Title: Chatting It Up Online
Authors: Pamela Livingston
The article is about the integration of technology in the classroom. In order to create a personal experience with the students and the author of a book, the students had been reading, their teacher Mrs. Booth registered the class to participle in an online chat with the author herself, Mrs. Mary Pope Osborne. This experience not only taught the students about technology but it also helped them understand and learn some about the processes that writers such as Mrs. Osborne go through to write a book. Rather than feeling estranged from the authors that they read by participating in a form of communication whether it be through the internet, like these students did, or through letters gives students a sense of familiarization with the author and may encourage them to read more.
Q1: Besides gaining a connection with an author, what else does chatting do for the students?
A1: I think that communicating with an author that you like, as a reader, gives the student an understanding about the process that writers go through to write and get their works published. If students hear from successful people that they still struggle with writing than that may give students a sense everyone struggles once in a while with writing and to not feel frustrated.
Q2: Would this form of communication be accessible to lower funded schools.
A2: The answer would most likely be no. But if a teacher really wanted to have their students be a part of such an experience I’m confident they would find a way. I think that if I were to be in a situation like this I would first try to speak with the administration to know what funds the school has. If such a venture can not be financed by the school I would organize a bake sale after school with the students help so that they can feel a part of the process and have a sense of accomplishment.
