VirtualLiteracyDiscussion

Growing Learners' Skills Through Virtual Literacy
- Hosted by the Adult Literacy Professional Development Discussion List[[1]]

August 3 - 7, 2009
Part II of a 3-Part Technology and Professional Development Discussion on Building Adult Education Technology Capacity

Guest Moderator: Nell Eckersley

To participate in Part II of the discussion as described below, subscribe (free) to the Adult Literacy Professional Development Discussion List by visiting: http://www.nifl.gov/lincs/discussions/professionaldevelopment/09onlinepartII.html

Description

What is Virtual Literacy? Can technology help students gain literacy skills? What are the issues and challenges in doing so? In June 2009, the Technology and Literacy List discussed the report, Investigating the Language and Literacy Skills Required for Independent Online Learning with guest facilitator Heidi Silver-Pacuilla. In follow up to the discussion, Nell Eckersley, moderator of the Technology and Literacy List, will join the Professional Development List to lead a discussion of Virtual Literacy and the implications of Virtual Literacy for teaching and learning. The discussion will then resume in September 2009 for a discussion on how professional development can help teachers understand and gain comfort with these technology tools.

Objectives

Participants will explore questions, like:

• What is “Virtual Literacy”?
• Does this mean that learners do not need to learn literacy skills?
• What are examples of Virtual Literacy in action?
• What are technologies that adult learners can use to learn online?
• What are the implications of Virtual Literacy for teaching and learning?

Resources to Prepare for the Discussion

Iowa Virtual Literacy Initiative, Drake University http://www.drake.edu/soe/projects/Iowa_Virtual_Literacy_Initiative.php

Virtual Literacy to Succeed video http://www.educ.drake.edu/webfiles/ivls.mov

Investigating the Language and Literacy Skills Required for Independent Online Learning http://abe.nifl.gov/publications/pdf/NIFLOnlineLearningReport.pdf

Technology and Literacy List Discussion Summary Part I: Online Learning and the Adult User: New Findings and Applications http://wiki.literacytent.org/index.php/OnlineLearningAdultUserNewFindingsApps

Resources Shared During Discussion

• Getting Started with Assistive Technology, in the November 2007 Focus on Basics:

http://www.ncsall.net/fileadmin/resources/fob/2007/fob_8d.pdf

• Assistive Technology and Adult Literacy: Access and Benefits, from Vol 7 of the NCSALL Annual Review:

http://www.ncsall.net/fileadmin/resources/ann_rev/silver-pacuilla-04.pdf

Videos:

• Anywhere Anytime Learning - Addresses the impact of virtual learning

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xIKYVoci8JI

Articles and Reports:

• Taking Notes Beyond the Classroom http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2009/08/05/notesharing
• Media: Technology_&_Education_Study_of_State_Strategies.2009.doc

Web sites:

• closing the gap: http://www.closingthegap.com/
• csun: http://www.csun.edu/cod/conferenceandtraining/index.php
• ted: http://www.ted.com/

Books: Greg Mortenson’s Three Cups of Tea: http://cetl.edtech.csulb.edu/3cups

Lynne Cox reads the first chapter of her book Grayson:

http://cetl.edtech.csulb.edu/grayson