Hi Jo, I love these comic life (http://comiclife.com/) thoughts. Do you use comic life in your classes?
Response to the points in here: If teachers are driving content by incorporating aspects of digital literacy into their lesson plans, then we have to acknowledge that we are relying on individual awareness of the digital literacy issues (a discipline that is still evolving and very contentious). Consistency and clarity are big risks if digital storytelling is to be backed as the “best” approach for teaching and learning digital literacy.
And back to the kinaesthetic learner – I accept that all these ace web 2.0 tools are engaging and develop hand-eye coordination etc, but doesn't this generation get enough of this kind of computer-device-based kinaesthetic learning in everyday life? Texting, ipods, net commerce, internet fridges! Shouldn't some value be given in the curriculum to exposing these kids to other options, other ways of being literate, other non-digital spaces?
Hi Jane I abosolutely agree that curriculum should be exposing students to other options/ways of being literate. From a recent survey we did at my school (we have 800 students, prep-6), i was surprised to find that students weren't, or at least didn't say they were, using a huge amount of technology. While 60% said they were using social networks and 80% used computer game consoles, most aren't 'online' for more than 20 minutes a day. This obviously increased as the students get older but what we, as a school, found is that they don't know the safe ways of behaving (65 kids had given their address, first and last name online!) and they weren't aware of intelllectual property laws or the legalities of interacting online. We need a real vehicle for this and digital storytelling encourages traditional literacy and digital literacies. Saying anything is the 'best' is always going to be contentious, but as teachers we have to make judgements. Mine is that digital storytelling could be the best way for students to learn key skills in a cross-curriculuar approach. As you say, digital storytelling is evolving and changing. But do we wait until a tool or skill is fully developed and has been 'validated' as an appropriate teaching tool, or do we dive in and make personal choices that affect our students?
HI Jane Yes I use this at school I'm the ICT Coordinator for a big (800 kids) school and I spend my day setting things up, playing and working in classrooms - all at the same time. Comic Life has been really popular because it's so simple to use. It's all drag and drop. The Grade 1 students loved last week because we used webcams to capture them straight into the COmic Life software - lot's of fun!
Hi Jo, I love these comic life (http://comiclife.com/) thoughts. Do you use comic life in your classes?
ReplyDeleteResponse to the points in here:
If teachers are driving content by incorporating aspects of digital literacy into their lesson plans, then we have to acknowledge that we are relying on individual awareness of the digital literacy issues (a discipline that is still evolving and very contentious). Consistency and clarity are big risks if digital storytelling is to be backed as the “best” approach for teaching and learning digital literacy.
And back to the kinaesthetic learner – I accept that all these ace web 2.0 tools are engaging and develop hand-eye coordination etc, but doesn't this generation get enough of this kind of computer-device-based kinaesthetic learning in everyday life? Texting, ipods, net commerce, internet fridges! Shouldn't some value be given in the curriculum to exposing these kids to other options, other ways of being literate, other non-digital spaces?
Hi Jane
ReplyDeleteI abosolutely agree that curriculum should be exposing students to other options/ways of being literate. From a recent survey we did at my school (we have 800 students, prep-6), i was surprised to find that students weren't, or at least didn't say they were, using a huge amount of technology. While 60% said they were using social networks and 80% used computer game consoles, most aren't 'online' for more than 20 minutes a day. This obviously increased as the students get older but what we, as a school, found is that they don't know the safe ways of behaving (65 kids had given their address, first and last name online!) and they weren't aware of intelllectual property laws or the legalities of interacting online. We need a real vehicle for this and digital storytelling encourages traditional literacy and digital literacies. Saying anything is the 'best' is always going to be contentious, but as teachers we have to make judgements. Mine is that digital storytelling could be the best way for students to learn key skills in a cross-curriculuar approach. As you say, digital storytelling is evolving and changing. But do we wait until a tool or skill is fully developed and has been 'validated' as an appropriate teaching tool, or do we dive in and make personal choices that affect our students?
HI Jane
ReplyDeleteYes I use this at school I'm the ICT Coordinator for a big (800 kids) school and I spend my day setting things up, playing and working in classrooms - all at the same time. Comic Life has been really popular because it's so simple to use. It's all drag and drop. The Grade 1 students loved last week because we used webcams to capture them straight into the COmic Life software - lot's of fun!