Integrating Technology in ELA:Creating Blogs and

Wikis

by Zoya Houjeiri

Learning and Innovation Skills

• Critical Thinking

and Problem

Solving

• Creativity and

Innovation

• Communication

• Collaboration

Information, Media and Technology Skills

• Information

Literacy

• Media Literacy

• ICT (Information,

Communication

and Technology)

Literacy

Life and Career Skills

• Flexibility and Adaptability

• Initiative and Self-Direction

• Social and Cross-Cultural Skills

• Productivity and Accountability

• Leadership and Responsibility

“As a natural outgrowth of meeting the charge to define college and career readiness, the Standards lay out a vision of what it means to be a literate person in the twenty-first century. Indeed, the skills and understandings students are expected to demonstrate have wide applicability outside the classroom or workplace” (Common Core State Standards Initiative [CCSSI], 2012)

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.6 Use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing and link to and cite sources as well as to interact and collaborate with others, including linking to and citing sources (CCSSI, 2012)

“Students employ technology thoughtfully to enhance their reading, writing, speaking, listening, and language use. They tailor their searches online to acquire useful information efficiently, and they integrate what they learn using technology with what they learn offline. They are familiar with the strengths and limitations of various technological tools and mediums and can select and use those best suited to their communication goals.” (CCSSI, 2012)

Why Use Technology?

* creates active, collaborative learning forums outside the classroom* can be individualized according to students’ needs * provides safe environment to express thoughts * increases personal responsibility * improves writing skills

Other Interlocking Standards

CCSS SL

SL.1b. follow rules for collegial discussions track progress toward specific goals and deadlines, and define individual roles as needed

SL.1d. Acknowledge new information expressed by others and, when warranted, modify their own views.

SL.6. adapt speech to variety of contexts and tasks, demonstrating command of formal English when indicted or appropriate.

Express Yourself:

Create Blogs

A blog (or Web Log ) is an online Journal. People (bloggers) can voice their opinion on blogs and other bloggers respond to them. Bloggers can make changes to their own entries and can respond to someone else’s entries (without making changes).

On a Blog students can:

• post their personal thoughts about a topic and discuss it with others

• add a short clip and comment on it

• post their personal writing pieces

• comment on a story or an article that they have read

• reflect on their class experience or class readings

Free Blog Sites

• www.blogger.com

• www.wordpress.com

• www.edublogs.com

• www.weebly.com

• www.tumblr.com

• www.blog.com

Student Blog

Collaborative Class Blog

Teacher-created Class Blog

Samples

How to Evaluate a Blog?

• visual presentation

• frequency

• organization

• commentary

• specificity

Brainstorm some ways to use blogs in your classroom

Collaborate:

Create Wikis

Wikis are unique type of websites that allows users to build, edit and change information on it. Wikis are created and maintained by people who read them, so the information is always changing.

On a wiki students can:

• collect and organize information and reviews about topics

• write about and discuss their favorite topic

• work as a group on a school project • add links to comment about articles, books or movies that they have read or discussed in class

• Create challenging projects for other students

sites.google.com

wikispaces.com

wikifoundry.com

Free Wiki Hosting Sites

Group Project Wiki

Group Project Wiki

Group Project Wiki

Samples

How to Evaluate a Wiki?• reliability of resources and fair use

• frequency of posting

• organization and easiness of navigation

• visual presentation

• Interaction (discussion page)

• variety of resources (graphics, audios, videos)

Questions?

1. 21st Century Learner available at http://wiki.rockyview.ab.ca/

2. Connected World available at http://rack.3.mshcdn.com

3. 21st Century Learning available at eduscapelearning.com

4. Silhoette available at http://media.photobucket.com by the user robertjjones

5. Express yourself available at http://ashishvimal.wordpress.com/

6. Color Splash available at http://media.photobucket.com by the user beer-naka

7. http://i237.photobucket.com/albums/ff69/sharpshanks/Color%20splash/IMGP5266-1.jpg

8. Collaborative Planning: http://edison.dpsk12.org

9. Blog logo: available at http://www.centralindianawebdesign.com/

10. Wiki Logo: available at danienlared.wordpress.com

11. Think About It available at joyoutreach.com

Images Credentials

ReferencesCommon Core Standards Initiative (2012). ELA Standards. Retrieved from www.corestandards.org