TPCK Chapter 3 - K-6 Literacy Education

The idea of teaching literacy and being literate has changed significantly over the years. It is sure to continue to change in the future. The advent of technology has caused a shift in what it means to be literate and how literacy should be taught. Being literate is no longer just being able to read and write effectively. It now also includes a component about being able to use multimedia. These changes, while necessary, also create additional skills and concepts that educators must teach.

Many teachers are willing and even eager to use technology to teach literacy skills to their students, but many times they either don’t know how or are afraid to try. One of the most significant points discussed by Denise Schmidt and Marina Gurbo was on how to get more technology into the classroom. They explained that it must begin with the training of pre-service and in-service teachers on integrating technology. This point is very significant and would force a shift in many universities and local schools. The idea of including technology use in every course for pre-service teachers is a great idea. Teachers must be shown how to use technology in their content area before they can be expected to use it in the classroom. A one on one mentoring program seems like a very effective way for teachers, both pre-service and especially in-service, to receive the needed technology support. Through this mentoring process, teachers will not only learn about available technology, but modeling and demonstration of its usage could occur. I would love to use more technology with my students, but sometimes I’m just not confident enough in my abilities or even the equipment itself to try it. More technology support is needed in the schools for successful integration to occur.

The examples of TPCK use in K-6 literacy were exciting! It confirmed several of the things that I have already been doing with literacy and technology. I have had my students use Kid Pix to write poetry and audio record themselves reading their text. We have then turned our work into a slideshow and class book. We have our own class wikispace for students to publish and share their writing with the world. Kidspiration software has also been used by my students to brainstorm and map out their stories. All of these technology uses have definitely increased motivation for reading, writing, and learning.

There are several new things that I would like to try with my students. I am very intrigued by the text editor, SubEthaEdit, that the authors described. It seems like the perfect method to encourage the editing and revision process during writer’s workshop. The collaborative nature of the program encourages students to rely on one another and not just the teacher. The concept of having students completely write their stories on laptops is another idea I would like to try out. (If I can get access to the computers long enough!) Typically I have had students write their ideas on paper and then type their final drafts. It would be so much easier and more natural for students to do all of their writing directly on the computer. I am also curious about exploring digital storytelling and creating and using webquests.

The possibilities of learning literacy through technology are endless. I am excited to explore some new avenues of study. I am hopeful that technology support will become more available in the future.