Digital Storytelling

Just a quick note to describe how digital storytelling could be used in teaching maths and science to high school students.
As part of a unit of work you could ask one student (or pair of students) each week to prepare a three minute digital story so that once each week you could open the lesson with a different story. The teacher would tell the student the topic three weeks in advance of their presentation date to give them time for preparation.
Topics which would suit maths and science include:
- introduce the life and work of a one famous person that changed the course of history in that subject matter;
- a book review of a portion of the textbook the students are using for the subject, or;
- a day in the life of the student that highlights their real-life encounters with maths and science.
The digital story would need a simple script with a beginning, a middel and an end, and students could use web clips and researched text.

Reflective Synopsis

This year during my studies in the course Information Communication Technologies (ICTs) for Learning Design I have investigated the use of the following software programs: Blogs, Google Reader, Wikis, Mahara, Voki Avatars, MS Powerpoint, Learning Management Systems, Flickr, Picnik, YouTube, Explorelearning, Google Earth, Wikipedia and Music (Incompetech). Before I started the course the only programs I had properly explored were MS Powerpoint, Google Earth and Learning Management Systems (although I had occasionally read a friend’s blog and accessed Wikipedia). It was great to be encouraged to try these programs as it has increased my understanding about the variety of professional and personal interests in our community, as well as the character of the internet and its possibilities for global collaboration.

Early in the course our lecturer posed a question that has the ability to strike fear into any self-reflective ‘wanna-be’ learning manager (such as myself)…“why will students want to come to your lessons?” (Aldred, 2010). Luckily, I was assisted to answer this question by a Kearsley & Shneiderman (1999) course reading. The reading describes an attractive learning process ‘relate-create-donate’ and argues that collaborative teams that work on projects meaningful to someone outside the classroom will have more engaged learners.

The first aspect of designing attractive learning experiences requires creating opportunities to relate to others. In the context of education, relating may include the development of teacher-student, student-student, teacher-community or student-community relationships. ICTs may enhance these relationships inside and outside the classroom environment. For example:

• Learning Management Systems such as moodle facilitates discussion between students and teachers who are separated by large distances during flexible learning experiences;
• MS Powerpoint supports both students and teachers to confidently and efficiently share information (see blog posting Food for thought: Creating a powerpoint (2010) and its comment from my colleague Tina Byrne);
• A class blog may support learning outside the classroom (see blog posting Food for thought: Mathematics applications (2010)), and;
• More advanced learners may use programs such as wikis or Mahara to enhance knowledge sharing in the wider community (see blog postings Food for thought: Mahara (2010), Food for thought: Easter Road Culture (2010) and My teaching journey: Engaging with a wiki (2010)).

Marzano & Pickering (1997, p.15) indicates it is a shared responsibility of the teacher and the students to maintain positive attitudes about the learning environment.

The second aspect of designing attractive learning experiences requires providing opportunities to develop and enhance the learner’s creative talents. Smith, Lynch & Mienczakowski (2003, p.3) argues there is a movement toward student autonomy over what, how and why learning takes place. The concept of competence is subordinate to capability, and the focus is on “‘imagining the future’ and bringing it about”. In the context of profiling students and strategising experiences that ensure learning outcomes in clients, ICTs may enhance creativity. For example:
• Visual content of teaching, learning and project work may be supplied by image software such as Flickr and Picnik (see blog postings Food for thought: Apple tree from flickr (2010) and Food for thought: Playing chicken (2010));
• Audio content may be supplied by music software such as Incompetech;
• Audio-visual content may be supplied by video software such as YouTube (see blog posting Food for thought: Tubes on youtube (2010)), and;
• Space and mapping content may be supplied by software such as Google Earth.
We should value diversity as every person has a contribution to offer the world. However, strong habits of mind are required if individuality and creativity are to be supported and encouraged. The blog posting Nat’s student teacher journey: A cyclone is a learning experience (2010) describes an inspiring story about persevering in the face of adversity.

