Mid-Winter Institute 2011

Reading and Writing Workshop for the Digital Generation, Grades K-8

8:30 am–3:30 pm each day

This four-day institute will explore ways in which educators can integrate technology into their teaching of reading and writing in the K-8 classroom. Participants will learn from experts in the field, author Troy Hicks, The Digital Writing Workshop and Julie Coiro, Teaching with the Internet K-12: New Literacies for New Times, as well as numerous Lesley University faculty and educators. Topics to be covered include:

• Understanding the role of technology in today's classrooms
• Using technological tools to enhance writing workshop
• Developing reading comprehension and content literacy in a digital environment
• Using Internet websites to foster the use of inquiry and critical thinking skills
• Cultivating student response to literature through various forms of technology
• Blogging as a tool for readers and writers
• Exploring the power of digital storytelling
• Supporting ESL students using technology

Educators will have the opportunity to participate in large group seminars as well as small group sessions designed around grade levels. Topics will range from "how to" to more content specific sessions.

February 16-17, 2011 (Writing portion of institute)

Day 1: Keynote with Troy Hicks/breakout sessions with Troy Hicks and Lesley Faculty

Day 2: Work with Lesley Faculty around integrating writing with technology—keynote & breakout sessions

Troy Hicks will work with educators to examine digital tools that can be used to support and extend student's learning of the writing process. Topics for this portion of the institute include:

• Introduction to The Digital Writing Workshop
• Using digital tools to understand more, discover more, and achieve more in writing workshop
• Connecting the writing workshop approach with the integration of technologies such as blogs, wikis, social networks, podcasts, and digital stories
• Using The Continuum of Literacy Learning to support technological communication
• Exploring digital storytelling in Writer's Workshop
• Using wikis and blogs as powerful tools in the Writing Workshop
• Using podcasting in the classroom

Dr. Troy Hicks is an assistant professor of English at Central Michigan University and directs the Chippewa River Writing Project, a site of the National Writing Project. There he teaches writing methods courses and offers professional development workshops on writing and technology. His blog, Digital Writing, Digital Teaching, can be found at http://hickstro.org/. He is the author of The Digital Writing Workshop. Troy has been listed as one of the Tech & Learning 100@30 which recognizes students doing ground-breaking work in ed tech, young entrepreneurs shaping the future of ed tech, and those teachers changing classrooms around the nation.

March 28-29, 2011 (Reading portion of institute)

Day 3: Keynote with Julie Coiro/breakout sessions with Julie Coiro and Lesley Faculty

Day 4: Work with Lesley Faculty around integrating reading with technology—keynote & breakout sessions

Julie Coiro will work with educators to explore how the Internet can be used as a tool for inquiry with readers. Topics for this portion of the institute include:

• Teaching readers in a digital world
• Planning for Internet Workshop
• Critical literacy and technology: Enhancing readers' response to children's literature
• Reading the world: multimodal content literacy
• Creating a blog

Dr. Julie Coiro is an assistant professor in the School of Education at the University of Rhode Island, where she teaches undergraduate and graduate level courses in reading. Previously, Julie worked as Co-Director of The New Literacies Research Lab at the University of Connecticut. Her research focuses on reading comprehension strategy instruction, the new literacies of the Internet, online reading comprehension, and effective practices for technology integration and professional development. Julie has published articles and book chapters in venues such as Reading Research Quarterly, The Reading Teacher, Educational Leadership, and The International Handbook of Literacy and Technology. She is also co-editor of The Handbook of Research on New Literacies (Erlbaum, 2008) and co-author of the 4th edition of the book Teaching with the Internet K-12: New Literacies for New Times (2004).

Download the non-credit registration form [PDF].

Highly Recommended Text: The Continuum of Literacy Learning PK-8 by Irene Fountas & Gay Su Pinnell. Please bring the required text to the institute. Previous versions of the book, K-8, K-2, or 3-8 can be used for the institute. Participants can purchase the book online at www.heinemann.com or at www.amazon.com. A limited number of books will also be available for purchase at the institute.

*Please bring a laptop computer if you have access to one.

This professional development institute is designed for K-8 classroom teachers, reading teachers, literacy coaches, literacy specialists, and Title I teachers. Join us for one or both sessions.

Location: Lesley University, University Hall, Cambridge, MA.

Cost for non-credit registration: either set of 2 days: $300; all 4 days: $550.

Cost for credit registration: 2 credits= $1,660; 3 credits= $2,475 (please call 617-349-8165 for a credit registration form).

The Cambridge area has several hotels in the Lesley area including Harvard Square.

Please call 617.349.8165 to request a paper brochure for the institute or if you would like to take this institute (EEDUC 6048 section 31) for either 2 or 3 credits. If you are taking this course for credit, you must attend all four days of the institute. You can also download the 2-credit [PDF] and 3-credit [PDF] course assignments before signing up for credit.