Professional reflective portfolio

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Part A

Personal Philosophy
An effective teacher librarian is committed to supporting student engagement with, and access to, information and literature resources. They advocate for, and build effective library and information services and programs, to scaffold and implement the vision of a school community. Through collaborative and responsive practice, effective teacher librarians facilitate and enhance student learning and wellbeing. They empower their school communities to be information literate, and to embrace a culture of reading.

Part B

Children’s literature

Exploring children’s literature for ETL402 was a highlight of my studies, as this topic has been central in driving my goal of becoming a teacher librarian (TL) (Kimball, 2022). The subject consolidated my own views that children’s literature is a powerful thing; for a young person’s emotional, imaginative, social, and intellectual growth. For decades, research has informed educators that children’s literature supports all aspects of literacy development, including language development (Chomsky, 1972; Galda & Cullinan, 2003; Morrow, 1992), writing skills (Galda & Cullinan, 2003; Lancia, 1997), and reading comprehension skills (Galda & Cullinan, 2003; Haven, 2007; Morrow, 1992). Being a teacher, I was well aware of the academic benefits of reading, so I was particularly interested to learn more about the other benefits of reading, as well as how to embed literature across the curriculum, to support a more holistic view of student development.

I have learned that a core component of the TL role is to promote a culture of reading, while empowering students to access literature of their choice, to support their development as independent readers. Research continues to demonstrate that children who are engaged with reading for pleasure are more likely to have success at school (OECD, 2011; Whitten et al., 2016). Creating these independent readers is a key challenge for TLs, teachers and parents, who may be concerned about the quality of student selections.  It was reassuring to encounter professional opinions that strengthened my views, that educators and adults should not take an elitist position, where children are discouraged from reading what they enjoy (Gamble, 2019, p.7; Gaiman, 2013).

Figure 1

Neil Gaiman and Chris Riddell on why we need libraries – an essay in pictures.

Note From a series of text and images published in The Guardian (2018, September 18). In the public domain. From Art Matters, by N. Gaiman, illustrated by C. Riddell, 2018, Headline.

TLs should continue to provide these undemanding books, which may be predictable narratives in a series, graphic novels, or silly stories with comic illustrations, as they can be the texts that hook students into reading, as articulated in Figure 1.  It is, however, also the role of the TL to promote other literary options, which convey significant themes or literary devices, to engage and stimulate young people’s intellects and imaginations.

At the start of ETL402, I viewed and read Gaiman’s inspirational lecture for the Reading Agency (2013), where he advocates for reading for pleasure, and specifically, for reading fiction. He argues that children’s fiction does two things; firstly, it is the hook to reading and literacy, and secondly, it has the power to build empathy (2013). As fiction promotes empathy-building and perspective taking, it has the potential to scaffold the development of children’s socio-emotional skills. Like Gaiman (2013), I believe that fiction can support young people to be more than self-focussed individuals; through literature, children do not just encounter new words, they also envision new worlds, and consider alternative ways of thinking and being.

I delved deeper into the connection between children’s literature and empathy, to explore how literature can embed additional outcomes to literacy development. In my first assessment for ETL402, I discussed how the Australian Curriculum’s (AC) General capabilities of personal and social capability, and intercultural understanding, can be supported through quality children’s literature. I referenced Kurcirkova’s conceptual paper, which investigated how children’s literature can be used to promote empathy (2019). Based on developmental psychology and literary theory, her research indicates that the ideal framework for effective empathy-building involves two features: children’s high immersion in the narrative, and a strong identification with characters who are different to themselves (Kucirkova, 2019, p.9). As a result, while students should select their own reading materials, TLs also have a responsibility to introduce children to a varied and engaging range of literary texts that explore diverse characters, settings, and events that are unlike their own lived experiences.

One of my professional goals for my placement at St Columba’s primary school library was to participate in library sessions across year levels, “which embed children’s literature and foster a positive reading culture within the school” (Kimball, 2023). At St Columba’s, I was fortunate to participate in literary experiences that introduced students to a range of quality literature, which was also highly engaging. This included author visits to inspire reading, writing, and literary discussion, literature circles to support the English curriculum, Cross-curriculum priorities and the General capabilities, and integrated literacy, arts and/or technology lessons, which explored the Children’s Book Council of Australia (CBCA) shortlisted picture books.  During these library sessions, students developed a range of academic, personal, and social skills, while being immersed in children’s literature. The majority of students would not have selected the literature explored independently, highlighting the potential impact that TLs have on supporting students to become independent readers and successful learners.

The TLs at St Columba’s frequently encourage their school community to read widely, and to read for enjoyment.  They had recently introduced new expectations for borrowing; students from Year 2 onwards were required to borrow at least one fiction, one nonfiction, one picture book (either junior fiction or older readers) and an extra book of their choice. These parameters promoted student choice, while also ensuring students were exploring the full library collection. The TLs also spend time at the start of library lessons to promote a variety of texts from different genres, authors and formats, and to discuss their location, having recently weeded and reorganised the collection.

Inspired by practising TLs who keep their collection fresh and inviting for students, while promoting quality literature alongside student favourites, I’m excited to continue my own professional journey and interests in children’s literature.  It will be a pleasure to provide a service that elevates and promotes reading, and supports young people to connect with their interests, engage with ideas and perspectives, and imagine possibilities.

Information literacy

Information literacy (IL) has been another core theme in my journey towards teacher librarianship. With the introductory subject of ETL401, which grounded the whole course in the context of our rapidly shifting and developing 21st century information landscape, supporting students to be information literate was firmly positioned as central to the role of the TL. In the educational context, IL can be defined as a transformational process, whereby students develop from ignorance to knowledge, by accessing and using information (Fitzgerald, 2019).

As a teacher, I was aware of inquiry skills and inquiry learning, however, I hadn’t connected IL explicitly to the inquiry process. I was also unaware of the various inquiry or IL models and ways of interpreting IL, such as the Six Frames for IL (Kimball, 2019). I quickly learnt that TLs should be driving IL skills and processes, which are embedded within the AC’s General capabilities.  As I was aware of the absence of explicit IL instruction in many primary school contexts, it was interesting, though not surprising, to learn through the work of Lupton (2014) and Bonanno (2015), that the AC lacks a clear scope and sequence of IL skills.

For Assessment item 3 of ETL401, I decided to further investigate the Guided Inquiry Design (GID) process, as an ideal model of IL, which would support the development of a process approach to IL, as argued by Fitzgerald (2019).  The GID model is based on Guided Inquiry theory and practice developed my Kuhlthau, Maniotes, and Caspari (2015), which was developed from Kuhlthau’s (1989) Information Search Process. As discussed in my assessment, part of the appeal of the GID model is that it is evidence-based, and incorporates the perspective of the student researcher, with an emphasis on their predicted emotions (Fitzgerald 2019, p. 18-19).  This explicit engagement with and acknowledgement of the emotions involved with inquiry and research tasks supports the development of student’s emotional resilience when learning; an area of focus which I’m building upon in my professional practice as a teacher.

While in theory my GID plan looked great on paper, in reality, I am yet to experience a primary school context where the TL is team-teaching a model of IL, with the luxury of an hour-long lesson. In planning for my professional placement, I hoped to observe IL in practice, with the inclusion of my professional goal, “to understand how information literacy skills and programs are implemented to enhance a variety of key learning areas” (Kimball, 2023).   Unfortunately, when I was visiting St Columba’s Primary school library, Term 3 did not include the explicit embedding of IL programs, as all year levels were focussed on learning around literature and the CBCA shortlisted books. While aspects of IL occurred on a daily basis, such as developing student ability to locate resources using Oliver, the other school terms were mapped out for implementing IL. For example, in Term 2, the Year 2 students engage in a research task on an Australian animal, integrating English, Science and HASS, and incorporating the General capabilities of literacy, critical and creative thinking, and ICT capabilities. The TLs use Braxton’s (2015) Information Literacy Process (ILP) in 40-minute library lessons, with students publishing their research with Book Creator.

Key additions to the ILP are the steps ‘interpreting’ and ‘reflecting’, as defined by Braxton (2015), which the TLs at St Columba’s include in their planning documents. I recently created an infographic suitable for primary school contexts, Figure 2, to share with my colleagues, who are concerned that their students are not developing IL skills. The infographic includes the vital interpreting phase, and combines the assessing and reflecting phases.

Figure 2

The information literacy process

Note Infographic created with Canva 2023. Adapted from The Information Literacy Process, by B. Braxton, 2015, 500 Hats Blog. CC BY-NC-SA-3.0

While engaging with the recent study visits, I found the Lake Tuggeranong College (LTC) Library website and resources helpful and practical, with IL resources to add to my own repertoire of TL tools. An aspect of IL I have found particularly necessary and urgent, is skill development around evaluating websites and online information. LTC Library includes a ‘Keys to Success’ tab on their website, with a webinar link and PDF of slides for website evaluation. As I have used the ‘CRAAP test’ with my own students, I was interested to learn more about the S.I.F.T. method which the LTC library recommend.