Dimension 5 [Habits of Mind] is concerned with one’s determination to be a
critical thinker, a creative thinker, and a self-regulated thinker. The
commitment to live up to high standards – to be concerned with the quality
of
one’s thinking – is what finally distinguishes Dimension 5 from the other
aspects of thinking.
(Marzano & Pickering, 1997, p.263)

The final aspect of designing attractive learning experiences requires purposeful, authentic creations which, if possible, are donated back to the community. Lucas (2007) indicates all kids want to be adults because they know that’s what they will grow up to be. Giving children authentic “adult type” jobs and projects will engage them to learn. A great example of an authentic learning experience which could be developed and then donated to the school library is described in Christie’s blog posting Christie’s ICT for learning design blog: Youtube (2010). In general, there are many features of the internet that will support authentic learning experiences. The web provides a wealth of information about real people that are involved in real events located in real settings around the world. If the written content isn’t enough, usually the publisher’s contact details are provided to support further investigation.

So it seems ICTs have a major role in designing learning experiences that will be valued and result in student achievement. Apart from email and social networking sites, this reflective synopsis has highlighted the way various programs may be used to enhance on-line relationship building. Examples were provided that demonstrate visual and audio content may be found to support individual and shared creativity. Websites link learners and teachers to real-life information and contacts to support purposeful learning projects. Finally, as highlighted in blog posting Food for thought: The first post (2010), the publishing of student work on the internet can be an authentic conclusion to a project that results in a donation to the global community.

Reference List
Aldred, S. (2010, March 01). Learning Management Rationale [Powerpoint slides]. Retrieved from
CQUniversity e-courses, EDED20491 ICT s for Learning Design, http://moodle.cqu.edu.au/course/view.php?id=9976
Natalie Arthur, Nat’s student teacher journey.
(2010, March 23). A cyclone is a learning experience [Web log messge]. Retrieved from
http://nataliearthurgdlt.blogspot.com/2010/03/cyclone-is-learning-experience.html
Tina Byrne, My teaching journey.
(2010, March 30). Engaging with a wiki [Web log message]. Retrieved from
http://bean-the-teacher.blogspot.com/2010/03/engaging-with-wiki.html
Christie, Christie’s ICT for learning design blog.
(2010, April 10). Youtube [Web log message]. Retrieved from
http://christiesictblog.blogspot.com/2010/04/youtube.html
Samantha Green, Food for thought.
(2010, March 27). The first post [Web log message]. Retrieved from
http://samslearningblog2010.blogspot.com/2010/03/first-post.html
(2010, March 29). Mathematics applications [Web log message]. Retrieved from
http://samslearningblog2010.blogspot.com/2010/03/mathematics-applications.html
(2010, April 4). Easter road culture [Web log message]. Retrieved from
http://samslearningblog2010.blogspot.com/2010/04/easter-road-culture.html
(2010, April 9). Mahara [Web log message]. Retrieved from
http://samslearningblog2010.blogspot.com/2010/04/mahara.html
(2010, April 17). Creating a powerpoint [Web log message]. Retrieved from
http://samslearningblog2010.blogspot.com/2010/04/creating-powerpoint.html
(2010, April 20). Apple tree from flickr [Web log message]. Retrieved from
http://samslearningblog2010.blogspot.com/2010/04/apple-tree-from-flickr.html
(2010, April 24). Playing chicken [Web log message]. Retrieved from
http://samslearningblog2010.blogspot.com/2010/04/playing-chicken.html
(2010, April 28). Tubes on youtube [Web log message]. Retrieved from
http://samslearningblog2010.blogspot.com/2010/04/tubes-on-youtube.html
Kearsley, G. & Shneiderman, B. (1999). Engagement theory: A framework for technology-based
teaching and learning. Retrieved from
http://home.sprynet.com/~gkearsley/engage.htm
Lucas, G. (2007, September 18). George Lucas: Sharing his hope for education at dreamforce [video file]. Retrieved from
http://www.edutopia.org/george-lucas-education-dreamforce-2007
Marzano, R. J. & Pickering, D. J. (with Arredondo, D. E., Blackburn, G. J., Brandt, R. S., Moffett, C. A., Paynter, D. E., Pollock, J. E. and Whisler, J. S.). (1997)
Dimensions of learning teacher’s manual (2nd ed.). Alexandria, Viginia: ASCD.
Smith, Lynch & Mienczakowski. (2003). The Bachelor of Learning Mangement (BLM) and education capability: why we do not prepare ‘teachers’ anymore. Retrieved from
CQUniversity e-courses, EDED20491 ICT s for Learning Design, http://moodle.cqu.edu.au/course/view.php?id=9976