keynote collabconventionnov2010

1Ruslana Westerlund Collaboration Convention 2010

English learners in the English learners in the digital age:digital age:natives, immigrants, or natives, immigrants, or outsiders?outsiders?

Ruslana Westerlund, Ed.D. (Cand.)Collaboration Convention and

unConference, November 11-12, 20102

Ruslana Westerlund Collaboration Convention 2010

Questions to be Questions to be addressed:addressed:If our students are tomorrow’s world

citizens, are we serving as agents of change to close not only the achievement gap, but also the digital gap that exists among our students?

Do we view technology literacy as literacy worthy of our pursuit?

Do we have a sense of urgency to prepare our students to be engaged digital citizens or do we still believe that media competes with literacy?

What are the costs of the digital exclusion to our schools, communities, and the world?


Social Inclusion & Social Inclusion & DemocracyDemocracy

““To communicate in the post-To communicate in the post-modern society is the power modern society is the power to interact with networks of to interact with networks of

information. It is not sufficient information. It is not sufficient to have a free mind, if our to have a free mind, if our words cannot circulate like words cannot circulate like

the words of others.”the words of others.”

Sergio Amadeu de SilvaSergio Amadeu de SilvaThe National Institute of Information Technology, The National Institute of Information Technology,

San Paulo BrazilSan Paulo Brazil


Digital Divide in the U.S.Digital Divide in the U.S.The digital divide occurs along racial

and ethnic lines, where income, language, social networks, and education influencin technology access and literacy (2005 data):

77% of white children have Internet access at home, compared to 40% of black and Latino children. 86% of white children have a home computer, while only half of black and Latino children do.

American Indians have lower rates of computer ownership and Internet access than whites.


Offline in AmericaOffline in Americasource: U.S. Department of Commerce, A Nation source: U.S. Department of Commerce, A Nation Online, 2004Online, 2004


““Don’t need it, not interested Don’t need it, not interested in it.”in it.”18% of those not online answered:

◦ “I’m not interested in anything on the Internet.”This exceeds the 12% who said they either

weren’t sure who to use the Internet or couldn’t afford a computer.1

A Children’s Partnership report on online content reveals “not interested” means “content/information is not designed for me, or my family or my community”.2

1.Pew Internet and American Life Study, 20052. Wendy Lazarus and Francisco Mora “Online Content for Low-

Income and Underserved Americans: The Digital Divide's New Frontier”


CONTENT, NOT ACCESS BARRIERS AND CONTENT, NOT ACCESS BARRIERS AND SOLUTIONSSOLUTIONS


e lingua franca?e lingua franca? 70% of website 70% of website

pages are in Englishpages are in English

70% of the worlds 70% of the worlds population doesn’t population doesn’t speak English as speak English as their primary their primary languagelanguage

2000 U.S. census: 2000 U.S. census:

18% of residents 18% of residents report English is not report English is not the primary the primary language spoken at language spoken at homehome


Deeper Causes for THE Digital Divide

a generational issue

a cultural issue

an educational issue: do you have the basic training to use it?

I’m hungry. If we had a computer, we would have been able to order it on the computer

Julian: Mom, can you make some blueberry muffins?Mom: Julian, I don’t have a recipe to make blueberry muffins.Julian (age 5): You can google it.


Left brain, right brain, new Left brain, right brain, new brainbrainThe Internet is nothing less than the equivalent of a the development of phonetic alphabet in ancient Greece.Students are acquiring new desirable skills:

◦Networking◦Associative Logic◦Graphic Literacy◦ Information Space◦Multi-tasking


Power of ICTPower of ICT

User-driven media is exploding around the globe – this is not a western fad

Blogs are being created in places like China and Singapore, where traditional media is restricted

Human rights and indigenous democracy movements benefit from instant, international attention


Power of ICTPower of ICTPeople without a voice in the

mainstream media or with limited political representation can use the Internet to become active participants in civil discourse and engage others in campaigns for positive change.

Let’s look at some examples


Burma VJ: Reporting from a Burma VJ: Reporting from a closed countryclosed country


“Students see themselves as change-makers!”

Multimedia enhances project-based learning (Edutopia Expeditionary Learning) Students as Critical Consumers of Media

reThink Literacy…reThink Literacy…ICT provides new opportunities

for knowledge creation, should we expand our (centuries-old) definition and our assumptions of literacy?

What is your definition of literacy?

Discuss with the people at your table.


Technology Literacy is:Technology Literacy is:The ability to responsibly,

creatively, and effectively use appropriate technology to:◦Communicate◦Access, collect, manage, integrate,

and evaluate information◦Solve problems and create solutions◦Build and share knowledge; and◦Improve and enhance learning in all

subject areas and experiences.19

Ruslana Westerlund Collaboration Convention 2010

ISTE’s National Educational ISTE’s National Educational Technology Standards for Technology Standards for StudentsStudentsCreativity and Innovation: students

should be able to use technology and their existing knowledge to generate new ideas, products, processes.

Communication and Collaboration: students should be able to work collaboratively, both in person and at a distance, and to communicate ideas effectively to multiple audiences using new media.


ISTE’s National Educational ISTE’s National Educational Technology Standards for Technology Standards for StudentsStudentsResearch and information fluency:

students should be able to use a variety of digital media to locate, organize, analyze, and evaluate information from a variety of sources.

Critical thinking, problem solving, and decision making: students should be able to define problems, plan and conduct research, and identify solutions using digital tools and resources.

ISTE’s National Educational ISTE’s National Educational Technology Standards for Technology Standards for StudentsStudentsDigital citizenship: students should

take responsibility for their own lifelong learning and should practice safe, legal, and ethical use of information and digital tools.

Technology operations and concepts: Students should understand technology systems, select and use technology applications effectively, and be able to troubleshoot systems and applications.

Are your English learners working toward meeting these standards or are they falling through the net?


Ruslana Westerlund Collaboration Convention 2010 24

Learning: Engage and Learning: Engage and EmpowerEmpower


National Education Technology Plan 2010 released November 2010. US Department of Education. Office of Educational Technology

Assessment: Measure What Assessment: Measure What MattersMatters



Teaching: Prepare and Teaching: Prepare and ConnectConnect



reThink assumptions…Rethink basic assumptions about

◦“seat-time” measures of educational attainment created in 1800’s.

◦Age-determined groups,◦Structure separate academic

disciplines,◦Organize learning into classes of

roughly equal size with all the students in a particular class receiving the same content at the same pace, and keep these groups place all year

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School of One

Working toward Social Working toward Social InclusionInclusionTechnology should combat social

exclusion, not reinforce it“Access” is not about computers

and the Internet – it’s about social inclusion and equity

Participation in the global, knowledge-based economy requires the ability to access and manage information


Closing questions:Closing questions:

Define your current reality: Are your English Learners digital natives, immigrants, or outsiders?

Vision for the future: Where do you want your students to be?

Getting it done: What are the next steps you can take?


References:References:

Cummins, J., Brown, K., Sawyers, D. (2007) Literacy, technology, and diversity. Teaching for success in changing times. Boston, MA: Allyn Bacon.

Transforming American Education: Learning Powered by Technology. National Education Technology Plan 2010 released November 2010. US Department of Education. Office of Educational Technology http://www.ed.gov/sites/default/files/netp2010.pdf

Lazarus, W.,& Mora, F. (2005) “Online Content for Low-Income and Underserved Americans: The Digital Divide's New Frontier”


keynote collabconventionnov2010

Education

internet access

definition of literacy

assumptions of literacy

digital age

rethink literacy ict

pew internet

home computer

computer julian