Martha Meloy

Application of Instructional Technology

Article Summaries

Spring 2010
Article 1 - Citation

Zawilinski, Lisa (2009). HOT Blogging: A framework for blogging to promote higher

order thinking. The Reading Teacher, 62(8), 650-661.

Identification

Professional Practice Article

Summary

This article focuses on the many uses and types of classroom blogs and how blogs help to

promote higher level thinking skills if used appropriately. The author explains the

different types of blogs, such as a Classroom News Blog, Mirror Blog, Showcase Blog,

and Literature Response Blog. The article provides links to further explore these blogs

on the Internet. Emphasis is placed on the integration of reading and writing skills used

within a literacy program and further explains in detail ways to accomplish the higher

level thinking skills of evaluating, analyzing and synthesizing. The author elaborates on

the HOT (Higher Order Thinking) Blogging Framework and how teachers can

incorporate the framework ideas with educational standards. This article provides

numerous examples and opportunities to learn about the educational advantages of using

classroom blogs beyond the widely used purpose of providing information for classroom

teachers.

Critique

After reading this well written, informative article, I had a much better understanding of

blogs and how they are used for authentic educational purposes. It has inspired me to

really think about using blogs in my own classroom for higher level thinking activities

and not only for the informational purposes that are so commonplace. I found myself
thinking about the true potential blogs can achieve when used appropriately such as

literature discussions and synthesis-scaffolding, which help to develop thinking across

texts for deeper understandings. This article is a must read for all teachers at the

intermediate level and beyond. This article instructs teachers on how to use blogs

effectively by providing worthwhile examples of how to integrate blogs into reading and

writing instruction while strengthening essential higher order thinking skills

simultaneously.

Article 2 – Citation

Eckstein, M (2009). Enrichment 2.0 gifted and talented education for the 21st centruy.

Gifted Child Today 32(1), 59-63.

Identification

Professional Practice Article

Summary

This article summarizes the concept of Enrichment 2.0, which targets gifted students

working collaboratively across grade levels in a specific area of interest. The article

briefly describes the history of enrichment clusters and elaborates on how these clusters

are optimized by the use of Web 2.0 applications. Links are provided to the appropriate

Web 2.0 technology used with current Enrichment clusters. It describes how the Internet

has created a global community where students can collaborate, research, analyze,

synthesize and publish work to a greater community of learners creating an aspect of

authenticity to the learning. Details are given on setting up clusters of inquiry based
learning in the classroom and elaborates on the obstacles a classroom teacher may

encounter using Enrichment 2.0 concepts.

Critique

The ideas expressed in this article are relevant to elementary and middle school

educators. Enrichment 2.0 clusters are meant to serve different grade levels

simultaneously. By grouping students according to interest and not by grade level,

students take ownership in their learning and work at appropriate levels while engaging,

collaborating, and communicating with others who are interested in the same topic. By

utilizing Web 2.0 technology, a plethora of information becomes available to students

along with the ability to communicate and collaborate with others that are not limited by

the constraints of normal classroom walls.

This article provides a general idea of starting up Enrichment clusters but lacks a well-

articulated plan for implementation, which would have been useful for a teacher

interested in beginning this concept in her classroom. The author provides a link to the

National Research Center on Gifted and Talented that provides many different cluster

ideas. My ultimate goal for teaching at the elementary level is to become a gifted teacher,

thus this article has enabled me to familiarize myself with adaptable Web 2.0 technology

involved with Enrichment clusters, which I hope to use in my classroom one day.

Article 3 – Citation

Cady, D. & Terrell, S. (2008). The effect of the integration of computing technology in a

science curriculum on female students’ self efficacy attitudes. Journal of

Educational Technology Systems 36(3), 277-286.

Identification

Research Article

Summary

This article focuses on the importance of 5th grade girls and building their self-efficacy

attitudes to embrace and pursue technology jobs later in life. Precedence is put on the fact

that many women are not filling technology related jobs and this article investigates

beliefs and attitudes that are formed at the early age of ten could be influencing this lack

of participation. The study compared a control group where technology was utilized but

was not integrated with science curriculum topics. The experimental group also used the

same technology components but integrated science components with the technology.

Pretests and Posttests were used to determine results, which deemed higher self-efficacy

and feelings of computer importance within the experimental group. Thus concluding that

it is imperative to use computers and technology with young children, especially girls. It

necessitates integrating technology and science curriculum topics together to ensure girls

at a young age are forming positive attitudes and beliefs, while providing opportunities to

form beliefs that they can be successful at choosing technology related jobs as future

career choices.