Mike Caulfield (2018) has produced a series of videos, Online verification skills, as shared in Figure 3, which explain strategies to support website evaluation, linked to the S.I.F.T. method.

Figure 3

Online verification skills

As my current Year 6 students were examining news in the media for their English unit, I developed a S.I.F.T. infographic (Figure 4) and shared the Caulfield strategies, such as ‘hovering’ and ‘just add Wikipedia’.  My students and colleagues responded positively to these IL processes and strategies, as practical resources that are applicable to various learning and personal contexts.

Figure 4

The S.I.F.T. Method

Note Infographic created with Canva 2023. Adapted from SIFT (The Four Moves), by M. Caulfield, 2019, Hapgood Blog. CC BY 4.0.

Supporting students to be information literate individuals is an enormous challenge, in our current climate of ubiquitous social media, data smog, and unregulated AI technologies.  The rapid spread of the mis- or disinformation landscape has continued to rise and infiltrate daily life; whether young people are actively seeking, or, passively consuming information or infotainment, it is vital that educators and TLs support students to develop the IL skills to help them to make sense of this clutter, make informed choices, and to hopefully, move from ignorance to knowledge.

Resourcing the curriculum

Another critical aspect of the TL role is collaborating with teachers and the leadership team to resource the curriculum, ensuring a balanced school library collection. Throughout my teaching career, I’ve always enjoyed finding and sharing resources that strengthen and enliven learning areas for students. Consequently, through ETL503, I particularly enjoyed investigating selection criteria and developing an annotated bibliography, and was interested to learn more about how the TL engages in collection development and management, and what challenges are involved.

Initially, my first challenge was defining the terms, as I was confused about the difference between the concepts (Kimball, 2020). Corrall (2018, p.5) clearly differentiated between the two, with collection management the broader umbrella term which refers to a wide range of tasks regarding how to manage the library collection, whereas collection development refers specifically to the selection and de-selection of library resources.  For Assessment item 1 of ETL503, I developed a diagram to represent the collection development process (Figure 5), adapted from Bishop (2013), Kimmel (2014) and the National Library of New Zealand (2012, cited in O’Connell, 2017).

Figure 5

Collection development process

This diagram helped me to understand the layers and key steps involved in collection development. While the collection development policy (CDP) is the first point of call in the process, I reasoned that there were at least four components informing the CPD. The following three steps then inform the TL, who can facilitate the selection of resources.  Importantly, this process is an ongoing cycle, which I could have better represented with a more cyclical flow chart.

The CDP plays a foundational role in the selection process, which was a key take-away from ETL503, and an area to further investigate for my own professional development. I was surprised to learn that there wasn’t a CDP at my current school, given how important this policy document is for guiding the development and management of a school collection, and explaining why the collection exists (ALIA & VCTL, 2017, p.2; Johnson, 2018, p.86). In the ETL512 Virtual study visit discussion forum, I asked Tehani Croft about West Moreton Anglican College’s (WestMAC) CDP and needs assessments. Her team were currently undertaking a major rework of their CDP, and consequently she wasn’t confident in sharing their outdated document (personal communication, April 26, 2023). Unfortunately, the TLs at St Columba’s Primary school library also didn’t have a CDP. While I certainly understand the demands of workload and time constraints in school contexts, when I’m employed as a TL, one of my professional goals is to create a concise, informative, and readable CDP.

In reaching out to other TLs who work in state school contexts in my local area, I was able to make a valuable connection with an experienced and highly organised TL, who shared her CDP, which she includes in an annual report for her school principal. She emphasized the importance of this practical document, which is reviewed annually, as it supports and justifies the school library budget, resources for selection, as well as her professional role. The TLs at St Columba’s and WestMAC both articulated their fortunate position that securing a decent budget allocation wasn’t a problem for their well-resourced libraries. The situation is very different at the coal-face of many state school libraries; perhaps because Australian public schools are still shockingly underfunded by state and federal governments, despite the Gonski recommendations from 2012 (Crotty, 2023, p.9). By visiting a range of school libraries, I’ve certainly witnessed a cultural and economic divide in our education systems, and consequently, in school libraries. Clearly, if we’re serious about improving literacy rates, we need full funding for state schools now (Figure 6).

Figure 6

For Every Child fair funding campaign

Note “For Every Child” is a campaign of the Australian Education Union. In the public domain.

As I discussed in my blog post, May 11 (Kimball, 2020), Johnson emphasizes the purpose of CDPs as being twofold; to inform and to protect (2018, p.86). CDPs can be powerful tools for assisting with budgeting, as they should provide information for proposed budget allocation and for funding requests (Braxton, 2015; Johnson, 2018). They are also a vital document to protect intellectual freedom and prevent censorship, and to empower TLs to be prepared should resources from the collection be challenged (Braxton, 2015; Johnson, 2018). While on my professional placement, the TLs discussed texts which had been challenged, and how the needed to refer to their school policy of embracing diversity and inclusion, as they don’t have a CDP. So far, this arrangement has been adequate for them, however, they also acknowledged they would like to develop one, to further strengthen and protect their diverse collection.

In recent professional literature and practice, there has been the timely discussion and action of ‘decolonising’ the school library (Klimm & Robertson, 2021). This is the process of weeding and deselecting material from the collection which includes misinformation about Australia’s Indigenous history and people, or perpetuates racist stereotypes. For Assessment item 1, I developed an annotated bibliography to address the AC’s Cross-curriculum priority of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories and Cultures (ATSIHC). I’ve since been able to share this document with my colleagues, and am pleased the general selection criteria I applied, particularly in relation to accuracy, treatment, and authority, included specific points to consider in relation to ATSIHC. I’ve recently located a number of nonfiction books in my school library which should be removed from the collection, and aim to work with our TL to evaluate and deselect them. In support of change, Indigenous recognition, and a commitment to accurate information, the collection development and management process continues.

PART C

The Master of Education (Teacher Librarianship) course has given me a wealth of new skills and understandings for application to the role of TL. Yet, as I now complete my formal studies to achieve the TL qualification, I’m somewhat anxious at the prospect of working in the role, given the cyclical paradox of higher education, where the more you know, the more you know you don’t know. Fortunately, my confidence was boosted when I participated in my professional placement, where I felt comfortable and competent in my abilities, and was valued as part of a library and teaching team. This final, practical component of the course has been essential for consolidating and applying my new knowledge, and for supporting my professional development as a graduate TL.

In reflecting on what I’ve learnt in this course, and how this will assist me in developing my skills and attitudes as a professional TL, the Standards of professional excellence for teacher librarians (ASLA/ALIA, 2004) provides a framework for considering ongoing professional development. Divided into twelve standards across the three domains of Professional knowledge, Professional practice, and Professional commitment, I’ve found this framework useful when also supported by the AITSL (Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership) Standards and teacher librarian practice document (ALIA Schools, 2014). As all teachers in Australian schools are required to refer to AITSL’s Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (2017) when completing their Annual Performance Development Plan (APDP), ALIA’s document is a useful bridge between the two sets of standards.

Central to the TL course has been an emphasis on the rapid development and changes within the information and education landscapes, as well as the importance of future-proofing our school libraries. Consequently, in order to achieve the status of an excellent TL, I will need to continually update my specialist knowledge and skills, as articulated in standard 3.1, Lifelong learning (Professional commitment). In support of this goal, the continued development of my digital literacy skills will be a priority, as it has been throughout my teaching career, in order to support a community of library users to access and use relevant information resources.

My continued development of digital literacy skills will also enable me to effectively demonstrate standard 2.3, Library and information services management (Professional practice). This standard requires specialist knowledge of information services, resources, technology and library management, which will require site-specific upskilling and application. Historically, I’ve found accessing the skills and knowledge of colleagues particularly helpful when seeking practical professional development. In support of standards 3.1 and 2.3, will also be my skill development in creating and maintaining a CDP, as discussed in this portfolio.  As I work towards this goal, I’ll continue to strengthen standard 3.4 Community responsibilities (Professional commitment), as I aim to actively engage with professional school library communities that I’ve begun to connect with, as a result of my TL studies.

The last four and a half years have been an incredible learning experience, a feat of endurance at times, and I’ve acquired a fantastic repertoire of library, education, communication, information and digital literacy skills and tools. While I’m not an “excellent teacher librarian” yet, I believe I have the capacity! I have been fortunate to experience supportive collegiality within the TL community, and I look forward to finally joining the ranks, to reciprocate and contribute to this essential service of our society.

References

Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA). (2004). Standards of professional excellence for teacher librarians. https://read.alia.org.au/alia-asla-standards-professional-excellence-teacher-librarians

Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA). (2014). AITSL (Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership) Standards and teacher librarian practice. https://www.alia.org.au/common/Uploaded%20files/ALIA-Docs/Communities/ALIA%20Schools/AITSL-Standards-for-teacher-librarian-practice-2014.pdf

Australian Library and Information Association Schools and Victorian Catholic Teacher Librarians. (2017). A manual for developing policies and procedures in Australian school library resource centres (Revised edition). file:///E:/CSU/ETL503%20Resourcing%20the%20Curriculum/ALIA%20Schools%20policies%20and%20procedures%20manual_FINAL.pdf

Bishop, K. (2013). The collection program in schools: Concepts and practices (5th ed.). Libraries Unlimited.

