650AnnotatedBibliography

=Internship Annotated Bibliography= Back to Internship Table of Contents

**What unites these resources?**
As I help with the iPad implementation I am interested in knowing how to use this technology effectively and responsibly. To that end, the articles here represent my research about iPad implementation and acceptable use, as well as resources that can be used in conjunction with the iPad. I am interested in both Web 2.0 and app resources that would support our use of the iPad as a teaching, learning, and presentation tool in the ALA. It is also very important to me that this be a true tool and not just a toy. I am interested in collecting as many "best practice" ideas as I can as I investigate these sources. I will continue to investigate Web 2.0 resources and best practices, as well as tablet implementation.

**Adams, D. (2008). Gaga for google in the twenty-first century advanced placement language classroom. //Clearing House: A Journal of Educational Strategies, Issues and Ideas//, 82(2-), 96-100. Retrieved from EBSCOhost. http://tinyurl.com/7aoarhh**

This article details how Mr. Adams infused Web 2.0 technologies, specifically Google’s multiple applications, to enhance instruction for his 180 “N-Gener” Advanced Placement Language and Composition students. This article is most helpful in my research for the ALA because our district is moving towards using Gmail as the student email platform (teachers already use it). Though students are familiar with Gmail and Google Search, Adams discusses the other applications that they may not have used and how these applications can support learning in the ELA classroom. He highlights Google Groups, Gtalk, Google Calendar, Google Docs, and iGoogle. He describes how he used these in his own classroom and then includes best practices that relate to these applications. Gmail can be used to merge several accounts and provides communication between instructor and student and among students themselves. Google Groups serves as a discussion board that fosters communication and allows for collaboration. Google Calendar’s sharing options allow the instructor to post assignments for class, while users can use the private calendar for time management. Google Chat provides both synchronous and asynchronous communication and fosters collaboration. Google Docs allows for creation, sharing, and storage of files and presentations. The work that can be completed using Google Docs promotes collaboration and allows for feedback from both the professor and other classmates. iGoogle allows users to syndicate material from the web into one place and make use of RSS feeds for specific reading. Adams closes with a note about how teachers and schools who fail to use Web 2.0 technologies are proliferating a “participation gap” among their students. He calls for more training and implementation of these tools to address the needs of 21st century learners.

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**Bestwick, A., & Campbell, J. R. (2010). Mobile Learning for All. //Exceptional Parent//, 40(9), 18-20. Retrieved from EBSCOhost. http://tinyurl.com/c64mxqa**

This article proposes the question, “How often do students and teachers use mobile technology and media for relevant, meaningful learning? One of the current problems with the educational system is that we are using outdated methods to reach “digital learners.” Lessons designed as “one size fits all” do not necessarily meet the needs of every student. Mobile technologies allow educators to broaden their classroom environment and let kids investigate and learn “anytime, anywhere” about topics that are personalized and meaningful. The workforce these kids are stepping into requires that these students be able to solve real-world problems and be fluent information seekers. Mobile technology will be part of their work lives. Mobile devices also provide a way for students to interact; interaction is an effective way of learning and retaining information. Mobile devices also allow for a student-centered environment. Mobile devices provide “just in time learning” – “what the learner needs, when the learner needs it.” Mobile devices also provide scaffolding tools so that students are not overwhelmed by tasks like writing. Reference and organizational tools make the process more manageable and less intimidating. Mobile devices also provide communication tools, a vital skill for any student, especially those with special needs.

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**Bower, M. & Hedberg, J. (2010). A quantitative multimodal discourse analysis of teaching and learning in a web-conferencing environment – the efficacy of student-centered learning designs.** **//Computers & Education//, Volume 54, Number 2 (February 2010), pp. 462-478. Retrieved from EBSCOhost. http://tinyurl.com/783ah4v**

This study investigates how course design influences online collaboration and interaction. The web-based conferencing course that is the focus of this study utilized Activity Theory and multimodal discourse as its approaches to design. This Activity Theory focuses on the relationships among learners in a course. Multimodal discourse technique analyzes the types of interactions among students to make meaning (interpersonal - interaction, ideational - perception, and textual – text creation). Additionally, meaning making can occur through various modalities. Three aspects of the learning design were studied: technology, activity, and task. Students in the study interacted with the content at the beginning of each lesson and then took part in two-hour web-conferences to clarify and investigate the course material further. Not surprisingly, the study showed that the teacher’s primary comments concerned activity, and therefore the teacher played a more directive role in the course. When the teacher’s comments dominated the class less, student interaction increased. The most interactions occurred during student-centered activity design. Overall, the implications of this study are that instructors must incorporate “student-led strategies” if they want to foster more interaction.

