Students' writing is amplified through digital communication and collaboration using online platforms. When students share their work digitally, their audience expands as they engage in online discussions. Connecting students through digital writing tools motivates writing and supports 21st century literacy skills. Three examples of digital writing platforms - Storybird, Kidblog, and Biteslide - were presented that allow students to write, collaborate, and share work while developing skills in areas like digital citizenship.

1. RocketFueled
E. Eastman June 2015Houston ISD HUB Camp
The Power of Digital Communication & Collaboration
Presentation Resource Flyer: bit.ly/rfwriting

2. Digital21st Century Skills Global connections
Collaboration
Ideas
Word Choice
Writing Fluency
Writing
Amplify Audience
Digital Citizenship
Conventions
Inspire Student Voice
CreativityCommunication
Motivate & Engage Writers
Organization

3. • Voices of student writers are fueled and amplified by the power of digital communication and
collaboration.
• Use stages of writing process to reflect and improve, to narrate, to inform, and to present new
knowledge from research projects and from classroom learning across curriculum.
• Move beyond passive consumption to creating digital content.
• Audience expands when connected to each other’s ideas in online dialogue and exchange of comments
about their shared work.
• Support safe, smart, responsible decision-making and digital citizenship through online creation and
social interaction.
• Connecting writers through digital platforms creates ownership & motivation for writing and impacts
21st century literacy development.
Connected Writing Community

4. Standards - TA-TEKS K-2
1e. demonstrate keyboarding techniques for operating the alphabetic, numeric, punctuation, and symbol keys as grade-level appropriate
4. Communication and Collaboration:
The student collaborates and communicates both locally and globally using digital tools and resources to reinforce and promote learning. The student is expected to:
4a. use communication tools that allow for anytime, anywhere access to participate in group projects involving or interacting with multiple cultures;
4b. format digital information including font attributes, color, white space, graphics, and animation for a defined audience and communication medium; and
4c. Select, store, and deliver products using a variety of media, formats, devices, and virtual environments.
6. Creativity and Innovation:
The student uses creative thinking and innovative processes to construct knowledge and develop digital products.
The student is expected to:
6a. create original products using a variety of resource
Standards - TA-TEKS 3-5
4. Communication and Collaboration:
The student collaborates and communicates both locally and globally using digital tools and resources to reinforce and promote learning.
4a. individually and collaboratively draft, edit and publish products in different mediums;
4b. use font attributes, color, white space, and graphics to ensure that products are appropriate for multiple communication mediums including displays, web, and print;
4c. collaborate effectively through personal learning communities and social networking;
4e. communicate product results using technology;
4f. evaluate the product for relevance to the assignment or task.
6. Creativity and Innovation:
The student uses creative thinking and innovative processes to construct knowledge and develop digital products.
The student is expected to:
6a. create original products using a variety of resource

5. Our writing shows our understanding of…
digital citizenship?
 Always be positive, kind and respectful.
 Share thoughts and ideas, stories, reflections, projects, and interests.
Do not share any private information.
 Our writing has a learning purpose.
Treat this blog like all classroom assignments–do your best work!

6. Commenting Guidelines:
Give the writer a compliment.
I like how you wrote about...
Make a connection to the writer. Add new information or ideas to what the
blogger has shared.
This reminds me of...
Ask the writer at least one question.
(I wonder...) (Why...?) (How...?)
Always go back and re-read your comment to edit or revise your writing.

7. Read, Write, Create, Connect,& Share!
3 Platform Examples:
Safe, Flexible, Collaborative!
Kidblog

8. Comparison Chart
Tool Cost Platform Registration Assignments & Settings Digital Elements
Free:
Unlimited books!
Pro:
29.75/35 students
Web-based &
Mobile-friendly
across devices
Lark: Poetry app
Class code registration, or bulk
upload .csv, or enter individual
student accounts
Comment moderation & Assignment
customization
Writing starts with images and "unlocks"
stories inside. Students can create unlimited
art-inspired picture books, long-form stories,
and poetry.
[images/text only]
Free for 3o days
29$/year
Web-based &
Mobile-friendly
across devices
Class code registration, bulk
upload .csv, or enter individual
student accounts
Comment moderation, audience
sharing levels, classroom
connections
Safe & simple publishing platform
for students to share their voice with an
authentic audience. Included are images,
audio/video, hyperlinks & Google Drive
integration.
Free: 35 students
Basic: 300 st. $8/mo.
Pro: Unlimited $59/mo.
Web-based Enter individual student
accounts or Class code
registration [no bulk-upload with
free account]
Open or close comments and set
audience sharing levels. Teacher
templates can be created &
detailed project examples are
shared.
Research, write & create. Publish and
present in slidebooks - an intuitive and
innovative blend of images, video, and
text. (no audio or hyperlinking)

9. a visual storytelling community
Storybird
Writing starts with images and "unlocks" stories inside. Students can create
unlimited art-inspired picture books, long-form stories, and poetry. Privacy is
protected & social interactions are classroom-contained.

10. Getting Started with Storybird:
1. Go to : storybird.com/educators
2. Choose Educator/Teacher and create an account profile.
3. Activate through email and complete account profile information.

