assessment 2 – Adele's Reflective Journal

August 23, 2020

Critical Reflection of Digital Literature Experiences.

This was a new experience for me as I have not yet had the chance to review such a wide variety of digital literacies. The ability to explore and choose such different texts was quite fun and made me look at my interest, video games, in a new and different light.

When looking at the texts, I was assessing them on their usability in the classroom and the engagement factor for the students. Cost was another issue that needed to be considered as well, as there may be a chance that they will be used in the classroom after this and some families may find issues with the pricing. In saying all this, I found that, in the setting that I was considering while engaging with them, the level of engagement a student is able to get out of it is important. A good digital text is one that draws students in and holds them there, they will not get distracted and will have the fullest experience with the text. The different types of texts that are available provide students with various opportunities to engage with ideas.

While reading the texts that I chose to evaluate for this task, I found that I much prefer a physical book to that of an e-book and reading on a Kindle. I prefer the feel of a book and the ability to see my progress right then and there rather than tapping or clicking out of the book on a Kindle to see the percentage I am at. Mark Kingwell did raise a good question “If reading is so great, fun or edifying, why does it need such an aggressive promotion?” (2013). You could say that I am old school in that thought and after talking to others about it, I do not seem to be the only one. The ability to see your collection and not having to worry about a battery running out is a nice detox from the digital world. Even though technological devices have become vital in the way students collect information, they influence the texts that they are engaging with and reading (Edwards, 2013, p. 138). That then brought the focus to applications and how familiar students are with them and the intuitive nature. Providing a text in an application setting is much more fitting for students and offers them a wider range of opportunities to interact with the text, in this case, poetry.

In saying that though, the mixing up of the way that we consume literature in settings that are not normally considered conventional, is quite refreshing. Playing through Detroit: Become Human was quite exciting for me as I was able to put on my teacher hat and assess the reliability of using it in the classroom. To many students, they would not think that video games like that would be considered a text but that ability to flip it on its head and change their perception of role-player games was quite an exciting concept to think about.

I have used and talked about video games in the past with my own students, it was mainly focussed on what draws them to certain games and the enjoyment that they get out of them. I would very much like to set up part of an English unit around Detroit: Become Human and teach it in the context of authorial intent. Students will have the ability to play through part of the game and note the choices that they make and what it leads to. Usually, you are given between two to four options so that opens up a wide range of possibilities for the students. They will then discuss the choices that they have made at certain points and why they did so, this will encompass character development and prior knowledge of character backstory as it is made available in the game. This will become the social element and mimic that of forums that are created around the game where other players discuss their own experiences and troubles that they are facing. The students will be able to see that even though they are playing the same game the choices that they make as an author can completely change the dynamic and outcome of the game.

Core principles: critical reflection - Center for the Professional ...

References:

Edwards, J. T. (2013). Reading beyond the boarders: Observations on digital e-book readers and adolescent reading practices. In J. Whittingham (Ed.), Technological tools for the literacy classroom. (135-158). Information Science Reference.

Kingwell, M. (2013). Why read literature in the digital age? Retrieved from http://www.universityaffairs.ca/features/feature-article/why-read-literature-in-the-digital-age/

August 23, 2020

E-Book. The Tattooist of Auschwitz

The e-book is something that has been around for a while and is not unfamiliar territory for people. The ability to store a multitude of books on a small and slim device such as a Kindle, iPad, or even a smart phone. The convenience of having books stored on a device means that there aren’t any heavy books to lug around and take up space in bags.

Reading The Tattooist of Auschwitz on a Kindle device was a new experience. The device was small and compact and was light enough that it did not feel weighty after an extended period of reading. The book itself is based on the true story of Lale Sokolov and the three years that he spent in Auschwitz-Birkenau and the meeting of his wife Gita Furman. It is an incredible insight into the thoughts, feelings, and experiences of the prisoners of Auschwitz and the things that they had to do to survive. Although there is some creative license given and parts of the story are embellished for dramatic purposes, the fact that it is mostly true is quite incredible and would interest a lot of students. For some students, World War II and the events that occurred within is of great interest, and having an underlying love story would open that pool of interest wider.