Critique

This article was extremely meaningful to me since I was a 5th grade teacher for many

years and saw first hand differences in my students. One idea I wish I could share with

the authors of this paper was that gender was not always a factor when I taught at a high

achieving elementary school. Computer attitudes and beliefs were correlated, in my eyes,

to the academic and comfort level of the students. I was a gifted certified teacher who
taught in a regular education classroom so each year I got a higher percentage of gifted

students. One year, my class had predominantly gifted boys, numbering nine out of

twelve gifted students. That year the boys were much more comfortable using and

creating technology and they were the leaders in my class with their technology

knowledge base. I also consistently integrated technology with my lessons. Students

made web pages to teach other students about Newton’s Laws of Motion. The following

year I had the opposite situation in my classroom. I had eight gifted girls out of the eleven

gifted students in my classroom and the situation was completely different. The gifted

girls embraced and felt comfortable using technology and became the leaders with their

knowledge base compared to the boys. I realize that this article focuses on researching

the general attitudes of girls and their self-efficacy beliefs. However, from my

experience, it is the general level of intelligence that also influences and creates gender

dynamics within a classroom setting. It would be interesting to see which career choices

my students made in relation to my ideas and the author’s ideas.

This article would benefit all elementary and secondary teachers to make them better

aware of the importance of building a curriculum that fosters appropriate growth for girls

in the mainstream by making them believe in their abilities to achieve careers in science

and technology fields.

Article 4 - Citation

De Lisi, R. (2002). From marbles to instant messenger: Implications of Piaget’s ideas

about peer learning. Theory Into Practice 41(1), 5-12.

Identification
Theory-into-Practice Article

Summary

This article focuses on Piaget’s ideas on peer learning determining that it can enhance an

individual’s own learning if done appropriately. Students can obtain knowledge from

other students through dialogue, expressing ideas and accepting differing viewpoints,

while simultaneously deepening levels of understanding. Details are given about the

types of relationships including constraint and cooperative relationships that occur in

individuals and which ones promote healthy learning atmospheres. When teachers

facilitate and embrace cooperative learning environments, learning is optimized and peer

learning can flourish. Cognitive Systems are reviewed and examples of healthy balances

are determined in knowing relationships. By establishing effective peer learning

environments, technology such as Instant Messenger can be utilized appropriately

facilitating the use of technology with peer learning.

Critique

Reading this article has enabled me to see the importance of relationship dynamics within

a classroom environment. When teachers respect and have a cooperative relationship with

their students, students themselves can work collaboratively with others in cooperative

relationships more effectively compared to classrooms that have only constraint teacher

student relationships. This article has inspired me to evaluate my own classroom dynamic

to ensure that high levels of cooperative learning can occur. One drawback to this article

was the technology component, which I felt could have been elaborated on more

efficiently. The article was written in 2002, which factors the lack of information, but

there were a few other technologies other than Instant Messenger such as email that could
have been elaborated on to make the article more informative. It was interesting reading

this article in 2010 with the current technology available today. You realize how many

new technologies have been developed within the past few years such as Wikis, Google

Docs, and the numerous other new Web 2.0 tools that are now available. Educators at all

levels need to be aware of the important ideas Piaget expressed, which this article

articulated efficiently.

Article 5 – Citation

Shaw, E., Baggett, P., & Salyer, B. (2004). Kidspiration for inquiry-centered activities.

Science Activities 41(1), 3-8.

Identification

Professional Practice Article

Summary

This article showcases the software Kidspiration and how it integrates with the science

curriculum effectively. It demonstrates how science inquiry can be investigated and

utilized using Kidspiration technology to display ideas and thoughts with visual formats

while having the option to add audio components in the learning/teaching mode.

Brainstorming, questioning and organizing steps of the scientific method were all

demonstrated using Kidspiration software, thus motivating the students to achieve higher

levels of thinking and problem solving simultaneously while focusing on science and

technology concepts and skills.

Critique

This article informs elementary teachers about integration ideas using Kidspiration and

science standards. I thought the article was useful but it used such a controlled situation

using two girls after school hours, which lack components of a true classroom dynamic.

The article suggests that spreading the activities over more than one day would be helpful

to classroom teachers but lacked any real useful information about implementing their

ideas within a classroom dynamic. It was inspirational to see how the scientific method

was explored with Kispiration, which has given me ideas for using it with my own

classroom. If the authors had done the observation in a more practical setting it would

have been more authentic for classroom teachers but it serves its purpose well in

educating others about Kispiration and the integration of it into the science curriculum.

Article 6 – Citation

Sadik, A. (2008). Digital storytelling: A meaningful technology-integrated approach for

engaged student learning. Educational Technology Research & Development

56(4), 487-506.

Identification

Research Article

Summary

This article focuses on digital stories and their impact with educational use in the

classroom. Research was conducted to determine student’s level of engagement in

authentic learning tasks while using digital storytelling, the support teachers need to

integrate digital storytelling with curriculum standards and lastly covers teacher concerns
about the integration process. Data for this study was determined using evaluation rubrics

that scored student made digital stories, observation instruments and interviews

conducted with teachers during and after the process of implementation. Researchers

wanted to determine if a technology rich environment using the application of digital

stories allowed students to analyze and synthesize knowledge while thinking creatively

and critically. Drawbacks of implementation were also included, which give authenticity

to the study. Results determined that using digital storytelling with educational standards

allow students to showcase knowledge and their creative abilities using technology.

