by Elfrieda H. Hiebert | November 27, 2018
THE CONTENT
- We teach use of digital literacy in teacher education. That is, we ensure that teachers become adept at using the resources of the digital spaces. We share our experiences in teacher education and professional development in blogs and articles in open-access contexts. For example: We describe teachers’ competencies and the effects that this has on their students.
- We study how resources in digital spaces can be used to increase students’ literacy–both conventional as well as digital.
- We study how digital spaces influence who students are (e.g., identity) and also their engagement and proficiency in literacy (both in and out of digital spaces).
- We study the influences of digital spaces on instructional practices and policy. Examples of practices that have arisen or benefitted from digital spaces: newsela (instant 5 levels per text), Lexiles and Guided Reading Levels (get information quickly on text complexity), mandates re open-access resources in school districts (what is content and quality of materials, especially narrative texts?), third-grade exit mandates (influence of a single report—Hernandez ‘s (2011) Annie E. Casey report), proliferation of worksheets through pinterest and Teachers Pay Teachers and of endorsements of programs and activities in social media contexts
THE ACTIVITIES
- We participate in the processes of constructing knowledge about “The Content” in digital spaces–and invite others (sometimes a limited group, sometimes a more extended group). That is, we share and build knowledge within digital communities.
- We publish reports of “The Content” in digital spaces–ensuring that they are open-access.
- We advocate for better learning and instructional practices in digital spaces (based on “The Content”).
- We make EVIDENCE-based materials and activities for classrooms and teacher education available in open-access contexts.