Bonanno, K., (2015). F-10 Inquiry skills scope and sequence and F-10 core skills and tools. Eduwebinar Pty Ltd. https://eduwebinar.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/curriculum_mapping_scope_sequence_skills_tools.pdf

Braxton, B. (2015). The information literacy process. 500 Hats: The teacher librarian in the 21st century. https://500hats.edublogs.org/files/2015/09/il_process_summary_2015-1dmyz8p.pdf

Braxton, B. (2015). Sample collection policy. 500 Hats: The teacher librarian in the 21st century. https://500hats.edublogs.org/policies/sample-collection-policy/

Bruce, C., Edwards, C., & Lupton, M. (2007). Six frames for information literacy education. In S. Andretta (Ed.). Change and challenge: Information literacy for the 21st century. Auslib Press.

Caulfield, M. (2019, June 19). SIFT (The Four Moves). Hapgood. https://hapgood.us/2019/06/19/sift-the-four-moves/

Chomsky, C. (1972). Stages in language development and reading exposure. Harvard Educational Review, 42, 1-33.

Corrall, S. (2018). The concept of collection development in the digital world. In M. Fieldhouse & A. Marshall (Eds.), Collection development in the digital age (pp. 3-43). Cambridge University Press.

Crotty, B. (2023). For every child – fully fund state schools. In Queensland Teachers’ Journal, 128(6), 9. https://www.qtu.asn.au/3d/Vol128No6/index.html

Fitzgerald, L. (2019). Guided Inquiry goes global: Evidence-based practice in action. Libraries Unlimited.

Gaiman, N. (2013, October 16). Why our futures depend on libraries, reading, and imagination. The Guardian.  https://www.theguardian.com/books/2013/oct/15/neil-gaiman-future-libraries-reading-daydreaming

Gaiman, N. (2018, September 7). Neil Gaiman and Chris Riddell on why we need libraries – an essay in pictures. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/books/gallery/2018/sep/06/neil-gaiman-and-chris-riddell-on-why-we-need-libraries-an-essay-in-pictures#img-5

Galda, L., & Cullinan, B. E. (2003). Literature for literacy: What research says about the benefits of using trade books in the classroom. In J. F. Hood, D. Lapp, J. R. Squire, & J. M. Jensen (Eds.), Handbook of research on teaching the English language arts (pp. 640-648).

Gamble, N. (2019). Exploring children’s literature: Reading for knowledge, understanding and pleasure (4th ed.). SAGE Publications.

Haven, K. (2007). Story proof: The science behind the startling power of story. Libraries Unlimited.

Johnson, P. (2018). Fundamentals of collection development and management (4th ed.). American Library Association Edition.

Kimball, A. (2022, May 22). Children’s literature. Reflective Blog.  https://thinkspace.csu.edu.au/alyssa/2022/05/22/childrens-literature/

Kimball, A. (2019, September 29). ETL401 Module 5.2 Information Literacy in education. Reflective Blog. https://thinkspace.csu.edu.au/alyssa/2019/09/29/etl401-module-5-2-information-literacy-in-education/

Kimball, A. (2020, May 25). ETL503 Reflective practice (Assessment 2: Part B). Reflective Blog. https://thinkspace.csu.edu.au/alyssa/2020/05/

Kimball, A (2023). Assessment item 4 – Placement proposal and CV. [Unpublished assignment submitted for ETL402]. Charles Sturt University.

Kimmel, S.C. (2014). Developing collections to empower learners. American Library Association.

Klimm, K., & Robertson, D. (2021). How an old book created a commitment to better represent first nations Australians. Connections, 117, 4-5.

Kucirkova, N. (2019). How could children’s storybooks promote empathy? A conceptual framework based on developmental psychology and literary theory. Frontiers in Psychology, 10(121), 1-15.

Kuhlthau, C.C. (1989). Information search process: A summary of research and implications for school library media programs. School Library Media Quarterly, 18(1), 1-12.

Kuhlthau, C.C., Maniotes, L.K., & Caspari, A.K. (2015). GI: Learning in the 21st century (2nd ed.) Libraries Unlimited.

Lancia, P.J. (1997). Literary borrowing: The effects of literature on children’s writing. The Reading Teacher, 50, 470-475.

Lupton, M. (2014). Inquiry skills in the Australian Curriculum v6: A bird’s-eye view, ACCESS, 28(4), 8-29.  https://eprints.qut.edu.au/78451/1/Lupton_ACCESS_Nov_2014_2pg.pdf

Morrow, L.M. (1992). The impact of a literature-based program on literacy achievement, use of literature, and attitudes of children from minority backgrounds. Reading Research Quarterly, 27, 250-275.

O’Connell, J. (2017). School Libraries. In I. Abdullahi (Ed.), Global Library and Information Science (2nd ed., pp. 375-393). Walter de Gruyter.

Organisation of Economic Cooperation and Development. (2011). Do students today read for pleasure? PISA in Focus, 8, https://www.oecd.org/pisa/pisaproducts/pisainfocus/48624701.pdf

Whitten, C., Labby, S., & Sullivan, S. (2016). The impact of pleasure reading on academic success. The Journal of Multidisciplinary Graduate Research, 2(4), 48-64.

ETL533 Assessment 4 Part A: Context for Digital Storytelling Project

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Exploring: Ballad of the Totems by Oodgeroo Noonuccal

An enhanced poetry e-book

https://1drv.ms/p/s!AhVielyavm3UgTjQCZmq7v7aadiO?e=RLdmx6

The purpose of this enhanced poetry ebook is to support the updated Australian Curriculum Version 9.0 (ACv9), specifically the Years 5-6 English Learning area topic of poetry, while integrating the Digital Literacy general capability. The third purpose of this digital text is to celebrate and provide access to a literary work by a significant, Indigenous female author, while embedding the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories and Cultures cross-curriculum priority. Students and teachers of upper primary, particularly those in state Education Queensland (EQ) schools in and around Brisbane, are the intended audience. PowerPoint has been selected as a familiar, free to use tool which works across operating systems and devices, including iPads and laptops. EQ students and teachers are already familiar with Microsoft systems and PowerPoint, which is easily shared across school and home contexts, including for home learning situations if required.

The strand of Literature, from the ACv9 English Learning area, includes content descriptions that emphasize literary texts written by First Nations Australians (ACARA, 2022-a). Oodgeroo’s amusing and thought-provoking Ballad of the Totems (1970/2008) was selected for the enhanced ebook, as a poem with rich language and local relevance for South-East Queensland schools, and to address the lack of texts by Indigenous authors in primary school settings. With respect for Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property Rights, (National Copyright Unit, n.d.), this enhanced ebook is awaiting permission to be shared for educational purposes. An advisory note regarding culturally sensitive material has been included on the homepage.

Oodgeroo’s ballad has the potential to support the Literature sub-strands, which involve examining, engaging with and responding to literature (ACARA, 2022-a). Exploring: Ballad of the Totems is designed for classroom and/or school library learning experiences, to be implemented across multiple lessons, including whole class, small group, buddy and individual reading tasks. The original poem has been enhanced with multimodal features, to create a digital text which supports minds-on active learning, student engagement, meaningful content, and a socially interactive experience. These components are described as the four pillars of learning and are considered key for digital texts to enhance educational outcomes (Hirsh-Pasek et al., 2015; Hassinger-Das et al., 2020).

Minds-on active learning

Exploring: Ballad of the Totems includes interactive features that foster user control, exploration and meaning making, such as navigational and discussion hotspot hyperlinks, and click to reveal sections. Hotspots on the poem pages reveal questions that align with one of four Question-Answer Relationship (QAR) strategies: Right There, Think and Search, Author and You, and On My Own (Fisher et al., 2017, p.111). This feature aims to promote dialogic reading – conversations about texts – which should be central to any shared reading experience (Hassinger-Das et al., 2020, p.74; Kucirkova, 2018, p.54). To support accessibility for diverse learners, including those with dyslexia, the poem has been sectioned into smaller parts (two stanzas per page), with a read-to-me audio option on each page.

Student engagement

Student engagement involves gaining and maintaining student interest and participation in a topic or text (Kucirkova, 2018, p.53). Multimodal features to enhance student engagement include colour photographs of animals featured in the poem, including the close-up of a carpet snake on the homepage, and a bright Slidesgo template with simple, earthy graphics, selected for visual appeal and to ‘hook’ students in. Interactive content is related to the text, to avoid the potential for distraction, and to increase comprehension (Furenes et al., 2021, p. 507; Hassinger-Das et al., 2020, p.76). For example, the ebook embeds discussion hotspots about the text, hyperlinks to define target words from the poem, text narration, and click to reveal features to encourage student participation. Hyperlinks to external websites occur on pages separate to the poem, to avoid distraction from the ballad.

