risks and step out of their comfort zone – the immigrants in particular, as they had the most to lose. However, as a language arts teacher looking out for her students’ growth not only academically, but as human beings, it’s hard to think of a more powerful lesson than this one. I particularly love the idea of the “condition of possibility,” which Parker described as a “co-constructed linguistic space open to dialogue and shared understandings” (p. 673). In order for the project to be successful, the students had to realize the risk the participants were taking, and FIRST build a relationship built on mutual respect and trust before turning on the camera. They also had to develop a meta-awareness of what types of questions would be the most meaningful based on their prior conversations. The process creates an upward spiral. Because the students became more emotionally invested, their documentary will be more engaging and impactful. One could venture a guess that if the students merely read/discussed/wrote about the novel itself, they might remember the gist of it years down the road. However, it’s almost certain that by creating a documentary about an illegal immigrant they have come to know on a personal basis, they will never forget their experience. Suddenly, the concept of “illegal immigration” evolves from a catch phrase used by politicians and the media to a very personal connection, and someone they know by heart and likely consider a friend.

Preventing Plagiarism

Plagiarism has likely been a dilemma in education since the dawn of time. One could argue that prior to the digital age, it would have been easier for students to plagiarize that it is these day, because what teacher had the time to go and scroll through slides of microfisch, or dig through dusty magazines in the bowels of a library? In Chapter 8, Hicks points out that the changes in the way students conduct research in the 21^st century can have both significant benefits as well as complications. I agree with him in that regard. Owing to the digital age, students can “look at SparkNotes about the text, and find essays about the text from online paper mills” (Hicks, p. 155).

In my opinion, having instant access to an unfathomable amount of information is beneficial to students 90% of the time. I’ll get to that other 10% in a minute. In the “Open up the Ceiling on the Common Core State Standards” article, Sally Valentino Drew points out numerous benefits to online reading, such as the fact that “research demonstrates that struggling adolescent readers are motivated by digital reading environments, as opposed to the print-centric reading environments,” and that “online and other digital environments may allow struggling readers to break free.”

That makes all the sense in the world to me. Research can be daunting on its own without having to find actual, physical texts to support one’s claim. Almost anyone would agree that all of the information that lies a thumb stroke away is a positive thing.

Where we run into trouble is when students don’t synthesize what they read and state information in their own words. There are so many sources out there, that I honestly believe some students end up plagiarizing without meaning to. I’m all for reading an essay as a model or mentor text, but if a students reads twenty sample essays on how to compare and contrast Alice Walker and Maya Angelou, I can almost guarantee their final product won’t have one original thought. Or if we ask a student to take part in a discussion of themes in The Great Gatsby, five minutes spent on SparkNotes will ruin whatever discovery might have happened in the midst of their group of peers. There is no way to prevent students from seeking support through those sources, however, and some students who really struggle can benefit greatly from the extra scaffolding.

Where I disagree with Hicks is in his strong feelings against anti-plagiarism software. Hicks believes that using such devices “puts students in a defensive position and is likely to harm relationships.” Furthermore, he recommends using digital tools like “Easy Bib to defend against plagiarism” (p.158-159). I honestly don’t see how Easy Bib steers students away from plagiarizing. They still must enter the information, but where Easy Bib is problematic is that it can mess up spacing on students’ works cited page. Instead of teaching them how to use sources like Owl Purdue to create their own works cited page, we’re supposed to encourage using a crutch? My biggest issue, however, is in Hicks’ encouragement to not use anti-plagiarism software. I do see where he’s coming from in regards to eroding trust, but that is only if a teacher uses this software sporadically, such as when he/she is suspicious about a student’s writing. However, if the entire department or school uses the software every time there is a writing assignment, it becomes just another part of the routine for the student.

Unfortunately, I’ve had too much personal experience with this very topic in the last few months. Because I’m subbing for a teacher who is on maternity leave, I wasn’t used to Turnitin.com, and thought it was for only summative assignments. I didn’t tell my American Lit class to use it for their compare and contrast essays, and TWO of the students cheated. One submitted an essay that was 94% identical to a college student’s in Virginia. Turnitin.com provided the exact source, so it wasn’t difficult to confront the student. The other one plagiarized almost word for word from his peer in the same class – something I caught because I was paying attention, but Turnitin.com checks for that type of plagiarism, too. Our school’s policy is that students must have a 5% or below on Turnitin.com before they can even submit their work to teachers. The temptation to plagiarize is a non-issue, and students are ultra-diligent about thoughtful paraphrasing so they stay under the 5% marker. It teaches good habits and promotes honest writing.

