CyberEnglish

Integrating Technology &
Developing Self-Directed Learners

Presentation to Sheboygan Falls School Board, May 21, 2007

A brief history

• New York beginnings in March 2000
• Governor's Technology Grant
• Began with 1/2 class in 2001 using laptops

Benefits of CyberEnglish

• Engages students at a high level: G&T and SLD
  • Fun! Why this matters
  • Personal (web pages always individual)
• Integrates technology & develops self-directed learners
• Writing on the web changes audience and creates a natural/internal need for revision
• Hypertext helps students connect their learning with what they know; changes roles of reader and writer
• Gets students to be metacognitive: CyberJournals
• Students write for a variety of audiences using a variety of modes/genres
• For parents: calendar (due dates), unit plans, email, and students' web pages

Where we are now

• In our sixth year, still trying to push technology integration
• Beyond webpages: Moodle, Wiki, Blogs?
• New units: Media & You uses a Wiki

Our students' work

• CyberJournals
• Projects: Living Histories (excellent example of using the Web for teacher collaboration), To Kill a Mockingbird, Poetry Journals, and more. Zach, Spencer and Pattarapong's project
• Please explore their sites, realizing that 9th graders are still growing in the writing process. Send them an email to tell them what you think.

Our state and national influence

• Three Wisconsin teachers; Mrs. Brogley, Seymour
  • National: Bill Bass, Paul Turtola, Tom Murphy, and others
• April, two teachers from Gibraltar High School in Door County came to visit. They were impressed and are excited to start their program.
• Queries: Most recently from Virginia Beach
• Invited for the 4th year in a row to talk about CyberEnglish at the NCTE National Convention.

Some information for this site taken from other presentations and webpages.