TEACH WRITING WITH TECHNOLOGY

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2 Description Teach Writing with Tech Use technology to super-charge writing lessons By Ask a Tech Teacher June 20, 2016 July 10 th, 2016 Educators will participate in a hands-on quasiwriter s workshop as they learn to use widelyavailable digital tools to help their students develop their inner writer. Resources include videos, pedagogic articles, lesson plans, projects, and virtual face-to-face meetings to share in a collaborative environment. Strategies introduced range from conventional tools such as quick writes, online websites, and visual writing to unconventional approaches such as Twitter novels, comics, and Google Earth lit trips. These can be adapted to any writing program be it 6+1 Traits, Common Core, or the basic who-whatwhen-where-why. By the time educators finish Course includes: this class, they will be ready to implement many new tools in their classroom. Assessment is project-based so be prepared to be fully-involved and an eager risktaker. 3 virtual meetings 3 weeks 5 videos 30+ Lesson plans 1 class etext 10 Hall of Fame articles Unlimited questions/ coaching during prearranged times. Certificate of Completion 2

3 Course Objectives At the completion of this course, educators will be able to: 1. Use authentic activities and project-based learning to teach writing skills 2. Use traditional and non-traditional approaches to build an understanding of excellent writing and nurture a love of the process 3. Reinforce Common Core writing standards in exciting new ways 4. Guide students in selecting writing strategies that differentiate for task, purpose, and audience 5. Incorporate peer review to analyze and improve writing 6. Assess student writing without discouraging creativity 7. Provide students with effective feedback What You Get With Enrollment 3 weeks 3 virtual meetings 5 videos 30+ lesson plans 1 class etext 10 Hall of Fame articles Unlimited questions/coaching during Google Hangouts and pre-arranged times. We stay until everyone leaves. If you need extra help, we ll arrange that also. Membership in class wiki you ll get an invitation Certificate of Completion Sample certificate received at completion of course All resources used in the class are available to you forever for review and reference. Course Highlights Class is three weeks, five hours a week, plus a weekly weekend virtual meeting. During the week, review lesson plans, ebooks, articles, and videos that address the weekly topics. Complete activities (blog posts, comments, and a weekly project). Collaborate as needed with classmates. 3

4 Weekends, discuss issues in a group setting via Google Hangouts. Questions you ll discuss include What is your favorite digital writing tool and why? and How does technology achieve writing standards without tons of writing? Need help on a topic not addressed? Arrange 1:1 time with instructors. At the course end, receive a certificate of achievement listing all topics you completed. How Class Works Each week, review materials on themed activities including videos, short articles, sample lessons plans, and ebooks. Complete one weekly project using what you learned and add it to your blog or digital portfolio. This may be done individually or collaboratively. Reflect on the week s activities via a blog post; comment on those of fellow students. Track your progress via a Google Spreadsheet (link provided). Weekends, meet with classmates and the teacher on Google Hangouts (GHO) to discuss activities, answer questions, and review overarching topics like How do you wake up a love of writing in students who think they hate to write? Who Needs This This course is designed for educators who: are looking for new ways to help students unlock their inner writer have tried traditional writing methods and need something else need to differentiate for varied needs of their diverse student group want to once again make writing fun for students What You Need to Participate Internet connection 4

5 accounts for a blog, Google, various web-based tools, and class wiki commitment of 5-10 hours per week for 3 weeks risk-takers attitude, inquiry-driven mentality, passion to optimize learning a basic knowledge of word processing. We won t take time to teach these programs, but are more than happy to answer questions and solve specific problems that arise as you use them in this course. NOT Included: software and webtool membership (if any) assistance setting up hardware, network, infrastructure, servers, internet, headphones, microphones, phone connections, software Mentors Webinars, GHOs, and Q&A are mentored by the Ask a Tech Teacher crew. Master Teacher will be Jacqui Murray. Ask a Tech Teacher is a group of technology teachers who run an awardwinning resource blog where they provide free materials, advice, lesson plans, pedagogic conversation, website reviews, and more to all who drop by. The free newsletters and website articles help thousands of teachers, homeschoolers, and those serious about finding the best way to maneuver the minefields of technology in education. Jacqui Murray has been teaching K-8 technology for 15 years with over a hundred publications and hundreds of webinars and articles on technologyin-education. She is a CSG Master Teacher, adjunct professor, an Amazon Vine Voice reviewer, CAEP reviewer, CSTA presentation reviewer, and a weekly columnist for various online ezines such as TeachHUB. What Teachers Say About Ask a Tech Teacher Classes LOVING all I'm learning!! I am so glad that I took this course. I was pushed out of my comfort zone to try many new tools. The course helped me relate to my students as a learner and risk-taker. Fantastic materials that will really help me redesign our middle school computer curriculum in the coming year. Thanks! 5

6 This was a wonderful class with tons of resources for teachers, and an excellent way to add to your Professional Learning Network! As a new "tech" teacher, this course was just what I needed to get me acquainted with various web tools and how to teach tech to all students. I learned SO MUCH! Your summer PD course has really lit a fire under me! Price $ If you have a group of 5+ individuals interested in taking this class, us about a group discount. Register by May 31 ST with coupon code SUMMERPD and save 10%. Need help? AskaTechTeacher@gmail.com 6