Meaningful content

Content can be made meaningful by connecting information to prior knowledge, and by learning about new topics that are personally relevant (Fisher et al. 2017; Hassinger-Das et al. 2020; Kucirkova 2018). Exploring: Ballad of the Totems includes interactive features that enhance the poem’s meaning, with discussion hotspots designed for student exploration and reflection, as well as to prompt teachers to engage in the personalising process. The discussion hotspot on the homepage includes questions to activate students’ prior knowledge, and on pages about cultural information, students are asked about their personal experiences.

Socially interactive

Exploring: Ballad of the Totems supports the concept of social contingency, which is the importance of learning from and with others (Fisher et al., 2017; Hassinger-Das et al., 2020). A link to a discussion Padlet is included, which provides students with the opportunity to share their ideas while practising their online communication skills in a safe and monitored space. The Padlet includes the discussion questions from the ebook, and asks students to comment on a classmate’s post, and to create their own QAR question. Teachers could create a link to their own class Padlet, to embed aspects of the Digital Literacy general capability, specifically in relation to digital communication tools and formats (ACARA, 2022-b).

References

Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority. (2022-a). English. Australian Curriculum. https://v9.australiancurriculum.edu.au/f-10-curriculum/learning-areas/english/year-5_year-6?view=quick&detailed-content-descriptions=0&hide-ccp=0&hide-gc=0&side-by-side=1&strands-start-index=0&subjects-start-index=0

Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority. (2022-b). Digital Literacy. Australian Curriculum. https://v9.australiancurriculum.edu.au/f-10-curriculum/general-capabilities/digital-literacy?element=2&sub-element=0

Fisher, D., Frey, N., & Hattie, J. (2017). Teaching literacy in the visible learning classroom, grades k-5. Corwin Press.

Furenes, M. I., Kucirkova, N., & Bus, A. G. (2021). A Comparison of Children’s Reading on Paper Versus Screen: A Meta-Analysis. Review of Educational Research, 91(4), 483–517. https://doi.org/10.3102/0034654321998074

Hassinger-Das, B., Brennan, S., Dore, R.A., Golinkoff, R.M., & Hirsh-Pasek, K. (2020). Children and Screens. Annual Review of Developmental Psychology, 2(1), 69-92.

Hirsh-Pasek, K., Zosh, J.M., Golinkoff, R.M., Gray, J.H., Robb, M.B., & Kaufman, J. (2015). Putting education in ‘educational’ apps: Lessons from the science of learning. Psychological Science in the Public Interest, 16(1), 3–34.

Kucirkova, N. (2018). How and Why to Read and Create Children’s Digital Books: A Guide for Primary Practitioners. UCL Press.

National Copyright Unit. (n.d.). Copyright basics. SmartCopying. https://smartcopying.edu.au/guidelines/copyright-basics/indigenous-cultural-and-intellectual-property-rights/

Oodgeroo, N. (2008). My People (4th ed.). John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd. (Original work published 1970)

ETL533 Assessment 4 Part D: Critical Reflection

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Image by Joe from Pixabay

Living within the digital woods…

My first blog post for ETL533 used the subheading: Into the digital woods (Kimball, 2022, July 25), to refer to the current digital landscape with its hidden treasures and traps. My views, knowledge and understanding of digital environments and texts have certainly expanded throughout this subject. I’ve consolidated my view that the plethora of technological tools in our educational settings today have created a paradoxical scenario; where teaching and learning can be ‘easier’, yet also more complicated (Kimball, 2022, August 10). Consequently, my perspective that educators and teacher-librarians (TLs) have vital roles to play, as selectors and mediators of digital literature, has also been strengthened.

Quality and content of digital texts is paramount, regardless of format, given the fluidity and rapidly evolving nature of digital media (Groth, 2018). Educators must apply our own critical literacy skills; by using relevant criteria to select appropriate, quality resources for school contexts (Kimball, 2022, July 24). Yokota & Teale’s (2014) selection criteria was a useful springboard for considering digital literature for students. For Assessment 2, I decided on eight criteria: literary merit, aesthetic quality, representation, digital enhancements and extras, access, navigation, security and advertising, and authorship (Kimball, 2022, August 22). Adapted from Kluver (as cited in Kucirkova, 2018), the University of Stavanger (2019), and Walsh (2013), I applied these to my own digital text for our final assessment.

Throughout ETL533, I have re-worked my definition of digital literature.  After engaging with a variety of innovative texts for Assessment 2, I questioned the suitability of non-linear texts for younger students, as well as the novelty factor of others, which can be engaging yet distracting from storylines. Recent research emphasizes that quality digital texts embed multimedia aligned to the story, rather than novel features that distract from meaning-making (Furenes et al., 2021, p. 507; McGeehan et al., 2018, p.64). Content is clearly key to the quality of a digital text. Thus, my shifting definition of digital literature now includes print-born texts such as enhanced ebooks, which include rich language and supportive interactive content (Kimball, 2022, August 22).

The creation of my own enhanced ebook enabled me to apply digital literacy skills, and my professional views on digital literature for students. It was fun to dabble in a range of tools, as I experimented with Canva, Microsoft Sway and Google systems, as recommended by students in comments posted on the Assessment 3 Padlet. I ended up working with PowerPoint and Google Slides, and while I had to abandon my initial choice of Canva, due to limitations with audio, I was quite pleased with the final product. However, I was unable to create truly synchronised text and audio – text highlighted as the poem is narrated – an enhancement known to support readers with developing literacy skills (Kucirkova, 2018, p.19; Roskos et al., 2014, p.5).

Feedback on Assessment 3 – from Louise, Jacob and Rebecca – included positive comments about incorporating Indigenous perspectives and poetry into a digital resource. Unfortunately, I ran into a barrier with regards to Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property Rights (ICIPR). I understood that I could use Oodgeroo’s Ballad of the Totems (1970/2008), her drawing of a carpet snake, and a photograph of Oodgeroo, if appropriately attributed and for educational purposes, under Fair Dealing (National Copyright Unit, n.d.-a) and the Statutory Text and Artistic Works Licence s 113P (National Copyright Unit, n.d.-b.). However, consultation with relevant First Nations groups is the ethical approach for incorporating Indigenous content, even though there is no specific legislation in Australia that recognises ICIPR (National Copyright Unit, n.d.-c). I’m still waiting to hear from Oodgeroo’s family, as to whether I have their permission to use her work and image.

Prompted by Louise’s feedback for my project (2022, September 8), I intended to use Canva classes to share my ebook, while I was still working with Canva. While PowerPoint may not be as sophisticated as other tools, it is easy to share within my Education Queensland context. It was also the medium through which my school shared learning from home resources during the COVID-19 lockdowns, as not all classes have BYO devices. I decided to use a Padlet Wall to encourage social interaction, after feedback from Krystal, as a new communication format for my students to try, in a supported and safe online context.

Quality digital literature has the potential to support and extend children’s digital and traditional literacy skills. Implementing new digital mediums, however, requires significant support for educators, given the various associated challenges. Financial and physical support from governments – digital infrastructure and human resources – are essential to address the substantial investment of time and money required for educators and TLs to properly embed innovative tools and learning. We are already living and working within the ‘digital woods’; by strengthening advocacy for state school and library settings, and increasing collaboration with educational professionals, educators and TLs can continue to source treasures, reveal traps, and provide directions on how to make meaning from new digital texts.

References

Furenes, M. I., Kucirkova, N., & Bus, A. G. (2021). A Comparison of Children’s Reading on Paper Versus Screen: A Meta-Analysis. Review of Educational Research, 91(4), 483–517. https://doi.org/10.3102/0034654321998074

Groth, S. (2018). Still defining digital literature. The Writing Platform. https://thewritingplatform.com/2018/05/still-defining-digital-literature/

Kucirkova, N. (2018). How and Why to Read and Create Children’s Digital Books: A Guide for Primary Practitioners. UCL Press.

McGeehan, C., Chambers, S., & Nowakowski, J. (2018). Just because it’s digital, doesn’t mean it’s good: Evaluating digital picture books.  Journal of Digital Learning in Teacher Education, 34(2), 58-70.

National Copyright Unit. (n.d.-a). Copyright basics. SmartCopying. https://smartcopying.edu.au/guidelines/copyright-basics/copyright-exceptions/

National Copyright Unit. (n.d.-b). Educational licences. SmartCopying. https://smartcopying.edu.au/educational-licences/

National Copyright Unit. (n.d.-c). Copyright basics. SmartCopying. https://smartcopying.edu.au/guidelines/copyright-basics/indigenous-cultural-and-intellectual-property-rights/

Oodgeroo, N. (2008). My People (4th ed.). John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd. (Original work published 1970)

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

University of Stavanger. (2019). Best practice design. Children’s Digital Books. https://www.childrensdigitalbooks.com/design/

Walsh, M. (2013).  Literature in a digital environment. In L. McDonald, A literature companion for teachers (pp. 181-185). Primary English Teaching Association.

