Digging Deeper - Online Reading Comprehension

Facilitators: Don Leu, Julie Coiro, Jill Castek & Greg McVerry

Our Agenda

• I. Introductions and Overview of Online Reading Comprehension (40 mins)

• II. Internet Reciprocal Teaching (IRT) – (2 levels of information challenges) 35 mins

• III. Scaffolding the Online Inquiry Process (25 mins)

• IV. Wrap-Up (10 mins)• Refer to the Wikispace for Links/Files

The New Literacies Of Online Reading Comprehension

• Read to identify important questions; • Read to locate information; • Read to critically evaluate the usefulness of

that information;• Read to synthesize information to answer

those questions; and• Read to communicate the answers to others.

(Leu, Kinzer, Coiro, & Cammack, 2004, p. 1570)

The new literacies of online reading comprehension

Preliminary Taxonomy Of Online Reading Comprehension Skills

and Strategies

• See Leu, D. J., Coiro, J., Castek, J., Hartman, D., Henry, L.A., & Reinking,

D. (2008). Research on instruction and assessment in the new literacies of online reading comprehension. In Cathy Collins Block, Sherri Parris, & Peter Afflerbach (Eds.). Comprehension instruction: Research-based best practices. New York: Guilford Press. Available online at: http://www.newliteracies.uconn.edu/pub_files/instruction.pdf

The new literacies of online reading comprehension

• I know what a really good question is.

• I know that revising the question, when I get new information, often makes it better.

• I know that I need to remember my question and not get distracted.

Examples of what good online readers know:

I. Asking Questions

II. Locating information...

• I know how different search engines work.

• I know simple strategies for making my search more specific.

• I know advanced search strategies and when they could be useful.

III. Critical Analysis of information....

7

Understanding - I know when information makes sense to me.

Relevancy - I know when information meets my needs.

Accuracy - I know how to verify information with another source.

• Reliability - I know how to tell when information can be trusted.

• Bias - I know that everyone “shapes” information and how to evaluate this.

• Stance - I am a “healthy skeptic” about online information.

III. Critical Analysis of information....

IV. Synthesizing information...

I know how to construct the information I need as I read selected information. I know which information to ignore when I read. I know how to put information together, and make inferences when it is missing, to answer my question. I know when I have my answer.

V. Communicating information...

• I know how to construct a clear and unambiguous message so that the reader

knows what I mean.• I know how NOT to make people upset with me from the way I write my message.• I know how to use blogs.• I know how to use wikis.• I know how to use email.

What questions do you have about new literacies?

(from the chapter)

An Information Challenge: #1Playing One Click

• Use google and enter these words in a keyword search: 1:1 laptop classrooms

You have one click to make. Which link would you select to find a research study on 1-1 laptop classrooms conducted in Massachusetts? Why?

Information Challenge #2: Reading Across Multiple Perspectives

(Critical Evaluation & Synthesis)

• Negotiating and Appreciating Multiple Perspectives– What are the important ideas? (or claims)– How does the author shape these claims?– What is the broader context of these claims?– How do these claims compare to information

found elsewhere?– How do I feel about these ideas?

Reading Across Multiple Perspectives (Critical Evaluation & Synthesis)

The Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race

Reading Across Multiple Perspectives (Critical Evaluation & Synthesis)

Reading Across Multiple Perspectives

Reading Across Multiple Perspectives

ActivityExplore each website related to the Iditarod dog sled races as you complete the three tasks described below...

* Ray Redington's Dog Care * Racing for the Grave * Scholastic's Is the Iditarod for the Dogs?

Level 1: Detecting Fact Versus Opinion

Tell which website you think has the STRONGEST opinions about the use of sled dogs in the Iditarod. Tell whether you think the author of the website you chose is for or against racing sled dogs for competition. Select a quote from the website you chose and explain why you think it is an example of the author sharing strong opinions.

Detecting Facts, Opinions, Points of View, & Underlying Agendas

Level 2: Detecting Bias and Considering the Author's Affiliation Tell which website (Site A, B, or C) gives opinions from more than one side of the issue. Who are the two people whose opinions are given in the website you chose in number 1? What factors make these two people feel the way they do about the treatment of sled dogs ?

Level 3. Determining Author's Purpose in Relation to AffiliationIdentify the general and specific purpose(s) of each site and provide at least two reasons to support your answer.For example - detecting evidence of bias:

• Does the website provide factual information? • …try to persuade you to think or feel a certain way? • …try to sell you something?• …try to raise money or collect donations?

Level 2: Detecting Bias and Considering the Author's Affiliation Tell which website (Site A, B, or C) gives opinions from more than one side of the issue. Who are the two people whose opinions are given in the website you chose in number 1? What factors make these two people feel the way they do about the treatment of sled dogs ?

Level 3. Determining Author's Purpose in Relation to AffiliationIdentify the general and specific purpose(s) of each site and provide at least two reasons to support your answer.For example - detecting evidence of bias:

• Does the website provide factual information? • …try to persuade you to think or feel a certain way? • …try to sell you something?• …try to raise money or collect donations?

Detecting Facts, Opinions, Points of View, & Underlying Agendas

Reading Across Multiple Perspectives

Identify your own perspective Compose a blog entry that tells which side of the issue you support and give at least two reasons from the websites you read to support your ideas.(opportunity to practice/assess authentic use of online communication tools)

Reading Across Multiple Perspectives

www.procon.orgYour Turn: • Which topics in your grade level curriculum lend

themselves to being seen from more than one perspective?

