The Internet is the dominant text of this generation. In order to be considered fully literate, individuals need to be able to read, write, and participate using the web. It is a paradox that history’s first generation of always connected individuals does not have the skills and practices necessary to survive, let alone succeed in…
I’m teaching a course on slam poetry as part of our first year experience (FYE) initiative here at CofC. This course is titled the “Revolutionary Poets Society” and it is a reboot of an after-school club I facilitated when I was teaching middle school. The Revolutionary Poets Society focuses on global opportunities to respond to the demands…
According to existing laws of war and international human rights accords, children and schools (i.e., learning environments) are supposed to be protected when in warzones. In 1949, The Geneva Convention established rules that occupying powers must “facilitate the proper working of [educational facilities]” and even provide education for children who are displaced because of war.…
In earlier posts I discussed formative and/or summative assessments, and journaling as a good opportunity for implementing one form of formative assessment. Several readers reached out and asked that I drill down into assessments a bit more to explain these processes. In this post I’ll describe the six categories, or criteria that can be used…
Journaling is like whispering to one’s self and listening at the same time.Mina Murray In an earlier post, I discussed formative and summative assessments, and how they can provide opportunities to support learners. Assessment is a fundamental component of the teaching & learning process. Formative & summative assessments can provide meaningful opportunities to meet the…
In this post I’ll discuss assessment, a fundamental component of the teaching & learning processes. I’ll then describe formative & summative assessments, which can provide meaningful opportunities to meet diverse needs of students. Learning Pathways It’s important to first note that learning isn’t linear. If we were to think about the pathways that brought us…
The Department of Teacher Education at the College of Charleston supports educators across South Carolina. Help us collectively advocate for educational reform during #AllOutMay1. This day of reflection, rallying, and conversation with legislators is for the benefit of all citizens, including students, families, administrators, schools, businesses, and communities across the state. For more on why…
Creation of digital stories in the classroom is a powerful instructional technique that has the potential to transform learning for students. Digital stories are portable as they are documented and shared via digital texts and tools. This allows the teachers to document the work process and product of the learner, while allowing the students to…
Storytelling has a rich tradition, and it has evolved and expanded to assume a dynamic, contemporary presence across settings and functions. Telling stories allows individuals to narrate our own experiences, and explore or pronounce fundamental elements of our identity. According to Bruner (1986), “[Narrative] deals in human or human-like intention and action and the vicissitudes…
Last week I posted this piece about digital literacy, and a request to have you help us define what it means to be digitally literate. There are three reasons for this request. The first is that I’m regularly studying and thinking about literacy practices in online and hybrid spaces. I want to make sure that…