This would fit well in the senior history curriculum as an extension to the World War II topic as well as the English curriculum as a form of historical writing and authorial intent around where and what to embellish when telling someone else’s story. At the higher year levels in high school, students are reading more and more texts and often find it difficult to carry them around as they may be cumbersome and heavy. By having a device that stores all of the text that they are reading, they will be more inclined to read and engaged with the text as it is easily accessible for them. With features such as in text highlighting, linking to dictionaries and the ability to make notes within the text, students are able to annotate better compared to a physical text where thy need to try and fit it in the margins. It has been found that digital reading devices, be that a Kindle or iPad, promote new literacy practices like better in text note taking and allows them to control how they actually engage with the text (Lamb, 2011, p. 13). That autonomy around what they can do with the text gives the students more agency with what they are reading. There is no chance that the notes that they make and the different tabs that they put on pages will fall out or be ruined like a physical text. However, the is the issue of the battery running out, the screen dying or being damaged either by water, being dropped, or another mishap.

The other downside to e-books is the issue of reading from a screen. It has been found that people read slower when using a screen and that it becomes a lot more tiring than reading from a book (Combes, 2016). Students often find it difficult to concentrate when reading a large amount of text on a device so there is a need to set up brakes so that they do not have a form of tunnel vision. This has the potential to affect their other studies. The format of the e-book can have limitations as well and students may be unfamiliar with the layout and also the device that is being used. Even though students are becoming increasingly familiar with the most common devices that are available, there is still developing research on how students engage with the content of e-books and the different devices that they can be viewed on (Roskas et al., 2016, p. 6).

The thought that the e-book can act as a straight swap for a physical text is not that simple, there is a need to teach students how to use the device first and the different features that will be relevant for the class that they are in. The overall benefit of having all the books in one place is appealing, however, the issues around the device itself and the options that the students have outweighed the benefits of e-books.

The Tattooist of Auschwitz by Heather Morris - 9781760403171 - Dymocks

References:

Combes, B. (2016). Digital Literacy: A new flavour of literacy or something different? Synergy, 14(1).

Lamb, A. (2011). Reading redefined for a transmedia universe. Learning and Leading with Technology, 39(3), 12-17.

Roskos, K., Burstein, K., Shang, Y., & Gray, E. (2014). Young children’s engagement with e-books at school: does device matter? Sage Open, 4(1), 1-9.

August 23, 2020

Enhanced literature. iF Poems

In schools where iPads are the main device that is used, there are a plethora of applications that can be used in an educational setting that relate to the different areas of study. Poetry is often a difficult topic to get students engaged in, so any opportunity that arises to make it as engaging as possible is a god send. iPad applications such as iF Poems allow students to engage more with the poems that they are studying or wanting to explore further.

iF Poems is an application that has a collection of poems that are built in and offer a small range of options that allow you to interact with them. For some of the poems, they can be read to you by well-known British actors such as Tom Hiddleston, Bill Nighy and Helena Bonham Carter, students will also have the opportunity to record themselves reading the different poems and send their favourite poems to other students in the class via email. Hey also have the option to learn more about the poet including where they were born and a short biography. The poems are broken up into categories relating to love and friendship, lessons for life, growing up and others, or into age groups. There is also a section that allows students to learn a little bit more about the various types of poems and provides examples of them. The application is directed at a younger student base, but that does not mean that it can not be used across year levels in both English and Literature classes.

With the study of different forms of poetry core at various levels of the English and Literature curriculum, it is important to allow student the opportunity to explore and engage with the texts that are different from what they are used to. Gone are the days where the teacher stands at the front of the classroom and reads a bit of prose or plays a video of it from YouTube, students should be engaging with it in ways that they are familiar with and that is most commonly done through applications on their phones or iPads. There is a need for teachers to transform the way that they use texts in the classroom, shifting from that of print-based practices to the digital practices that more closely reflect the authentic uses of literacy outside of the classroom (Mills & Levido, 2011, p. 81).

When it comes to the discussion of the use of applications and other software in the classroom, there is a need to consider the issues of availability, cost, and accessibility (Moller, 2015, p. 54). There are some applications out there that are free on initial download but then there are additional charges within the application to unlock features or read different texts. With iF Poems, the application is free and the poems are out of the copyright bounds, so they are accessible as soon as it has been downloaded onto the device. This makes poetry more accessible to students as there is no need to worry about paying for extra items and features just so that they can use the application.

