RM Winter 2016 FLIP

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Reading Matters
Teaching Matters
| 56| Reading Matters | Volume 16 • Winter 2016 |
2014; Kimbell-Lopez, 2003; Levy, Coleman, & Alsman, 2002).
Unplugged
Collaborative Strategic Reading (CSR) teaches students
to use and build comprehension strategies while working
cooperatively (Dimino, Simon, & Vaughn, 2007; Klingner,
Vaughn, Arguelles, Hughes, & Ahwee, 2004; Sencibaugh, 2007).
When CSR is first practiced in the classroom, a nonfiction
publication such as Weekly Reader, Junior Scholastic, Time for
Kids, or a similar nonfiction publication with high interest
content is recommended. But once the strategies (preview,
click and clunk, get the gist, and wrap up) have been taught
and students develop proficiency, the CSR technique can segue
nicely to other reading practices, such as a literature circle. At
that point, the roles students assume during CSR can transition
to traditional literature circle roles to maximize comprehension.
For more information on Collaborative Strategic Reading and
accompanying materials, visit th online resource page.
Plugged-in
Even though Collaborative Strategic Reading is an effective
way to foster comprehension of non-fiction texts in the classroom,
monitoring independent work in the groups can be a difficult
undertaking. One method of streamlining the supervision and
assessment of reading groups uses Google Docs, which has a
capacity for multiple accounts to be simultaneously connected
to the same document so that modifications can be made by all
of the group members in real time. Imagine the CSR group no
longer being confined to your classroomwalls! You can collaborate
group work with a class across town, across the state, or on the
other side of the world! Just imagine the impact on geographical
understandings. The sharing capabilities offered by Google Apps
not only allows the group members to see each other’s work,
but also allows the teacher to see the progress of each group
and comment on the content whether during discussion or
afterward. This flexibility allows teachers to formatively assess
each group without interrupting the flow of CSR group.
To transition students from face-to-face CSR to online
collaboration, teachers can have students use sticky notes to mark
interesting text passages with notes for future discussion. Students
can also keep a journal to record thoughts and feelings as they
read, later noting parts that lend themselves to discussion with
a star. In one study of middle school students involved in online
cooperative groups, 298 student self-reflections and 8 student
interviews resulted in three themes: (a) students were excited and
engaged, (b) students experienced technology trials and triumphs,
and (c) reflective teaching was essential (Day & Kroon, 2010).
These themes are not surprising; student skills at both interacting
socially and digitally continue to develop with experience. And, as
teachers, we are reflective practitioners, constantly seeking ways
to improve instruction for a greater educational experience.
Another benefit of online cooperative reading groups is the
ability to research topics online or to quickly find information about
the book’s setting. Because the students can copy information
directly from the browser on their device to a Google Doc,
information gathering and sharing is simplified. This potentially
allows for more information to be collected in a shorter amount
of time. The use of devices may not only make group work easier
in the classroom, but also make it easier at home. Students can
access their accounts at home and complete their assignments for
the next day on the collaborative document. The activity tracker
tool in Google Apps encourages students to be accountable and
gives the teacher an idea of who is participating in the group
work and who is not. This technology provides the teacher with
an understanding of classroom leaders for future group design.
Overall, the digitization of cooperative reading may make it easier
to allow group work to become cohesive by allowing all of the
group members to see each other’s work instantaneously. This
may enable all of the participants to feed off each other’s ideas and
obtain greater understanding of the text that is being studied.
Research supports technology as a tool for comprehension, and
reading development with online tools has slight positive outcomes.
One study found that students preferred online reading (using the
Nearpod app) for guided reading using traditional books (Delacruz,
2014), citing interactivity as the most common reason. While it is not
surprising that students prefer technology integration, teachers may
question its effectiveness. In a meta-analysis of 20 studies based on
approximately 7,000 students in grades 1–6, educational technology
applications produced a positive but small effect on the reading
skills of struggling readers (ES = .14) in comparison with“business as
usual”methods such as drill and practice (Cheung & Slavin, 2013).
Conclusion
In an age where technology is increasingly integrated into
education, it is important to consider when to use high-tech
applications and when traditional strategies are beneficial
to effectively deepen understandings in the classroom. An
understanding of how traditional and high-tech applications
support cognition and learning may lead to a harmonious balance
of these strategies in the classroom. Cheung & Slavin (2013) caution,
“there is no magic in the machine,”stressing the importance of the
combined choice of software, role of the teacher, nature and quality
of professional development, time devoted to unplugged and
plugged-in activities, and time allowed for each type of practice.
This article has provided 4 tasks, each with an unplugged and
plugged-in option: a) Think-tac-toe and Blendspace, b) Table-top
blogging and weblogs, c) Reader’s theatre and Applications for
production, and d) Collaborative Strategic Reading and Google
Docs. As educators continue to make decisions on ways to extend
classroom learning, there is no question technology will be a part.
How we use technology effectively in the classroom and how we
make instructional decisions involving the use of plugged-in and
unplugged interventions will remain a focus of curiosity and study.
References
Anderson-Butcher, D., Lasseigne, A., Ball, A., Brzozowski, M., Lehnert, M., &
McCormick, B. (2010). Adolescent weblog use: Risky or Protective?Child Adolescent
Social Work Journal, 27(1), 63-77.
Amadieu, F., Van Gog, T., Paas, F., Tricot, A., & Marine, C. (2009). Effects of prior