iRead, iThink, iComprehend, and iLearn

Donald J. Leu

The New Literacies Research TeamThe Neag School

University of Connecticut

The New Literacies Research Team

Clint Kennedy

Nicole Timbrell

Cheryl Maykel

Elena Forzani

What I Would Like To Present Today

Share the thinking that informs our work at the New Literacies Research Lab within a CCSS Context.

Introduce A New Form of Authentic Assessment: ORCA (Online Research and Comprehension Assessment).

Present results from several recent studies. Provide instructional suggestions for new

literacies in a time of State Standards/CCSS.

Thoughts That Inform The Work We Do for Teachers and

Children

1. We Live In New Times

Rapid, Disruptive Changes To Literacy Are Happening All Around Us.

Never before has a generation lived through such a period of profound change to literacy, learning, and life.

Traditional,Print Newspapers are Disappearing

2. New Technologies Require New Literacies:“Literacy is not just new today; it becomes new every day of our lives.”

3. New Literacies Are Required by Everyone

4. The Internet Is This Generation’s

Defining Technology For Reading and Learning

One Third of the World’s Population Is Connected to the Internet

5. The Internet is Used Extensively in the Workplace to Increase Productivity.

TeamTeam TeamTeam TeamTeamTeamTeam TeamTeam

Online Research and Comprehension•Define problems1.Locate information2.Evaluate information3.Synthesize and solve problems4.Communicate solutions

The Internet

Recent productivity gains are due to using the Internet to share information, communicate, and solve problems (van Ark, Inklaar, & McGuckin, 2003; Friedman, 2005; Matteucci, O’Mahony, Robinson, & Zwick, 2005).

6. Our Focus Is Online Research

and Comprehension

Defines how we read online when we conduct informal and formal research to learn and develop new knowledge. Identify the problem/question Locate Evaluate Synthesize Communicate

Castek, 2008; Coiro & Dobler, 2007; Henry, 2007; Leu, Castek, Hartman, Coiro, Henry, Kulikowich, & Lyver, 2005;Leu, O’Byrne, Zawilinski, McVerry, & Everett-Cacopardo, 2009; Leu, Kinzer, Coiro, Castek, & Henry, 2013

Castek, 2008; Coiro & Dobler, 2007; Henry, 2007; Leu, Castek, Hartman, Coiro, Henry, Kulikowich, & Lyver, 2005;Leu, O’Byrne, Zawilinski, McVerry, & Everett-Cacopardo, 2009; Leu, Kinzer, Coiro, Castek, & Henry, 2013

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The Common Core State Standards and The Pennsylvania

Common Core Standards: Three Major Changes

1. An Increase in Informational Text Reading.

2. Higher Level Thinking is Emphasized.

3. New, Digital Literacies are Integrated For the First Time.

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These New Literacies Appear at Every Grade Level in CCSS and PCCS

Kindergarten (WS 6 and CC.1.4.K.U)With guidance and support from adults, explore a variety of digital tools to produce and publish writing, including in collaboration with peers.

Grade 3 (WS 8 and CC.1.4.3.W)...gather information from print and digital sources; take brief notes on sources and sort evidence into provided categories.

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Grade 6 (RS 7 and CC.1.2.6.G)Integrate information presented in different media or formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively) as well as in words to develop a coherent understanding of a topic or issue.

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We Should Read The Standards with Both a “Lens to the Past” and a “Lens

to the Future”

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A Lens to the Future

1. “Read closely to determine what the text says explicitly and to make logical inferences from it; cite specific textual evidence when writing or speaking to support conclusions drawn from the text.” or

CC1.2.4.B /E03.B‐C.2.1.1“Refer to details and examples in text to support what the text says explicitly and make inferences.

A Lens to the Past

Narrative Text Inferential

Comprehension

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A Lens to the Future Web site reliability

Who is the author Is the author an

expert? How do you know?

What is the author’s point of view? How do you know?

Is this site reliable? How do you know?

6. “Assess how point of view or purpose shapes the content and style of a text.” orE03.B‐C.1.2.3 B Explain the point of view of the author.

A Lens to the Past Narrative text

What was the author’s point of view?

What was Jacob’s point of view?

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How We Read PCCS Will Determine What We Teach

+

A “Lens to the Past” + a “Lens to the Future”

How Do Students Read Online and Conduct Research: Results From Several Research Projects

The ORCA Project: New performance based assessments of online research and comprehension.

Students are only minimally prepared for online research and comprehension.

There is an achievement gap for online research and comprehension in schools, separate and independent from the reading achievement gap. The rich are getting richer, and the poor are getting poorer because of public policies.