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**Brown, J. O. (2011). Dwell in possibility: PLAR and e-portfolios in the age of information and communication technologies. International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning, 12(1), 1-23. Retrieved from EBSCOhost. http://www.eric.ed.gov/PDFS/EJ913865.pdf**

Brown discusses the value of ELEPs – Experiential Learning Electronic Portfolios – as a means of demonstrating learning and also discusses the value of PLAR portfolios – Prior Learning Assessment Recognition. These portfolios allow students to feature multiple sources of learning, as well as include multiple artifacts of learning, such as audio, digital, and video combined with the traditional element of written expression. The article highlights the constructivist theory behind e-portfolios and argues that it uses a basis of content knowledge to make learning more meaningful through student creation. The author presents a portfolio model by David Kolb that outlines the portfolio creation process in four stages: concrete experience, reflective observation, abstract conceptualization, and active experimentation. His model argues that reflection, analysis, and evaluation are all necessary steps to make an experience a learning experience. An advantage of the e-portfolio is that it “promotes connections” among the learning that Web 2.0 tools provide while also broadening the expression possibilities for students. The study highlights two cases where e-portfolios were used and seeks to prove whether or not the use of this technology increases creativity and skills. While both case studies reported that technical skills improved and that learning was enhanced, most students commented that the time involved in the creation of the portfolio itself was a drawback. Overall, the advantages of the portfolio experience outweigh the disadvantages. Learners are able to combine learning experiences and express their own learning in multimodal creations.

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**Chen, C. (2008). Why do teachers not practice what they believe regarding technology integration?. //Journal of Educational Research//, 102(1), 65-75. Retrieved from EBSCOhost. http://tinyurl.com/75scwq2**

This study explores the relationship between teacher’s beliefs about pedagogy and technology integration and the inconsistencies between beliefs and practices. Researchers believe that the main factor affecting technology in the classroom is the teacher. Teacher beliefs drive their decisions concerning methods and strategies for instruction. The trouble with technology integration where teacher beliefs are concerned is that teachers tend to fall back on prior experiences and proven methods. Because technology is so new and ever-changing, teachers tend to hesitate or be wary of technology integration. For effective integration, teachers must believe three things: technology can help them instruct effectively, technology will not conflict with high-level goals, and technology will not be a stumbling block in their own teaching – they must be sufficiently trained and comfortable using it. Beliefs and perception heavily influence integration. The study found that though teachers recognize that some traditional teaching methods may be outdated; however, they still use them to teach the basic skills in school. Teachers in this study were also reluctant to let go of methods that enabled them to be in charge of processes or maintain control of the classroom. Some feared that if students had too much choice that they would not engage in any meaningful learning. The study found that three main factors contribute to the inconsistency between belief and practice: external factors, limited understanding of constructivist practices/theory, and conflicting beliefs between what is known and what is new.

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<span style="font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">**Consortium for School, N. (2011). Acceptable use policies in a web 2.0 & mobile era: a guide for school districts.** **Consortium for School Networking, Retrieved from EBSCOhost. http://tinyurl.com/7wx9zom**

<span style="font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">This article discusses how mobile devices and Web 2.0 technology can be addressed responsibly by school districts in their Acceptable Use Policies. While the CoSN recognizes a need for safety and addresses blocking and filtering, they also insist that technology presents students with a valuable opportunity to make use of a wealth of resources that the Internet provides. Districts have a role in teaching students how to be responsible users of technology. The CoSN outlines eight questions and answers that are intended to help schools and school districts in “developing, rethinking, or revising Internet policies as a consequence of the emergence of Web 2.0 [and] smart phone use.” The guide addresses how policy differs from procedure, outlines two approaches to handling AUPs, discusses how a school may differ from its district, and outlines key federal and state laws that would apply to AUP creation. It also discusses the need for updating/revising policies, offers sample policies, and provides a list of resources for school districts. Among these resources is a breakdown by state concerning relevant laws that relate to Internet filtering and cyber-bullying.

