Photo Credits
- "Question Mark" image by Pix1861, courtesy Pixabay
- "New Years Eve Sparkler" image by Pexels, courtesy Pixabay
- "Kids Win" image by StartUpstockPhotos, courtesy Pixabay
- "Art" image by Bridgeswald, courtesy Pixabay
- "Abstract Amusement Background" image by rawpixel, courtesty Pixabay
- "Hand Earth Ball" image by artistlike, courtesy Pixabay
- "Untitled" image by Nathan Dumlao, courtesy Unsplash
- "Binoculars" image by nightowl, courtesy Pixabay
- "Exploring" by Jennifer Wilkinson, Own Work (Copyright 2020)
- "Creating" by Jennifer Wilkinson, Own Work (Copyright 2020)
Music Credits
- "My Pal" by Crowander, 2010, CC BY NC https://freemusicarchive.org/music/crowander/uplifting-funband/my-pal
Annotated Bibliography
Arnold, S. (2019, January 28). Change the game: Using Minecraft to teach students with autism-EdSurge News. EdSurge. (Ellison & Solomon, 2018)
The author, a special education teacher from New York city's District 75, uses his personal experience with Minecraft EDU to assert its benefits in the teaching of students with autism. The author points out that the game can support students with autism in their development of social and communication skills. he also gives practical tips on how to set up and implement Minecraft EDU in an elementary classroom.
Callow, J., & Orlando, J. (2015). Enabling exemplary teaching: A framework of student engagement for students from low socio-sconomic backgrounds with implications for technology and literacy practices. Pedagogies International Journal, 10(4), 349–371. http://dx.doi.org.ezproxy.library.wwu.edu/10.1080/1554480X.2015.1066678
The authors, researchers at University of Sydney and University of Western Australia, use data from a large-scale study of the practices of exemplary teachers in low socio-economic status locations to better understand the impact of teaching practices on student engagement. The study focuses on the ways that teachers can promote student engagement through the use of technology and associated literacy practices. The authors find that when teachers use technology in a way that is cognitively challenging, community building and responsive to communities where they teach, that it is possible to enhance the engagement of students with low socio-economic status.
Deci, E. L., & Ryan, R. M. (2008). Facilitating optimal motivation and psychological well-being across life’s domains. Canadian Psychology/Psychologie Canadienne, 49(1), 14–23. https://doi.org/10.1037/0708-5591.49.1.14
The authors, researchers from the University of Rochester, claim that successful outcomes are determined by the kind of motivation that one experiences. Autonomy and choice lead to intrinsic motivation. In a school setting when a teacher gives up control and allows students more autonomy students demonstrate greater curiosity and acceptance of challenge. Intrinsic motivation is a predictor of greater persistence and performance, especially on tasks that require deep thinking and creativity.
Edutopia. (2017, May 3). Tech buddies: Building technology skills through peer teaching.
This video from John Berry Elementary School in Meriden, Connecticut shows the benefits of having fifth grade students partner with first graders to learn and apply technology skills. The older students serve as peer mentors, providing one-on-one support to the younger students. This kind of partnership enables the younger students to use sophisticated technology tools to demonstrate content area understandings. In the video, both fifth graders and first graders describe the experience as fun and motivating.
Ellison, T. L., & Solomon, M. (2018). Digital play as purposeful productive literacies in African American boys. The Reading Teacher, 71(4), 495–500. https://doi.org/10.1002/trtr.1657
The authors, faculty of the University of George, Angelo State University and Brock University, note the importance of play for the cognitive development of all children. There is a documented tendency among educators to devalue the play of African American boys. This is a missed opportunity. They point out the value of the digital experiences that these boys are gaining at home with video games and digital play. Educators need to capitalize of the strengths that these students have from this home technology us by providing opportunities for digital creation and play as part of their school experience.
Gonzalez, J. (2015, April 26). Tools to help students follow their passions [Podcast]. Cult of Pedagogy. https://www.cultofpedagogy.com/passion-tech-tools/
The author and presenter of this podcast, editor in chief of the Cult of Pedagogy website, describes technology tools allow students to explore and share their talents and interests. These include book publishing, blogging, video editing and podcast tools. These give students a variety of platforms to express themselves and also lend authentic purpose to their learning. The author points out that the end products often look polished and professional. The skills that students gain when creating these products often translate directly to potential future careers. Most of these tools are geared for middle and high school aged students, but the author offers suggestions for ways they can be adapted for younger grades.
Hobbs, R. (2017). Create to learn: Introduction to digital literacy. John Wiley & Sons, http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/wwu/detail.action?docID=4901686
The author, a professor of communication at the University of Maryland, encourages a shift from consuming technology to creating it. Digital media has become a central part of our modern day experience. Learning how to use digital tools to communicate is a powerful skill and an impactful way to learn.
Hietajärvi, L., Lonka, K., Hakkarainena, K., Alho, K., & Salmela-Aro, K. (2020. Are schools alienating digitally engaged students? Longitudinal relations between digital engagement and school engagement. Frontline Learning Research, 8(1), 33–55
The authors, researchers at the University of Helsinki, use data from a study of 27 schools in Helsinki, Finland to test hypothesis that students who prefer learning with digital technologies outside of school will be less engaged in traditional school. The authors conclude that the disconnect that students experience between a home interest driven learning using digita technologies and the traditional teaching they receive at school creates a gap that has a negative impact on their school engagement. There is a longitudinal component to this study. The authors did find home expertise and interest in digital learning to be predictive of engagement with school learning over time. The authors argue that the skills student gain in their home learning digital experiences could be generalized to other spheres of learning.
