Literacy Now

by Julie Coiro

In 2011, the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) published Students Online: Digital Technologies and Performance (Volume VI). This paper summarizes the results of the 2009 Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), which evaluates educational outcomes in school systems in some 70 countries that, together, make up nine-tenths of the world economy. 

The PISA 2009 report details and compares student performance in digital and print reading, especially in relation to family background and socio-economic status; student engagement and attitudes; use of computers at home and at school; navigational patterns; online reading practices; and learning strategies (e.g., the awareness of strategies to understand and summarize information).

For classroom teachers and researchers, some of the most interesting findings include the following:

• With respect to the benefits of using the Internet at school, the report indicates, "Within countries, the digital divide is often linked to students’ socio-economic background. Students from socioeconomically advantaged backgrounds have higher levels of computer and Internet access at home; however, in some countries, the inequalities in the level of computer use at home is narrowed when disadvantaged students are given more opportunities to use a computer at school" (p. 20). This finding highlights the importance of making time available during the school day for students to use the Internet as part of their academic learning experiences.
• However, the report also suggests, "After accounting for students’ academic abilities, the frequency of computer use at home, particularly computer use for leisure, is positively associated with navigation skills and digital reading performance, while the frequency of
  computer use at school is not. These findings suggest that students are developing digital reading literacy mainly by using computers at home to pursue their interests." (p. 21). Consequently, it appears that access to computers and the Internet for academic learning tasks is not enough.  More needs to be done to ensure that students have opportunities to learning experiences driven by their own questions as opposed to only investigating questions posed by teachers or researchers. Self-directed tasks and authentic contexts for conducting personal online inquiries are critical for capturing students’ true capabilities in a digital reading environment. 
• A third finding highlights particular practices that appear to increase student performance on measures of online reading comprehension. For instance, “in each of the 19 countries that took part in the digital reading assessment, the more frequently students search for information on line, the better their performance in digital reading. Being unfamiliar with online social practices, such as e-mailing and chatting, seems to be associated with low digital reading proficiency; but students who frequently e-mail and chat on line also perform less well than students who are only moderately involved in these activities" (p. 21). These findings remind us that familiarity with a range of communication tools is important, but the use of these tools may foster better online reading performance when linked to purposeful opportunities to search for and summarize personally relevant online information that can be shared with others. 

Findings from this report deserve the attention of literacy educators and researchers for at least three reasons. First, more needs to be done to help students develop skills in reading digital texts. Teaching effective strategies such as efficient navigation, critical evaluation, and text integration play a critical role in online reading performance.  Second, the use of online texts may begin to address the underperformance of boys in reading. The PISA report indicates, “when we compare boys and girls who have similar levels of print reading proficiency, boys tend to perform better than girls in digital reading” (p. 207). These findings suggest that one way to promote better reading proficiency among boys lies in encouraging them to read digital texts. 

Third, these findings help us understand that while strategies to promote wider access to the Internet at school can help lessen the gap between socio-economically advantaged and disadvantaged youth, access and increased use, by itself, is not enough. To foster the thinking required in today’s digital world, efforts need to focus on fostering the effective use of ICT in schools through project-based activities, formative student-centered assessments, and specific instructional practices that improve students’ ability to navigate, critically evaluate, and synthesize online information. 

Julie Coiro is assistant professor in the School of Education at the University of Rhode Island. 

This article is part of a series from the Technology in Literacy Education Special Interest Group (TILE-SIG). 

The final set of reviews in this series about animals features books for grades seven through twelve. We'd like to thank members of the Children's Literature and Reading Special Interest Group (CL/R SIG) of the International Reading Association (IRA) for contributing these fantastic reviews!

Grades 4-6 

Bial, Raymond. (2011). Rescuing Rover: Saving America’s dogs. Boston: Houghton Mifflin.

Clearly, Bial wants readers to be mindful of the responsibility of pet ownership, but he also wants to publicize the ever-increasing numbers of dogs who end up in animal shelters. Countless unwanted litters of puppies are born each year since their owners fail to have their dogs spayed or neutered, and those puppies often have nowhere to go. As part of his research for this nonfiction book, Bial visits several local animal shelters in Illinois to report on the dogs living there and the men and women who care for them. In his usual carefully detailed style, he describes the cost of caring for these unwanted animals and tells some of their stories. The book is filled with photographs that tug at the heart, including one on the cover that practically begs readers to take this dog home. - Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University

MacLachlan, Patricia. (2011). Waiting for the magic. Illus. by Amy June Bates. New York: Athenenum. 

When their college professor father leaves the family in order to write, the three children left behind are as confused about his motivation for leaving as their mother is. But Mama doesn't take his desertion lightly, and she decides to replace her husband with a pet. After a trip to the animal shelter, they have five new pets, four dogs and a cat. The dogs range in size from a terrier to a Great Pyrenees. When their father finishes sewing his wild oats and trying to write in solitude, and returns home, the children have all come to recognize that these animals are able to talk to those who will listen to them. Along with Mama’s own surprise, the four dogs and a cat work to reunite a family that has come adrift. With the magic of love that only animals can weave, all find their way to forgiveness, if not understanding. - Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University

Wagner, Hilary. (2011). The White Assassin. New York: Holiday House. 