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<span style="font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">**Cramer, M. & Hayes, G. (2010) Acceptable use of technology in schools: risks, policies, and promises. //IEEE Pervasive Computing//, vol. 9, no. 3, pp. 37-44. Pdf retrieved from http://tinyurl.com/7ewcrmu**

<span style="font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">The use of mobile technologies (specifically netbooks) and Internet-based tools necessitate the reexamination of these technologies in school acceptable use policies. The article is written for developers, educators, and researchers who see the benefit of these technologies in learning. Most schools and districts have a negative association for mobile devices left over from the days of Reagan’s war on drugs when people feared that mobile devices in school were used only for drug trafficking or disruption. Now that schools are embracing these technologies as tools of learning, districts need to balance the safety of students with the possibility of a expanding the learning environment beyond the walls of schools. The authors acknowledge that the use of the technology itself is not the focus; rather, the responsible instruction behind the use of these technologies should be the means for students to learn using these tools. The authors discuss the tension between traditional ways of thinking and new ideas, citing that though most teachers want to use mobile technologies and know how to do so, they would not because district policies still ban their use. Using these tools means that the safety of students must be held most important, but that schools also have the obligation to teach students what responsible/acceptable use is. The authors point out several legal cases that raise issues of free speech, as well as examples of risks and hazards (online solicitation, cyber-bullying, cheating, and how to monitor/manage online interaction). The article concludes with a call for schools/educators to participate in two thought experiments: use text-messaging as a means to capture relevant, real-time discussion, and build lessons into the curriculum that use social networking and also discuss appropriate behavior in these environments. Ultimately these technologies raise the issue of policy revision and update. Similarly, educators, parents, and students must negotiate what tools and resources can be valuable for learning.

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<span style="font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">**Dickerson, J., Williams, S., & Browning, J. B. (2009). Scaffolding equals success in teaching tablet PCs.** **//Technology Teacher//, 68(5), 16-20. Retrieved from EBSCOhost. http://tinyurl.com/767qqrd**

<span style="font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">This article highlights the growing trend of tablet PCs that are being integrated into classroom instruction. The authors outline how tablet technology supports Standards of Technological Literacy: Content for the Study of Technology for grades 9-12, particularly STL 17-L, STL 17-M, STL 17-P, and STL 17-Q. The authors surveyed a sample of 63 students who had a mixture of experience using tablet PCs. Scaffolding was used to support those learners with little or no experience using tablet technology. Activities were planned to be sequential and to support learning for each of the instructional events. Instruction followed a six-step protocol: “discussion, demonstration, directed engagement, duplication of known tasks, discovery of new tasks, and debriefing.” Each step is described and includes examples or narrative details about how that step was covered with the sample group. Because perception and attitude plays an important role in how learners embrace technology, the scaffolding approach allows for a safe system of implementing the tablet PCs and fosters an environment where constructive thought and participation is encouraged. The scaffolding protocol outlined in this article ensures that lessons are meaningful and successful.

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<span style="font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">**Enriquez, A. G. (2010). Enhancing student performance using tablet computers. //College Teaching//, 58(3), 77-84. Retrieved from EBSCOhost. http://tinyurl.com/792uvq7**