Yokota, J. & Teale, W. H. (2014). Picture books and the digital world: educators making informed choices.  The Reading Teacher, 34(6).

Assessment item 3: Digital Storytelling Topic Proposal

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Drawing of the Kabool by Oodgeroo Noonuccal, from Historic North Stradbroke Island (1994, p11).

Topic: Exploring Ballad of the Totems by Oodgeroo Noonuccal; an enhanced poetry e-book

Ballad of the Totems

Platform: CANVA

Rationale: The intended purpose of this task is to create an enhanced poetry e-book, to support the Years 5-6 English curriculum topic of Poetry, while also embedding the cross-curriculum priority of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories and Cultures. While Oodgeroo Noonuccal’s humorous poem isn’t currently included as an example of poetry to be explored in curriculum documents, I hope that educators and schools could be persuaded to share  this great example of a local ballad. The latest version of the English curriculum (v9), emphasizes texts written by First Nations Australians, and literature which explores characters and concepts in ballads from different times, by a variety of Australian authors (ACARA, 2022).

I intend to create an enhanced poetry e-book, which would include an audio recording of the poem (narrated alongside the text), information about the text structure of ballads, poetry analysis, and hyperlinks to information about Oodgeroo and her Quandamooka culture and country (Minjerribah/Stradbroke Island). I’d like to include Jandai language, as well as information/links about Indigenous Australian totems – specifically the carpet snake/Kabool. The use of hyperlinks for poetry analysis, definitions and vocab building, would be embedded on pages separate to the poem, so as not to interfere with the comprehension of the ballad, nor overload students’ cognitive resources (Furenes et al., 2021, p.507). The Quandamooka region (Stradbroke & Moreton Islands) is a familiar holiday location for many Brisbane families, so Oodgeroo’s work, life, and culture has local relevance for my school community.

Canva is free for educators, is user friendly, and has a range of relevant features for multimodal presentations. As well as quality images and graphics, multiple audio tracks can now be inserted into one presentation. I’d like to include a comments tab to encourage online student discussion about the poem, but I’m not sure if this is something I can do with Canva.

References

Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority. (2022). English. Australian Curriculum. https://v9.australiancurriculum.edu.au/f-10-curriculum/learning-areas/english/year-5_year-6?view=quick&detailed-content-descriptions=0&hide-ccp=0&hide-gc=0&side-by-side=1&strands-start-index=0&subjects-start-index=0

Furenes, M. I., Kucirkova, N., & Bus, A. G. (2021). A Comparison of Children’s Reading on Paper Versus Screen: A Meta-Analysis. Review of Educational Research, 91(4), 483–517. https://doi.org/10.3102/0034654321998074

Carter, P., Durbidge, E., Cooke-Bramley, J.  (Eds.). (1994). Historic North Stradbroke Island. North Stradbroke Island Historical Museum Association Inc.

Assessment 2 Part B Critical reflection

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Digital literature experiences

Having read and reviewed a variety of digital texts in various formats for primary school students, I’ve re-worked and shifted my definition of what makes a good digital text. Digital literature, as opposed to digitized literature, should be text based, created with computer software, and intended to be read on a device (Heckman & O’Sullivan 2018; Bouchardon, 2016). I’ve now broadened this definition, when considering the purpose and audience of digital texts.

While different formats serve different purposes, essentially, the purpose of digital literature is as a platform for communicating content, and making connections and meaning. Connecting readers with their world and interests can be for leisure or learning. As Lamb (2011, p.17) emphasizes, the content of any text is still the core part of the reading experience that provides value for the individual. Therefore, I’ve included texts that are digitized literature, or print-born, if they also embed enhanced digital features, which provide a multimedia text experience, and maintain the integrity of the story. The enhanced app, War Horse (2012) is an example of such a text. Texts which are digital-born, but which also exist as printed forms, are also included in my expanded definition, if the digital version has components which enable the reader to interact with digital enhancements to make meaning or connections, such as hyperlinks and participatory reader culture, as in The Tea Dragon Society (2016).

Another feature of digital literature I’ve grappled with, is in relation to the concept of digital text being algorithmic. Heckman and O’Sullivan (2018, p.3) stated that digital literature should include text that changes as the reader engages with it. While this is an innovative and exciting feature of digital literature, it is not always suitable for primary school aged children, who are still consolidating their foundational literacy skills, and who may become disorientated by non-linear text structures (Lamb, 2011, p.15).  Consequently, I now consider that quality digital literature includes texts which employ effective literary devices and themes, supported by technical features and smooth digital functioning which enhance the text. Walsh (2013, p.187) refers to this integration of features as an “aesthetic synergy”, and is necessary when educators are recommending digital texts to engage students.

Reading digital texts requires another skill set to traditional literacy skills (Leu et al., 2015). While I enjoyed delving into some excellent examples of digital literature for older readers, such as Device 6 and Nine Billion Branches, which are thought-provoking and perplexing, I also find the twisting, non-linear reading experience fatiguing and at times frustrating. A greater cognitive load is certainly required when engaging with innovative forms of digital literature, even when we have competent, well-developed literacy skills. Researchers have found that an overload of information can interfere with our ability to make meaning, given our information processing systems have a limited capacity (Furenes et al., 2021). For young readers, as well as applying developing literacy skills, such as decoding words and understanding literal and inferred meaning in a text, students must also learn how to navigate these new text structures, such as hypertext fiction, multiple storylines and non-linear narratives (Serafini & Youngs, 2013, p.401-402).

Solid traditional literacy skills must come before students can be expected to engage with any form of digital text (Combes, 2016, para 3). This raises the valid concern of some parents and educators, about the purpose of digital literature in primary school contexts, given the “mismatch often found between the goals of content developers and child development researchers” in new digital media (Hassinger-Das et al., 2020). Two recent studies have found that for those with conventional reading skills, and for children with emergent reading skills, reading performance (including story comprehension), is greater with print-based formats (Clinton, 2019; Furenes et al., 2021). So, what to do?  While students are in primary school settings, it is clear that in order for digital literature to be used effectively for learning, and to be fully appreciated when reading for pleasure, educators and parents must be involved in scaffolding and modelling the necessary skills for meaning making, and social interactivity, with digital literature.

As referred to in my review of the War Horse app, the four, interconnected pillars of learning – cognitively active, engaged, meaningful, and socially interactive (Hirsh-Pasek et al., 2015), are the conditions through which learning most effectively happens. Digital literature has the potential to support these pillars, if educators and/or parents are also involved in bolstering the student interaction with digital texts. The War Horse enhanced app could be successfully used in middle and upper-primary classrooms, as a quality resource when engaging with the Humanities and Social Sciences (HASS) and English curriculums. The app could support the investigation of key concepts for developing historical understanding: significance; continuity and change; cause and effect; place and space; interconnections; roles, rights and responsibilities; and perspectives and action (ACARA 2010-present). Through class or library literature circles, in small groups of mixed ability levels facilitated by a teacher, teacher librarian or teacher aide, students could be supported to make meaningful connections with the literary text and historical information, through dialogic reading and social interaction with peers. Educators could also facilitate a participatory literary community involving students, such as a literary class blog, to create a safe and monitored online social space.  In this way, digital literature can serve its purpose of communicating content and making meaningful connections.

 

References

Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority. (2010 to present). Learning areas. Australian Curriculum. https://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/f-10-curriculum/learning-areas/

Bouchardon, S. (2016). Towards a Tension-Based Definition of Digital Literature. Journal of Creative Writing Studies, 2(1).

Clinton, V. (2019). Reading from paper compared to screens: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Research in Reading, 42(2), 288–325. https://doi .org/10.1111/1467-9817.12269

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

Furenes, M.I., Kucirkova, N., Bus, A.G. (2021). A comparison of children’s reading on paper versus screen: A meta-analysis. Review of Educational Research, 91(4), 483-517.

Hassinger-Das, B., Brennan, S., Dore, R.A., Golinkoff, R.M., & Hirsh-Pasek, K. (2020). Children and Screens. Annual Review of Developmental Psychology, 2(1), 69-92.

Heckman, D., & O’Sullivan, J. (2018) Electronic literature: Contexts and poetics. In K. M. Price & R. Siemens (Eds.) Literary Studies in a Digital Age, Modern Language Association. http://dx.doi.org/10.17613/M6K649S3G

Hirsh-Pasek, K., Zosh, J.M., Golinkoff, R.M., Gray, J.H., Robb, M.B., & Kaufman, J. (2015). Putting education in ‘educational’ apps: Lessons from the science of learning. Psychological Science in the Public Interest, 16(1), 3–34. https://doi.org/10.1177/1529100615569721

Kucirkova, N. (2018) How and Why to Read and Create Children’s Digital Books: A Guide for Primary Practitioners. UCL Press.

Lamb, A. (2011). Reading redefined for a transmedia universe. Learning & Leading with Technology, (39)3, 13-17.

