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Running Head: INTEGRATING TECHNOLOGY IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS CLASSROOM

Integrating Technology in The English Language Arts Classroom
Allison Reid
NC State University
Dr. Oliver
ECI 511

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Technology Integration in the Language Arts classroom is tricky. This is partially
because the expectations of the curriculum in the English Language Arts (ELA) classroom are
vast and changing with the advent of the new Common Core Curriculum. In the ELA classroom,
teachers are expected to teach writing, grammar, and literature: three subjects that, in the college
world, are usually three separate courses (though, in this paper, I will focus on reading
comprehension). One of the challenges of teaching ELA is finding a balance between these three
disciplines that still affords time to meet all of the objectives laid out by the State. Many ELA
teachers are overwhelmed with the overlap in expectations. For example, In Wake County, there
is still a Required Reading List for each level in high school, though we have moved to the
Common Core standards. In other words, as a county, we havent completely made the shift and
are doing Common Core (which requires delving in depth into non-fiction texts and US seminal
documents) in addition to the old way of teaching the classic canons of literature. This creates
time constraints that are daunting. Integrating technology, understandably, is considered just
one more thing being added, and many teachers are reticent to try it in addition to tackling the
new curriculum. As engagement with media and technology increases in youth culture, it
encourages educators to consider ways to connect this enthusiasm to school content (Borthwick,
Charles, Pierson, et. al, 2008, p. 23), so this incorporation is worth the effort and perceived risk.
Luckily, there are two reasons why these teachers will integrate technology anyway. For
starters, 21
st
century skills, and digital literacy (electracy) are part and parcel of the Common
Core Standards, so teachers are expected to do this. In addition, utilizing technology to help
students construct their own knowledge about language is fantastic way to leverage resources
and effectively push students to master the new standards. Honestly, it cant be done without
technology. In order to meet the stringent demands of the ELA classroom, teachers must
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leverage the power of digital media in smart and meaningful ways in order to prepare students
for the future. New ways of teaching must be utilized- teachers should not just use technology
for the sake of technology. In their article, Realizing Technology Potential through TPACK,
the writers note that People are becoming aware that technology, pedagogy, and content are
equally important in making connections to instructional objectives in school (Borthwick,
Charles, Pierson, et. al, 2008, p. 23). Incorporating sound pedagogy with technology is essential
to effective integration.
There are many types of digital media that can assist the ELA teacher in meeting all the
standards effectively that were not previously available, including video, simulations,
collaborative online tools, and gaming. Sherer and Shea (2002) argued that certain new
technologies create opportunities for designing student work outside of the classroom that
engage students in their learning and result in enhanced in-class participation. Leveraging these
technologies maximizes time and productivity within the classroom. For example, using video in
the ELA classroom provides numerous opportunities for students to connect and engage with the
content. Sherer and Shea (2011) also outline four different types of assignments using video:
listening and writing assignments (students watch video and then respond to questions in writing
or in discussion), student production assignments (students produce their own video on topic),
collecting and archiving assignments (students collect and archive online video clips as part of a
class community project, then respond to questions from teacher and/or peers),and finally,
short presentation assignments (where students search for videos and then present an analysis
and solicit feedback) (p. 58). Most of these project types meet all three of the strands in the
Common Core Standards (Writing, Reading, and Speaking and Listening). Of particular note is
the way speaking and listening through presentations and collaboration are included as an
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integral part of projects, not as an add on. This directly addresses the new Common Core
standards.
Simulations and games offer the ELA teacher a form of engagement with content not
available through traditional print-based material. In this type of instruction, students build on
previous knowledge and experiences in order to construct new knowledge. One of the
advantages of simulations, as noted by Beckem and Watkins (2011), is that most learning
institutions have a hard enough time providing experiential opportunities for students, much less,
the ability to actually measure student outcomes from these experiences (p.64). Simulations
allow the teacher to reach students at their individual entry levels, scale instruction throughout
the classroom, and receive valuable feedback based on student performance. Furthermore,
augmented reality simulations allow students to learn content while collaborating face to face
and interacting with a multimedia-enhanced version of the world around them (Mitchell and
DeBay, 2012). New technologies like simulations and augmented reality afford students
opportunities to explore and create in an environment where it is safe to take risks and make
mistakes.
Gaming has a similar appeal in the ELA classroom regarding engagement and collaboration.
Though many are reluctant to embrace such fun tactics in class, studies have shown that
utilizing gaming technologies and strategies within the classroom boasts significant gains for
students. Reading comprehension, in particular, is an area where marked growth has been shown
in students. In their article, Apperley and Walsh (2012) argue that by including the reading,
writing and design of digital game paratexts in the literacy curriculum, teachers can actively and
legitimately include digital games in their literacy instruction (p.115). Paratexts are both the
texts and the surrounding material that frame their consumption, shape the readers experience of
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the text and give meaning to the act of reading (Apperley and Walsh, 2012, p.116). ELA
teachers can capitailize on students heightened interest in these games, because they typically
must read and comprehend many levels beyond what they prove they can read in print-based
scenarios. Not only must they read-up, they must also comprehend at a level that they can
accurately apply what they have read in the context of the games. This type of active
engagement in their learning (and reading) ensures that the students is constructing knowledge
through his or her experiences, not merely receiving content that will likely be forgotten after the
teachers assessment. The relevance from the students perspective increases engagement, the
higher level of the paratexts pushes reading comprehension levels, and the active application of
the acquired knowledge construct knowledge in a way that a student is likely to retain and apply
it way beyond the context of the class. Miller notes on her article on multimodal literacy that,
over the past two decades, technological and cultural contexts have produced a shift in the
notion of literacy from the conventional sense of reading and writing only print text to an
enlarged sense of reading and writing multiple forms of non-print "texts," as well (2012, p. 61).
The use of paratexts in the ELA classroom to increase literacy aligns with Millers assertion.
Steven Johnson is quoted in an article by Ben Williamson, saying that, computer games are
good for the brain because they force you to decide, choose, or prioritize (2009). This is a real
paradigm shift in educational theory because with the new demands of curriculum, teachers must
engage students in new ways to maximize learning and to prepare students for a future that does
not exist yet. Allowing students a chance to make these decisions in a safe, simulated
environment while increasing both their text and digital literacy is a win-win for both educators
and students.
English Language Arts teachers need to utilize videos, simulations and gaming experiences
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within their classrooms in order to build on students prior knowledge and experiences and to
push each student toward growth. These types of digital experiences allow students to still reach
and exceed the goals of the Common Core because they build knowledge in different ways than
our previous and antiquated pedagogies allow. Students need to build, make decisions,
collaborate (debate and reach concensus) with their peers, and digital technologies provide this
experience in ways that books and lectures cannot.