<span style="font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">This study focuses on the use of wireless PCs and mobile devices and how they can be used to create an engaging classroom environment where student performance is enhanced. Technology like wireless PCs and mobile devices, along with their applications, have the ability collaborative. This paper discusses a model of interaction using this technology called a ILN – Interactive Learning Network. ILN’s provide for two-way interaction between students and instructor during class. ILN’s lead to better student performance, better retention of learning, positive attitudes, and better student engagement. ILN’s are “designed to enhance the instructor’s ability to solicit active participation from all students during lectures,” give meaningful assessments, and immediate feedback. This study focused on two experimental classes (ILN groups) that were able to use tablet PCs, interactive lecture delivery, interactive presentation of sample problems, and lecture notes on tablet PCs. Comparison classes with more traditional learning environments were measured against the ILN classes. The ILN groups showed significant improvement between pre- and post-tests. The most important component of the ILN is that they allow instructors to assess and offer immediate feedback. Quiz and homework scores were better in the ILNs. Students learned material and were more confident in completing homework on their own. Improvements also seem due to more opportunities for student interaction and therefore an increase in attentiveness to the lesson at hand. Overall the ILN resulted in better student engagement and performance because of increased interaction and real-time assessment and feedback.

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<span style="font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">**Greenhow, C. (2009). Social scholarship: applying social networking technologies to research practices.** **//Knowledge Quest//, 37(4), 42-47. Retrieved from EBSCOhost. http://tinyurl.com/85zbwfn**

<span style="font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Social networking and Web 2.0 tools allow for participatory learning and engagement in educational environments; however, many teachers do not make use of these tools. The article points out that sometimes this is because of a lack of modeling these technologies for students and best practice research about how to make them efficient and effective tools of learning. The author presents the idea of “social scholarship” supporting research practices and offers examples of how this process works. Learners and instructors can work together to build a vetted resource page for learning. Delicious (social bookmarking site) is a way for educators to model effective research for students, as well as share that information with them. Social scholarship works well when it connects “traditional ‘formal’ scholarship practices […] with more informal, social web-based practices.” This combination helps build a community of learners where knowledge and learning is a shared process and becomes a product of the entire community. This type of learning requires “openness, conversation, collaboration, access, sharing, and transparent revision” – all principles at the heart of web-based best practice learning. The author highlights several social bookmarking sites and offers examples of how educators are using them as part of their curriculum. The overall benefit of social scholarship is inherent in the name – interaction. When students have multiple ways to interact with material, other learners and the instructor, then learning becomes more valuable and meaningful.

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<span style="font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">**Hong, W. (2008). Exploring Educational Use of Blogs in U.S. Education. Online Submission, Retrieved from EBSCOhost. http://tinyurl.com/7sfslwd**

<span style="font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">This article discusses how “blogs engage people in knowledge sharing and reflection, and they often attract a large readership.” Blogs also give a creator a sense of ownership in his/her material – it becomes a creation of their own making, while being refined through feedback from peers and instructors. The simplicity with which one can create and maintain a blog also contributes to their ease of use. If blogs are being used for student writing or portfolio creation, the material can be modified and revised by the learner; therefore, while the material on a blog can change quickly and often, the goal for this type of use is to publish a refined product that is demonstrates learning. In addition to reading and writing, students learn to present writing that is engaging and appropriate for a specific audience. According to Hong (2008, p. 35), “blogs can potentially enhance analytic and critical thinking skills because the critical skill of writing is central to the act of blogging.” Similarly, by participating in blogs, students become more digitally literate.

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<span style="font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">**Karasavvidis, I. (2010). Wiki uses in higher education: exploring barriers to successful implementation. //Interactive Learning Environments//, 18(3), 219-231. Retrieved from EBSCOhost. http://tinyurl.com/7slkan3**

