Professional Travel Grants for Graduate Students
Posts tagged VRSA2015
2015 VSRA Conference Presentation
9 years
This year, I had the privilege of not only attending, but also presenting at, the 2015 Virginia State Reading Association (VSRA) conference held in downtown Richmond, Va. The VSRA is the preeminent literacy education institution within the commonwealth and this was my first time attending the conference. This year’s conference theme was “Reading is Magical,” which was truly fitting. I was immediately impressed by the diverse professionals I met, from classroom teachers to reading specialists to school administers, who were all passionate about improving reading (and all literacy) instruction in their schools. It was also a great pleasure to support and learn from many of my Reading, Literacy, and Learning program classmates and professors who also presented at the conference.
My partner, Carol Pippen, and I delivered a presentation entitled “Reading Between the Pixels: Media Literacy Instruction in the Digital Age.” Our presentation discussed the growing importance of media literacy as advancements in technology permits constant exposure to media messages. We make the case that media literacy, or the ability to access, analyze, evaluate, and create media messages, is vital for full societal participation in the digital/information age. In addition, we also provided several examples of how media literacy can be taught in the classroom
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VSRA Conference 2015 Lauren Flood
9 years
Amanda Haynes, Lauren Flood, Megan Crowe and Millie Kidder-Goshorn presenting at the VSRA
I really enjoyed this conference. As a future elementary or middle school teacher, I felt like I learned new, valuable information, no matter what grade I choose to teach. The first session on Saturday was a great way to start off the day, learning new strategies for motivating students. This was able to connect seamlessly to what we are learning in READ 650 (Research) and I felt like I was able to take so much away from this presentation. Even though this presentation was focused on K-3, I had many ideas for transitioning the material for older students. Another presentation that stuck with me was learning about the Virginia Readers’ Choice awards and the books that were chosen as the top picks for middle school and high school. I walked away with great ideas how to use these books effectively in classroom, along with book discussions and possible extension activities. Finally, presenting at the VSRA conference was an extremely fulfilling experience; it is a great accomplishment that I am proud to share with possible future employers and appreciate the opportunity.