Technology as a Tool for Equity

and Diversity

November 2007

Lynne Culp, UCLA Writing Project

Kevin Hodgson, Western Massachusetts Writing Project

Writing into the Workshop

What place do Equity and Diversity have at your school, in your classroom, with your students?

What place do these issues have at your writing project and how is that evident to the public and site members?

15 minutes – share out to the larger group

Please write a few minutes on the following: What is the value in exploring these topics in today’s classroom? Are these topics ‘hot’? Why?

Gender

Sexuality

Race

Social Justice

Please share your writing with someone nearby…

Gender

Sexuality

Race

Social Justice

One Writing Project teacher’s response to the importance of race in her classroom:

Whether we want to face it or not, educators must help our students confront their feelings about race and help them find positive ways to interact with people of all races. I know it’s not in the standards. It’s not in our contract. …When people ask me, “how do you find the time to teach about race”, I ask “how can I NOT find the time?”

What support helps us to work with such topics?

Gender

Sexuality

Race

Social Justice

Lynn Culp: UCLA Writing Project

A proud history of addressing issues of diversity and equity

An interest in encouraging teachers to tackle such issues with their students

A commitment to support teachers and students in writing that is meaningful

A desire to explore new ways to make such writing possible

Equity and Diversity

The study groups

Study groups provideopportunity for teachersto work on powerfulIssues in a supportiveenvironment.

Equity and Diversity + Technology

To add Technology Advantages

– Archiving – Possible expansion/recruitment tool– Powerful Learning

Choosing the ‘right’ technology– Moving out of the comfort zone– Affording a measure of protection

Growth Process for All

Enter: The MOODLE

WHY The MOODLE?

Advantages:

-Security/Privacy

-Server Support at UCLA

Technology as a Tool for Equity and Diversity

The MOODLE

Outcome:

Partial Success: Teachers and students posted some great work on the topic of race. Some became interested in the Moodle. Anthology was produced in the conventional way.

Future: Planned ‘celebration’ with technology may be part of this year’s support.

Writing Out of the Presentation

How do you get a site talking about race and diversity on a

meaningful level and how does technology afford a new dimension of the discussion?

Five Minutes of writing and quick share in small group

Kevin Hodgson: Western Mass Writing Project

Technology as a way to create a “public face” of a writing project site,

through: Weblogs Podcasts Video

The WMWP Presentation File

Writing Out of the Presentation

What are the reasons a site/teacher might use "open"

technology (blogs with complete public access)

versus "closed" technology (Moodle, closed blogs)?

Five minutes of writing and quick share in small group

And Now for Your Participation

What technology are you using to address issues of race and equity or how can you imagine your site using

technology at your site to address these issues?

Has it been successful?What roadblocks might you encounter

and how might you overcome them?30 minutes of writing and sharing at tables and then reporting out to larger group

Technology as a Tool for Equity & Diversity

Feel free to contact us for more information or resources:

Lynn: lsculp@mac.com

Or

Kevin: Dogtrax@gmail.com