<span style="font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Wikis are a popular tool because they encourage collaboration, users do not need a specific operating system, basic skills to use and edit them are very low, and wikis allow many kinds of functions for documents and interaction. A wiki is a type of tool and not a brand. Wikis are available from a variety of sources and are slightly different in emphasis, interface, and set-up/security features. An educator should research several wiki options before deciding on the best fit for his/her classroom. Wikis have two main advantages to learning. They allow for “easy content creation and publishing,” and they create “on-line communities.” Wikis encourage interaction and support the connectivist ideas of e-Learning theory. A wiki is different than an LMS system in that it encourages “user-generated content”. Instead of an LMS’s “one-to-many type of technology,” wikis encourage “many-to-many” technology. In order for wikis to succed, we must take into consideration (a) what the wiki task demands of students and (b) students’ perspectives about the usefulness of the wiki for their learning.” Educators cannot assume that because students are more tech-savvy than ever before, that they can easily transition into the use of wiki publication and collaboration without significant preparation and training. In this study, students “lacked the knowledge, attitudes, skills, and strategies to cope with the wiki tasks.” Students must be trained to use this tool, and the use of wikis must be scaffolded so that students focus on the learning and not the medium itself. Several recommendations stem from this study: Just as teachers break up complex classroom tasks for students to complete without becoming overwhelmed by the task, wiki tasks should similarly be broken up to be more manageable. Teachers should also offer “scripts” to help with task structure and group interaction and provide learners a set of guidelines for this connectivist environment. Teachers should also design work for wikis that encourages interaction, rather than individual ownership. This kind of task will lessen the effect of one person being burdened with providing the right answer and will encourage users to see all contributions as valid. Traditional group work projects often fail because one person shoulders the burden of the work for the group. If a task is designed to require interaction, then that risk is lessened.

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<span style="font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">**Light, D. (2011). Do web 2.0 right. //Learning & Leading with Technology//, 38(5), 10-12,. Retrieved from EBSCOhost. http://tinyurl.com/7tmfjb9**

<span style="font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">This article investigates which Web 2.0 tools work in the sense that they enhance instruction. The authors traveled around the United States to explore how teachers were using these technologies in their classrooms. The authors interviewed 39 teachers in 22 schools and found that the most effective use of Web 2.0 is “to create ongoing conversations among students and ‘always on’ learning communities.” The authors point out that instituting the tools into daily practice, monitoring the audience, and teaching appropriate behavior are the three elements that make Web 2.0 use successful. Web 2.0 tools that are only used for “special projects” do not become meaningful supports for learning. Blogs seem to be the most sincere way of conversing in an interactive community because they inspire interest and communication. The authors found that the most successful blogs were those that were private conversations between the teacher and the student since they allowed for private reflection on learning and meaning. Teachers could use these as formative assessments. Classroom blogs are mainly used for one of four reasons: to call for prior knowledge, generate interest in a subject, support debate, or encourage feedback between students themselves. The advantage to these class blogs is that it allows everyone to participate, even if students are too shy to do so in class. Blogs also encourage self-reflection and teach students to be constructively critical of their own learning. Teachers who restrict the audience of web applications to only those who are stakeholders in the learning process do better for their students since students are sensitive about sharing information and displaying their learning. Lastly, teachers were most successful when they taught about how to build a scholarly community by teaching appropriate behavior. This vital “training” is something that others may assume students know, which sometimes they do not.

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<span style="font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">**Luckin, R., Clark, W., Graber, R., Logan, K., Mee, A., & Oliver, M. (2009). Do web 2.0 tools really open the door to learning? Practices, Perceptions and Profiles of 11-16-Year-Old Students. //Learning, Media and Technology//, 34(2), 87-104. Retrieved from EBSCOhost. http://tinyurl.com/844yr5v**

<span style="font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">This study examines how students use the Internet and Web 2.0 tools differently. The way students use technology also determines how they perceive its use in the classroom. Often, instructors assume that students can translate learning concepts and methods from the classroom to these tools; however, study shows that this is often not the case. Students have trouble using metacognition and reflection to enhance the use of Web 2.0 tools for learning. It is therefore vitally important that educators provide support for student learning with these tools instead of assuming they can do it on their own. The study has four research questions that investigate which tools students report using, the types of activities tools are being used for, the types of Web 2.0 users that emerge from data, and the differences between how students use these tools for school and for other activities outside of school. Results show that social networking sites and “artefact sharing” were among the most popular. Students most often publish photos. Social networking was mainly used for communicating among friends and staying in touch. Email, instant messaging, blogs, and online multi-player games were also popular. Web 2.0 technologies were being used primarily for web design, problem-solving with gaming and general trouble-shooting, reference, and research (and often copying information). Students fall into three main groups based on their activities: researchers, collaborators, and producers and publishers. The most sophisticated users are the producers/publishers. Though students use many Web 2.0 sites outside of school, these are often not the same they use in school due to filtering and blocking. However, this means that schools may not be capitalizing on the technologies that students are most used to using. A new conceptual model needs to develop in which students are required to use tools in a sophisticated and high-level manner and use tools to produce, publish, and create, which is the highest level of learning.