Credit: Avatargeneration.com

WARNING: Possible side effects to film production in the classroom

I’ll admit it. My knee-jerk reaction to having my students create a film of any sort is a resounding no. Not because I’m opposed to film as a medium, and not because I’m afraid of technology. Well, maybe I’m a little bit afraid . . . Anyway, the main reason I’m not crazy about asking my students to create film is simply lack of time. It takes SO much time to create a quality project – even if it’s only a thirty-second commercial. We’re so strapped for time as it is, why ask students to go to all the hassle when they can accomplish the same goals by writing a paper?

Then I read the Hobbs chapters.

And I realized how my reluctance to take on this type of project might rob my students of valuable learning at a much deeper level than meeting the standards. There are possible side effects to creating video projects in the classroom, and these side effects can have lifelong impact.  They are:

1. Improvement in self-esteem

Any genre of film used in the classroom will be a highly scripted endeavor, even if it is a thirty-second commercial, or an interview segment. When students realize this, it results in an “aha” moment. Before students peek behind the curtain as to how scripted media is, most students think that those youTube hosts or TV emcees are naturally gifted speakers, and those witty/intelligent/snarky, etc. words fly out of their mouths spontaneously. Students don’t realize there are script writers, rehearsals, and multiple takes just to get it to look natural and spontaneous. The “light bulb” moment occurs when students realize that with careful planning, they too, can create a similar product.

2. Break out of comfort zone

Creating a video forces students to do things they wouldn’t normally do, such as interview strangers or people they don’t know well, as referenced in Hobbs’ chapter five.  The Ladue student found interviewing difficult at first, but then said, “It became natural after hours and hours of doing it. Breaking out of my comfort zone was surprisingly fun” (p. 86).

3. Promotes intellectual curiosity 

Hobbs believes working with media composition promotes intellectual curiosity, provided students are highly engaged in their topic (p. 88-89). There are many ways to communicate message via the film medium, but to do it well, students must fall in love with the subject matter.

4. Develops ethical stance

In the Hobbs chapter, students want to produce a conservation video about the pond behind their school. Normally, the pond is polluted with garbage, and when the students went to film it, they found a strong wind had blown it away, along with their chance of creating a meaty conservation video (p.91). Students wanted to “stage” the pollution by adding trash to the pond to serve their production purposes. A great class discussion on the ethics of filmmaking ensued.

5. Encourages critical thinking

Perhaps the most important “side effect” to teaching filmmaking is having students engage in critical thinking. Film is power, and the strength (and bias) of its message has no parallel. The first act students must reflect on is how they plan to portray their characters and what message they want to send. In Hobbs’ fourth chapter, she offers an important list of questions for students to ponder when engaging in film composition (p. 69).

Credit: bridgethegapmedia.com

Watch your Tone

While reading the Hicks chapter for this week’s class, I couldn’t help thinking of the saying, “It’s not what you said, it’s how you said it.” My husband is quite familiar with it after almost fifteen years of marriage. Most people think of that saying in the context of relationships, but it is just as applicable to the language arts classroom.

My creative writing class is in the midst of a poetry unit. Throughout this unit, they’ve watched videos or listened to poets reading their work as mentor texts. I’ve modeled how poetry should be read, as well – slowly, deliberately accenting/punching certain words, and adjusting volume and pacing to define tone. Still, when some students read a poem, they race through it blindly and the audience misses the opportunity to glean meaning.

The Hicks chapter sparked an idea that I will implement in my class this week. Hicks suggests that students value the process of recording and re-recording their voices, although I would argue that most students won’t like the sound of their voices at first. In my experience, hearing one’s voice on a device is a jarring experience. Or maybe it’s just me, as I think I sound like Fargo’s version of Fran Drescher.  Anyway, Hicks suggests that by “inviting students to record and listen to their own voice can also open up conversations about dialect, multilingualism, and the denotations and connotations of particular words and phrases (p. 103). When students read a poem to the class, they’re probably not hearing what I’m hearing. A million things could be racing through their heads, such as self-consciousness at reading out loud to the class, insecurity about how well they’re performing, or even preoccupation with whatever might seem more important than being in the moment with their poem.  I want them to hear what I hear, so I plan to give them this homework assignment: 

Choose one of the poems from your portfolio and record yourself reading it. Listen to the recording and answer the following questions:

1. Write about the pace in which you read your poem. What did you notice about the pacing? Where in the poem could you adjust the speed for emphasis or to set mood or tone?