11. Add Students & Find Class Code
cv
cv

12. 1. Login and choose ‘Create.’ Then
explore the images until you find an
artist that you like.
[Or you can search image tags]
Making books with Storybird:

13. 2. Tap the ‘Use this Art’ button to select
a set of artwork.
3. Select a book format.
[longform book, picture book, or poem]
4.Then the artwork will load into the editor.
Book formats

14. •In the editor, use the white space to write your book and drag-and-drop any images you want onto the page.
[Use the (+) sign at bottom right to add pages and rearrange on storyboard along black stripe at bottom]
•Use the Menu to ‘Save and Close’ a book that's unfinished.
•Select ‘Publish’ only when you're done & ready to share with our classroom space.

15. When books are published,
students will view, read, and
comment on one another’s
work on ‘Class Library’ tab.
Sharing books within class:

16. • Teachers can create and
customize specific assignments in
‘Assignments’ tab.
• Instructions, format, media, and
due dates can be integrated.
Creating assignments

17. Safe & simple publishing platform
for students to share their voice
with an authentic audience
Kidblorg.org
Kidblog

18. Image from: http://kidblog.org/home/#why-kidblog
Why Kidblog?

19. Getting Started with Kidblog
1. Go to http://kidblog.org/home/
2. Choose Educator/Teacher & create an account profile.
3. Activate through email and complete account profile information.
4. Select ‘Create New Class+’

20. Options:
• Get class registration codes.
• Manually enter students’ account info.
• Bulk upload in .csv file.
Choose ‘Users’ under Settings.
Adding Students

21. Settings
Manage privacy settings, users,
connections to your classes &
categories for blog assignments.

22. Privacy Settings
• Choose audiences to make accessible to your students
• When teacher provides feedback, option is available to make those comments private or public to students.

23. Dashboard:
Here you can get a quick view of
both you & your class’s blog
activities.
New Post+
This button allows you to begin a
new post for your readers.
Review Posts:
• Grid view
• Excerpt view
• List view
• Member Blogs
Kidblog Navigation Tips

24. Class Connections:
Connect to classes in same school or to classes across the globe to expand audience.
http://quadblogging.com/

25. Draft → Revise → Edit
 Express your ideas! Show and use traits of good writing--organization,
voice, conventions, word choice and awareness of audience and purpose.
 Indent paragraphs and use your best knowledge of capital letters,
usage, punctuation and spelling.
 When done with all typing, you can add media, hyperlinks, photos, or
videos.
 All media must have a caption crediting the source.
Publishing Options:
↗ Save Draft:
You can come back later and work on it.
↗ Preview:
See what your post will look like to your audience.
↗ Submit for Review:
You are ready to publish and want teacher
to approve it for others to see.

26. Feedback & Quality Comments
Critical thinkers have ongoing discussion and reflection about what
makes a quality constructive comment and how we can help each
other revise and improve our content, organization, word choice and
writing conventions. In what ways are comments
we write for learning different
than ones we write for fun?

27. http://goo.gl/XUsdDC

28. Research ∙ Create ∙ Present
Biteslide
Use Biteslide to research, write & create. Publish and present
slidebooks - an innovative blend of images, video, & text.

29. 1. Go to http://www.biteslide.com/
2. Choose Register/Teacher & create an account profile.
3. Activate through email and complete account profile information.
Getting Started with Biteslide

30. Add Class &Students
1. From Biteslide Dashboard,
click purple + to add a class.
2. Next, add student account information in
‘Manage Students’ or provide students
registration code to join the class themselves.

31. Add a Project
3. Next click blue + to add a project
(Edit title & description for your students)

32. Build a Slide Template
4. You may create a slidebook
template that students can
copy to provide structure and
guidance.
Instructions that are editable
from ‘COPY’ version can be
embedded.
Students will see your
template on their dashboard
inn project page.

33. Extras: Find
backgrounds,
borders & stickers
Bites: Virtual
‘backpack’ for
digital elements
of slidebook.
Slidebook Storyboard: Add or delete slides.
Embedded Search:
Google Images,
YouTube, & Flickr
Text &
Background:
Add and revise
text styles and
slide background
colors.
+ Editors: Add editors for
collaborative slidebooking
http://www.biteslide.com/tryitnow/trialslidebook
Create!

34. Save Draft1. To save work on a slidebook click the 'Close' button & ‘Save’ when prompted.
2. Move the ‘I'm working' slider above the slidebook to ‘I’m finished.’
3. Your teacher will now see a green banner across your slidebook's thumbnail to show that you're finished.
Publish

35. Comments
1. Type a comment into the text box below the Slidebook and click 'Comment'
2. Reply to other comments on the Slideobook by clicking 'Reply to comment'.
Note: teachers can
disable slidebook
comments in
the project settings .

36. Settings

37. Plans

38. RocketFueled Writing:
The Power of Digital Communication & Collaboration
Presentation Resource Flyer: bit.ly/rfwriting
Find me:
 eeastman@houstonisd.org
 @elizbtheastman
 edtechreflections.com
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