7 PACKING SLIP Materials include Links Intentionally deleted 7

8 o Introduction Here s how to prepare for Teach Writing With Technology : Join the class wiki and browse through the materials while you re waiting for the class start date. It is private so no one can access it but our class. This is where you will post projects, have discussions with classmates, and explore skills you ll need for class (such as how to participate in a Google Hangout). It will be a safe way to communicate with your new PLN Professional Learning Network. You will create your own digital portfolio page the first week of class and use it to reflect, journal, and embed projects completed during class. Preview the class etext, lesson plans, videos, and articles. Need help? me at AskaTechTeacher@gmail.com. Links change. For a dead link, AskaTechTeacher@gmail.com. General notes: While this is not a course in using a word processing program (such as MS Word or Google Docs) it is assumed you have basic knowledge of this skill--feel free to ask questions about them. Expect to be a risk taker. We won t rush in to solve your problems. We want you to experiment, try options, just as we ask students to do. We don t want projects to be perfect just attempted. It will assist you in finding what suits your teaching style and your class. Attaining a Certificate level in this class is based on effort, not perfection. Try-fail-try again is the characteristic of a top notch student. Welcome mistakes don t apologize for them. Fearlessly confront an error, think it through, and revel in the resolution. Use technology domain-specific vocabulary when possible. If you have an alternative approach that works better for your unique situation, let us know. Chances are, we ll be fine with it. 8

9 Schedule Week 1 How to encourage good writing If you don t have a Google, a blog, and a Wikispaces.com account, create these. Understand how to access Gmail, Google Plus, and Google Drive. Join the class wiki and browse the classroom. Find your personal digital portfolio page (under Class Member Pages ) and explore This Week in the wiki sidebar. Watch the following videos (in the YouTube video stream): o Week #1 overview video (in video stream) o Common Core and Tech Writing o How to use digital Quick Writes o Assessment Review articles: 7 Authentic Assessment Tools 7 Innovative Writing Methods for Students 66 Writing Tools for the 21st Century Classroom Technology Removes Obstructed Writers Barriers to Learning Review Chapters 2, of the class etext (each chapter is a lesson plan). Review lesson plans for Digital Quick Writes and Quick Stories (under Packing Slip>Lesson Plans). Once a day this week (for a total of five), spend 10 minutes (or less) on a quick write using a digital writing tool of your choice or from the provided list (under Packing Slip>Online Tech-in-writing tools ) that shows your writing skills. Post these as separate articles in your blog. Comment on the writing of at least three classmates. Weekly Google Hangout--Be prepared to discuss: o what is your favorite writing tool (for quick writes and quick stories) and why o which writing aids (Autocrit, Grammarly, ProWritingAid, SpellCheckPlus, or one you use in your classroom like Revision Assistant or WPPOnline.com) work best for your students? o Your thoughts on the 7 Innovative Writing Methods for Students 9

10 o Which writing lesson plans you looked at resonated with you and why o Questions about next week s Round Robin Story A full list of questions will be available midweek. Update the self-assessment, Completed Activities Google spreadsheet, showing classwork progress. Use link posted in the wiki classroom. Project #1: Do two of these three: 1) put your quick write or quick story into Autocrit, Grammarly App, ProWritingAid, SpellCheckPlus, or Hemmingway App and see how it is evaluated; 2) put your quick write into a Wordle or Tagxedo and see how the word cloud evaluates it;, or 3) create a story in MyStorymaker. Post the completed project to your blog or digital portfolio. Spend no more than 30 minutes on this project. Week 2 How to plan-write-edit-revise-rewrite and assess writing Watch Week #2 overview video. Review Chapters 1, 3-7, 9, 12, 13, 17, 19-22, 24, 26, 27 in etext. Review assessment strategies included in the lesson plans. Be prepared to discuss these at the Google Hangout. Self-assess your progress using the Completed Activities Google spreadsheet. Weekly Google Hangout Be prepared to discuss: o your thoughts on three of the lesson plans reviewed from the etext o which assessment strategies best fit your classroom o how technology facilitates the plan-write-edit--rewrite process o how tech tools like Google Docs make assessment more authentic A full list of questions will be available midweek. Project #2: Round Robin Story: Each student starts a story (posted to their digital portfolio where classmates can find it) and then passes it on to a classmate for the next part, until all parts are completed. Parts include: 1) introduction characters and setting, 2-4) develop the plot, create a crisis, and posit an unsolvable problem for the characters, 5) solve the problem and tie all pieces of story together. After you have completed your story starter, visit other classmate stories and continue from whichever point their story is at, based on classmate entries (using the schedule above). Find more detail in Round Robin Stories (scroll down to Round Robin). 10

11 Week 3 Non-traditional writing tools Watch Week #3 overview video. Review three of these articles: o 10 Ways Twitter Makes You a Better Writer o 13 Ways Blogs Teach Common Core o 7 no 10, wait 12 OK, 13 Skills I Teach With Blogging o How Minecraft Teaches Reading, Writing and Problem Solving o How to Write a Novel with 140 Characters o Storyboard That Digital Storyteller, Graphic Organizer, and more Review Chapters 8, 10, 11, 18, 23, 28 in etext. Review two of these three lesson plans (under Packing Slip>Lesson Plans): o How to Use Blogs in the Classroom o How to Use Digital Book Reports in Class o How to Write an Ebook in Class Review one-two videos: Gamification of education and/or How to blog in the K-8 classroom. Comment on the non-traditional writing of at least three classmates (from Project #5a-c below). Update Completed Activities Google spreadsheet showing classwork progress. Use link posted in the wiki classroom. Weekly Google Hangout--Be prepared to discuss: o the story you wrote (Project 5a-c) using an unconventional tool o how blogs teach writing skills o how games can teach writing skills name one besides Minecraft o how tech achieves writing standards without tons of writing (a summative of the class) o how to wake up a love of writing in non-writing students (a class summative) Additional questions will be available midweek. Project #5a: Write a Twitter novel. OR Project 5b: Write a serial Twitter novel. OR Project 5c: Write a story with a comic strip. 11