2. What did you notice about the pitch of your voice? Could you use a higher or lower sound for emphasis in certain places? What is the intonation like?

3. How about your enunciation? Do you need to over-exaggerate or “punch” the words in specific places for emphasis?

4. Does your oral delivery of the tone match the tone you meant to convey in your writing? Why or why not?

5. Taking into consideration the answers to these questions, re-record your poem and listen to it again. How has it changed?

Hopefully, by completing this activity students will discover the strengths and weaknesses of their delivery for themselves, creating meta-awareness as to the power they carry with their voice. As a mentor text, I will show this youTube video featuring Taylor Mali who performs his poem “Speak with Conviction,” which uses humor to address the importance of what we say and how we say it.

Stuck on Storytelling

Whether it’s a statistics teacher spinning a yarn to hook his students into the day’s lesson, or a language arts teacher using reader’s theater to increase classroom engagement, the use of effective storytelling is the key to the gates of learning. It’s always been that way, whether the year is 1759 or 2421, even though the methods have evolved through the years. We’ve spanned the gamut from the oral tradition to print to film, and now are firmly entrenched in the digital age. The plethora of opportunities in which to tell a story are vast and sometimes overwhelming, but we owe it to this next generation of learners to teach them the collaborative skills of conveying story through multimodal means.

Two readings particularly resonated with me from this week’s reading – the Hicks chapter and the NCTE’s position statement on multimodal literacies. Both firmly support the advent of multimodal literacies for today’s student, and Hicks doesn’t waste time in condemning the traditional approach to slideshow presentations as being “power pointless” (2013). Most teachers wouldn’t argue with Hicks, but it can be daunting to discover alternatives when educators are so overwhelmed with planning, grading, and all of the other tasks involved in teaching today. Power point is a comfortable, if beleaguered old friend that gets the job done, even if it’s snooze-inducing. I loved the readings emphasis on the importance of collaboration, and as an answer to feeling overwhelmed by technology, as educators we should turn over the reins to our students. Providing we give them a clear outline as to what the end product should deliver, students should be allowed the autonomy to research and discover the best program (not power point!) that engages them most. This task causes students to use the higher order thinking verbs from Blooms Taxonomy – creating, evaluating, and analyzing. In addition to the final product/presentation, students could provide an analysis detailing why they chose their specific medium as well as an evaluation of its strengths and weaknesses.

The NCTE article supports this approach in their position statement by reassuring teachers that students “are often more literate in the technical aspects of digital production than many of their teachers.” The article goes on to state, “the definitions of multimodal composing may be written by educators, but they will most likely have first been pioneered by these young people” (2008). By trusting students’ creativity and collaboration skills, teachers will likely be delighted with the new presentation format, and in the process, become students themselves by learning more about the ever-expanding menu of presentation formats that exist.

In honor of Harper Lee who recently passed, here is an example of a multimodal presentation on To Kill a Mockingbird, using Capzles as the presentation format. MS Barnes created this Capzle, which offers real photos with background information that provide viewers with a snapshot of historical events that would have taken place during the setting of the novel. As viewers click through the photographs, a scratchy recording of a sleepy jazz recording plays providing music from the era which evoke a sensory experience and tells a story on its own. I like to think of MS Barnes’ teacher asking for a justification as to why they chose this particular song, as well as the images attached. This presentation style has the possibility to tell a story just as well – if not better – than any narrative a student can write. The NCTE article stressed the importance of “multiple ways of knowing” by using art, music, and drama, among other forms, to tell a story, and that by creating multimodal experiences, students can experience renewed engagement from the over-emphasis on testing and “teaching to the test” so many have experienced (2008).

The Case for Web Quests

I’ve been a fan of web quests, or Internet scavenger hunts, ever since using one as a scaffold to help prepare my eighth graders for their upcoming unit on Greek mythology. Prior to this week’s readings, I believed web quests were a great tool for building students’ schema or awareness of necessary content (cultural practices and beliefs, time frame, language, etc.) before diving into a novel or text. This still holds true, but web quests offer so much more than just providing sound background information.

