Submit a Piece to the ISTE Literacy Network's Redesigned Professional Journal/Magazine Hybrid

Redesigned Professional Journal/Magazine Hybrid

 The Literacy Network hasn’t published its Journal, Literacy Special Interest for a while and we are anxious to get the next edition out.

EXAMPLES: LSI Issue #5 Winter 2016, LSI Issue #4 June 2015, LSI Issue #3 Spring 2015,  LSI Issue #2 May 2014,  LSI Issue #1 June 2013

We are anxious to receive articles, but would also like to expand the format to include shorter,  less formal items like the following (all of which would be a page to 2 pages in length). These still would list the author and include his or her professional profile. 

Moving forward, we now  intend to accept and publish:

- Full articles, as the journal has been publishing for the past few years (see past editions linked above in which you’ll find plenty of examples). However, those who would like to write and appear in the journal/magazine but who don’t want to do a full article may:

Review a book – Have you read or come across a book you feel connects particularly well with Literacy Instruction? One that others may have overlooked or been unaware of. Give a short summary and an explanation of its application to our field. If available, include a link to a page put up by the publisher or author or a video trailer.

-          Review a Resource - Have you found or used a resource that you feel Literacy Educators will want to know about and/or use in their work? Write a short summary and explain what the resource has to offer, its advantages, etc. Include a link so that colleagues can access it. EXAMPLE: http://literacyspecialinterest.blogspot.com/2017/01/resource-review-write-about-one-stop.html

Recommend an Article – Have you come across an article (one that can be accessed without a paid subscription) that you feel is of particular interest to Literacy Educators? Write a short introductory recommendation, excise some short passage to quote – ones you feel quickly deliver some of the important gist, offer an opinion about the veracity and applicability of what’s discussed in the article, and include a link. EXAMPLE: http://literacyspecialinterest.blogspot.com/2017/02/article-recommendation-theres-key-way.html

-          Spot and Describe a Trend - An interesting content item to produce for our publication would address an early spotted trend. Such a piece might include a series (a minimum of 3) that all point to and establish a commonality around, a concept, or approach, or interest of interest in something for Literacy Educators.

If you are interested in submitting a piece please email literacyspecialinterest@gmail.com

Literacy and Creativity: Essential Skills for 21st Century Students

Spring 2017 ISTE Professional Learning Series
The recording of this session and the slides that were presented are now available (links below)

 













  
Presented by Mark Gura and Evelyn Wassel (2/15/2017)

Discover approaches for making creativity an instructional goal and learn more about the connection between creativity and literacy. We’ll share examples of activities, projects and technology resources. We’ll answer your questions and suggest ways you can learn more.

For the session recording:   http://iste.adobeconnect.com/p3rhjw925qg/ 
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For the slides: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B5tUrttFWf7iejFQWEVpZ0RLWE0/view 

 
The ISTE Professional Learning Series  upcoming offerings

ARTICLE RECOMMENDATION: There’s a key way to get kids to read more books—and enjoy it

ARTICLE RECOMMENDATION:

ARTICLE: There’s a key way to get kids to read more books—and enjoy it

SOURCE: QUARTZ
LINK TO FULL ARTICLE: https://qz.com/897957/how-to-get-kids-to-read-more-books/

RECOMMENDED BY: Mark Gura 

 


Teach kids to love reading, not how to read.

READER REACTION: While this article seems intended to introduce the reader to a ‘for fee’ instructional content providing service (Epic!) the author, a principal with this provider, makes some very good points in it. Importantly, she points out that “All those badges and avatars won’t get kids to persevere with a book if it isn’t geared to the child’s correct reading level or the subject matter isn’t of interest.” And that “Kids look for content that excites them, for language they understand, and for the experience a book will bring them.” Coming from someone who, as she explains, has extensive experience in the Gaming Industry, and is fully aware of the motivational aspects of Gaming and how some instructional resource providers attempt to tap it in order to get kids to read, she see technology as a way to pair kids with real books’ the books, themselves, being the ultimate motivation for reading through the appeal of their themes and content and accessible language. I’ve seen this approach taken by other resource providers and I think it’s an important one that fortunately technology greatly enables.

OPENING 100+ WORDS: “It has become conventional thought that gamification—the application of game-style challenges and rewards to traditional tasks—is changing the way kids learn. If there’s something being taught, it’s almost certain there’s now a gamified way to learn it.

Making teaching methods more entertaining is clearly beneficial for kids; earning badges and unlocking avatars makes online games exciting and engaging, and the same methods can be applied to learning tasks. But as great as it has been in many cases, gamified learning isn’t a long-term solution for children and literacy. Moreover, it’s dragging us away from what the fundamental reward should actually be: reading itself…”

As the founder of what was once one of the largest social-gaming companies, I understand what makes gaming work. But I also understand its limitations…”

LINK TO FULL ARTICLE: https://qz.com/897957/how-to-get-kids-to-read-more-books/