1. Cloud Literacies:
Opportunities and Challenges
of Teaching "In the Cloud"
Anne Sherrieb, Ruth Fox Elementary School
Beth Stradinger, Ruth Fox Elementary School
Paul Morsink, Michigan State University

2. Amber White Anne Wood
Ruth Fox Elementary School, North Branch

5. Cloud Literacies:
Opportunities and Challenges
of Teaching "In the Cloud"
Anne Sherrieb, Ruth Fox Elementary School
Beth Stradinger, Ruth Fox Elementary School
Paul Morsink, Michigan State University

6. Changing literacy tools & literacy environments
2002 teacher tools
2012 teacher & student tools
2002 student tools

7. What are "Cloud literacies"?
Why are "Cloud literacies" important?

8. What are "Cloud literacies"?

9. What are "Cloud literacies"?

10. What are "Cloud literacies"?
• 21st century digital literacies for creating & communicating
meaning through wikis, social bookmarking tools,
presentation tools, spreadsheets, etc. on the Internet.
Why are "Cloud literacies" important?

11. What are "Cloud literacies"?
• 21st century digital literacies for creating & communicating
meaning through wikis, social bookmarking tools,
presentation tools, spreadsheets, etc. on the Internet.
Why are "Cloud literacies" important?

12. What are "Cloud literacies"?
• 21st century digital literacies for creating & communicating
meaning through wikis, social bookmarking tools,
presentation tools, spreadsheets, etc. on the Internet.
• literacies shaped by the fact of being on the Internet--i.e.,
easily shared, more collaborative, easily connected to
other digital resources, etc.
Why are "Cloud literacies" important?

13. What are "Cloud literacies"?
• 21st century digital literacies for creating & communicating
meaning through wikis, social bookmarking tools,
presentation tools, spreadsheets, etc. on the Internet.
• literacies shaped by the fact of being on the Internet--i.e.,
easily shared, more collaborative, easily connected to
other digital resources, etc.
Why are "Cloud literacies" important?

14. What are "Cloud literacies"?
• 21st century digital literacies for creating & communicating
meaning through wikis, social bookmarking tools,
presentation tools, spreadsheets, etc. on the Internet.
• literacies shaped by the fact of being on the Internet--i.e.,
easily shared, more collaborative, easily connected to
other digital resources, etc.
Why are "Cloud literacies" important?
• Cloud-based tools give anyone with an Internet connection
unprecedented options for composing, collaborating,
sharing, presenting, publishing, etc.

15. What are "Cloud literacies"?
• 21st century digital literacies for creating & communicating
meaning through wikis, social bookmarking tools,
presentation tools, spreadsheets, etc. on the Internet.
• literacies shaped by the fact of being on the Internet--i.e.,
easily shared, more collaborative, easily connected to
other digital resources, etc.
Why are "Cloud literacies" important?
• Cloud-based tools give anyone with an Internet connection
unprecedented options for composing, collaborating,
sharing, presenting, publishing, etc.

16. What are "Cloud literacies"?
• 21st century digital literacies for creating & communicating
meaning through wikis, social bookmarking tools,
presentation tools, spreadsheets, etc. on the Internet.
• literacies shaped by the fact of being on the Internet--i.e.,
easily shared, more collaborative, easily connected to
other digital resources, etc.
Why are "Cloud literacies" important?
• Cloud-based tools give anyone with an Internet connection
unprecedented options for composing, collaborating,
sharing, presenting, publishing, etc.
• beyond the specific skills students can acquire, and the
specific tasks they can accomplish, a "Cloud mindset"
equips students to be more creative, collaborative, etc.

17. Our plan for the next 50 minutes
• Give specific examples of Cloud literacies
• Talk about what Cloud literacies can look like from a
student's perspective
• Talk about what Cloud literacies can look like from a
teacher's perspective
• Talk about benefits and drawbacks of Cloud literacies
• Describe some steps and stages of implementation
• Reserve time at the end for Q&A

18. What are some examples of "Cloud
literacies" in action?
• writing collaboratively in Google Docs ways
• building a writer's resource center with PBworks
• composing multimedia poems with Prezi
• discovering new ways to talk about books with GoodReads
• following news stories with Dogonews.com and
Tweentribune.com
• building a portfolio with Weebly

19. 6th graders writing collaboratively
with Google Docs
Authors and editors can write
comments in the margin

20. 6th graders writing collaboratively
with Google Docs
"Revision history" shows who
wrote or edited what, when.

