Abstract
The purpose of this study is to expand the knowledge base for integrating
technology with literacy instruction. This study will explore the number of presentations
and the time allotted for sessions focusing on this important topic at the major national
literacy conferences between the years 2000 to 2008. The study will seek to quantify
specific aspects with regard to the scheduling of presentations, which typically focus on
each of the five essential elements of literacy (phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary,
fluency, and comprehension) as compared with those presentations that focus on
technology integration with the literacy curriculum. The overarching concern guiding
this investigation is the importance of the technologically enhanced literacies, or New
Literacies. The researchers aim to reveal the proportion of formats designated to the New
Literacies as compared with the traditional literacy topics that are usually presented at
each of the major conferences in the field of literacy.
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to expand the knowledge base for integrating
technology with literacy instruction. This study will explore the number of presentations
and the time scheduling of presentations at major national literacy conferences between
the years 2000 to 2008. The study seeks to calculate the number and time of scheduling
of presentations focused on each of the major literacy divisions as well as those
concerned with technology integration in the literacy curriculum.
The overarching concern guiding this study is to investigate the importance of the
technologically enhanced literacies, or New Literacies, as reflected in the proportion of
formats designated to this topic in comparison with all literacy topics presented at
national conferences specifically dedicated to literacy research and practice. Specifically
the research questions that provide direction for this study include:
1. How many conference sessions were designated to the five major components of
literacy and how many were designated to the integration of literacy instruction
with technology at each of these conferences?
2. How much time was allocated for those sessions focusing on the five major
components of literacy as compared to those involving technology and literacy
instruction at each of these conferences?
3. How many varying session formats focusing on the five major components of
literacy were offered as compared to those offerings with a focus technology and
literacy instruction at each of these conferences?
4. Did the year in which each conference was held effect the number of formats
focusing on the five major components of literacy that were offered as compared
to those involving technology and literacy instruction?
Introductory Thoughts
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Convention