Educators now have new approaches to literacy that focus on the student, engagement and expression. Course participants will discuss empowering literacy as it applies to today's most powerful communication tools. Will we continue to use technology to do things better or do better things? Course participants will look at how teachers can transform their own classrooms and collaborate with other teachers in their buildings as subversives for change.

Course Overview

Guiding Philosophy: Based on the reading of Finn's Literacy with an Attitude, the guiding philosophy is one of caution. If Finn is correct in that education is overwhelmingly class based and has been for most of the time it has been publicly supported, then all education is "domestication" for the lower classes and "liberation" for only the upper classes. These forces would result in any new innovation being molded to those foundations. The concern is that technology usage will be dramatically different based on class.

Goals of the course

Teachers will become critical evaluators in the use of technology.
Evaluate the research on effective practices with technology.
Teachers will have an opportunity to review a variety of technology skills and techniques
Teachers will be aware of the teaching styles of class as outlined in Literacy with an Attitude
Teachers will be able to evaluate practices of using technology to see what class style they fit into from the above goal.

Course Syllabus

Following the philosophy of the course the course will be divided into reading research in line with the basis of Finn's text. Class time will be spent analyzing the potential for this technology as it applies to the integration of technology into the curriculum There will be a variety of opportunities to analyze various theories of literacy as it applies to social classes. There will be an opportunity to develop skills in terms of research, writing and computer presentation software. Also there will be opportunities to look at technology and technology leadership as change agents in the school.

Course Expectations

Course Text and Suggested Reading

Texts:

Literacy with an Attitude by Patrick Finn
State University of New York Press ISBN 0-7914-4286-1

Running Microsoft Office 2000 by Michael Halvorson Michael Young Microsoft Press ISBN 1-57231-936-4

Suggested Readings:

Stoll, Clifford, High Tech Heretic - Reflections of a Computer Contrarian
Becker, Henry, J. and Ravitz, Jason, The influence of Computer and Internet Use on Teachers; Pedagogical Practices and Perceptions, Journal of Research in Computing in Education, Summer 1999

Links

Electronic Globalization PP

PowerPoint Quick Lesson

E Subscribe Example

Webquest Template

Using the Webquest Template

Powerpoint on Constructivism

Case Studies

I Walk the Line

Always Have to Steal My Kisses From You