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<span style="font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">**McElvaney, J., & Berge, Z. (2009). Weaving a personal web: using online technologies to create customized, connected, and dynamic learning environments.** **//Canadian Journal of Learning and Technology//, 35(2), Retrieved from EBSCOhost. http://tinyurl.com/76xh32d**

<span style="font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">This paper discusses PWTs (personal web technologies), PLEs (personal learning environments), and PLNs (personal learning networks). The authors define “personal webs” as “customized, personal web-based environments that explicitly support one’s social, professional, and learning activities via highly personalized windows to the networked world.” The paper gives examples of PWTs and discusses how these technologies can be used educationally. PWTs follow principles of Siemen’s connectivist theory. Learning occurs by making connections and is facilitated by technology; however, the challenge occurs with the need to organize and manage these connections. The article describes four types of PWTs: social bookmarking, research tools, personal publishing, and aggregators and includes helpful tables that investigate different tools within each category and compares the features of each tool. With the use of PWTs, learners must be able to read information from a variety of sources and make judgments about relevance and quality. Students must be able to handle “non-linear” learning – learning from that network of sources. PWTs work well with portfolio-based assessment. With the advantages of networked learning come disadvantages: feeling the need to be always connected and wasting time rather than using it efficiently, being constantly interrupted to check for informational updates, encouraging inappropriate “popularity contests” or dominating class discussion, producing “echo chambers” where no new information is shared, and finally making students vulnerable to privacy and security concerns. The conclusions of the article state that the greatest advantage of using PWTs is that students become active participants in class, rather than passive observers. Additionally, users who are connected to information beyond their school and community are exposed to a greater number of learning opportunities.

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<span style="font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">**Nuriddin, H. (2011). Building the right interaction.** **//T+D//, 65(3), 32-35. Retrieved from Expanded Academic ASAP (Infotrac). http://tinyurl.com/6wmxo5n**

<span style="font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">This article focuses on Moore’s three categories of interaction: learner-content, learner-learner, and learner-instructor and explains what each interaction does and the most appropriate times to utilize each type. Learner-content interaction influences understanding, perspective, and cognitive structures and should be used when learners must be able to perform a skill later by themselves in the real world and/or when learners must first understand content and then act on it/discuss it in a social setting. Learner-learner interaction reinforces understanding of concepts and helps learners construct new meaning from listening to others and should be used when the task is suited to a group environment in which new knowledge will stem from collaboration. Learner-instructor interaction supports and encourages learners and provides learners with formative feedback and should be used when learning requires in-depth discussion and when learners need help developing critical/analytical thinking. Knowing what each interaction does and when it is best to use it helps instructors design instruction more effectively.

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<span style="font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">**Song, L., & McNary, S. (2011). Understanding students' online interaction: analysis of discussion board postings.** **//Journal of Interactive Online Learning//, 10(1), p. 1-14. Retrieved from EBSCOhost. http://tinyurl.com/7f7vzx2**

<span style="font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">This study examined the patterns of interactions among students in online classes and the correlations to student performance in the class. The researchers argue that “understanding interaction is important because interaction influences the quality of learning. Additionally, many students judge the effectiveness of online courses by the quality of interactions, and these interactions also impact motivation. For this study, the authors used Soller’s (2001) Collaborative Learning Conversation Skill Taxonomy (CLCST), which classifies comments into three categories: creative conflict, active learning, and conversation. These broad categories are further broken down into subsets of conversational behaviors. Soller’s taxonomy suggests that online discussion is most successful when conversations are “mediated by specific exchanges of conversational acts.” The study involved an online graduate course in which students were required to complete seven modules and post reflections about each. The study found a correlation between the course design and the type of post. The most frequent posts were in the categories of “Inform-Suggest” and “Explain-Clarify.” Additionally, the posts seem to evolve over time. Students began with more conversation and active learning and evolved into creative conflict. Overall, students followed the guidelines of the course, which shows the importance of stating expectations for posts and clarifying the task requirements. The study overall proved that Soller’s method of categorizing conversations was useful, and that being aware of the types of conversations can help instructors code student responses.

