Expert Opinion On Our Project
We were able to hear back from some experts regarding our collaborative project. Check out what Dr. Julie Coiro said….
From: jcoiro@snet.net > Subject: Re: We’d like to have your expert opinion on our project
Hi Omer and Nicole, > Good to hear from you! I would say you are off to a > good start with many interesting ideas! I wasn’t sure > if your project purpose was to help you learn or for > you to teach others what you learn, but here are a > few initial thoughts I had as I read your project > description: > > 1. You wrote “We want to know how individuals use the > multimedia > resources to express their individuality to others as > in Myspace.com and how educational resources like > Starfall.com are using multimedia to teach reading.” > > To make your project compelling to others, I would be > interested in knowing more about why you selected > those two particular uses of technology (e.g., (1) to > teach reading and (2) to create personal space) rather > than others (e.g., constructing responses to > literature, for example, or playing online video games > as another). > > I would also be interested in knowing why you decided > to focus on both of these issues (rather than just > one) in your project. Is there some way these two > ideas are connected? > > In your description, you also mention using technology > to extend content area curricula (other than reading) > as opposed to just “teaching early reading” and you > mention issues of multiple modalities and overlaps > between language, symbols, and multmedia in the > context of Myspace. > > After thinking a little more, I realized that you have > identified lots of interesting issues, but unless you > have a reason for exploring all of them as a group > (technology used to teach reading, foster identity > spaces, explore multiple modalities, and enrich > content area learning), you may wish to select just > one and focus all of your attention on that for your > project. This will give you the opportunity for more > “depth” rather than “breadth” in your project. > > HOWEVER, if your goal, as your title might suggest, is > to better understand the many ways of “reading across > the media”, you may be able to restructure your > explanation a little to say your purpose is to explore > a sampling of the many ways technology is being used > in schools (or in and out of school – since Myspace is > rarely allowed in-school) to enhance an individual’s > knowledge and identity. > > I hope that helps gives you some ideas about where to > head with things. Whatever you choose, be sure to > provide an explanation for why knowing about that > topic is important – this will help you provide a > summary of what you want your audience to walk away > with. > >
Good luck! > 
Julie