Fans of last year’s Nightshade City will be delighted with this follow-up story. Three years have passed since the Catacombs were rescued from the dictatorial control of Killdeer and the viciously cruel Billycan. Since the white rat has disappeared into the swamps, all should be safe; however, Billycan now leads a group of swamp rats who are eager to help him wreak vengeance on Nightshade City. Juniper and his band of democratic rats thwart Billycan’s plans and bring him back to Nightshade City where he is given a truth serum so the rats can learn the identity of the traitor among them. But the truth serum is actually an antidote for the drugs Billycan was given as a lab rat.  Slowly, in a series of flashbacks, Billycan remembers poignant details about his time in the laboratory.  As evidence of treachery mounts, some old alliances threaten to crack while others form. This touching story about rat society also makes astute observations about the nature of humans, animal experiments, and the power of family and forgiveness. As in the previous title, the characters are complex with even Billycan garnering some empathy. The author has crafted a story that somehow romanticizes rats and leaves readers wanting even more. - Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University

A love for the swans that winter on the lakes near their home is something that thirteen-year-old Isla and her father share. But on one of their jaunts to determine where they have landed, her father becomes ill and is hospitalized. While visiting him, Isla meets Harry, who has leukemia and is waiting for a bone marrow transfusion. Harry spends his time looking from his window at a young swan that has been separated from the rest of the flock, and the two bond over their shared interest in this bird that seems unsure how to fly. Isla is convinced that her father will recover if the two of them can help the swan rejoin its flock and if she can make her school art project--a Leonardo Da Vinci-inspired flying machine made with a harness and real wings--work. The book’s lyrical passages, the description of the swan with an almost mystical connection to Isla, and the budding love between Isla and Harry demonstrate that Christopher clearly knows her way around the often complicated familial bonds that keep some members close and others at a distance. The scenes in which Isla runs as fast as she can, flapping her wings and coaxing the swan to follow her example, are stunning. - Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University

Deedy, Carmen Agra, & Wright, Randall. (2011). The Cheshire cheese cat: A Dickens of a tale. Illus. by Barry Moser. Atlanta, GA: Peachtree. 

Skilley is an alley cat looking for a warm place to spend the cold winter months. When he learns that the local innkeeper is looking for a cat that is a good mouser, he makes sure that the man sees him catching a mouse scurrying across the room. But as is often the case, things are not as they seem, and Skilley doesn’t kill the mice he catches. Instead, he becomes friends with one of the mice, Pip, who has a fondness for large vocabulary words when speaking. The inn is visited by several London writers, including Charles Dickens who is suffering from a writer’s block and is unable to come up with the right opening lines for his latest masterpiece. Looking for inspiration for his story, Dickens observes Skilley closely and realizes that he catches the same mouse over and over again. This tale is filled with wry humor and witty observations on the nature of humans and animals. The literary references will make careful readers smile. After all, it was the best of times and the worst of times, right? - Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University

Animals! Book Review Series Number 2

CL/R SIG's Previous Book Review Series

Choices Reading Lists 

IRA Special Interest Groups 

The United States Government, represented by the Agency for International Development (USAID), Bureau for Economic Growth, Agriculture, and Trade (EGAT), Office of Education (ED), the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID), World Vision, Inc. (WVUS), and World Vision Australia (WVA) (collectively herein “World Vision”), is seeking innovative applications from eligible institutions as defined in the Request for Applications (RFA) to support the program entitled “All Children Reading Competition” (RFA No. SOL-OAA-12-000010). All awards under this RFA will be issued as grants not to exceed US $300,000.

All questions from interested applicants must be submitted to allchildrenreading@usaid.gov no later than 2:00 p.m. EST on December 9, 2011. Applications are due no later than 2:00 p.m. EST on January 31, 2012.

Through a multiyear initiative called All Children Reading: A Grand Challenge for Development (ACR), the Founding Partners will collaborate to achieve the goal of global action to improve child literacy. While recognizing that there are many factors required to improve student learning outcomes in primary grade reading, the Founding Partners have established the All Children Reading Competition to focus on two needs that are both important and largely unmet in low- and lower-middle-income countries: teaching and learning materials and education data: Innovations in Teaching and Learning Materials to Improve Student Reading and Innovations in Education Data to Improve Student Reading.

Visit the Grants.gov website for more information about All Children Reading. You can also go to www.grants.gov and search by the grant title or number.

The Kids In Need Foundation, a national, non-profit organization dedicated to providing free school supplies to economically disadvantaged school children and under-funded teachers, announces its third year partnering with LOFT, to support the Kids In Need Teacher Grants program. LOFT, known for feminine, versatile, stylish and affordable fashion, will provide the grant from the company’s LOFT Loves Teachers program for approximately 100 teachers, so they may purchase supplies needed to conduct innovative projects in their classrooms.