Leu, D. J., Forzani, E., Timbrell, N., & Maykel, C. (2015). Seeing the forest, not the trees: Essential technologies for literacy in the primary-grade and upper elementary-grade classroom. The Reading Teacher, 69(2), 139-145.

Serafini, F. & Youngs, S. (2013). Reading workshop 2.0: Children’s literature in the digital age. The Reading Teacher, 66(5), 401-404.

Walsh, M. (2013).  Literature in a digital environment. In L. McDonald, A literature companion for teachers (pp. 181-185). Primary English Teaching Association.

 

Assessment 2 Part A Digital Literature Review 3: War Horse enhanced app

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Morpurgo, M. (2012). War Horse. The Red Green & Blue Co Ltd. (Original work published 1982).

Morpurgo’s enhanced e-book, War Horse (2012), developed by The Red Green & Blue Co Ltd., is historical fiction set in and around World War 1. The text is told from the perspective of a horse named Joey, who travels from rural England to the battlefields of France, experiencing both sides of the war. First published in print in 1982, this text isn’t digital-born, but with interactive features that enhance the original narrative, it is also more than digitized literature.  I’ll expand the definition of digital literature to encompass literature that is print-born, but reworked with multimodal elements that deepen the reader’s understanding of a story. War Horse includes themes of friendship through adversity, courage, and the power and horrors of war. The digital text would be ideal to support the HASS (Humanities and Social Sciences) curriculum in Years 4-6.  Eight selection criteria will be applied for this review, adapted from Kluver (as cited in Kucirkova, 2018), the University of Stavanger (2019), and Walsh (2013). The criteria: literary merit, aesthetic quality, representation, digital enhancements and extras, access, navigation, security and advertising, and authorship, relate to digital literature for primary school children. As this text is evaluated as a resource to support learning, the four pillars of learning – cognitively active, engaged, meaningful, and socially interactive (Hirsh-Pasek et al., 2015) – will also be considered.

The enhanced app of War Horse performs well in terms of security and advertising, and authorship. Morpurgo, former Children’s Laureate, and all producers and contributors to the app are clearly attributed. The e-book is safe and appropriate for children, and free from advertising and in-app purchases; the developer, The Red Green & Blue Co Ltd, does not collect any user data from the app. Unfortunately, access is limited to users of iOS, requiring iPadOS 12.0 or later, and costs $7.99. Consequently, even though many primary schools recommend Apple devices for their BYO device programs, a negative aspect of the enhanced app is in relation to the access criteria, due to the exclusive platform and expense. On a positive note regarding access, the audio-visual enhancements enable the text to be read by a variety of ability levels. The app includes a synchronised and highlighted narration feature, which supports readers with developing literacy skills (Kucirkova, 2018, p.19).

War Horse performs exceptionally well with regards to literary merit, representation, and aesthetic quality. Morpurgo’s narrative is an example of quality literature, with extended vocabulary specific to the historical context, skilfully written in the first person. With regards to representation, the narrative depicts characters from various cultural backgrounds, including German and Welsh, without negative stereotypes or caricatures. War Horse involves an engaging plot filled with action and tension, and character development that promotes empathy for animals. The content of the story is upsetting, with violence, war, and death central themes, which requires parents and educators to engage in dialogic reading with their children. Dialogic reading – a conversation about content during shared reading – is a core component of the four pillars of learning, and is necessary when reading print and digital texts (Hassinger-Das et al., 2020).

The narrative is enriched by the accurate historical information, supported by multimodal visuals, enabled through the app. The original watercolour illustrations by François Place, skilfully support the text. The overall aesthetics and layout of the enhanced app are visually appealing and well designed, demonstrating how older literary texts for children can be successfully renewed for contemporary audiences, immersed in a digital and visual culture. Visually rich narratives are a continuing trend in publishing for children, reflecting this visual culture (Short, 2018, p.289). These enhanced aesthetics contribute to the engagement and active ‘minds-on’ pillars of optimal learning environments.

The War Horse enhanced app successfully utilises digital enhancements and extras in a sophisticated and seamless way. This digital functioning is further supported by a smooth and intuitive navigation and interface. Separate chapters are easily accessed through scrolling across the homepage, with numbered illustrations from each chapter the hyperlinked pathway to the text. The multimodal app extras – a musical performance, interactive timeline, and videos of interviews with historical experts – are all easily located from the homepage. As discussed earlier, the app includes an audiobook, with synchronised sentence-by-sentence highlighting, with narration by the author. This audio-visual synchrony is an enhancement which supports, rather than distracts young readers’ attention, and thus promotes story comprehension (Kucirkova, 2018, p.19; Roskos et al., 2014, p.5). This is a key requirement of digital enhancements in digital literature for children.

An example of quality digital literature for children, the War Horse enhanced e-book successfully integrates story content, technical, and artistic aspects to enhance the reading experience. The multimodal extras add detailed depth to the historical context, supporting students to be engaged, to have active ‘minds-on’ learning, and to make meaningful connections with their existing knowledge and experiences. These are three of the pillars for learning (Hassinger-Das et al., 2020; Hirsh-Pasek et al., 2015). Importantly, the fourth pillar – being socially interactive – will require educators to tie everything together; engaging with the students and the digital text.

References

Hassinger-Das, B., Brennan, S., Dore, R.A., Golinkoff, R.M., & Hirsh-Pasek, K. (2020). Children and Screens. Annual Review of Developmental Psychology, 2(1), 69-92.

Hirsh-Pasek, K., Zosh, J.M., Golinkoff, R.M., Gray, J.H., Robb, M.B., & Kaufman, J. (2015). Putting education in ‘educational’ apps: Lessons from the science of learning. Psychological Science in the Public Interest, 16(1), 3–34. https://doi.org/10.1177/1529100615569721

Kucirkova, N. (2018) How and Why to Read and Create Children’s Digital Books: A Guide for Primary Practitioners. UCL Press.

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

Short, K. (2018). What’s trending in children’s literature and why it matters. Language Arts, 95(5), 287-298.

Walsh, M. (2013).  Literature in a digital environment. In L. McDonald, A literature companion for teachers (pp. 181-185). Primary English Teaching Association.

 

Assessment 2 Part A Digital Literature Review 2: The Tea Dragon Society

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O’Neill, K. (2016). The Tea Dragon Society. Onipress. https://teadragonsociety.com/

The Tea Dragon Society is a gentle, all-ages fantasy webcomic, by New Zealand author and artist Katie O’Neill.  Readers are introduced to a world of tea dragons, named after the tea leaves and flowers that grow from their bodies. The protagonist is young goblin Greta, an apprentice blacksmith – her mother is the master blacksmith – who finds a lost tea dragon. Greta learns the ancient and dying art of tea dragon care-taking, while forging new friendships.  Themes include friendship, community and traditions, patience, identity, and caring for other living things. This world-building webcomic was originally published with weekly instalments online; a new page uploaded and open for comments on Sunday evenings during 2016-2017. This ‘update schedule’, is a temporal feature specific to the webcomic format, which has been a publishing trend using Web 2.0 technologies since the 1990s (Grifka, 2015; Moorefield-Lang & Gavigan, 2012). Eight selection criteria are used for this review, adapted from Kluver (as cited in Kucirkova, 2018), the University of Stavanger (2019), and Walsh (2013). The criteria: literary merit, aesthetic quality, representation, digital enhancements and extras, access, navigation, security and advertising, and authorship, relate to digital literature for children aged 8-12 years.

The Tea Dragon Society performs well with regards to access, navigation, and security and advertising. It is free to read online, across multiple platforms, including Microsoft, Android and Apple operating systems. The website has a refreshingly calm tone and is free from advertising and pop-ups. However, parents and educators should be aware that from the Links page, readers can easily access webcomics which are very different to The Tea Dragon Society, rated for 13+ years. The comments section, a valuable feature for participatory reader interaction, may pose some online safety issues if not monitored by parents or educators. Navigation of the webcomic is smooth, with readers able to click on illustrations to move to the next page, or to use the hyperlinked arrows to travel to various and specific points in the text.

The aesthetic quality of The Tea Dragon Society is excellent. O’Neill’s artwork conveys influences of manga and anime styles, and the imaginative setting is depicted with whimsical landscapes and village settings, framed with delicate, botanical illustrations. The text/font is somewhat feint and small, however, they are easily enlarged on iOS and Android devices. Attractive artwork in warm yet soft colours is supported by a clean and uncluttered layout and interface. The University of Stavanger (2019) emphasizes the importance of quality illustrations in digital literature for children, which depict diverse characters, including their emotions, movement and actions. O’Neill skilfully portrays these elements with characters who are diverse in their physical features (e.g. horns, hair, antlers, tails etc.), skin tones, ages, body types, abilities/disabilities, and family structures. The Tea Dragon Society is a gold standard exemplar for the representation criteria, in the way that it normalises diversity in children’s literature.

