Rebecca S. Anderson

“Oh what a difference a team makes”: Why team teaching makes a difference

Abstract Literature supports the value of team teaching in promoting student learning in higher education. Indeed, data from a study of our team teaching confirm that support. However, definitions of team teaching in the literature are based on a cacophony of voices arising from a variety of pedagogical contexts. Thus, disparate definitions of team teaching are not helpful in explaining why team teaching is so effective in promoting student learning. We provide a solution to this conflict between definitions and praise of effectiveness by noting that the definitions of team teaching are wrong headed because they appeal to logistics, not pedagogical theory, and by providing a theoretical basis that explains why team teaching can be effective given the bewildering array of circumstances under which it is practiced. We also raise issues about team teaching to propose a thorough study of team teaching.

Suggestions for Responding to the Dilemma of Grading Students' Writing

our weeks during the summer of 1994, we were co-directors of the Memphis (Tennessee) Urban Writing Institute (MUWI). The Institute was comprised of 27 public school teachers from the Memphis-Shelby County schoolystem who were selected out of over 200 applicants. The Institute participants, a mixture of elementary, middle school, and high school teachers, had one to twenty years of teaching experience, with a median of six years experience. Participants represented various disciplines, including mathematics, social studies, and language arts.

The usefulness of an online platform for capturing literacy field experiences: Four lessons learned

Abstract This study explores the usefulness of an online platform for capturing field experiences of inservice teachers enrolled in a graduate level literacy course. Four lessons related to the online field experience are offered: (1) instructors cannot adequately assess teachers without visual examples; (2) teachers and instructors need detailed guidelines on how and when to provide effective feedback; (3) teachers naturally make connections between theory and practice; and (4) teachers and instructors may feel overwhelmed with the complexities associated with the course.

Handbook of Research on Digital Tools for Writing Instruction in K-12 Settings

Digital technologies significantly shape and mediate adolescents’ writing practices. Consequently, this chapter investigates the relevance and use of emergent technology in Year 8 English classes in an Australian high school. The importance of this study stems from the introduction of the Australian Government’s Digital Education Revolution and the growing prominence of technology in local schools. Building on sociocultural perspectives and new literacies scholarship, this case study critically considers how iPads influence student writing. Moreover, it examines what pedagogical strategies teachers use when implementing iPads in their classes to support student learning outcomes. Findings from this study contribute to our understanding of how digital tools influence students’ collaborative learning, multimodal practices, and writing processes.

Exploring a Literacy Website that Works: ReadWriteThink.org.

While it is easy to find lesson plans on the Internet, the quality of plans and the formats in which they are written vary considerably, and the process of sifting through the chaff in order to find the wheat can be time-consuming and discouraging. To address these concerns the authors of this Technology in Literacy column introduce www.ReadWriteThink.org. The International Reading Association (IRA), the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE), and a consortium of other organizations developed the site, which provides lessons in reading and writing, as well as many other interactive features that provide unique supports for teachers: Lessons are written and reviewed by literacy educators. Lessons are carefully screened and edited to save teachers from wasting time with poorly prepared materials. Lessons are linked to other lessons in the collection with related objectives, activities, or themes, to help teachers develop focused units of study. Lessons are offered in a level of detail that far surpasses the lesson plans provided at most other educational sites. Lessons include many online activities and resources that can be accessed easily to save teachers from spending time in looking for necessary materials. Resource links are provided in the body of the lesson, as well as in a sidebar accompanying the lesson. Links to sites offering further information and resources are kept up-to-date. Lessons are aligned to the IRA/NCTE Standards for the English Language Arts.

Understanding a Digital Writing Cycle: Barriers, Bridges, and Outcomes in Two Second-Grade Classrooms

Abstract Purpose To describe how the digital writing experiences of two collaborating second-grade classrooms are representative of a digital writing cycle that includes barriers, bridges, and outcomes. Additionally, this chapter aims to link theory and practice for teachers working with an increasingly younger generation of multimodal learners by connecting teacher reflections to New Literacies perspectives. Design/methodology/approach The current study is informed by multiple perspectives contributing to New Literacies research. These perspectives blend the traditional disciplines of literacy and technology while recognizing both the growing use of digital tools and the new skills and dispositions required for writing. This chapter uses multiple data points to present (1) how the teachers approached implementation of digital writing tools, (2) how students responded to the use of digital writing tools, and (3) how the digital-related writing experiences aligned with key tenets of New Literacies research. Findings The authors present student barriers for full participation with corresponding bridges implemented by teachers to help students navigate in the digital writing classroom. Each finding is supported with examples from student and teacher interviews as well as classroom observations and artifacts. The chapter concludes with a “lessons learned” section from the perspective of the teachers in the study with each tenet supporting a New Literacies perspective by addressing key considerations of multimodal environments such as the importance of early opportunities for teaching and learning with new literacies, the need to help inexperienced students bridge technical skill gaps, and the benefit of social relationships in the digital community. Practical implications By adapting findings of the study to a digital writing cycle, this chapter discusses how guiding principles of New Literacies research reflects classroom practice, thereby granting current and future teachers a practical guide for bridging theory and practice for implementing digital writing experiences for elementary students in multimodal environments.