Over the past few weeks, Jane and I have be putting forward our ideas and discoveries from a range of sources. We have used a variety of web-based tools to try and get our point across and have hopefully shared our ideas in a way that was interesting to you all! As I see it, two main areas have revealed themselves: the need to teach digital literacy and the challenges involved in changing how teachers teach.
Jane has made some great points about the inherent problems in labelling any technology as the ‘best’, especially in light of how quickly things change in the cyber-world. However, I still hold the view that digital storytelling can develop a wide range of skills, offer a real audience and a convenient platform to practice cyber-etiquette. Is it the best technology? I’m not sure but I’m also not sure there are any other tools that are quite so directly linked to what is already happening in classrooms.
Using what we are already doing is, I believe, key to changing practice in classrooms so that more engaging, relevant and educational tools such as digital storytelling are used. The teachers best placed to easily bring these technologies into their classroom are those who have a constructivist view; letting students learn from each other and build their own understandings. As Chris Waterman comments, “it takes a little bravery….[but] it’s worth letting your students lead”. As teachers, do we really need to know everything before we begin teaching it? It does indeed take bravery to be able to say ‘I have no idea’ to a group of students who are used to you telling them the ‘answer’. In an online environment, teachers can let the students be the leaders but they still require the teacher’s input to encourage reflection and on task behaviour (Maor, 2008). (With digital storytelling this becomes even more relevant if we want students to focus on the content and not get lost in the tool.) Our role as a teacher is changing, and not just curriculum but also pedagogy. Changing teacher practice is an ongoing challenge. Digital storytelling offers easy to use tools and obvious curriculum links, perhaps this could inspire more teachers to work with web 2.0 technologies.
The other main point that has arisen, and that both Jane and I agree on, is the need to include digital literacy as a key area of learning in schools. For 13 years now, experts in literacy education have identified that students can’t really understand what they see and hear on the Internet until they are able to evaluate its sources (Pool, 1997)
“Digital literacy is the ability to understand…and more important to evaluate and integrate information in multiple formats that the computer can deliver”
(Gilster, P quoted in Pool 1997)
Digital storytelling offers an authentic way to introduce evaluative and interpretive skills to our students; to focus on the meaning, content and source behind the initial viewing or reading. Most importantly in my opinion, creating a multi-media digital story allows children to experience the other side of the coin; they get to be the author and experience what goes into a piece of digital literature.
Is digital storytelling the best tool for teaching digital literacy? I’d say it’s one of the best tools we have at our disposal at the moment (but give it a year and we’ll see what else turns up!)
References:
Waterman, Chris. Lead the revolution. [electronic version]. Teacher; n.203 p.6-8/10; August 2009
Maor, D. (2008). Changing Relationship: Who is the learner and who is the teacher in the online education landscape? [Electronic Version] Australasian Journal of Technology, 24 (5), pages: 627-638 Retrieval date: April1, 2009 http://www.ascilite.org.au/ajet/ajet24/maor.pdf
ACMA Report of Media and Society Research Project, (2007) Media and Communications in Australian Families Retrieval date: 26 May 2010 HTTP://www.acma.gov.au/WEB/STANDARD/pc=PC_310893
Pool, Carolyn A New Digital Literacy:A Conversation with Paul Gilster (1997) [ Electronic Version] Integrating Technology into Teaching, Vol 55, No. 3, November 1997 Retrieval date: 27 May 2010 http://namodemello.com.br/pdf/tendencias/tecnolnocurric.pdf
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From reading your blog I have learnt a lot about digital storytelling and I certainly agree that Digital Storytelling is one of the best tools going around for teaching digital literacy. It seems to encompass many of the skills and concepts into something understandable and managable by almost any age group :)
ReplyDeleteHi Jo,
ReplyDeleteI've learnt heaps too - it has been wonderful to have your insight into how this actually works in schools - thanks for such an inspirational debate!
:)
And thanks for challenging me to think more about what I'm doing and why! It would be really easy to just carry on with the tools I'm using, just because we have used them before. It's been great to have to consider the other side of the coin and to experiment with what I'm doing. Thanks for a fun debate - it was great to use a variety of tools too, was definitely more fun to get our points across I think!
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