Critique

This article was extremely informative about using digital stories in the classroom and

the realistic concern classroom teachers have about the implementation of them, which

makes it an essential read for all educators thinking of using this new technology. A

plethora of background information was given about technology and integration in

general and details of digital storytelling along with its proposed benefits. Step by step

instructions for implementing digital stories in the classroom were given to inform

classroom teachers how to successfully implement digital stories with curriculum

standards. This article provided real, authentic situations and the problems associated

with students creating and collaborating with others to create digital stories. Having made

a digital story myself, it was invaluable to read about the successes and issues of using

digital stories in the classroom, which I plan to use with my students in the near future.

With the amount of detail this article provides and the background information it

establishes, this article was efficient and effective at delivering its message.
Article 7 – Citation

Davey, S., Smith, W. & Merrill, C. (2009). Internationalizing technology teaching with

blogs and bananas. The Technology Teacher 69(2), 22-26.

Identification

Professional Practice Article

Summary

This article exposes educators to the possibilities of using the Internet with overseas

collaboration. Different educational standards including components of the technology

standards are covered in this online project where edible lunar vehicles are created and

customized. Equivalent 6th grade Australian students were paired with college students,

who were studying to become elementary school teachers, to design and implement this

project via blog communication. Password protected blogs were used to brainstorm ideas,

establish a project name, problem solve and correspond about designing edible lunar

vehicles. Video conferencing was held as a culminating activity to compare the vehicles

made during the oversea project. Details and links to informative web sites for educators

wanting to pursue international collaboration with others are also given.

Critique

This article provides a detailed look at the actual implementation of using the Internet to

collaborate overseas. This article was very inspiring to me since I had just created a unit

that focuses on communicating and collaborating using one of the national technology

standards, which focuses on global awareness. My unit incorporated using a wiki to

communicate and collaborate with others in another country, which was similar to the

ideas expressed in this article. I also had my previous students create balloon powered
cars while learning about Newton’s Laws of Motion, thus reading about edible lunar

vehicles that were brainstormed and created via a blog over the Internet was very

inspiring to me. To make this article more effective for collaboration purposes the author

could have given more details as to the process the students encountered as they used the

blog. If the problems or issues the classroom teacher witnessed were discusses then the

article would have been more informative. The article highlighted and provided links to

web sites that help classroom teachers find potential international collaboration partners,

which is very useful in determining legitimate classroom settings for students to

correspond and collaborate with.

Article 8 – Citation

Handsfield, L., Dean, T. & Cielocha, K. (2009). Becoming critical consumers and

producers of text: Teaching literacy with Web 1.0 and Web 2.0. The Reading

Teacher 63(1), 40-50.

Identification

Professional Practice Article

Summary

This article highlights the differences between Web 1.0 and Web 2.0 applications. They

are not compared to see which is more efficient but to determine how each is useful in the

classroom. Distinct differences are noted as Web 1.0 applications allow only web site

owners to manipulate main data where as Web 2.0 application allow all users to create,

edit, manipulate and collaborate ideas on the web site. The Web 1.0 tool, Comic Creator

from ReadWriteThink.org, was analyzed for its use in authentic reading and writing
purposes. Students’ postings on reading blogs were also analyzed for determining if the

blog positively influenced the reading and writing process. Positive features and

limitations of both were determined making each application unique and useful in

different ways. Questions to consider when selecting web tools and web sites were

reviewed to help educators better determine their needs when choosing Web 1.0 or Web

2.0 tools. A list of web tools and corresponding web sites are given, which provide

guidance to educators wanting to maximize technology use in their classrooms.

Critique

This article investigated Web 1.0 and Web 2.0 applications and determined pros and cons

of each. Any educator at the elementary and secondary level would benefit from reading

this article. The article focuses on the Web 1.0 tool, Comic Creator, which would not be

conducive for secondary or higher education. However, its investigation of authentic

blogging in the reading and writing process make it worthwhile for many levels of

education. This article provides guidance by establishing useful questions to consider

when selecting web sites and web tools. A list of online references regarding web

applications and details of the new Gaggle software are highlighted, which allows

students to create their own online spaces for sharing, establishes email accounts for

students, gives message board access, and provides areas for file storage. This article has

prompted me to investigate the new Gaggle software to use in my own classroom. I

appreciated the article’s frankness about some students’ writings on the blogs, which note

that school related blogs foster “teacher wanted” responses and not authentic student

responses that the teacher had hoped for. Students answer or communicate as if they were

talking or corresponding with the teacher even when the blog was intended to
communicate with other students. The more experiences we give our students to grow

and thrive in online environments the more efficient they will become in navigating

themselves in the global, technology driven world we live in.