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References
Apperley, T. and Walsh, C. (2012). What Digital Games And Literacy Have In Common: A
Heuristic For Understanding Pupils Gaming Literacy. Literacy, 46 (3), 115-122.
Beckem II, J. M., and Watkins, M. 2012. Bringing Life To Learning: Immersive Experiential
Learning Simulations For Online And Blended Courses.
Borthwick, A., Charles, M., Pierson, M., Thompson, A., Park, J., Searson, M., and Bull, G. 2008.
Realizing Technology Potential with TPACK. Learning & Leading with Technology. 23-26.
Buchanan, K., and Vanden Elzen, A.M. (2012). Beyond a Fad: Why Video Games Should Be
Part of 21st Century Libraries. Education Libraries, 35 (1-2), 15-33.
Miller, S.M. (2007). English Teacher Learning for New Times: Digital Video Composing as
Multimodal Literacy Practice. English Education. 40 (1), 61-83.
Mitchell, R., DeBay, D. (2012). Get Real: Augmented Reality for the Classroom. Learning &
Leading with Technology, 40 (2),16-21.
Sherer, P., & T. Shea. 2002. Designing courses outside the classroom: New opportunities with
the electronic delivery toolkit. College Teaching 50 (1):1520.
Sherer, P., & T. Shea. 2011. Using Online Video to Support Student Learning and Engagement.
College Teaching 59:56-59.
Williamson, B. (2009). Computer Games, Schools, and Young People: A Report for Educators
on Using Games for Learning. Futurelab, 1-43.