Assessment 1

 As I scrolled through the list of electives available for my degree, I did not hesitate to immediately select ETL533, as judging by the subject name it combines two of my favourite specialties as a TL- Technology and Storytelling. I figured I had a fairly strong grasp of what Digital Literature entails, its benefits, and how to use it. It is not until I started reading through Module One, that I realised that there is still so much to learn regarding the development and progression of literature in digital environments and how to maximise its benefits for students.

For my students who mainly come from EAL/D backgrounds, the interactivity of the digital environment combined with quality literature has proven to be valuable in providing them with rich reading opportunities. Digital literature contains some powerful points of synergy in comparison to traditional print literature (Walsh, 2013). The availability of multimodal elements such as audio-visuals, animations, short videos, and even Virtual Reality experiences, allows readers to be immersed in the literature and helps bring it to life. In the context of my teaching, I have used various forms of digital literature. However, reflecting back on those experiences, I realised that I have failed to explicitly examine how the digital effects and features help add value to the actual literature rather than merely being a bonus feature.

The analysis of Inanimate Alice that Walsh (2013) presents was extremely valuable in allowing me to come to this realisation. When using digital literacies, I have only ever focused on examining the actual literature aspects of a story such as text features, characters, setting, etc. It will be very illuminating for students to witness how multimodal elements and digital effects can transform a traditional narrative and bridge the gap between the old and the new. That is, for digital literacies to be meaningful, students must understand how to appreciate authentic quality literature when produced in digital format, and not simply get distracted by the “flashy” elements they may offer (Walsh, 2013). This is further highlighted in an article by Dobler (2013). Dobler urges educators to carefully assess the quality of digital books and really understand what the interactive elements bring to the table. While students should be exposed to different formats of books, it is particularly important for educators to assess the quality of digital books prior to reading them to students (Dobler, 2013).

As a millennial, printed books were the only form of literature that I had known or that was available to me. It is mind-boggling to think of how fast the digital landscape has expanded and for us to even question the place of printed books in the educational realm. It truly makes me wonder what advancements the future holds. Will something new come along that will make digital literature obsolete or a thing of the past?

Reference

Dobler, E. (2013). Looking beyond the screen: Evaluating the quality of digital books. Reading Today, 30(5), 20-21. https://web-p-ebscohost-com.ezproxy.csu.edu.au/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=1&sid=1b2a8f5e-8ca0-46aa-b202-52209b34b771%40redis

Walsh, M. (2013). Literature in a digital environment (Ch. 13). In L. McDonald (Ed.), A literature companion for teachers. Marrickville, NSW: Primary English Teaching Association Australia (PETAA).