This article reports the results of a systematic and comprehensive evaluation of the suitability of 13 commercially available, authorized software programs for teaching reading and writing in the primary grades. These programs were assessed on interface design, content, instructional design, whether manufacturer/ educational claims were supported by the programs, and appropriateness to supplement reading and writing instruction. Regardless of date of publication, most software programs were judged to be noninstructional, in that they did not track student progress, provide feedback, or adapt to suit student needs. Many used decade-old interface design and program Junctions as well as content features, thereby limiting their usefulness as educational tools. (
This article, originally written as a performative piece, presents the experiences and perceptions of five graduate students and one professor as they reflect on and write about becoming ethnographers throughout a graduate-level research course. Data sources include reflective journals, synthesis papers, and academic literature. Following the completion of
International Journal of Qualitative Methods 2011, 10(2)141 the course, the group came together and applied grounded theory to analyze the data and write collectively about their experiences, feelings, and insights on ethnographic work. They present the data as a readers theatre that incorporates portions of a children's book with the group's reflections. Like authors of other academic literature the group discusses the challenges and benefits of ethnographic research. Their collaborative writing reflects their polyvocality as they negotiated their journeys toward becoming ethnographers.
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