21. Student Perceptions: Writing in the Cloud
http://youtu.be/bSm9agkuc-I

22. Student Perceptions: Writing in the Cloud
http://youtu.be/bSm9agkuc-I

23. Student Perceptions: Writing in the Cloud
http://youtu.be/0OLtIT-kLMg

24. Student Perceptions: Writing in the Cloud
http://youtu.be/0OLtIT-kLMg

25. 5th and 6th graders building a writer's
resource center with PBworks

26. 5th and 6th graders building a writer's
resource center with PBworks

27. 5th and 6th graders building a writer's
resource center with PBworks

28. 5th and 6th graders building a writer's
resource center with PBworks
http://screencast.com/t/
eAZnl1Uqh

29. 6th graders discovering new ways to
talk about books with GoodReads

30. 6th graders discovering new ways to
talk about books with GoodReads

31. 6th graders discovering new ways to
talk about books with GoodReads
http://screencast.com/t/6a4RPnabz

32. 6th graders discovering new ways to
talk about books with GoodReads
http://screencast.com/t/6a4RPnabz

33. 6th graders discovering new ways to
talk about books with GoodReads
How students feel about GoodReads Who students share GoodReads with
How often students log in to Good Student Preference for Writing
Reads Summaries in GR or on Paper

34. &
5th and 6th graders reading the news online at
Dogonews.com and Tweentribune.com

35. &

36. 5th graders making multimedia poems
with Prezi

37. 5th graders making multimedia poems
with Prezi

38. 5th graders making multimedia poems
with Prezi
http://screencast.com/t/NbJTncGZ

39. 5th graders making multimedia poems
with Prezi
http://screencast.com/t/NbJTncGZ

40. 6th graders creating a portfolio of their
work with Weebly

41. 6th graders creating a portfolio of their
work with Weebly

42. 6th graders creating a portfolio of their
work with Weebly

43. What's the difference? (for students)

44. What's the difference? (for students)

45. What's the difference? (for students)
• More ways for students to collaborate with
each other (in the classroom and from
home).

46. What's the difference? (for students)
• More ways for students to collaborate with
each other (in the classroom and from
home).
• More varied ways for students to participate
and contribute.

47. What's the difference? (for students)
• More ways for students to collaborate with
each other (in the classroom and from
home).
• More varied ways for students to participate
and contribute.
• In general, more interactions between
students and between students and each
other's work.

48. What's the difference? (for students)
• More ways for students to collaborate with
each other (in the classroom and from
home).
• More varied ways for students to participate
and contribute.
• In general, more interactions between
students and between students and each
other's work.
• More multi-modal composition and learning.

49. What's the difference? (for students)
• More ways for students to collaborate with
each other (in the classroom and from
home).
• More varied ways for students to participate
and contribute.
• In general, more interactions between
students and between students and each
other's work.
• More multi-modal composition and learning.
• Heightened sense of having an audience.

50. What's the difference? (for students)
• More ways for students to collaborate with
each other (in the classroom and from
home).
• More varied ways for students to participate
and contribute.
• In general, more interactions between
students and between students and each
other's work.
• More multi-modal composition and learning.
• Heightened sense of having an audience.
• Better/easier access to past work.

51. What's the difference? (for students)
• More ways for students to collaborate with
each other (in the classroom and from
home).
• More varied ways for students to participate
and contribute.
• In general, more interactions between
students and between students and each
other's work.
• More multi-modal composition and learning.
• Heightened sense of having an audience.
• Better/easier access to past work.
• Higher level of engagement in general.

52. What's the difference? (for students)
• More ways for students to collaborate with
each other (in the classroom and from
home).
• More varied ways for students to participate
and contribute.
• In general, more interactions between
students and between students and each
other's work.
• More multi-modal composition and learning.
• Heightened sense of having an audience.
• Better/easier access to past work.
• Higher level of engagement in general.
• Students involved in making more choices
about communication.

53. What's the difference? (for teachers)

54. What's the difference? (for teachers)

55. What's the difference? (for teachers)
• More varied interactions with students.

56. What's the difference? (for teachers)
• More varied interactions with students.
• More ways to differentiate instruction.

57. What's the difference? (for teachers)
• More varied interactions with students.
• More ways to differentiate instruction.
• More ways to structure classroom activities.

58. What's the difference? (for teachers)
• More varied interactions with students.
• More ways to differentiate instruction.
• More ways to structure classroom activities.
• More incentive to keep learning--about new
tools, updates to familiar tools, new ways to
integrate technology, etc.

59. What's the difference? (for teachers)
• More varied interactions with students.
• More ways to differentiate instruction.
• More ways to structure classroom activities.
• More incentive to keep learning--about new
tools, updates to familiar tools, new ways to
integrate technology, etc.
• Less teacher-centric instruction; students
spend more time than before working
independently or in groups.

60. What's the difference? (for teachers)
• More varied interactions with students.
• More ways to differentiate instruction.
• More ways to structure classroom activities.
• More incentive to keep learning--about new
tools, updates to familiar tools, new ways to
integrate technology, etc.
• Less teacher-centric instruction; students
spend more time than before working
independently or in groups.
• More things to keep track of and to
"manage" (e.g., students' IDs and passwords).