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<span style="font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">**Thomas, E., & Sassi, K. (2011). An ethical dilemma: talking about plagiarism and academic integrity in the digital age.** **//English Journal//, 100(6), 47-53. Retrieved from EBSCOhost. http://tinyurl.com/72lzenr**

<span style="font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">The volume of information that students have available to them in the digital age is double-edged. While there is more information than one could ever need, sadly, that information is easy to copy and paste into a paper and passed off as one’s own work. Plagiarism services make teachers police rather than teachers. Plagiarism has become so seemingly pervasive that penalties area becoming harsher. There is also a discrepancy in many classrooms where students are instructed to cite, yet teachers do not model that same practice in their lessons. Our students have been brought up in a world where file sharing and networking are not only normal, but a part of their peer communication. Teaching English is about more than just reading and writing. It is about teaching a shared ethical value system; therefore, plagiarism is often seen as an ethical dilemma rather than a skill-based problem. Encouraging discussion about plagiarism not only instructs students on a skill-based level, but it also clarifies the concept of academic integrity. We assume that students know not to take intellectual property, and yet these are the same students that have been file-sharing since they owned their first Nintendo DS. Teachers must converse with students to clarify the term academic dishonesty. Teachers must shift from teaching the penalties of plagiarism to teaching about the concept of plagiarism and how to avoid it. The authors suggest that students must discuss the concept of it. They must also learn what it means and learn about the policies concerning it. They must learn why citations are important, learn to cite/reference other’s arguments about topics to build their own thinking, and practice citing sources. Teachers must also discuss the options for publishing and licensing information online, especially the concept of Creative Commons. Digital literacy is something that students still need us to instruct.

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<span style="font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">**Warlick, D. (2009). Grow your personal learning network: new technologies can keep you connected and help you manage information overload.** **//Learning & Leading with Technology//, 36(6), 12-16. Retrieved from EBSCOhost. http://tinyurl.com/6w8yh97**

<span style="font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Personal Learning Networks (PLNs) are offer ways to increase our knowledge and manage information that is important to us. There are three main types of PLNs that the article describes: personally maintained synchronous connections, personally and socially maintained semi-synchronous connections, and dynamically maintained asynchronous connections. The first is limited to oneself and the sources one consults for information. The second allows for collaboration in your own time. The third mainly connects us to content (RSS aggregators). PLNs make looking for information more specialized and usually cause the information to be more valuable because someone else took the time to bookmark it. Learners amplify knowledge and add to the value of other people’s networks. This article also suggests ten ways to keep the PLN manageable.

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<span style="font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">//**Waters, J. K. (2010). Enter the ipad (or not?).**// **//T.H.E. Journal////, 37(6), 38-40,. Retrieved from EBSCOhost. http://tinyurl.com/7po24sm**

<span style="font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Since its release the iPad has become an incredibly popular tool. This article discusses its potential use in schools. The many applications and tools make it tempting, and the notion that it can be used as a supplement to other keyboard type word processing devices makes it a different kind of learning tool. Because apps are added so frequently and are so varied, the library of useful information is innovative and remains new. The apps are also easily accessible for student use. The customizable options and accessibility features also make it an appropriate learning tool. It is portable and useful for research and learning. However, the article also highlights things that the device can’t do. Laptops are still better options for word processing and local file-storing. The iPad doesn’t replace laptops; it complements them. It seems the most effective approach schools are taking is to invest in a variety of devices for students to use rather than providing only one device to be an answer to every need. School districts that are on a PC platform have a harder time with the iPad. Integration with network management and security software is an issue with the conflicting operating systems. Compared to netbooks, iPads offer different advantages. Though netbooks are small, cheap, and their battery life is good, they also have slow processors and poor video capabilities. Kathy Schrock notes in this article that “as schools look to the iPad or other tablets as viable 1-to-1 options, they must remember to populate the school with pods of the powerful tools students will need for their final productions.” It is rarely about the device itself and more about how they are being used.

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