Teaching is continuing to evolve and adapt to the needs
of individuals as the years pass by. Currently in the 21st Century, we
can see this movement towards a digital age. This requires teachers to learn how
to incorporate this digital world into their classroom lessons. Students have become
remarkable digital learners and are far more advanced in technology than ever before.
Now, teachers are faced with trying to adjust to this new learning style with their
students by incorporating technology enhanced lessons. From PowerPoint presentations
to online learning and activities, teachers are constantly faced with having to
adapt to the advancements of teaching and learning.
In a search for Educational Blogs, one may have come
across an article about digital storytelling. The article discusses what digital
storytelling is and is not, in an attempt to educate viewers on this new style of
sharing stories. Click on the link below to read more about this new way of storytelling.Digital Storytelling
Storytelling has typically been shared within the reading, writing and oral communication strands. Dating centuries back, we began with oral traditions of storytelling. Educators had to adapt to reading and writing stories in their classrooms. One should not be surprised that storytelling would make its way into the media strand of education someday too. How exciting that that day is today.
Brian Metcalfe. (March 31, 2014). Teacher Feature. Retrieved from https://www.flickr.com/photos/life-long-learners/13552979015/in/photolist-mDCytZ-qkfAYb-9grsAS-9furAS-qrrHAt-9friKP-xmZygL-9fury1-9fKavw-9hFYpX-9fvgVb-9hYVmm-9h3HrU-9hfiZP-5vFgRt-5vFhtg-5vFbic-5vGF5B-5vFdLz-5vFbKT-5vKCjC-5vKwVA-5vFedV-5vH7dX-5vKDko-5vFcdX-5vFix6-5vFeyB-5vKzrJ-5vKuXY-5vFfD8-5vFdev-5vKAzb-9hK4My-9fSdFM-9fdsFB-6XS9AW-6XN7Nv-9gPBqd-6XS9E3-6XN7Uz-6XS9So-6XN7Re-qBquHM-ead8Hk-ead8i2-ead7Lg-9eUPAd-6T4rL2-6yZVU1/
The media strand of the Ontario Curriculum of language
grades 1-8 states:
identify
some media forms and explain how the conventions and techniques associated with
them are used to create meaning. (p.14)
This is enforced through digital storytelling
because the images are telling a story, which students need to focus on in order
to find the meaning. Much can be interpreted through the use of images. It is crucial
for students to use their observation and interpretative skills to narrow in on
the meaning being displayed before them. This form of storytelling allows for many
different perspectives and connections to be made.
Digital storytelling can be a useful tool in the classroom, especially in history lessons. Teachers can provide their students with a more engaging lesson through using digital images to share the events of history. By viewing powerful images of historical events in order to teach a lesson, students may be more intrigued to learn, and may retain more of the information. This is just one example of a course that would benefit from this type of technology enhancement. We can use digital storytelling to not only benefit visual learners, but to benefit all students by sending out a stronger message/lesson through these images.
You may be asking, what are the educational benefits
a student can gain from learning how to create a digital story? Not only is digital
storytelling beneficial for students in terms of lesson learning, they can also
build skills that everyone should have. From the article listed above, “Digital Storytelling: What it is… And… What it is NOT,”
we learn that digital storytelling enhances the following skills:
§ writing, speaking, communication skills
§ oral fluency
§ information literacy
§ visual literacy
§ media literacy
§ language skills
§ auditory skills
§ drama skills
§ presentation skills
§ listening skills
§ publishing skills
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Langwitches
These skills are beneficial for all students to master,
as they will not only help with their educational and career success, but also there
every day interactions. Keep in mind that with this new technology advancement in
learning, teachers become the students too.
REMEMBER: We are all digital learners. Why not learn
together?
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