The Tea Dragon Society has excellent literary merit. With a complex plot based on the character development of a diverse cast of characters, who aren’t constrained by gender stereotypes, O’Neill’s language and dialogue is well-written. Grammatically correct and using accurate capitalisation and punctuation, the narrative is thoughtfully organised into seasonal chapters. O’Neill’s email address is provided on her ‘About’ page, as are links to her social media accounts. While this demonstrates the capability of digital platforms to expand and strengthen author-reader relationships (Skains, 2010), it isn’t a suitable platform for primary school readers and contexts.

The digital enhancements and extras of The Tea Dragon Society webcomic are minimal and subtle. So much so, that it could be argued that this text isn’t actually ‘digital literature’, as it isn’t algorithmic, as defined by Heckman, D. and O’Sullivan, J. (2018) . The webcomic has successfully been published as a printed graphic novel. I would argue, however, that if we broadened the definition of digital literature to be an umbrella term for a wider range of literary digital texts, we can ensure we’re catering for the diverse readers in our primary schools. For example, not all children would enjoy and/or benefit from reading fragmented, non-linear digital texts (Lamb, 2011).  It is important that we recommend and provide a range of quality digital literature, for student learning and their reading pleasure.

The Tea Dragon Society has no audio features or narration functions, being pleasantly quiet. Hyperlinks to extras include an ‘Almanac’ and ‘Cast’ pages, which provide readers with details about the fantasy world and its characters, such as the particular diets, behaviour and habits of tea dragons. This world-building component, particularly of fantasy and science fiction texts, is an online, literary trend which has been expanding over the last 20 years. Skains (2010) discussed “online novel communities” as providing a space for discourse between the author and reader. The Tea Dragon Society includes a comments function, mainly used when the new pages were uploaded, with the author responding with thoughtful detail about specific characters.  Readers are still able to post comments.

Overall, The Tea Dragon Society is a delightful webcomic for all ages. Refreshingly calm and simple, it may be an effective hook into digital realms, for those not usually inclined to engage with online reading environments. Perhaps one day, O’Neill’s tea dragons will return to the digital space, accompanied by augmented or virtual reality enhancements, complete with aromatic scents of herbal tea.

References

Grifka, M. (2015). Webcomic. The Chicago School of Media Theory. https://lucian.uchicago.edu/blogs/mediatheory/keywords/webcomic/

Heckman, D., & O’Sullivan, J. (2018). Electronic literature: Contexts and poetics. In K. M. Price & R. Siemens (Eds.) Literary Studies in a Digital Age, Modern Language Association.

Kucirkova, N. (2018). How and Why to Read and Create Children’s Digital Books: A Guide for Primary Practitioners. UCL Press.

Lamb, A. (2011). Reading redefined for a transmedia universe. Learning & Leading with Technology, (39)3, 13-17.

Moorefield-Lang, H. & Gavigan, K. (2012). These aren’t your father’s: The new world of digital graphic novels. Knowledge Quest, 40(3), 30-35.

Skains, R.L. (2010). The shifting author-reader dynamic: Online novel communities as a bridge from print to digital literature. Convergence: The International Journal of Research into New Media Technologies, 16(1), 95-111.

University of Stavanger. (2019). Best practice design. Children’s Digital Books. https://www.childrensdigitalbooks.com/design/

Walsh, M. (2013).  Literature in a digital environment. In L. McDonald, A literature companion for teachers (pp. 181-185). Primary English Teaching Association.

Assessment 2 Part A Digital Literature Review 1: Switcheroo

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Marino Family. (2015). Mrs Wobbles and the Tangerine House: Book 3: Switcheroo  https://elmcip.net/node/9049

Switcheroo (2015) is the third story in a series of interactive fiction – Mrs Wobbles and the Tangerine House – for readers aged 7-11 years. Created by Mark C. Marino, in collaboration with his two children, with artwork by Brian Gallagher, the series is set in a magical foster home, where amusing, fantasy adventures take place. The reader is introduced to the Book of the Lost; a living, magical book and keeper of the tales of Mrs Wobbles, which is inclined to misbehave. This is a playful hook for young readers, and a nod to the academic discussions around digital fiction as “unruly objects” (Allan, 2017). Eight criteria will be applied to this evaluation, adapted from Kluver (as cited in Kucirkova, 2018), the University of Stavanger (2019), and Walsh (2013). The criteria – literary merit, aesthetic quality, representation, digital enhancements and extras, access, navigation, security and advertising, and authorship – relate to digital literature for children in primary schools.

Switcheroo performs well with regards to access, and security and advertising. Online safety is a key consideration for educators, when evaluating digital literature for children (Kucirkova, 2018, p.39). Switcheroo does not require readers to submit any personal information when reading the text (other than a name, which personalises the interaction), the privacy policy is transparent, and there are no distracting or inappropriate ads or pop-ups. There are some links to other websites, for example the author’s blog, however, content on these sites is also suitable for all ages. Marino’s digital fiction is free to access and read on various web browsers, across multiple platforms including Microsoft, Android and iOS.

In terms of aesthetic quality and navigation, Switcheroo has an uncluttered layout and easy to read text. Visually, Switcheroo is quite understated, a book-like interface which appears to mimic a children’s novel, with black font on a cream coloured background, which may support young readers to focus on the story (University of Stavanger, 2019). The text can easily be enlarged on Android or iOS devices. The minimal black and white illustrations support the story, are skilfully drawn and effectively depict the emotion of the protagonist.

Switcheroo involves a relatively complex plot, character development which supports the reader to empathise with diverse characters, humour, and new vocabulary. These are all key features of quality children’s literature (University of Stavanger, 2019; Walsh, 2013). Consequently, the text performs fairly well in regards to literary merit and representation. Switcheroo explores themes of identity, adoption, ability/disability, and gender stereotypes, in an age-appropriate way, without being moralistic or laboured. The reader is situated as the protagonist, Derik, a foster boy who wakes up to find he has the body of a girl; mysteriously, he also no longer needs to use his wheelchair. Derik then identifies as Denise, and is adopted under false pretences. At the conclusion of the story, the reader has to make a significant decision, which requires the young reader to engage with the character dilemma. This is a strength of the narrative, enhanced by the interactive format that enables reader choice.

Developed using Undum and HTML format, the platform of Switcheroo enables branching and reader interactivity. Hypertext fiction, or interactive fiction, has been a technological trend in publishing for more than 30 years, pre-dating the internet (Walsh, 2018). While this trend in literature empowers readers to have control over elements of the story, some young readers/players may become disorientated in non-linear narratives of the genre (Lamb, 2011, p.15).  Switcheroo is fairly linear, which is appropriate for the target audience. An example of effective literary and technological synergy in Switcheroo, occurs when the reader chooses what Derik/Denise should do with their adoptive parents. Each choice results in the reader/protagonist learning something about one of the adults which challenges gender stereotypes.

There are also some shortcomings with regards to the hyperlinked narrative structure of Switcheroo, which interferes with the literary and technical integration. Most of the hyperlinks function as a ‘click to continue’ feature, and the actual choices the reader makes are quite limited. Many of the choices in Switcheroo contribute to the ‘Character chart’; a gaming component connected to the narrative, which may promote sustained engagement (Hassinger-Das et al., 2020). This also includes a scoreboard for ‘Page points’ and ‘Poem powers’. The ‘Character chart’ is a changeable summary of who the reader/player is acting like. This adds a playful layer of intertextuality, referencing popular children’s book characters, such as Hermione Granger or Percy Jackson. This is a fun literary feature which provides readers with immediate feedback, which also supports motivation (Hirsch-Pasek et al. 2015). However, this component of the text isn’t followed through in the narrative. The subsequent text and actions of Derik/Denise are not actually altered by the readers choice.  Other hyperlinks allow the reader to unlock a hidden poem, or find extra sections of text, which contributes to their ‘Page points’ or ‘Poem powers’. Unfortunately, these points and powers are arbitrary, as they don’t enable the player to do anything extra with the text.

Overall, Switcheroo is a sound example of interactive fiction appropriate for middle-upper primary school students, without being overly fragmented and disorientating. While some of the text’s digital enhancements and extras aren’t always integrated and executed as fluently as they could be, these are points for discussion within classrooms and libraries. A suitable text for reading for pleasure, the text could also be used in school contexts for literature circles, reading groups and book clubs, to engage with the themes identified. It would be great to see an audio option of Switcheroo, to support readers with developing literacy skills.

References

Allan, C. (2017). Digital fiction: ‘Unruly object’ or literary artefact? English in Australia, 52(3), 21-27.

Hassinger-Das, B., Brennan, S., Dore, R.A., Golinkoff, R.M., & Hirsh-Pasek, K. (2020). Children and Screens. Annual Review of Developmental Psychology, 2(1), 69-92.

Hirsh-Pasek, K., Zosh, J.M., Golinkoff, R.M., Gray, J.H., Robb, M.B., & Kaufman, J. (2015). Putting education in ‘educational’ apps: Lessons from the science of learning. Psychological Science in the Public Interest, 16(1), 3–34. https://doi.org/10.1177/1529100615569721

Kucirkova, N. (2018). How and Why to Read and Create Children’s Digital Books: A Guide for Primary Practitioners. UCL Press.

