Disciplinary Literacy and the Common Core State StandardsVassiliki ("Vicky") I. Zygouris-CoeThe purpose of this article is to present a perspective on disciplinary literacy and the Common Core State Standards based on the argument that disciplinary literacy is embedded in the standards. The article highlights possibilities and challenges associated with national efforts to prepare students for success in college and the workforce. Information is presented on the basis of a selected literature review of disciplinary literacy, adolescent literacy, student achievement, and the common core standards. Instructional strategies also are presented for developing students' disciplinary literacy and meeting common core goals. In the article, I call for collaborative inquiry and shared accountability among stakeholders to ensure that all students' literacy and learning needs are met in a new era of educational reform.

The elementary grades provide a rich context for literacy and science learning. Reading, writing, and talk support students’ conceptual understanding of and engagement with science. The authors provide theoretical and research evidence to support the teaching of five instructional strategies that can facilitate literacy and science learning in tandem in the intermediate science classroom. The authors connect each strategy to a current need in science teaching and learning and provide step‐by‐step instructions about how to use this strategy in the classroom. An authentic example of a fourth‐grade lesson is included to show how the five strategies connect with students’ literacy and science learning in the elementary science classroom and beyond.

Active learning and emerging technologies are enhancing student learning though an explicit intentional educational design such as Flipping the Classroom and Project Based Learning to empower students. In this chapter, the authors describe an active learning classroom and emerging technologies that support learning for the 21st century. Using vignettes, the authors model how the metacognitive teacher supports the use of emerging technologies for active learning using the Metacognitive Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge Framework (M-TPACK) (Wilson, Zygouris-Coe, Cardullo, & Fong, 2013). Finally, the authors describe Blooms Taxonomy (Bloom et al., 1956) for active learning and make connections to emerging technologies and the level of integration using the SAMR Model: Substitution, Augmentation, Modification, and Redefinition (Puentedura, 2006).

The intent of this research was to investigate the experiences of eighth grade readers as they read nonfiction text on an iPad for academic purposes. We investigated reading strategies that students use to support their reading as well as what role iPad features played in the reading process. New literacies, metacognition and transactional theories informed the framework. Multiple data sources were used to triangulate findings and included (a) retrospective think alouds, (b) student iPad survey, (c) pre and post study student interviews, (d) Metacognitive Awareness of Reading Strategies Inventory and (e) student observations. Data for the collective case study participants focused on the identification of proficient readers who displayed confidence, competency, and control over text. Themes identified in the collective case studies included (a) reading comprehension strategies, (b) nonfiction features and (c) iPad features to support their reading of nonfiction on the iPad. Implications for PracticeWhat is already known about this topic• Comprehension process is more complex when reading digitally.• Digital readers construct meaning on the basis of the choices made.• Technology can benefit student learning. What this paper adds• Teacher instructional support is needed for learning how to read digital text using the iPad.

Online learning continues to grow as a learning option for millions of students in US colleges and universities. Collaboration plays an important role in student learning. This chapter presents information on how collaborative learning was designed and implemented in a comprehensive online course in reading for pre-service and in-service educators in grades P-12. The author presents details on course design issues, instructional practices, benefits, and challenges associated with collaborative learning in this online course, and implications for further development and evaluation of collaborative learning in teacher preparation programs. The author also provides recommendations for promoting collaboration in online teacher education courses.