• Discuss at least two topics with your partner and share ideas about the multiple views of the issue you might collect as part of a set of materials. Be prepared to share with the larger group.

How to Teach with Internet Reciprocal Teaching (IRT)

IRT: Phase ITeacher-led Basic Skills

• Teacher-led demonstrations of basic Internet use skills and cooperative learning strategies

• Explicit modeling by teacher

• Largely whole class instruction

• Mini-lessons as transition to Phase II

IRT: Phase IICollaborative modeling

of online reading strategies

• Students presented with information problems to solve.

• Work in small groups to solve those problems.

• Exchange strategies as they do so.• Debrief at the end of the lesson.• Initially: locating and critically evaluating• Later: Synthesis and communicating.

A Phase II Task

IRT: Phase IIIInquiry

• Initially, within the class.

• Then, with others around the world.

Essential Elements of Internet Reciprocal Teaching

We teach the new literacies of online reading comprehension and learning skillsWe teach by providing “information challenges” within and across content areas that contain the skill we want students to learn.

We are flexible in our grouping strategies, often spending more time in small groups but we also use whole group and paired patterns.

We distribute the lesson’s targeted skill, when it appears in the classroom

We expect opportunities to learn from our students.

We expect our students to learn from one another.

We hold students accountable.

We teach within a 3-stage model.

We integrate many online communication tools.

Essential Elements of Internet Reciprocal Teaching

We use Apple Remote Desktop for both management and teaching.

We continually practice “Plan B/C/D”

We continually conduct informal assessment to determine the next online reading and learning skills to teach

We always teach within the central content of our discipline.

Essential Elements of Internet Reciprocal Teaching

An Information Challenge For You: Target Skill -

Critically Evaluating Source Information

• Part A: Find the height of Mt. Fuji in either feet or meters

• Part B: Find a different answer to the same question as Part A.

• Part C: Which answer do you consider accurate? WHY? Be able to explain your answer to others.

A Higher Level Information Challenge: Target Skills - Critical Evaluation, Synthesis,

Multiple Answers, and Student Opinions

How do different authors portray the Japanese Internment Camp Experience

to readers?

An Information Challenge For You: How do different authors portray the

Japanese Internment Camp Experience

to readers?

How do different authors portray the Japanese Internment Camp Experience

to readers?

• Access the wikispace: Tuesday Digging Deeper: Online Reading Comprehension

• Scroll to II. IRT: Part B. • Choose a partner & select a resource. • Download the Perspective Activity Sheet

to complete as partners.• Discuss and reflect across texts• Explore additional resources

An Information Challenge For You: How do different authors portray the

Japanese Internment Camp Experience

to readers?

How do different authors portray the Japanese Internment Camp Experience?

Reflections…What did you notice about the two

different types of tasks?

What implications do these ideas have for your own inquiry projects?

An Introduction to Phase III of IRT

• Extend students’ online reading, writing, and communication skills and strategies

– Provide opportunities to collaborate, problem-solve, showcase work, and share ideas online

• Conduct Local and Global Inquiry

• Participate in Online Collaborative Projects

• Online Inquiry– Local - Individuals

and small groups in your classroom

– Global - With students in other classrooms, around the world

An Introduction to Phase III of IRT

Local

Global

Science Inquiries

• Inquiry Projects (local or global)– Define the question or problem– Locate information– Critically Evaluate information– Synthesize to answer the question– Communicate the learning

experience

An Introduction to Phase III of IRT

Considerations

• Explore a range of communication and collaboration forms

Using ePals To Find Project Partners

Classroom Match

Classrooms around the world are looking to partner with you

Profiles from International Teachers

In2Books

Visit Resources to Support Local and Global Inquiry

Management Start small and simple Be VERY clear about nettiquette

set firm dates, times for communicating

Plan far ahead Be flexible

Online Reading Comprehension: Summing Up and Moving On

• I. Introductions and Overview of Online Reading Comprehension

• II. Internet Reciprocal Teaching (IRT) -

• III. Scaffolding the Online Reading Process

• IV. Closure & Questions

Where We’ve Been Today

• Three Phases of Internet Reciprocal Teaching

• Examples of what good online readers know and can do

• Two levels of Information Challenges

• Online Inquiry (Local & Global)

Promising Practices for Supporting Online Reading

Comprehension Development

• Use observations to inform classroom instruction.Promising practices:– Design collaborative inquiry projects that naturally prompt interdisciplinary

connections– Encourage students to share and reflect on their online reading strategy use

during each phase of the inquiry process– Teach students to set and monitor realistic online comprehension goals– Employ multiple alternative forms of assessment– Evaluate group and individual online learning processes and products– Foster a classroom culture that recognizes the positive contributions of every

student– Facilitate class discussions about the different purposes, procedures, and

audiences associated with emerging online literacy practices

Your Thoughts, Ideas, & Questions

Extra Ideas

Framing Good Questions

Q-Matrix - Getting Started

Your Turn: With a partner, select a topic and generate 2-3 “important” questions you might want to learn more about. Note the difference between closed and open questions.

Online Synthesis