Lamb, A. (2011). Reading redefined for a transmedia universe. Learning & Leading with Technology, 39(3), 13-17.

University of Stavanger. (2019). Best practice design. Children’s Digital Books. https://www.childrensdigitalbooks.com/design/

Walsh, K. (2018). Interactive fiction: A fun approach to gamifying learning. EmergingEdTeach.   https://www.emergingedtech.com/2018/12/interactive-fiction-a-fun-approach-to-gamifying-learning/

Walsh, M. (2013).  Literature in a digital environment. In L. McDonald, A Literature Companion for Teachers (pp. 181-185). Primary English Teaching Association.

ETL533 Assessment 1: Reflective Journal Blog Task

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Using your readings and interaction with the subject to date, develop a statement about your current knowledge and understanding of concepts and practices in digital literature environments, tools and uses, within the context of your work or professional circumstances.

Into the Digital Woods…

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Image by Povilas Petkevicius from Pixabay

I’m hoping for and expecting some meandering learning curves from ETL533: Literature in digital environments. An environment of unstable, and constantly morphing literary boundaries and aesthetics.  While the title of this subject appears fairly self-explanatory, the term digital literature is itself a little slippery. Before engaging with the literature for ETL533, my perception of digital literature was that of multimodal, electronic literary texts that blend language, visual, audio and structural features. I also thought it could include literary works and picture books which have been digitized to be read on an e-reader or iPad. As digital literature can mean different things to different people, I was relieved to find some consistency in definitions from Module 1 articles, as well as readings from previous subjects.

Academics and practitioners in the field of electronic literature define the term as being literary works that have been created by harnessing computer technology (Heckman & O’Sullivan, 2018; Rettberg, 2012; Rowberry, 2018). Essentially, it is an umbrella term for literary objects that are created on a computer, designed to be read on a computer, and which are distinct from digitized literature (Hackman & O’Sullivan, 2018). Thus, reading Jane Austen as an e-book doesn’t count as digital literature. As Rowberry (2018) discusses and challenges, e-books are not considered innovative enough to be classified as digital literature (p.320). Perhaps the term digi lit could encompass both digitized and digital literature?

In our recent online class, we discussed possible examples of digital literature. Some wondered if animated quest games or TikTok videos could be included in the classification of digital literature, considering their use of engaging narrative structures, which resonate with their students. However, a narrative is not inherently literature. A film, for example, is a narrative text, yet it is not referred to as literature. Viewing and reading are complementary, yet distinct skills.  Encyclopedia Britannica defines literature as written, imaginative works (Rexroth, 2020). Therefore, digital literature should theoretically be fiction, embed written words, and be generated with the use of an operating system.

At the core of my practice as a primary school teacher, is helping students to be literate and numerate individuals, assisting them to interact appropriately and fairly with others, and to support them to engage with the world around them. Digital ‘literature’ resources in the classroom and school library certainly provide opportunities and challenges around these themes, which I’m yet to fully exploit. My current school context is a BYO device classroom, with all  Year 5 and 6 students using iPads to support their learning. We’re learning together, and I love it when our digital tools do two things; firstly, work without glitches, and secondly, when they enhance the learning.

Many of the readings from Module 1.2 focus on the importance of digital literature environments enhancing rather than hindering the learning experience. One of the main shadows currently in my thoughts around digital literature, is that for primary school students particularly, technology-based reading has the potential to distract students’ focus. While interactive features can strengthen a reader’s understanding and engagement with a text, they can also divert attention and impact negatively on their comprehension of a text (Dobler, 2013; Lamb 2011). The need for educators to seek quality digital books, and to apply criteria for the selection of these texts in school settings, is emphasized by McGeehan et al. (2018), and Yokota and Teale (2014), who provide five criteria for evaluating digital picture books. As I mentioned in the discussion forum, it is essential that educators model critical literacy skills when selecting and using all text types.

Leu et al. (2015) play with the proverb, ‘cannot see the forest for the tress’, in naming their article, Seeing the forest, not the trees, to discuss new technologies for learning and reading. They argued that the internet and its information landscape is the ‘forest’, and the new, limitless number of digital tools and literacies we can select from are the ‘trees’. This resonates with me, as we must see both; the new and old trees, in order to successfully understand and meander through the digital forest, with all its hidden wonders, hyperlinked paths, and scheming trolls.

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Image by Patricio González from Pixabay

References

Dobler, E. (2013). Looking beyond the screen: Evaluating the quality of digital books.  Reading Today, 30(5), 20-21.

Heckman, D., & O’Sullivan, J. (2018) Electronic literature: Contexts and poetics. In K. M. Price & R. Siemens (Eds.) Literary Studies in a Digital Age, Modern Language Association. http://dx.doi.org/10.17613/M6K649S3G

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

Leu, D. J., Forzani, E., Timbrell, N., & Maykel, C. (2015). Seeing the forest, not the trees: Essential technologies for literacy in the primary-grade and upper elementary-grade classroom. The Reading Teacher, 69(2), 139-145.

McGeehan, C., Chambers, S., & Nowakowski, J. (2018). Just because it’s digital, doesn’t mean it’s good: Evaluating digital picture books.  Journal of Digital Learning in Teacher Education, 34(2), 58-70.

Rettberg, J.W. (2012) Electronic literature seen from a distance: The beginnings of a field. www.dichtung-digital.org/2012/41/walker-rettberg.htm

Rexroth, K. (2020, October 30). literature. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/art/literature

Rowberry, S. P. (2018). Continuous, not discrete: The mutual influence of digital and physical literature. Convergence: The International Journal of Research into New Media Technologies, 26(2), 319–332.

Yokota, J. & Teale, W. H. (2014). Picture books and the digital world: educators making informed choices.  The Reading Teacher, 67(8), 577-585.

ETL402 Assessment 2 Reflection

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My views, knowledge and understanding of the concept and application of literary learning (LL) has certainly evolved during ETL402. At the start of the subject I knew reading was important for children to be successful, engaged citizens, and I already had a love of children’s literature, as discussed in my initial blog post. However, I wasn’t entirely clear on what exactly LL was. I have only really put all the pieces to the puzzle together in this final assessment.

It was inspiring to read, view and consider the range of fiction included in module 2A, and I became thoroughly lost down the rabbit hole of various genres and formats in children’s literature. In the discussion forum for module 2A.2b, I discussed a favourite picture book, which supports the F-6 science curriculum, which I hadn’t realised could be classified as literary nonfiction (LNF), a hybrid branch of fiction. Working towards the first assessment, it was exciting to consider the research of Browning (2021) and Larison (2018), who have theorised that LNF contributes to the development and retention of conceptual understandings in relation to history and science curriculums. Evidence continues to build on the power of narrative structures and the literary arts to support student engagement and connection with their world, and to build empathy and respect for others (Cornett, 2014; Harper, 2016). Certainly, what the world needs now.

Engaging with cultural diversity through children’s literature is a significant topic and an exciting trend in publishing. TLs must be advocates for embracing challenging texts in school, to meet the needs of LGBTQIAP+ students, as discussed by Kostakis (2018). I’ve been particularly interested in Indigenous Australian literature, and shared some favourite texts in module 2B.1a forum, and innovative digital texts in module 4.1 forum, such as the Indigital Storytelling app. The voice of Indigenous Australians are finally being published, shared and heard. It would seem that children’s literature has the potential to enact social change.

Defining and differentiating between transliteracy and multiliteracies in modules 4 and 5 proved challenging. I appreciated the discussion instigated by Sally Allen’s module 5 forum post, and included a multiliteracy strategy that used digital technology and drama in the module 5.3 forum, in an attempt to better understand the concepts. I do believe, however, that there is a cross-over in terminology, as they are often used synonymously. Regardless, we live in a world where being multiliterate and transliterate is the way of the future. Being literate first, however, will always be a focus for primary school teachers and TLs.

My understanding of literary learning finally came to fruition as I completed further readings around literature-based teaching and learning, reader-response and socio-cultural theories of learning. Essentially, literature embedded in the curriculum has many benefits for literary and literacy development (Lehman, 2007, p.46). Literary learning is about learning through literature; using cooperative learning pedagogies, to empower young people with the knowledge and skills to be creative, critical and collaborative thinkers, who also love to read.

References

Browning, E. (2021). Bridging the gap between past and present: Narrative nonfiction in the primary history classroom. King’s College London.

Cornett, C.E. (2014). Creating meaning through literature and the arts: An integration resource for classroom teachers (5th ed.) Prentice Hall.

Harper, L.J. (2016). Using picture books to promote social-emotional literacy. Young Children, July, 80-86

Kostakis, W. (2018). We need to talk about this: Embracing challenging texts. Access, March, 6-11.

Larison, K.D. (2018). Taking the scientist’s perspective: The nonfiction narrative engages episodic memory to enhance students’ understanding of scientists and their practices. Science & Education, 27, 133-157.

Lehman, Lehman, B. A. (2007). Children’s literature and learning: Literacy study across the curriculum. Teachers College Press.