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Author: Amanda Wilson

ETL504: A Reflection on Learning

ETL504: A Reflection on Learning

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ETL504 has encouraged me to think beyond the walls of the school library to how I can influence and lead school-wide change. In this blog post, I reflect upon my past experiences with teacher leadership and change management. I will also identify strategies I can use in the future to solidify the school library and teacher librarian’s place within the school hierarchy.

 

During my time as a classroom teacher, I had taken on additional roles beyond my classroom teaching, however I never considered myself a leader. ETL504 has taught me that I was actually enacting the characteristics of a teacher leader. Crippen and Willows (2019, p. 172) defines a teacher leader as someone who “inspire[s], encourage[s], and empower[s] their colleagues”. I demonstrated this by hosting lesson observations in my areas of strength, presenting mini professional learning sessions to staff, and writing a proposal to overhaul how we teach phonics. With the knowledge that I have now, I understand that the characteristics I possessed aligned with a servant leadership style. This leadership style has given me a foundation from which I can further build my leadership skills when I move into the role of teacher librarian in the future.

 

Reflecting specifically on my proposal to overhaul my school’s phonics program, I realised this was an example of me trying to embed pedagogical change. However, at that point in time I did not have the change management theory knowledge that I now possess to guide me. Using Kotter’s (2017) eight steps for organisational change, I can identify the strengths in my proposal and areas that needed improvement. I was successful in forming a powerful coalition with my executive teacher and creating a vision for change that I presented to the principal for consideration. A step I could have implemented better was communicating the vision to my fellow teachers. I have since considered the communication factors that need to be taken into consideration when embedding change in Module 4.3 (Wilson, 2025, April 24). Next time I want to embed change within my school, I will be better equipped to effectively communicate this with the school community.

 

This unit has also taught me the importance of strategically aligning the library’s vision and mission with that of the school’s. When the school library explicitly articulates how they can assist the school in achieving its overarching vision and goals, the school library will become more valued (Kemp, 2017, p. 7). By critically analysing the vision and mission statement of another school library, I was able to identify the elements that make these statements strong and articulate how they could be improved (Wilson, 2025, April 27). This task explicitly broke down how to create an effective vision and mission statement, which is a skill I can use as a future teacher librarian to demonstrate support of the school’s vision and mission.

 

Isolation within the school hierarchy was a common experience shared by many of my peers in Module 1.2. Knowing that I could experience a similar scenario in the future, I reflected upon what I could do to mitigate this (Wilson, 2025, March 8). I determined that a priority should be placed on building relationships with staff across all leadership and teaching teams to cement my place within the school hierarchy.

 

References:

Crippen, C., & Willows, J. (2019). Connecting Teacher Leadership and Servant Leadership: A Synergistic Partnership. Journal of Leadership Education, 18(2), 171-180. https://doi.org/10.12806/V18/I2/T4

Kemp, J. (2017). Ten ways to advocate for your role as a teacher librarian. Connections, 103, 6-7. https://www.scisdata.com/connections/issue-103/ten-ways-to-advocate-for-your-role-as-a-teacher-librarian

Kotter, J. P. (2007). Leading Change: Why Transformation Efforts Fail. Harvard Business Review, 85(1), 19-29.

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Improving Relationships Within Organisational Structures

Improving Relationships Within Organisational Structures

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Reading the experiences of my peers in the ETL504 forum, there were a few people who felt that the teacher librarian role was isolated or they didn’t know where the role sat within their school’s organisational structure. These experiences demonstrate that some schools are still in an era where it is dependent upon the teacher librarian to use initiative and work hard to establish themselves as the information expert of the school. Using these viewpoints, coupled with my own experience as a classroom teacher, I reflected upon how I could use a knowledge of organisational structure to improve relationships with my future colleagues. I pinpointed two key relationships and identified ways in which I could improve those relationships as a future teacher librarian.

 

All of the schools where I have been a classroom teacher have been hierarchical in their structure. With this in mind, the first relationship I see as crucial to a teacher librarian is the one with the executive team of the school. It is crucial to understand who in the hierarchy is above you and take initiative to ensure that they are kept well informed on what is happening in the library. Creating a collection development policy that aligns with the overarching vision of the school would demonstrate to them that you play an integral role in the school achieving the goals and objectives envisioned for the school. Emphasising how the library adds value to the teaching and learning of the school also makes it easier to advocate to the executive team for appropriate funding and resourcing for the library.

 

Another relationship of importance exists between the teacher librarian and the classroom teachers. I have previously discussed in more detail the ways in which a teacher librarian can cultivate a relationship with teachers in a previous post, entitled Slow and Steady Wins the (Collaborative) race. This relationship is essential to enhance teaching and learning within the school and provides a teacher librarian with tangible data to demonstrate the positive impact collaborating with a teacher librarian can have on learning outcomes.

 

Although I am not in a teacher librarian role at present, it is clear that I may find myself in a school that does not clearly define where the role sits within the school’s organisational structure. I may need to use initiative to strengthen the relationships that exist with the executive and teaching teams. These relationships are key in ensuring the role is valued and utilised effectively to improve teaching and learning outcomes.

