Mooooving right along!  Our electronic textbook (Technology to Teach Literacy: A Resource for K–8 Teachers, Second Edition by Rebecca S. Anderson; Michael M. Grant; Bruce W. Speck) is a vital information resource for this course.  To make the most of the text you will need to refer to it to support your learning in the upcoming tasks in this course.  We are using an ELECTRONIC textbook for this course.   You may purchase your 180 day subscription to the textbook at this website:  http://www.coursesmart.com/9780137132416

1. Each student should read chapter 1 and log onto Blackboard - Discussion Board - to reply to the prompt that is there for that chapter.  When replying to a prompt, be sure and:
   • use specific examples from the text when making a point
   • use specific examples from your own teaching/technology experiences
   • ask questions of others who have responded
   • prepare your response in WORD (or .rtf) and then copy and paste it into the Discussion Board as leaving the window open long enough to make a THOUGHTFUL and DETAILED response may cause you to lose your work
2. Each student will select ONE chapter listed below (1,2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8) or one of three articles (in Course Documents in Blackboard) to become an "expert" in that area of interest.  Send an email to pamela.petty@wku.edu to request the chapter or article of your choice.  

   Articles: 

   Comparison of the Effects of Smart Board Technology and Flash Card Instruction on Sight Word Recognition and Observational Learning

   Electronic Reading Workshop: Beyond Books With New Literacies and Instructional Technologies

   Powerpoint:  Is it an Answer to Interactive Classrooms? 

   Then proceed as follows:

   • You will need to read all chapters in the text to get the idea of how technology "fits" into literacy instruction (and to aid you in other assignments in this course)
   • Then read your selected "expert to be" chapter making detailed notes. 
   • Prepare a 3-5 minute audio or video podcast presentation on the critical issues related to your topic of interest - I will put the files on-line so that all students can benefit from your work (see page 42 of our text for an initial explanation of podcasting)
   • This must be a "scripted" presentation that you follow (paper script should be submitted to instructor as well as audio file or video file)
   • If you want to see an example of a podcast, download iTunes (free download - you do not need an iPod) and find the link for iTunesU (University submissions of educational and informational podcasts) - you can also do an on-line search to learn more about podcasting. 
   • THE AUDIENCE for your podcasts is classroom teachers
   • Your podcast must have a title
   • *** If you do not have a mic for your computer or if you want to do a video podcast, please let me know and I will provide you with a webcam to use.  ***

Jaime