Wolpert-Gawron, H. (2016, 11). What the heck Is inquiry-based learning? Edutopia https://www.edutopia.org/blog/what-heck-inquiry-based-learning-heather-wolpert-gawron
The author, a middle school teacher and Project Based Learning coach, describes inquiry as a four-step process of questioning, research, presentation and reflection. Using student questions to guide instruction leads to greater depth and breadth of learning. When teachers model their own curiosity and demonstrate enthusiasm for learning they are better able to create a climate that “triggers” curiosity in their students.
The author, a special education teacher from New York city's District 75, uses his personal experience with Minecraft EDU to assert its benefits in the teaching of students with autism. The author points out that the game can support students with autism in their development of social and communication skills. he also gives practical tips on how to set up and implement Minecraft EDU in an elementary classroom.
Callow, J., & Orlando, J. (2015). Enabling exemplary teaching: A framework of student engagement for students from low socio-sconomic backgrounds with implications for technology and literacy practices. Pedagogies International Journal, 10(4), 349–371. http://dx.doi.org.ezproxy.library.wwu.edu/10.1080/1554480X.2015.1066678
The authors, researchers at University of Sydney and University of Western Australia, use data from a large-scale study of the practices of exemplary teachers in low socio-economic status locations to better understand the impact of teaching practices on student engagement. The study focuses on the ways that teachers can promote student engagement through the use of technology and associated literacy practices. The authors find that when teachers use technology in a way that is cognitively challenging, community building and responsive to communities where they teach, that it is possible to enhance the engagement of students with low socio-economic status.
Deci, E. L., & Ryan, R. M. (2008). Facilitating optimal motivation and psychological well-being across life’s domains. Canadian Psychology/Psychologie Canadienne, 49(1), 14–23. https://doi.org/10.1037/0708-5591.49.1.14
The authors, researchers from the University of Rochester, claim that successful outcomes are determined by the kind of motivation that one experiences. Autonomy and choice lead to intrinsic motivation. In a school setting when a teacher gives up control and allows students more autonomy students demonstrate greater curiosity and acceptance of challenge. Intrinsic motivation is a predictor of greater persistence and performance, especially on tasks that require deep thinking and creativity.
Edutopia. (2017, May 3). Tech buddies: Building technology skills through peer teaching.
This video from John Berry Elementary School in Meriden, Connecticut shows the benefits of having fifth grade students partner with first graders to learn and apply technology skills. The older students serve as peer mentors, providing one-on-one support to the younger students. This kind of partnership enables the younger students to use sophisticated technology tools to demonstrate content area understandings. In the video, both fifth graders and first graders describe the experience as fun and motivating.
Ellison, T. L., & Solomon, M. (2018). Digital play as purposeful productive literacies in African American boys. The Reading Teacher, 71(4), 495–500. https://doi.org/10.1002/trtr.1657
The authors, faculty of the University of George, Angelo State University and Brock University, note the importance of play for the cognitive development of all children. There is a documented tendency among educators to devalue the play of African American boys. This is a missed opportunity. They point out the value of the digital experiences that these boys are gaining at home with video games and digital play. Educators need to capitalize of the strengths that these students have from this home technology us by providing opportunities for digital creation and play as part of their school experience.
Gonzalez, J. (2015, April 26). Tools to help students follow their passions [Podcast]. Cult of Pedagogy. https://www.cultofpedagogy.com/passion-tech-tools/
The author and presenter of this podcast, editor in chief of the Cult of Pedagogy website, describes technology tools allow students to explore and share their talents and interests. These include book publishing, blogging, video editing and podcast tools. These give students a variety of platforms to express themselves and also lend authentic purpose to their learning. The author points out that the end products often look polished and professional. The skills that students gain when creating these products often translate directly to potential future careers. Most of these tools are geared for middle and high school aged students, but the author offers suggestions for ways they can be adapted for younger grades.
Hobbs, R. (2017). Create to learn: Introduction to digital literacy. John Wiley & Sons, http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/wwu/detail.action?docID=4901686
The author, a professor of communication at the University of Maryland, encourages a shift from consuming technology to creating it. Digital media has become a central part of our modern day experience. Learning how to use digital tools to communicate is a powerful skill and an impactful way to learn.
Hietajärvi, L., Lonka, K., Hakkarainena, K., Alho, K., & Salmela-Aro, K. (2020. Are schools alienating digitally engaged students? Longitudinal relations between digital engagement and school engagement. Frontline Learning Research, 8(1), 33–55
The authors, researchers at the University of Helsinki, use data from a study of 27 schools in Helsinki, Finland to test hypothesis that students who prefer learning with digital technologies outside of school will be less engaged in traditional school. The authors conclude that the disconnect that students experience between a home interest driven learning using digita technologies and the traditional teaching they receive at school creates a gap that has a negative impact on their school engagement. There is a longitudinal component to this study. The authors did find home expertise and interest in digital learning to be predictive of engagement with school learning over time. The authors argue that the skills student gain in their home learning digital experiences could be generalized to other spheres of learning.
Wolpert-Gawron, H. (2016, 11). What the heck Is inquiry-based learning? Edutopia https://www.edutopia.org/blog/what-heck-inquiry-based-learning-heather-wolpert-gawron
The author, a middle school teacher and Project Based Learning coach, describes inquiry as a four-step process of questioning, research, presentation and reflection. Using student questions to guide instruction leads to greater depth and breadth of learning. When teachers model their own curiosity and demonstrate enthusiasm for learning they are better able to create a climate that “triggers” curiosity in their students.
| digital_inquiry_annotated_bibliography.pdf |