According to Castek et al (2009), reading digital texts and searching the web for content (a la web quests for example) provide struggling readers with additional supports that “offline” texts can’t provide. Castek claims that some struggling readers actually perform much better when conducting reading tasks online. When conducting online research, these students “demonstrate that shorter units of text, characteristic of online reading, may encourage more active attempts at reading and comprehending, avoiding tendencies to shut down when confronted with lengthy, continuous text segments such as those typically found in a chapter or text book” (p. 16). Castek also emphasizes the importance of having students become fluent in digital research, as they live and function in the digital age. Research on reading comprehension shows that “reading on the Internet requires additional comprehension skills beyond those required to read traditional print text” (2009, p. 1)

While using a web quest, I like the idea of asking students to synthesize information they’ve read from multiple sources. The ability to synthesize is one of the highest levels in Bloom’s Taxonomy, and Castek’s article supports this, as struggling readers are often better at finding information online than in a physical text. They read the search engine results rather than clicking on the article and scanning for clues, so they find the right info more quickly. Also digital texts are shorter that traditional “offline” content which can overwhelm a struggling reader. (2009, p. 6)

The Coiro article (2011) also supports the concept of web quests to help struggling readers. The section about “think-alouds” resonated with me as an activity to introduce web quests, and ultimately, best practices to conduct research online. Coiro (2011) calls this approach “cognitive apprenticeship, in which teachers use think-aloud models to support readers by engaging them in authentic problem-solving activities while calling attention to often overlooked or hidden comprehension strategies that are useful in particular reading situations” (p. 108). Looking back on the web search I used with my 8^th graders, the experience would have been greatly enhanced had I modeled, or conducted a “think-aloud” on how to best approach a web quest. 

Coiro (2011) writes students are motivated by “authentic and intentional reading purposes that are situated in the context of interesting texts” (p. 109), and I love the idea of giving students agency in how they want to conduct their web quest. For example, sticking with the goal of providing scaffolding for a unit on Greek mythology, web quest choices could include Greek history, culture, food, famous battles/wars, religion, art, etc. Students would ultimately accomplish the shared goal of learning best practices for conducting online research as well as synthesizing information, but their motivation level would be increased as they would having the opportunity to choose a topic that interests them. Students would share their findings with the class, which would result what Coiro (2011) indicates as a “higher level of metacognitive awareness” (p. 108).

Perseus preparing for his (web) quest.
By Walter Crane (1845-1915) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

Digital Resource Review: Padlet

GENERAL OVERVIEW

Padlet (formerly Wallwisher) is like an online bulletin board. There are countless ways it can be applied in the classroom, and the benefits are many. It’s free, user friendly, and versatile. The official description from their website is “Padlet is the easiest way to create and collaborate in the world. It works like a sheet of paper where you can put anything (images, videos, documents, text) anywhere, from any device, together with anyone. Padlet already has over 5 million walls used for everything from teaching, brainstorming, note-taking, website publishing, bookmarking, selling goods, and blogging.”

Cost

Padlet is free! However, the free version has potential to be a security issue for students, as whatever they post can be accessed by anyone who has a Padlet account. Padlet Backpack is designed for schools so teachers can set up unlimited free student accounts which have as little or as much freedom to share outside the school walls at teacher discretion. The cost is $5 per month or $45 for year. There is a free 30-day trial period. Once you sign-up, you get “delightful support” and even a hand-written love letter, according to their website.

Here's an example of a Padlet page used in a language arts classroom:

source: Padlet.com

REVIEW

Rationale 

I chose Padlet for its ease of use and versatility in the classroom. KathyShrock’s site offered a plethora of rubrics, which helped me build my own. Padlet is definitely geared towards inspiring creativity and collaboration in students. I like that it’s free, but the major flaw with the free version are the privacy issues for the students. If students open and use their own personal account in the classroom, any Padlet user would have access to the students’ information with the exception of their e-mail, which according to Padlet is never publicly displayed. There are ways to wiggle around the privacy issue, however. When I used Padlet for a group activity, I gave each group a link to a page I created in my own account, so the students would be protected. They copied the link into their browsers and the activity went just fine.

For the sake of the rubric and overall review of the product, however, I reviewed the “Backpack”, or school version of Padlet.  Padlet is extremely user friendly, and I used it with a class of 8^th graders who had never heard of it before. They used it intuitively with no difficulties. Cost wise, the “Backpack” or school version of Padlet costs $5 per month or $45 per year, so it’s quite affordable. According to my rubric, Padlet earned 14 out of 15 of my criteria for a creative, collaborate program.