The extra level of consideration is that the application allows for better individualisation for students that need extra assistance. There has been a level of difficulty in the past for improving the literacy outcomes for all students when there are disparities in skill and knowledge and reading and learning difficulties (Biancarosa & Griffiths, 2012, p. 146). This application allows students to make the text larger so that they are able to read it better and the option to hear some of the poems being read assists students with reading difficulties, it also helps other students with the pronunciation of words as the poems use words and phrases that are not commonly used today. They can then record themselves reading the poem as a form of practice for creating their own.

By having an application in the classroom that allows the students to interact with a poem, other than at face value, is an invaluable tool. However, the basic level of information on the poets and the types of poems means that the students will have to branch out of the application and do their own research. The students will get to experience the poems in a way that they may not have before.

iF Poems iPad app review - Telegraph

References:

Biancarosa, G., & Griffiths, G. G. (2012). Technology tools to support reading in the digital age. The Future of Children, 22(2), 139-160.

Mills, K. A., (2011). iPed. Reading Teaching, 65(1), 80-91.

Moller, K. J. (2015). Apps in literature-based classroom instruction: Integrating reading and response through traditional and digital media. Journal of Children’s Literature, 41(1), 54-60.

August 23, 2020

Interactive literature. Detroit: Become Human

Story based video games, such as Heavy Rain, Beyond: Two Souls, L. A. Noir, and Detroit: Become Human, which will be the focus of this evaluation, rely on the player to pick options to situations and complete tasks. The choices that are made affect the final result of the game meaning that different players will have different outcomes, some may progress further into the story whereas others may have exhausted all of their options early on.

Detroit: Become Human is a third person view game where there are multiple playable characters that the player can control and progress their story. It is based around three characters who, at the beginning have different storylines but eventually converge depending on the choices that are made by the player. The game is rooted in a strong moral concept of right and wrong. The choices that the player makes with any of the three characters has a great impact on the entirety of the universe that they are playing in.

Playing through the game, there is a heavy investment in the story of all of the characters and attachments build. The graphics are of a high quality so the player is able to see small details that would otherwise be missed. The ability to see facial expressions also adds to the attachment that the player builds with the characters. It is an immersive environment, meaning that hours can go by without the player noticing. As the story evolves, more difficult decisions have to be made, playing into the moral code that is in place, some of which result in the characters dying.

This game fits well within the senior level philosophy classes around the discussion of morals and the outcomes of decisions as well as in the English curriculum around authorial intent and the differing views around the same text. It is key to consider that when students lack the attention span, critical thinking skills, and the motivation that is important to read an entire text, they will struggle to pick up the deeper meaning and significance of them (Grey, 2012, p. 24). By having a video game that is as immersive and engaging as Detroit: Become Human as an alternate literature for students, they will feel that they are getting more out of their learning experience as they have a sense of control over what is happening in the story. Creating and developing a discourse among the students around authorship and authorial intent through the use of a video game helps them to broaden their understanding and assumptions about literature and its creation (Berger & McDougall, 2013, p. 142). Along with the playing of the video game, students can also watch videos of other people playing trough and have discussions based around that. This will allow for comparison between their own experience and that of others. The discourse element is quite important to consider as it will allow the students to link back to other texts that they are looking at and try and find parallels.

The video game is available on Play Station 4 and on Microsoft computers through a program called Steam. This video game is more suited to upper high school students due to the nature of some of the scenarios and the decisions that need to be made. There may be some limitations around cost and the accessibility for the students. Some parents may have objections around the themes in the video game, however, that is a common hurdle with texts in general studied in schools or used to supplement the course material.

By having a video game that can differ from one player’s experience to another, it allows the students to discuss their thoughts and the process of decision making, opening the lines of communication around the idea of authorial intent and the concept of right and wrong in a moral setting. It allows the students and the teachers the opportunity to explore concepts and ideas in a way that is familiar to students and to break out of the constraints of the traditional texts that are most commonly used.

Detroit: Become Human | Detroit: Become Human Wikia | Fandom

References:

Berger, R., & McDougall, J. (2013). Reading videogames as (authorless) literature. Literacy, 47(3), 142-149.

Gray, l. (2012). Added Interest, Added Value. In S. Emmons, E. Dail-Driver & J. Ford (Eds.), Fantasy media in the classroom: Essays on teaching with film, television, literature, graphic novels and video games (pp. 24-32). McFarland & Company.

May 27, 2019May 27, 2019

Reflection

The role and nature of school library collections.

