Tech Literacy for Teachers/Staff

Word processing comes in many forms. The kindergarten student who prints his name is using low tech word processing tools. The third grade student who writes a narrative story and turns it into a storybook uses word processing tools. The secondary student who writes and then types a research paper is using word processing tools. The teen who makes his own blog or social networking site is also using word processing. This includes all types of desktop publishing whether it is published for print or the web. In fact many of the things we have done previously on our own computers can now be done online through blogs, wikis, or online applications like Google docs. Peruse one or more of the articles below and conduct research on your own to find innovative ways that students in your class can use technology based word processing tools in a project. Then post your ideas about ways that word processing can be used in the classroom, or the value of word processing. I also want you to respond to at least two other posts. Please tell how it can be used after you read one of the articles or your own research. The goal is to explore new ways of using these tools, not just to tell what you have been doing.

Notice: it is not satisfactory to say that word processing tools aren't appropriate for your class. If you don't feel that your subject matter lends itself to a word processing project, then think of a project that integrates your subject with another subject.

How can we use word processing tools as we teach students? How can our students use word processing tools in school? What is the educational value of these projects?

http://net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/ELI3010.pdf

http://www.2learn.ca/teachertools/Wordprocessing/wpexemplar.html

http://www.remc11.k12.mi.us/bcisd/classres/intideas.htm

Wikis

http://www.educause.edu/EDUCAUSE+Review/EDUCAUSEReviewMagazineVolume39/WideOpenSpacesWikisReadyorNot/157925

http://kairosnews.org/my-brilliant-failure-wikis-in-classrooms

Blogs

http://halfanhour.blogspot.com/2009/04/blogs-in-education.html

http://web20intheclassroom.blogspot.com/2008/10/ways-to-use-blogs-in-your-classroom-and.html