61. What's the difference? (for teachers)
• More varied interactions with students.
• More ways to differentiate instruction.
• More ways to structure classroom activities.
• More incentive to keep learning--about new
tools, updates to familiar tools, new ways to
integrate technology, etc.
• Less teacher-centric instruction; students
spend more time than before working
independently or in groups.
• More things to keep track of and to
"manage" (e.g., students' IDs and passwords).
• More sharing of resources and ideas among
colleagues.

62. What's the difference? (for teachers)
• More varied interactions with students.
• More ways to differentiate instruction.
• More ways to structure classroom activities.
• More incentive to keep learning--about new
tools, updates to familiar tools, new ways to
integrate technology, etc.
• Less teacher-centric instruction; students
spend more time than before working
independently or in groups.
• More things to keep track of and to
"manage" (e.g., students' IDs and passwords).
• More sharing of resources and ideas among
colleagues.
• New opportunities for creativity and
innovation.

63. Affordances and Constraints
• For each of these tools, there are affordances and
constraints, advantages and disadvantages.
• Making wise use of these tools is all about being
selective, flexible, and adaptive. The key thing is to
maximize the affordances of tools you use while
minimizing the impact of their constraints.
• Also: beware of letting the tools take over. Stay
focused on your curricular goals.
• Maybe the most important thing--for us, as teachers,
and for our students: developing a "Cloud mindset."

64. Affordances and Constraints
So how do the affordances and constraints--the
benefits and the drawbacks--of these Cloud tools
"stack up"?

65. Google Docs
• Students can access and • Some glitches with Google
share anywhere, anytime Docs (e.g., pages that are
• No piles of notebooks to slow to load or refresh)
carry around • Students have to remember
• Files are never lost--previous their own passwords
drafts can be located using • Requires Internet access
the revision history feature • Could require printing
• Peer commenting on drafts is • May limit handwriting
made easier

66. PBworks
• No student email address • Requires Internet access
required • Could limit the amount of
• Gives shy students a chance handwriting students do
to share their writing and • Students need to
feedback without reading it remember logins and
aloud passwords
• Gives students a larger • Students need to know how
audience to type somewhat quickly
• Creative freedom or time is wasted
• Prepares students for using
other Web tools

67. GoodReads
• Exposes students to a much • Students need an email
wider variety of books than address
the school and classroom • Social features can be
libraries distracting
• Gets students excited about • Students need to
and talking about books remember logins and
• Offers "new" opportunities passwords
for students to interact with • Students can view other
books--and each other people's reviews or topics--
• Allows students to interact including inappropriate
with published authors ones

68. Weebly
• Student interest and • Must have computer &
participation is strong Internet access to use/
• Lends itself to individual update
student creativity--re. layout, • Privacy settings may be a
what to include, etc. concern
• Saves paper • Students need to have their
• Once created, a Weebly site own email address
can become a permanent • Does not print to paper
portfolio for students to well
continue using in subsequent
years

69. The importance of content & purpose
• Our key insight: "it all depends..."
• No absolute ranking of tools
• Usefulness depends on your content and purpose
• Usefulness of a given tool will vary from one day,
one purpose, to the next
• Perceived usefulness and actual usefulness of a
given tool will vary with the teacher's level of
expertise
• Perceived usefulness and actual usefulness of a
given tool will vary with students' level of expertise

70. When choosing a Cloud tool...
Some factors to weigh:
learning goals?
collaboration?
ownership?
permanence?
creativity?
content focus?
teacher filtering/control?
accessibility?
privacy?
scaffolding/templating?
learning supports?

71. The _______?______ path to implementation
steep? bumpy? exhilarating? roller-coaster-like?
Ideas for first steps
• start small, pick one project or Cloud tool
• patience and persistence are virtues
• let students and other faculty help
• focus on your purpose for using a tool, not everything you
do or don't yet know about it
• be willing to take risks and make mistakes
Things to keep in mind
• the more you offer your students now, the more prepared
they will be as future students and adults
• by exposing students to useful tools that they can use for
free 24/7/365, you're building "learning infrastructure"

72. Questions?

73. Questions?
Here are a few that are on our minds:
• What other factors affect students' likely success with,
and response to, Cloud literacies? (cf. the 2 "not good"
and the 4 "okay" responses to Anne's survey about
GoodReads)
• What prior knowledge and/or experiences with the
Internet may be prerequisites for successful engagement
with Cloud literacies?
• At the school building level, what other factors can
impact a teacher's success with integrating Cloud
literacies?

74. Thank you!
Anne Sherrieb, Ruth Fox Elementary School
Beth Stradinger, Ruth Fox Elementary School
Paul Morsink, Michigan State University