When thinking about the physical space of the library, its role has evolved over the years to suit the needs of the learning community, however, the core feature has stayed the same. A learning space where reading, inquiry, research, thinking, imagination, and creativity is central to students’ information to knowledge journey and to help develop their social, personal and cultural growth (IFLA School Library Guidelines, 2015, p. 16). Though, the smooth running of the library space would not happen if it weren’t for the Teacher Librarian to oversee it all. The teacher librarian to a library is like Mjolnir is to Thor or The Eye of Agamotto is to Doctor Strange. They both hold the power to change the present and the future for the best. Wielding such powers is no easy feat, Teacher librarians must be able to distinguish between the important and the insignificant all while trying to maintain a relevant collection and learning environment and defend any potential issues (enemies) that may come about. Collection development policies could be seen as their sidekick to help relieve some of the stress of running a library.

While still being the brains of the operation, teacher librarians can turn to the collection development policy to give them some assistance along the way on how to defend their collection, or universe. The teacher librarian must make informed decisions based on the school community and the long-term goals and priorities that are set out in the collection development policy (Johnson, 2014, p. 138). A simple selection process can be created to help with quick fire decisions in a standard yes or no format (Boeti, 2019, March 28). In doing so, the teacher librarian can keep a mental log of this process, as it is not too detailed, and quickly assess a resource to see if it is worthy to move on to the detailed selection process.

Importance of a collection development policy

Much like sidekicks, collection development policies are there to support the hero of the library, the teacher librarian. By having this document in place, it outlines how the collection will be created and how it will meet the needs of its community (Braxton, 2014). It will also assist in how to acquire the resources and what the process is in regard to deselection. There are schools, however, that do not have a documented version of the policy and follow with the mentality that we do what we have always done and there is no need to write it down (Boeti, 2019, May 27). This can come at a cost to the library as the policy is there in case the teacher librarian is not available or decides to move schools. Without their sidekick, the hero is at a loss and the same goes for teacher librarians. A library cannot run effectively if there is not a collection development policy in place.

Future proofing the collection

By constantly analyzing the collection and deselecting the outdated or irrelevant materials, teacher librarians can maintain the best collection they can (Boeti, 2019, May 27). There also needs to be a collaboration between the teacher librarian and administration to ensure that the library will run smoothly. If there is that connection in place, the promotion of resources and activities run by the library will occur naturally and there will be a vested interest in the space from the school community because they will see that there is support for the library. There may be an increase in challenged materials in the future so policies should adapt accordingly. Self-censorship should not be put in place, a resource should not be restricted from purchase based on the teacher librarian deeming it inappropriate for readers (Jacobson, 2016, p. 21). By having a collection development policy in place, there is little room for error and questioning by administration. As well a sidekick, the collection development policy is a shield of protection for the teacher librarian.

Part B References:

Boeti, A. (2019, May 27). Collection Analysis [Online discussion post]. Retrieved from Charles Sturt University website: https://interact2.csu.edu.au/webapps/discussionboard/do/message?action=list_messages&course_id=_42383_1&nav=discussion_board_entry&conf_id=_78886_1&forum_id=_147540_1&message_id=_2311447_1

Boeti, A. (2019, May 27). Digital content within a collection development policy [Online Discussion comment]. Retrieved from Charles Sturt University website: https://interact2.csu.edu.au/webapps/discussionboard/do/message?action=list_messages&course_id=_42383_1&nav=discussion_board_entry&conf_id=_78886_1&forum_id=_147542_1&message_id=_2294288_1

Boeti, A. (2019, March 28). Selection process [Thinkspace blog]. Retrieved from Charles Sturt University website: https://thinkspace.csu.edu.au/adeleboeti/2019/03/28/5/

Braxton, B. (2014). Sample collection policy. Retrieved from http://500hats.edublogs.org/policies/sample-collection-policy/

International federation of Library Associations and Institutions/United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation. (2015). School Library Guidelines. Retrieved from https://www.ifla.org/files/assets/school-libraries-resource-centers/publications/ifla-school-library-guidelines.pdf

Jacobson, L. (2016). Unintentional selection: restricting books with controversial content is on the rise in school libraries. School Library Journal, 62(10), 20-24. Retrieved from http://web.a.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.csu.edu.au/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=1&sid=76df5959-93b8-4b6f-b81e-bb5b57f2df39%40sdc-v-sessmgr06