Red (contexts:multiple literacies)


After viewing the first video based upon the imaginative sandwiches, I understood the impact one story could have on a range of learning and multiple literacy skills. Basically, the girl in the story gets upset with the lack of innovation in her sandwiches, and decides to make her own and sell them to other students. So, the teacher uses the book initially to get the students to make connections to real life and how they may feel the same discouragement with boring lunches. The teacher tells the students they will make their own 3D sandwich. Through this process the children use descriptive words for their sandwich which allows for visual arts creativity as well. 
Using a popular commercial on television, the teacher modelled her own commercial of how she would sell her sandwich. I felt this was a great tool for getting students to think about what a commercial is all about: what purpose they serve, what messages they try to get across, what about the commercials makes them appealing. The commercial example is a great way to educate the kids in the media literacy component of language arts. In addition, analyzing the tone of voice used in the teacher’s commercial, her facial expressions, and enthusiasm, incorporated the oral communication strand of literacy. Having the children then make their own commercials in photo story allowed them to embellish their spoken word, and see the results on computer. In addition, the technology enables students to gather feedback from fellow students or the teacher, and make the necessary adjustments. Essentially, this lesson encompasses vast learning abilities and styles of all the students because it varies from, reading a story, watching television, creating a paper sandwich, and writing out descriptive words. It has a little something for everyone! 
 
~ Bianca Morra
 
 
When it comes to digital technologies the most important one I have used in my life is digital photography. I have used it for personal use and for school. I like to take pictures of places I have been, my family and friends and my artwork. The other would be the internet it is the opening door to many facets of information and a valuable tool for communication. As a teacher I hope to introduce my students to as many technologies as I can like digital photography, Photoshop, PowerPoint, moviemaker, internet and smartboard. I think that all technologies are important for my students to know, learn and use in the classroom. Technology is another way of learning for students that are more visual or technological. For children who are shy it helps them to participate and express what they want through media. In “The World of Digital Storytelling” article says, “such technologies give a voice to a number of otherwise quiet students” (45) and it might be easier for a lot of students to express in this way. In my classroom I would integrate technology and language arts by; having children read on the computer, create retellings of the stories in their own words, and make their own digital stories. Using technologies will also be useful in helping me teach children language that have learning and speaking difficulties. Teaching digital technologies like story telling help the children to explore and understand multi – modal ways of representing language and in communicating to others. The students are able to explore visual and auditory ways of learning outside of literacy since many students learn in different ways.  I agree with Harpreet that it is good to have many different ways of teaching your students and technology is another tool that we as teachers can use. That media helps students by reflecting the world around them and help them to understand it. ~ Corisa Chamberlain
 
In response to Urmilla’s post: I agree that we need to be encouraging and promoting the use of technology such as digital storytelling in the classroom today. I do understand, however, that some teachers may be reluctant to use technology for various reasons and skill/comfort level backgrounds. I think that it is beneficial for teachers to collaboratively learn technology within the school community to better understand how it works and how it will affect students. As a result, teachers and educators can support one another and lessen the anxiety in taking on new approaches.
Harpreet Kainth
 
I believe that digital story telling is just one example of how digital technologies can be incorporated into the classroom. It is highly beneficial for students to be exposed to a multimodal style of teaching as it can respond to or complement a variety of learning styles for students. As such, multimodal teaching styles support the theory of multiple intelligences that attempts to widen the scope of the strengths that students may possess. For example, digital story telling reflects visual and auditory stimulation that incorporates music which is beneficial for students who are responsive to not only linguistic intelligence but also musical intelligence. Jason Ohler discuses how digital story telling enables students to tap into the world of media literacy in his article titled “The World of Digital Story Telling”. He describes how students are able to view the influence of media to their understandings of how the way the world works. Students not only have the opportunity to be involved in the actual story including the plot but can also learn and develop critical skills about media and how media is portrayed and developed in society.
Harpreet Kainth

 

 

    Being technologically illiterate, digital technology has played a minor role in my life. Perhaps, it has to do with some scepticism that I hold towards it (I blame the Y2K scare for that). Since coming to this program, however, I have begun to perceive technology in a more positive light. I realize that we now live in a world that is saturated with technology and media. As a result, I must incorporate mediums that are relevant to my students. A program such as digital storytelling offers the opportunity for students to incorporate their experiences and reflection. Jason Ohler broadens this idea in his article “The World of Digital Storytelling”. He describes the way that students develop analytical thought by creating storyboards that are introspective. Through this process students become critical of the media that they are confronted by on a day to day basis. This helps students become “active participants rather than passive consumers” in a society that demands media literacy.