                                                           3                                                      2                                                      1

Ease of use	Product is intuitive and needs little instruction	Students will need some instruction prior to use	Significant time will be invested in instructions
Cost	Free!	Low expense, easily fits into budget	Significant investment
Privacy	No student information needed or information is protected under firewall of school.	Some student information needed.	Outside users will have access to content
Connect, Collaborate, Create	Product will enrich classroom culture. Product serves diverse needs with its versatility.	Product has potential to enrich classroom culture. Product is moderately versatile.	Students must work alone. Creativity is constrained to specific applications.
Engagement and Motivation	Students will definitely like this program.	Students will probably like this program.	Students will not like this program.

Review

From a student perspective, Padlet provides an exciting avenue for creativity and collaboration. The students I worked with enjoyed how easy it was to use, and seemed to appreciate having the agency to work with multiple media sources easily to make their point. In my experience, Padlet is appropriate for grades four and higher. The biggest drawback as mentioned earlier, is the privacy issue. I only felt comfortable giving the students my link to use for their group’s page, as I didn’t want the students to use their personal information to register. That problem would be alleviated, however, with the Padlet “Backpack” option designed for schools.

When thinking about Padlet through the lens of a power framework, particularly, this program has much to offer. I conducted a lesson using Padlet with a class of 8^th graders who had never used it. Other than explaining my expectations for the class activity (characterization posters,) I didn’t spend any time telling them how to use the application other than “click on the screen to add text, insert a photo, song, or video from the Internet.” It was intuitive for these 21^st century learners who adapted to Padlet immediately. Additionally, Padlet provides multiple access points for all types of learners. Some students searched the web in Spanish. Others were motivated by the visual and artistic component. All seemed to be inspired by the fresh way of creating posters collaboratively.

Comparable resources

There are other resources similar to Padlet, but the ones I found were geared toward business professionals. Two examples are:

Realtimeboard Their definition is “Whiteboard. Finally in your browser. The simplest collaboration tool for project leaders, marketers, designers, developers, and creatives.” This application is marketed more toward business professionals to use in meetings. There is a free option, but it only allows three boards. For a classroom, one would need to purchase the premium option which is $10 per month.

Stormboard “Online brainstorming and collaboration. Brainstorm, organize, prioritize and act on the best ideas in the same room or around the world on a real time sticky note whiteboard.” Again, this application is marketed to business professionals. Seems almost identical to Realtimeboard with the exception on the ability to “vote” for popular ideas. Pricing is comparable to Realtimeboard.

Ideas for literacy instruction

I used Padlet as a tool to create character posters while studying The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton. Each group was assigned a character, and each student had their own Chromebook to use. By entering my code for their respective pages, they bypassed having to open an account (and divulgepersonal information) to Padlet. They added quotes, pictures, songs, and symbols that represented their character, and then presented it to the class on the Smart Board.

I also used Padlet for an exit ticket while preparing for a Socratic Seminar. I asked students to think of a question they would like to discuss about the novel in our upcoming seminar, and it was interesting for them to see all of their ideas appear simultaneously on the Smart Board in front of class.

Here are some other ideas, courtesy of Padlet’s sample page:

Story Analysis

http://jn.padlet.com/article/232-story-analysis

Biography

http://jn.padlet.com/article/219-bio

ELA standards

Because Padlet is so flexible, it could be used to support almost any standard. Based on 8^th grade Colorado ELA standards, here are some that resonated with me:

Integrate multimedia and visual displays into presentations to clarify information, strengthen claims and evidence, and add interest. (CCSS: SL.8.5)

Use Integration of Knowledge and Ideas to: i. Analyze the extent to which a filmed or live production of a story or drama stays faithful to or departs from the text or script, evaluating the choices made by the director or actors. (CCSS: RL.8.7) ii. Use graphic organizers and note-taking formats while reading to map relationships among implied or explicit ideas or viewpoints iii. Develop and share interpretations of literary works of personal interest

Use Integration of Knowledge and Ideas to: i. Evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of using different mediums (e.g., print or digital text, video, multimedia) to present a particular topic or idea. (CCSS: RI.8.7)

a. Write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence. (CCSS: W.8.1) i. Develop texts that offer a comparison, show cause and effect, or support a point ii. Write and justify a personal interpretation of literary or informational text that includes a thesis, supporting details from the literature, and a conclusion

Quality reasoning relies on supporting evidence in media: a. Take a position on an issue and support it using quality reasoning d. Use appropriate media to demonstrate reasoning and explain decisions in the creative process.

How to get started

Padlet is user friendly from the get-go. Simply go to Padlet.com and follow the prompts to sign up. Before doing that, however, you have the option to create a page without having an account if you want to explore the site and see how it all works.  For step by step instructions, click on the youtube link by Arush Mohan.