FOR-PD would like to welcome all of our new participants to the spring 2008 course. If you are a new participant, you should be sent your login and password from our office by 5PM EST today. Remember to save this e-mail as it has important information that you may need even after the course is over, including your facilitator’s e-mail address.As you begin lesson 1, remember to take time to carefully read over the course content. Lesson 1 covers important information including participant expectations, the course schedule, and helpful hints on how to prepare for our course.
Our office is here to help and support you. We hope you have a fantastic literacy journey.
Best wishes,
FOR-PD Staff
Florida Online Reading Professional Development
12443 Research Parkway Suite 402
Orlando, FL 32826
866-227-7261 (Administrative Office - Toll Free, Florida Calls Only)
407-207-4965 (Fax)
Where do teenagers find their news online? Can they find “real” news? What is news to a typical teenager?
A new research report has just been announced with the purpose of identifying what drives online news consumption of teenagers. Funded by the Media Management Center and the McCormick Tribune Foundation, this study is based on qualitative research conducted on 65 Chicago-area teens in 2007 by Media Management Center. Researchers found that while serious news is not currently a top-priotity to most teens, they are “interestable.” They will look at news online if it catches their eye – with content that interests them, video, the right topics, humorous and weird news, and new things.
The report, “If It Catches My Eye: An Exploration of Online News Experiences of Teenagers,” is available at:
www.mediamanagementcenter.org/research/teeninternetstudy.pdf.
Why is this important to educators? Teens are being bombarded with a variety of text via many media vehicles and outlets. Understanding where young adults find information, what “catches their eye”, and how they use that information can assist us with motivating and engaging our students. Information literacy, the ability to find and use information, has become a hot topic for all educators as we move further into the 21st century. Information and media literacy standards were added to the K-12 reading and language arts Florida standards in 2006 as a way to address the new literacy needs of Florida students.
Do you think the information in this report will assist you in your classroom instruction? How? Do you currently include the information literacy standards in your planning? We’d love to hear about them so click on the “leave a comment†button to share!
Elaine K. McEwan is an educational consultant with The McEwan-Adkins Group offering training for teachers and administrators in raising reading achievement in their schools. A former teacher, librarian, principal, and assistant superintendent for instruction in a suburban Chicago school district, she is the author of over two dozen books including titles for parents and teachers, and guides for administrators. Elaine was honored by the Illinois Principals Association as an outstanding instructional leader, by the Illinois State Board of Education with an Award of Excellence in the Those Who Excel Program, and by the National Association of Elementary School Principals as the National Distinguished Principal from Illinois for 1991. She received her undergraduate degree in education from Wheaton College and a masters degree in library science and a doctorate in educational administration from Northern Illinois University. McEwan lives with her husband and business partner, E. Raymond Adkins, in Oro Valley, Arizona. She is the mother of two, Emily McEwan-Fujita and Patrick McEwan, step-mother of three and has thirteen grandchildren.
Listen to and/or read this interview via the FOR-PD website at http://forpd.ucf.edu/resources/mcewan_adkins.html
We’d love to hear from you on your thoughts about the interview. Do you agree with the thoughts by Dr. McEwan-Adkins?
Librarian of Congress James H. Billington has appointed children’s book author Jon Scieszka as the first National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature. The position was created to raise national awareness of the importance of young people’s literature as it relates to lifelong literacy, education, and the development and betterment of the lives of young people. The National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature is named for a two-year term, based on recommendations from a selection committee representing many segments of the book community. The selection criteria include the candidate’s contribution to young people’s literature and ability to relate to children.
Jon Scieszka is the author of numerous and beloved children’s books such as The True Story of the Three Little Pigs, The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales, and Math Curse. He is also the creator of the Guys Read website; a creative place young adult boys can learn about new books that would be of interest to them.
Do you have a favorite book by Jon Scieszka that you love to read with your class or share with your own children? Why do you think his books are so popular?
Just Read, Florida!, in partnership with the Florida Department of Community Affairs, Division of Emergency Management and several other emergency management partners, is conducting a statewide short essay contest aimed at high school students as part of the 2008 Hazardous Weather Awareness Week, February 2-9, 2008.
Students in grades nine through twelve in all school districts are invited to participate in the statewide essay contest to “Tell Us Your Story.†Awards will be presented to each of the winners during the week of February 2-9, 2008 at a school in their area.
One of the goals of Hazardous Weather Awareness Week is to promote a culture of preparedness throughout all grade levels. The essay contest is part of an annual public awareness campaign that includes distribution of the “Florida Hazardous Weather Guide” to middle school classrooms, children’s books in elementary school classrooms, and a poster contest for fourth and fifth grader students.
For more information, resources and a complete list of contest rules, deadlines, and list of prizes, click on the links below.
Do you know a teacher, media specialist, or administrator who would like to take the FOR-PD course this spring? FOR-PD has opened registration for the spring 2008 sections on November 5 and registration will continue through January 4 at 5 pm EST.
The spring course will begin on January 22 and end on April 28, 2008.
Please have those interested visit our registration page, http://forpd.ucf.edu/register/register.html, for more information.
-
-
Subscribe to our Blog