     In regards to Jenn’s comment, it is daunting to perform a task that we know very little about. In elementary school, most of my teachers lacked an understanding of technology. Although the tools were there, the resources and emphasis were absent. Now, resources are everywhere. Since we’re responsible for the millennial generation that is surrounded by media outlets, we must ensure that they know how to use technology effectively.

 

Cheers,

Naveen

 

My view on mutiple literacies and multimodal techniques, is Why didn't we do it before?  Let's face it, there has always been techology of some kind.  I can't remember any of my teachers (as great as they were) using any form of it to capture my attention.  I can't imagine walking into a classroom today and just simply reading a book.  We need to be able to make connections with our students , and we need to help them make connections to everything they learn and life.  Can you imagine to number of children we would be able to reach using technology.  Using a variety of methods helps to stimualte all the senses and creates a "high" for  learning. 

That's it for now.  I'm taking my boys to the West Rouge Family Fun Day!  I wonder what kind of multimodal entertainment they will have.  Ha! Ha! Happy Saturday Everyone!  See you Monday!

 

Warmest Regards,

Urmilla

 

 

 

I too did not have any experience with digital stories during my elementary education. Part of that might be because technology was just emerging and very expensive for school boards to aquire. I have a feeling that most teachers would feel uncomfortable utilizing these alternate forms of literacy. What we don't understand can be very confusing and scary, so its awesome that we as teacher candidates have this opportunity through our program to get to know and be comfortable with multimodal techniques. I sure know my kids would much rather read whats on a screen than what's in a dry textbook! I am finding that my own children are far more advanced than I was at the same age, and because of multimodial learning they are more willing to try a variety of knew experiences, all that adds up to a better education.

Regards Jenn  Jaeger-Rodych

 
After reading the article, “The World of Digital Storytelling” I was surprised at the many different levels that teachers are actually able to use storytelling in the classroom. From the article it was my understanding that many students are drawing on a variety of multimodal skills. It is important to understand that digital storytelling is not just simply creating a story and throwing it down on paper or into technology. Digital storytelling requires critical thinking, report writing, and media literacy skills. New technologies need to be brought into the classroom so students are able to tell their stories in multiple ways. Every student has a different story to tell, and depending on the type of learner the student is, it would be beneficial to the teacher and student to incorporate multimodality into the classroom. I think that some teachers are afraid to use new technology in their classrooms. However, literacy is about making sense of the world around us, and right now we are living in a world full of technology. I think students would gain from using technology to learn how to read, because this would bring excitement and new ideas into the classroom. I wish that when I was in my primary and junior grades that my teacher had the resources to incorporate technology into the classroom, literacy lessons would have definitely been a whole lot more interactive and engaging. 
Jagjeet Grewal
 
Growing up none of my teachers ever used technology in the classroom and now it seems like it is impossible to have a 'good' classroom without it. I understand all the bonuses that technology has to offer, and how technology can help students with different learn styles, but sometime I worry that technology is becoming a little over used in the classroom. I think we should be trying to find different ways of exciting the childrens interests in reading and writing and being creative. I had never created a digital story in elementary school but I still loved to read and be read to by my teacher. I remember trying to write a story book and draw the picture to it and I think that this sort of hands on activity is just as beneficial to student learning. I just hope with all the technology available and rapidly invading our classroom that we dont forget the good old days when students could have fun and be creative without a computer infront of them. Technology is great but I dont want technology to be over used because it is just one aspect of a multimodal approach, and some children may not like the computer, or they may learn better without the computer.
Pamela Snow