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ARTICLE ABSTRACTS!!!!!

= Wikis and Constructivism in Secondary Social Studies: Fostering a Deeper Understanding =

Heafner, Tina L, and Friedman Adam M., “Wikis and Constructivism in Secondary Social Studies: Fostering a Deeper Understanding”, //Computer in the Schools//, v.25, n.3-4, pp.288-302.

The authors in this article set out to prove that Web 2.0 tools are more efficient that traditional teaching tools and that they enhance students engagement in the lessons. They want to illustrate how students who construct Wikis are actually engaged with the material and as a result learn and place that information into their long-term memory. To prove that Wikis are more effective than traditional teaching technique, Heafner and Friedman evaluate two classes that teach the same information but use different techniques to achieve their goal. One teacher taught both sections but in one section students developed wikis and in the other students learned through the teacher's normal pedagogical method. Throughout their research, the authors discovered that attendance was higher in the class that was using wikis to build student knowledge. This section of class also was introduced to constructivism, which views the teacher as a guide and provides students with more accountability and freedom in their learning process. At the end of the project, students from both classes were tested using a multiple-choice exam and the students who were taught in a traditional classroom scored better than those who built wikis. The authors returned to both classrooms eight moths later to evaluate if the students had retained any of the information that they had studied during the project. The students who built the wikis scored much higher than their counterparts because wikis, and constructivism, provides students to engage with the material and actually learn what they are reading. Students who built wikis did not memorize and then regurgitate their answers on the multiple choice test, they actually learned and remembered the work that they did. This is a result of the connections that students are able to make when they are using Web 2.0 tools such as wikis.

= Teaching Secondary English Learners to Understand, Analyze, and Write Interpretive Essays About Theme =

Olson, C., Land, R., Anselmi, T. & AuBuchon, C., "Teaching Secondary English Learners to Understand, Analyze, and Write Interpretive Essays About Theme", //Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy//, v.54, n.4, pp.245-256.

The authors of this study aimed to determine to what extent providing Secondary English Language Learners (ELLs) with declarative, procedural and conditional knowledge of cognitive practices would improve their interpretive reading and analytical writing. The authors used a group of students in California to examine how using specific prompts would help promote ELLs with better abilities to read and write in class. The authors provide the readers with several examples of the prompts that were used in class. One example are sentence starters that were used to prompt students to begin the writing process. These sentence prompts help build confidence, especially with ELLS, and will lead them to a greater level of literacy. The conclusions reached by the authors, through the evaluation of test scores, was that ELLs can attain academic literacy that is necessary for them to be successful in both interpretive reading and analytical writing.

= Capitalizing on Web 2.0 in the Social Studies Context =

Holcomb, Lori B., and Beal, Candy M., "Capitalizing on Web 2.0 in the Social Studies Context", //TechTrends//, v.54, n.4, pp.28-33.

The authors of this paper focused on providing examples of how to integrate Web 2.0 technologies into Social Studies education. They discussed how Web 2.0 tools enhance educational pedagogy and in turn provide teachers added support to ensure that their students are engaged with the material and making connections with the world around them. Web 2.0 tools are a significant step in educational tools because they have little to no cost and provide students with the perfect opportunity to interact between themselves. Peer-to-peer is encouraged when using Web 2.0 tools and benefits students because they are able to learn problem-solving skills by helping each other, something that traditional pedagogy fails to address. The authors detail [|VoiceThread] where teachers are able to create and then share interactive media presentations both in and out of the classroom. Other Web 2.0 tools that are discussed include: [|Gliffy], [|Community Walk] and [|Footnote]. These tools are all related and can be easily integrated into a Social Studies classroom. The Web 2.0 tools presented and discussed by the authors apply specifically to Social Studies education and provide teachers with a great alternative to a traditional teaching method.

= Leading Double Lives: Literacy and Technology in and out of School =

Williams, Bronwyn T., "Leading Double Lives: Literacy and Technology in and out of School", //Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy//, v.48, n.8, pp.702-706.

In this article, Williams wishes to address literacy and its evolving state from solely being practiced within the confines of a school classroom to becoming a ubiquitous idea that all students practice outside of school through the integration and use of technology (hint hint nudge nudge....Web 2.0 tools work great for this in school as well). Technology has altered the way in which students read and write and how often and the location in which they perform these activities. Williams performed a study to answer the question: "How and why people in the United States have acquired and developed (or failed to) the literacies of technology between the years 1978-2003." She focuses on student in particular who learned how to use and interact with technology. When the student is in school he participates in the same mundane literacy projects and activities but when he is outside the school environment he presents interesting and engaging literacy projects. Teachers need to embrace and help students create identities that utilize technology in the classroom. Teacher need to encourage their students to use technology in order to increase their literacy levels and this can be accomplished in or out of school. The important message purveyed by Williams is that teachers need to create an environment that encourages students to use technology to create literacy projects because it is through practice that these students will be able to learn and develop these necessary skills.

= LESSON PLAN: = Below is a link that will lead you to the on United Empire Loyalists. The lesson plan depicts the activities that were used to engage students with a more Canadian centered view. = WEB 2.0 TOOLS =

[|INSTRAGROK!!!!!!!!!]
Here is a cool, new and interactive tool that allows students to naturally research topics or issues and it gives then a graphic organizer/web with a bunch of different ideas around it. All you have to do is put in a term, i.e. United Empire Loyalists, and then to Grok it! You will see a Grokking bar showing you the progress and BA-BAAAAMMMMM you will get an InstaGrok concept map. The main topic will be in the center of the concept map and on the right-hand side are key facts and links that students can use to find out more about their topic. If using InstaGrok students will be able to make new connections to the topic. Students can interact with the links and key facts from all the different connections that are made.

Here is a screenshot of what InstaGrok with United Empire Loyalists as the main subject:

Resources: [| Numero Uno:] This resource is taken from the CBC website it is a mock lesson plan about the United Empire Loyalists. It is useful because it allows you to link back to the episode from Canada A People's History as well as link to other lesson plans in Canadian History making it easy for students and parents to find connections to other topics and issues.

[|Number Two:] This resource has a letter from Major-General Robinson who was speaking before the Empire Club of Canada in 1911. He describes the United Empire Loyalists and the legacy that they brought with them to what became Canada. This resource is a good primary source document that provides a different interpretation of the impact United Empire Loyalists had on the area.

[|Numéro Trois:] In this link you will find a student made video that describes part of the issue with United Empire Loyalists. This would be a great resource to have students dissect the video or to give students ideas of what to do for a project later on in the unit. It must be noted that Anthony's Mom was given Special Thanks for helping with the project!!!

[|Number Four:] Lastly, here is the Thinkfinity link to a lesson plan that describes the role that Aboriginal Peoples had during the late 18th century. They had to pick which side they wanted to support. Who would you choose? Friend or Foe? These were the types of questions that Aboriginal Peoples were asking themselves.