LRA Study Group 2012

http://bit.ly/Tumg21

Digital Texts and Tools Study Group

Literacy Research Association 2012

Day 1 – Research, Agency, and Social Networking. In this session we will explore the avenues for sharing and developing research using emerging tools. Participants will learn how to distribute their LRA presentations using the LRA website and social networks. We will then demonstrate how to drive traffic to research using multiple social media channels such as Twitter and Facebook. Finally, we will discuss how social media challenges and changes the notion of peer review and the pitfalls of self-promotion.

Tech Tutorials

https://sites.google.com/site/textsandtools/techtutorials

Document Sharing

Google Docs: http://docs.google.com

Slide Rocket: http://www.sliderocket.com/

Mendeley: http://www.mendeley.com/

Many More: http://www.masternewmedia.org/where-to-upload-and-share-powerpoint-presentations-guide/

#LRA12 Archive: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AobnEbX-nqlodFZYc0FTTkNtaG5OUThVWmdzLXdoWEE

Day 2 – Video Conferencing and Communication. In this session we will explore the use of video conferencing tools to provide instruction and scaffolding for students and colleagues while using 21st Century literacy tools. The use of these tools extend and in some cases breakdown the classroom walls for use in activating, supporting, and extending learning through the effective, authentic use of technology. We will also demonstrate how synchronous online video communication can be utilized for distance class activities and extensions of literacy practices.

Day 3- Tablet Computing in the Classroom. Schools across the globe are now deciding whether to enter the post PC era with tablet computing. In this session we will share reports from the field on the roll out of tablet initiatives. Presenters will discuss workflow strategies, professional development challenges, and examples of student work. Specifically researchers will demonstrate the use of file sharing in the classroom, Edmodo for a workspace and showcase of learning, and Screencasting to record students as they mark up complex texts. The session will close with a discussion of research methods that can move beyond learning

Day 4- Distributed Note-taking and Collaborative Writing. According to the Writing Next report (Graham & Perin, 2007) collaborative writing has a strong effect in improving overall writing ability. In this session the presenters will lead participants through a variety of ideas to support collaborative assignments during inquiry activities. We will examine shared notebooks from Evernote as a means for collecting and organizing information as well as a tool for providing student feedback. We will also examine the planning of collaborative documents on threaded discussion boards; and watch these documents unfold on Google Docs (a word processing software). Presenters will share ideas for researching student growth in writing and tracking power relationships by applying discourse analysis.