Current Graduate Research AssistantsElena Forzani, Clint Kennedy, Cheryl Maykel, Nicole Timbrell, The University of Connecticut

Previous Graduate Research AssistantsLisa Zawilinski, University of HartfordIan O’Byrne, University of New HavenGreg McVery, University of Southern Connecticut

Scientific Advisory BoardP. David Pearson, The University of California, BerkeleyIrwin Kirsch, Educational Testing ServiceRand Spiro, Michigan State UniversityElizabeth Stage, Lawrence Hall of Science, BerkeleyGlenn Kleimann, Friday Institute, NCSU

Locate

Can the student locate the correct email message in an inbox on the first click?

Can the student use appropriate keywords in a search engine?

Can the student locate the best site for a task from a set of search engine results on the first click?

Can the student locate and communicate the correct website addresses from two different search tasks.

Evaluate

Can the student identify the author of the website?

Can the student evaluate the author's level of expertise?

Can the student identify the author's point of view?

Can the student evaluate the reliability of a website?

Synthesize

Can students provide a summary of one important element from the first website?

Can students use their own words to integrate one detail from each of the first two websites?

Can students use their own words to integrate one detail from each of the second two websites?

Can students use their own words to develop an argument after reading all four websites?

Communicate: Email (Wiki)

Does the student include the correct email address in an email message?

Does the student include an appropriate subject line in an email message?

Does the student include an appropriate greeting in an email message to an important, unfamiliar person?

Does the student compose and send a well-structured, short report of their research in an email with sources and appropriate argument structure, containing at least one relevant claim and at least two pieces of evidence.

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Reading to LocateInformation Online

Reading to LocateInformation Online

Reading to SynthesizeInformation Online

Reading to Critically EvaluateInformation Online

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Reading and Writing to Communicate Information Online: Email Task

How Well Do Students Conduct Online Research and Comprehend?

Students are only minimally prepared.

Average % of Correct Responses

Locate Skills 52.9%

Evaluate Skills 54.3%

Synthesis Skills 64.6%

Communicate Skills 44.4%

TOTAL 54%

Skill % Correct

Reading to Locate Online Information 52.9%

Locate the correct email message in an inbox or the correct section of a wiki.

60.5%

Use appropriate key words in a search engine. 59.5%

Locate the correct site in a set of search engine results. 56.0%

Locate and share correct website addresses in two different search tasks.

33.0%

Reading to Evaluate Online Information 54.3%

Identify the author of a website. 78.5%

Evaluate an author’s level of expertise. 47.5%

Identify an author’s point of view. 51.0%

Evaluate the reliability of a website. 39.5%

Reading to Synthesize Online Information 64.6%

Summarize an important element from one website. 77.5%

Synthesize important elements from two websites. 63.5%

Synthesize important elements from a second set of two websites.

57.0%

Synthesize important elements from websites to develop an argument.

60.5%

Writing to Communicate Online Information 44.4%

Include the correct address in email and make a wiki entry in the correct location.

41.5%

Include an appropriate subject line in email and an appropriate heading in a wiki.

53.0%

Include an appropriate greeting in email and use descriptive voice in a wiki.

49.5%

Compose a short report of research, including sources, in email and wiki.

33.0%

Skill % Correct

What Can We Conclude For Literacy Education?

Integrate The New Literacies of Online Research Into Our Reading and Writing Programs. (Total = 54%)

Focus Particular Attention on Evaluating the Reliability of Online Information. (39.5%)

Focus Particular Attention on All Aspects of Online Communication. (44%)

A Second Study: Students in Rich and Poor School Districts

Leu, D. J., Coiro, J., O’Byrne, W. I., Zawilinski, L., McVerry, J. G., Cacopardo, H., Kennedy, C., & Forzani, E. (2011). Online reading comprehension assessment (ORCA): A preliminary study of online reading comprehension ability in rich and poor school districts. Paper presented at the meeting of the Literacy Research Association. Jacksonville, FL.

In the U.S., The Rich Get Richer and the Poor Get Poorer in Offline Reading.

OFFLINE READING COMPREHENSION: 90/10 Income Achievement & Black-White Gaps

in Reading, 1943-2001 Cohorts

*Adapted from: Reardon, S.F. (2011). The widening academic achievement gap between the rich and the poor: New evidence and possible explanations. In R. Murnane & G. Duncan (Eds.), Whither Opportunity? Rising Inequality and the Uncertain Life Chances of Low-Income Children. New York: Russell Sage Foundation Press.

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Reardon, S.F. (2011). The widening academic achievement gap between the rich and the poor: New evidence and possible explanations. In R. Murnane & G. Duncan (Eds.), Whither Opportunity? Rising Inequality and the Uncertain Life Chances of Low-Income Children. New York: Russell Sage Foundation Press.

