Mccallon, Margo 6/23/17 LITR630

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Online Literacy Written Assignment

The lesson for this assignment introduces students to using search engines to find

information on the internet. The focus of my lesson is using keywords to effectively find

information without wasting time or getting overwhelmed. A keyword is a word or phrase that

identifies the topic for which they need specific information. This lesson is the teacher directed

I do step of instruction. This lesson will lead them to independently finding information online

to continue their research about an important person in the Americas history.

ILA Standards
ILA 1.2: Candidates understand the historically shared knowledge of the profession and changes
over time in the perceptions of reading and writing development, processes and components.
ILA 2.2: Candidates use appropriate and varied instructional approaches, including those that
develop word recognition, language comprehension, strategic knowledge, and reading-writing
connections.
ILA 2.3: Candidates use a wide range of texts (e.g. narrative, expository, and poetry) from
traditional print, digital, and online resources.
ILA 4.2: Candidates use a literacy curriculum and engage in instructional practices that
positively impact students knowledge, beliefs, and engagement with the features of diversity.
ILA 5.1: Candidates design the physical environment to optimize students use of traditional
print, digital, and online resources in reading and writing instruction.

This lesson leads students to build knowledge and expand their resources. Rather than

limiting information to books and articles, this lesson opens doors to productively finding

information websites. It expands their vocabulary as it narrows their focus on the importance of

specific words to find that information. The abundance of information on websites meets a

variety of student needs.. Teaching students how to filter the information they find to meet their

needs, with regard to topic and reading level, is imperative. These steps build student interest

and expand their resources to gain information.

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ISTE

The first ISTE standard focuses on creativity and innovation. This lesson leads students

to build on their knowledge and expand their resources to find that information. The second

ISTE standard focuses on communication and collaboration. Although at this point, my students

do not have technology in their hands, this lesson includes steps that guide my students to

discuss ideas and share insight. This step will prepare them to work together to research their

topics and prepare to share their presentations. The third ISTE standard focuses on research and

information fluency. The goal of this lesson is to provide the children with tools enabling them

to create their plan to effectively research their topic. This plan includes gathering, evaluating

and using information through the selected search engine. The fourth ISTE standard focuses on

critical thinking, problem solving, and decision making. This lesson helps students to develop

the ability to determine keywords when researching which will lead them to critical thinking and

problem solving.

Kentucky Teacher Standard 6

As an advocate of the I do, We do, You do practice of teaching, I designed my

instruction on web technology accordingly. I acquired ideas and instructional examples from

various educational websites. Using a guided practice approach of the utilization of safe and age

appropriate websites introduces students to various search engines, allows for classroom

discussion of how to narrow down and focus searches, and directs and assesses their

understanding through follow-up learning activities. Group discussions and brainstorming will
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further enhance their understanding of technological terms, its many uses, and additional ways in

which technology can facilitate learning.

Common Core State Standards

This lesson is laying the ground to build the ability to achieve these standards:

RI.3.4: Determine the meaning of general academic and domain-specific words and phrases in a
text relevant to a grade 3 topic or subject area.
RI.3.5: Use text features and search tools (e.g. key words, sidebars, hyperlinks) to locate
information relevant to a given topic efficiently.
RI.3.9: Compare and contrast the most important points and key details presented in two texts
on the same topic.
W.3.6: With guidance and support from adults, use technology to produce and publish writing
(using keyboarding skills) as well as to interact and collaborate with others.
W.3.7: Conduct short research projects that build knowledge about a topic.
W.3.8: Recall information from experience or gather information from print and digital sources;
take brief notes on sources and sort evidence into provided categories.

Through this lesson, students not only learn domain-specific vocabulary words, they gain

insight regarding the importance of choosing the best words to find needed information. This

lesson opens the door to opportunities to demonstrate hyperlinks and other text features. The

purpose of this lesson is to lead the students to apply what they have learned to research and

present information. An important element of internet research is comparing and contrasting

important points in two texts on the same topic. Frankly, this standard created a lightbulb in my

mind. Comparing and contrasting two texts on the same topic is difficult and frequently

overwhelming for students to learn. However, it is an imperative tool to develop when using the

internet to research and provides endless resources for teachers.

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TPACK
Applying the principles of the TPACK framework to this lesson required the use of

technology as a component of the instructional process. This lesson meets all needs of the

TPACK framework. It introduces technology and terminology needed to be successful in the 21st

century. I applied my understanding and knowledge of technology and the relative terminology

in the use of various search engines to research various topics. As with all of my lessons, I

linked this to my pedagogical and content knowledge and observation of past students with a

goal that is relative to their life experiences and their understanding of the world around them.

This lesson encourages creativity as the students must work together and separately to

come up with the best keywords to search their topic. This lesson encourages critical thinking as

the students must make decisions when choosing their keywords and determining websites to use

to gather information. This lesson also builds the atmosphere of respecting one anothers

opinions and decisions. It also encourages them to keep an open mind and consider what

classmates share leads to critical thinking and deeper learning.

Literature on Technology

Teachers must develop the ability to understand the basic needs of any student: what

they need to learn, what they need to build interest in learning, and how to avoid problems that

get in the way of learning. Unfortunately many students do not have the new literacy skills

required to read and write with the technologies of todays world (Henry, 2006). This is why we

must get creative with the tools we have been given. We are in the 21st century, and students

need to learn how to effectively use various forms of technology. Knowing how to navigate
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comfortably with a computer is necessary for future success. Without the ability to locate

information, students are not able to solve problems or comprehend what they have read (Leu,

2011). Explicit instruction in the use of search engines to gather information offers

opportunities to increase the richness of learning and leads students to develop higher order

thinking skills. This lesson guides students to develop the skills to determine keywords and

analyze the search engine results (Henry, 2006). This lesson with my students is in the initial

phase of effectively teaching students the skills to search the internet: 1. Be specific. 2. Be

Exact. 3. Be direct. 4. Be distinct. 5. Be succinct. 6. Be concise. (Eagleton and Guinee,

2002).
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References

Carroll, J. (2011). From encyclopedias to search engines: Technological change and its impact
on literacy learning, Literacy Learning: The Middle Years, 19, 27.

Drew, S.V. (2012). Open Up the Ceiling on the Common Core State Standards: Preparing
Students for 21st Century Literacy Now. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 321 330.

Henry, L.A. (2006). SEARCHing for an answer: The critical role of new literacies while reading
on the Internet. The reading teacher, 614-627.