Abstract: Authorship is changing in the 21st century because of contemporary technologies such as web 2.0 tools and access to mobile devices. Through their own agency, children are increasingly choosing tech-enhanced media, especially since children are given opportunities to be positioned as co-authors when they use these materials. How then do we integrate 21st century technical tools and pedagogies without compromising the integrity of traditional children’s literature? And further, how might educators rely on digital modes in order to re-connect today’s media savvy youth with imaginative and modal authorship opportunities through children’s literature?

Objectives

In this workshop session, one language arts associate professor and one tech education professor come together to demonstrate diverse approaches to tech-enhanced and modal literacies in order to explore co-authorship and responses to children’s literature.  Technologies being featured include: QR codes, slideshows, slowmation animation, Skype in the classroom, and apps. This session is designed to address the comfort level of those new to integrating technologies as well as those with more expertise.

Topical Outline

Research demonstrates that educators may better engage with young audiences when they act as designers of digitally-mediated and multimodal materials (Pahl & Rowsell, 2011; Potts, 2012; Winters & Vratulis, 2012). Previous practices surrounding Language Arts in the classroom (e.g., read-alouds, process writing, creating speeches, current events) may not be as authentic for contemporary young audiences. When using tech-enhanced programming, students can take on the challenge of becoming co-authors. Not only do they read and use interactive storybooks and mobile devices, and use digital tools to create their own books, they can also work directly with professional authors, adapt literature using media, engage in collaborative writing/illustrating, and role play characters moving between virtual and real worlds.  Based on a three-year study of professional authors in the schools and how they used technology during their author visits, this session will demonstrate diverse approaches to tech-enhanced and modal literacies in order to explore digital co-authorship and responses to children’s literature. Specifically, it moves children from simply reading or consuming literature to authoring their own ideas and becoming media producers/co-authors.

Experience Level

Intermediate

Qualifications

The two instructors bring (together) over 30 years of experience in elementary school classrooms and at university teacher education settings. The first instructor's focus has been on multimodal authorship, language arts, and the arts. The second instructor's focus has been on digital pedagogies, integration of technology in daily classroom teaching, and TPACK.