LRC 585: Literature for Adolescents Spring 2006 Facilitator: Judi Moreillon

The purpose of this learning experience is to extend our class inquiry into issues of related to young adult literature and to integrate technology tools into our discussion. Individual students, small groups, and/or the course facilitator may initiate discussions. The discussions are found on our Polis Web Course Homesite.

For your Southwest Children's Literature Web site project, you will engage with high school students using Polis as well.

Remember: When you post to Polis, be sure to create a memorable subject line. This will invite your classmates to read and respond to your postings. You must sign your postings in order to get credit for them!

You are invited and encouraged to utilize Polis to create a new discussion forum and post your questions, concerns, and comments on any topic pertinent to this course at any time during the semester.

Research into Online Dialogue:

There is a growing body of research on the impact of the online environment on learning. For students who are regular users of chatrooms, listservs, and online bulletin boards, electronic conversations are another communication tool - a combination of writing a note or a letter with the immediacy of a telephone connection.

Researchers have discovered that preservice classroom teachers have found the online environment to be supportive for developing both individual and collective understandings of complex issues (Johnson, 1999; Moreillon, 2003). Johnson (1999) found that "electronic discussions involve participants in self-analysis, reflection on past experience, negotation of concepts and ideas, and ultimately the formation of new perspectives" (p. 58). Moreillon (2003) found that shy or reluctant face-to-face communicators were more comfortable in the online environment and that controversial topics were openly explored as a result of the relative anonymity of the digital discussions. Leu and Leu (1999) found that online discussions create a forum for peer collaboration.

Utilizing technology as a tool for student-centered learning is one goal of this course. In addition to our classroom discusions, we have an opportunity to explore online the concept of difference using 21st century tools. I am most interested in your assessment on this aspect of the inquiry project, which will be part of your reflection.

References:

Johnson, D. (1999). Electronic Collaboration: Children's Literature in the Classroom, The Reading Teacher, 53(1), pp. 54-60.

Leu, D. & Lew, D. (1999). Teaching with the Internet: Lessons from the Classroom. Norwood, MA: Christopher-Gordon.

Moreillon, J. (2003). Digital Discussions: La Esperanza in the Shared Virtual Classroom. Reading Online, 6(10). Available: http://www.readingonline.org/articles/art_index.asp?HREF=/articles/moreillon2/

Click here to access the Polis Web Course Homesite for this course.

Main Page

Course Schedule

SW Children's Lit Web Site