Funding from $100 to $500 is available for original classroom projects. Grant requests may be submitted online at www.kinf.org through December 9, 2011.

“The Teacher Grants program recognizes the creativity of teachers, as well as alleviating the need for teachers to reach into their own pockets to pay for materials to do special projects,” said Dave Smith, executive director of the Kids In Need Foundation. “We are proud to partner with LOFT Loves Teachers on this Best In Class Grants program, which allows teachers to create innovative experiences in their own classrooms.”

LOFT Loves Teachers is dedicated to honoring the daily commitment teachers make in and out of the classroom and the intricate role they play in children’s lives. To further teachers’ efforts, LOFT has pledged $50,000 to the Kids In Need Foundation in support of the LOFT Best In Class Grants.

“Our brand is committed to supporting educators in their efforts to enrich the lives of our nation's children. LOFT is proud to continue our dynamic partnership with the Kids in Need Foundation through the LOFT Best In Class Grants, dedicated to providing teachers with necessary classroom tools.” said Deborah Cavanagh, SVP, LOFT Brand Marketing.

Kids In Need is encouraging teachers to register for LOFT’s teacher appreciation program at LOFTLovesTeachers.com and learn about all the perks LOFT offers educators, including an everyday 15% discount on full price merchandise, exclusive sweepstakes, style guides just for teachers, and more. For official rules and to enter, visit LOFT on Facebook at www.facebook.com/LOFT.

“The purpose of the Kids In Need Foundation is to get free school supplies into the hands of kids who need them,” said Dave Smith. “The materials necessary to do these exceptional projects would not be available to students if it were not for the Kids In Need Teacher Grants program and the companies that sponsor it, so we are greatly appreciative of  LOFT’s participation.”

For more information, visit www.kinf.org.

by J. Gregory McVerry

Dust covered digital video cameras, forgotten and abandoned. Ipod carts, untouched, and wrapped in plastic. Two thousand dollar bulletin boards, once thought to be Interactive Whiteboards-but now covered with handouts, hang in classroom across the globe. Unfortunately these three scenarios unfold too often in today’s classrooms.

As the majority of educators clamor for computers, clickers, and cameras some schools never unlock the potential of transformative technology. Such calamities and wasted resources arise because districts invest more time and treasure in purchasing rather than professional development.

When educators view technology as new tools instead of texts that require new proficiencies to participate in online spaces, they often exacerbate the problem by not engaging in effective professional development. This paradigm must shift. In fact the digital development of educators must focus on the long-term transformation of teaching.

Massachusetts New Literacies Institute
The 2011 Massachusetts New Literacies Institute is a collaborative project with the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE), the Lower Pioneer Valley Educational Collaborative (LPVEC), and the West Springfield Public Schools. The institute is lead by teacher leaders who attended last year’s New Literacies Institute and built on the foundation laid by leaders in the field of New Literacies.  The success of the program lead to the state of Massachusetts being recognized by the Partnership of for 21st Century Skills as a 21st Century Awardee.

Blended Learning and ePortfolios Initiative
The efforts of the Connecticut Technical High School System represent another model for ongoing digital development. The project is designed to support the development of New Literacies among students , enabling them to be successful either in career or college by using blended learning environments and ePortofolios to focus on “learning to be” a career pathway instead of “learning about” a career pathway. Through the use of Moodle for and Mahara as a social network for portfolio development 10,400 students who represent extreme social and economic disparities in our state and country will be connected in new and collaborative ways.

Boston Commons: Common Core, Common Writing, Common Technology
The Boston Commons project focuses on improving content area writing while aligning the curriculum with the technology components of writing outlined in the New Massachusetts Framework for Literacy and Language Arts. During a year long blended learning institute teachers receive training in research based writing methods, pilot the use of iPAD carts for writing, and engage in inquiry projects. Teachers attend full day institutes in the summer, engage in dialogue on a Moodle course, and will create anchor sets of annotated student writing to train other faculty.

Keys to Success

These professional development programs share three keys of success:

1. Focus on Pedagogy
Online tools shift faster than students grow up. No professional development model can be successful by simply focusing on the skills required to use a specific tool. Instead a pedagogical must be identified and then a variety of tools that enhance this pedagogical goal can be thoughtfully embedded.

2. Embed Studio Time
Curriculum writing takes time, and as literacy educators we know the practices employed by good writers. Still many professional development models do not offer workshop time for teachers to collaborate and create. Each of the three highlighted projects focused on developing teacher created products.

3. Utilize Human Capital
The greatest resource schools have are teachers. These three professional development efforts focused on building capacity to encourage growth long after the professional development providers have left. In each project a system was in place for one cohort to train the next.

J. Gregory McVerry is an Assistant Professor at Southern Connecticut State University.

This article is part of a series from the Technology in Literacy Education Special Interest Group (TILE-SIG).