Toward a Professional Development Model for Writing as a Digital, Participatory Process

Abstract

In this formative experiment, the authors focused on developing professional development for upper elementary school teachers and investigating how it was integrated into teachers’ instruction to improve their ability to make writing a more digital, participatory process. Theoretical perspectives pertaining to technology use in education specify that this instruction should emphasize students creating rather than consuming information from media sources and that this creation process should be social. However, recent research of preadolescents has shown that although these students are using technology more in schools, they are often using technology to consume rather than create information. Further, literacy teachers, in particular, have identified barriers to integrating technology effectively into their curriculum. Thus, there is a critical need for professional development that helps teachers more effectively integrate technology into their classrooms. The objective of this study was to develop a professional development model that helps teachers engage students in writing as both a digital process and a social process. The essential elements studied in this model include the following: (a) sustained professional development, including the gradual release of teacher inquiry; (b) writing as a social practice; and (c) the use of digital tools to engage students in writing. Using both qualitative and quantitative methods, the authors studied the implementation of this professional development model in a summer institute and in teacher classrooms.

Guiding their Thinking: A Formative Study of Digital Source Evaluation

“…This study explored the instructional moves in support of lateral reading. Specifically, we wanted to identify the elements that enhance progress to the instructional goal of supporting students’ complex, hierarchical thinking during digital source evaluation (Colwell et al, 2013; Howell et al, 2020).…”

“…While our previous research has shown that lateral reading instruction as a source evaluation strategy increases learners’ skeptical stances (Walsh‐Moorman & Pytash, 2021; Walsh‐Moorman et al, 2020), we have also found that students’ reasoning remains limited due to poor related skills, including effective web‐based searching or the ability to synthesize information from multiple online texts. This study was designed as a formative design study (Howell et al, 2020; Reinking & Bradley, 2008) to identify instructional moves targeting the pedagogical goal of guiding students’ effective use of lateral reading for digital source evaluation. It was shaped by these research questions: What instructional moves support learners' abilities to strategically evaluate digital sources through lateral reading? What evidence is there that comprehensive lateral reading instruction can support students’ critical thinking, supporting them to consider multiple factors when evaluating online sources for potential bias? …”

“…While our previous research has shown that lateral reading instruction as a source evaluation strategy increases learners' skeptical stances (Walsh-Moorman & Pytash, 2021;Walsh-Moorman et al, 2020), we have also found that students' reasoning remains limited due to poor related skills, including effective web-based searching or the ability to synthesize information from multiple online texts. This study was designed as a formative design study (Howell et al, 2020;Reinking & Bradley, 2008) to identify instructional moves targeting the pedagogical goal of guiding students' effective use of lateral reading for digital source evaluation. It was shaped by these research questions:…”

Toward a Professional Development Model for Critical Digital Literacies in TESOL

“…Previous research suggests that language teachers learn better by testing and refining their knowledge in context through collaborative inquiry, which is a process where teachers work in groups to explore questions of teaching and learning that they identify as significant (Burns, 1999). However, given the contextual barriers such as limited time and the exam‐oriented culture, such inquiry is rarely included in teachers’ professional development (Howell, Perez, & Abraham, 2021). To facilitate teacher inquiry, we used the gradual release of responsibility model that supports teachers’ moving from guided instruction to collaborative learning and independent work (Howell et al., 2021).…”

“…However, given the contextual barriers such as limited time and the exam‐oriented culture, such inquiry is rarely included in teachers’ professional development (Howell, Perez, & Abraham, 2021). To facilitate teacher inquiry, we used the gradual release of responsibility model that supports teachers’ moving from guided instruction to collaborative learning and independent work (Howell et al., 2021). This model includes three main steps, ranging from “We do it” (guided instruction), to “You do it together” (collaborative learning) and “You do it alone” (independent practice) (Fisher, 2008, p. 4).…”