Our Study’s School District Differences

West Town East Town

Median Family Income $119,338 $58,981

% of Families Below Poverty Line

2.1% 11.8%

% of Students Eligible for Free/Reduced Price Lunches

4% 67%

A Significant Achievement Gap Existed in Offline Reading

(CT Mastery Test: Reading)

★ t (237) = 14.34 p = .000 eta squared = .466 (large)

West Town (Rich) Mean = 282.6 (SD = 41.54) East Town (Poor) Mean = 215.1 (SD = 31.07)

282.6 215.1

A Significant Achievement Gap Existed in Online Research and

Comprehension Abilities...ORCA-Closed

✴ t (255) = 9.80, p = .000 eta squared = .319 (large) West Town Mean = 15.00 (SD=5.69)

East Town Mean = 7.65 (SD=4.39)

15.00 7.65

...Even When an ANCOVA Analysis Was Conducted

Differences Controlled: Offline Reading + Prior Knowledge

★F (1,234) = 15.84, p = .001 partial eta squared = .063 (medium)

West Town (rich) adjusted mean = 12.96 East Town (poor) adjusted mean = 10.27

12.96 9.27

What Can We Conclude?

A separate achievement gap appears to exist between these rich and poor districts in their ability to conduct online research and comprehend.

It may very well be that current policies at the state level are actually helping the rich get richer and the poor get poorer.

State 1 State 2(laptops)

TOTAL

Locate (8) 4.52 4.64 4.58

Evaluate (8) 3.61 3.32 3.47

Synthesize (8) 6.07 5.86 5.97

Communicate (8)

4.22 4.00 4.11

TOTAL (32) 18.42 17.81 18.13

A Third Study: Comparing Online Research Skills in Two States(n=1,129)

State 1: 4th in Median Family Income/ Few LaptopsState 2: 32nd in Median Family Income/1 to 1 Laptops

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Adjusted Total Mean Scores When Covariates of SES and Prior Knowledge Controlled

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State 1 State 2(laptops)

Adjusted Means 17.56 19.08*

*p < .05 F (1, 1021) = 14.854, p = .000

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What Can We Conclude? Students in a poor state (ranked 32nd in

median family income), with a 1-to-1 laptop initiative, performed as well as students in a rich state (ranked 4th in median family income) in online research and comprehension.

Laptop initiatives for students in our poorest school districts may help to overcome current achievement gaps in online research and comprehension.

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INSTRUCTION: How Can We Prepare PA

Students for a World of New Literacies During a Time Of

CCSS?

Two Classroom Models of Instruction

Grades 2-3: Internet Morning Message of the Day

http://www.epals.com/find-classroom.php

Grade 7: Online International Projects

Hey! Gary Paulson???

O yeah! I got some grat idea. Let me send them to Tomas and Ben in the US

We’re on it! Making a web page now.

Monique, South Africa

Ben and Tomas, Connecticut

Jose, Costa Rica

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Internet Reciprocal Teaching (IRT)

A Three-Phase Model

Phase I: Teacher-led and Student-led Instruction in Cool Tools for Information Use

Phase II: Problem-based Learning of Online Research and Comprehension Skills

Phase III: Internet Inquiry

IRT: Phase IIIInquiry

Initially, within the class. Then, with others around the world.

Internet Morning Message of the Day Student Online Collaborations

Help the last become first with new literacies.

QuickTime™ and aSorenson Video 3 decompressorare needed to see this picture.

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Teach The Online Reading Skills Needed to Locate Information

http://www.google.com/insidesearch/searcheducation/lessons.html

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Play: First Click

Teach Critical Evaluation

Reverse Wikipedia Spoof Site Homework

Require references that include an explanation of why a source was considered reliable.

Integrate Email, a Blog,and a Wiki...use the magic word...“Pilot.”

Mary Castle’s first grade blog http://michellesmelser.blogspot.com/

Mr. Thompson’s second grade classroom bloghttp://gcs.infostreamblogs.org/tthompson

Mary Kreul’s 4th grade classhttp://mskreul.edublogs.org/

Mr. Monson’s Grade 5 Bloghttp://classblogmeister.com/blog.php?blogger_id=59644

TAS Grade 3 ESLhttp://grade3esl.blogspot.com/2008/08/welcome-to-20082009-school-year.html

Change Is Never Easy.How does it look on a bad day?

But, On These Most Difficult of Days, Keep This One Thought In Mind:

The Leadership That You Provide With New Literacies…

Determines The Future That Our Students Achieve in Pennsylvania!

iRead, iThink, iComprehend, and iLearn

Donald J. Leu

The New Literacies Research TeamThe Neag School

University of Connecticut