ONLINE DISCUSSION AND LITERATURE CIRCLES Jessica M. DeAtley
What are Online Discussions? Students read novels & fiction/nonfiction related readings Whole-class Student-lead discussions Students pose high level questions to each other & respond Literature Circles Student-lead discussions Students have various jobs as they read & respond Vocabulary Enricher Literacy Luminary Etc.
The Research Behind It Rosenblatt’s Transactional Theory Students bring their life experiences and knowledge to a text Through collaborative discussions, they take on an active and new way of thinking about text New meaning is created through collaboration Rosenblatt, L. (1988). Writing and reading: The transactional theory. (Tech. Rep. No. 416). University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Center for the Study of Reading.
The Research Behind It Vygotsky’s Social Learning Theory Social collaboration plays an important role in cognitive development Students are able to interact, share experiences, and learn from one another Stewart, P. (2009). Facebook and virtual literature circle partnerships: Building a community of readers. American Library Association, 37(4),
The Research Behind It Online discussions of texts… Foster energetic interactions between students and teachers Promote active learning and collaborative learning Students reshape and add to their understanding of a text Motivate students Engage students more than with face-to-face discussions Allow for easier discussions of controversial ideas Prompt deeper critical thinking Kirk, J. J., & Orr, R. L. (2003). A primer on the effective use of threaded discussion forms. (ERIC Documented Reproduction Service No. ED )
The Research Behind It Online discussions of texts… Allows students to craft their responses in writing Essential pieces to the literacy process Everyone gets an equal chance to participate Everyone is held accountable for their participation Shyer students are less fearful Integrates technology Allows students to collaborate more intensely Allows for reflection & reflexivity Bowers-Campbell, J. (2011). Take it out of class: Exploring virtual literature circles. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 54(8), doi: /JAAL
How it Works Wiki Spaces Individual or group webpages for information sharing, discussions, etc. Anyone can have a Wiki Space There are specific K-12 Wiki Spaces that are private for school use Teacher-created and monitored Students do not need to provide an address
How it Works You all have pages and have been added to the 6 th -Grade-Teachers page Please see your name & password sheets Please log on with your passwords and follow along as I explain the components Dashboard 6 th -Grade-Teachers Page Discussion* Notify History Click on “Discussion”
How It Works To start a new thread, click on “New Post” A box with a place for the “Subject” and the “Message” will pop up All other members of the Wiki will be able to view and respond to your post Click on “post” when you are ready to share A sample post and response has been added Click on the post “Online Collaboration” The initial post and responses are listed
Our Text “Take It Out of Class: Exploring Virtual Literature Circles” Insert Strategy to guide reading
Questioning Costa’s Levels of Questioning
Questioning Level 1: What information was collected from the research? Create a bulleted list. Level 2: Why might a teacher might want to incorporate online discussions into her classroom? Analyze her reasoning. Level 3: How can you apply this information to what you are already teaching?
Questioning on Wiki Discussion Modeling New Post Create a new post for each question Subject: “Level 1, 2, or 3 Question” Message: Pose your question Others will respond to each question separately In the “Subject,” the question will be repeated Type your response in the “Message”
Questioning on Wiki After You Post: The Discussion Go back to the Discussion Forum Find at least 3 other posts Reply with a response to the question Five sentences minimum