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Organisation Theory and Schools

Organisation Theory and Schools

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Sir Ken Robinson (2010) is a world-renowned education expert known for challenging the status quo when it comes to how we educate children. In a talk delivered at the RSA, Robinson proposes a change to the education paradigms that currently exist by shifting the focus towards a system that fosters divergent thinking. Robinson’s theory takes on a “normative approach” (Bush, 2015, p. 2), in which he advocates for what he believes is best practice for educational institutions. Below are the key ideas from Robinson’s theory sorted into the four aspects of organisations as identified by Bush (2015): goals, structure, culture, and context.

 

Goals

Robinson wants us to move away from the current goal of standardisation and conformity (individualised subjects, children educated in “batches”) and move towards a system where the objective is to create divergent thinkers.

Structure

The compartmentalising of students is a natural consequence of educating students within a system that values standardisation. Robinson advocates for learning to happen within groups, stating that “collaboration is the stuff of growth” (Robinson, 2010, 10:47).

Culture

Robinson (2010) encourages educational institutions to think differently about human capacity. Rather than labelling students and disciplines (academic, non-academic, abstract, theoretical, vocational), schools need to recognise that our students are nuanced beings and work towards “waking them up to what they have inside of themselves” (Robinson, 2010, 6:29).

Context

Although Robinson (2010) mentions that the habitat a school occupies influences its culture, I feel it is more fitting within the ‘context’ aspect as described by Bush (2015, p. 3). Where a school is physically located and the demographic of students that attend needs to be taken into consideration when creating educational programs that promote divergent thinking.

 

What are the key drivers for change that the teacher librarian could respond to through school library programs?

In a primary school setting, Bush’s (2015) essential aspect of ‘goals’ can take the form of a School Improvement Plan. Although these goals are set by the executive team of the school, a teacher librarian is uniquely positioned to be a driving force in helping a school to reach their targets. I draw an example from my learning in ETL501 The Dynamic Information Environment. If the school has a priority within their school improvement plan to improve learning outcomes in reading across the next four years, a teacher librarian could:

  • Create a space within their library that is conductive to reading
  • Collaborate with classroom teachers to improve student self-efficacy towards reading.
  • Improve circulation rates by identifying students interests and resourcing the library accordingly.

 

References:

Bush, T. (2015). Organisation theory in education: How does it inform school leadership? CORE. https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/162657439.pdf

Robinson, K. [RSA Animate]. (2010, October 14). Changing education paradigms [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDZFcDGpL4U

ETL501: A Reflection On Learning

ETL501: A Reflection On Learning

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In the first week of ETL501, we were asked to create a definition reflective of our emerging understanding of dynamic learning environments (Wilson, 2024, July 2). After all I have learned this semester, I would not change my answer. However, I now have a greater depth of understanding that underpins this definition. In this blog post, I unpack the key strategies I used to create a research guide and outline my understanding of the technological skill set necessary to be a teacher librarian in the 21st century.

 

A fundamental learning experience from this unit was the creation of a research guide for year five students on the Eureka Stockade. At the forefront of my mind when creating the guide was accessibility. WordPress (WordPress, n.d.) was chosen as the platform for the research guide as it contained an accessibility toolbar, which allows the user to adjust the font size and the contrast of the research guide. This decision was influenced by the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (World Wide Web Consortium), in particular SC 1.4.4 and SC 1.4.3. Readability was also an important factor. For novice researchers, simplicity of language is key to ensuring students actually use and appreciate research guides (Puckett, 2015, p. 80). Given that the target audience for the research guide is year five students, the language used had to match their reading abilities. Using the Hemmingway Editor (.38 Long LLC, n.d.), I obtained feedback on the readability of the content I created and simplified the information to ensure that year five students could read and understand the task.

 

To evaluate the books and digital resources that I included in the guide I used Caulfield’s (n.d.) SIFT method, which is the same method the students are encouraged to use during the research task. Using this method myself made it easier to create prompts that encourage students to critically evaluate the resources themselves. As a classroom teacher, I used to undertake the task of evaluating resources on behalf of my students, which I reflected upon in Module 4.5 (Wilson, 2024, October 5). I now have the knowledge and the skills to scaffold my students in undertaking this important information literacy skill for themselves.

 

21st century teacher librarians need to possess the technical knowledge necessary to tailor online spaces, such as research guides, to meet the teaching and learning needs of their students. It is an expectation in the Australian Capital Territory that teacher librarians be able to maintain “a virtual learning commons accessible to everyone, at any place and on any device” (Australian Capital Territory, 2019, p. 2). As a future teacher librarian, I aim to create a curated collection of digital artefacts that provide targeted support in information literacy skill development. I have already begun this process in ETL501, with the creation of infographics (Wilson, 2024, September 5) and other digital artefacts embedded within my research guide.

 

This unit has also encouraged me to think critically about physical school library spaces I have worked in previously and apply theory to suggest improvements to these spaces (Wilson, 2024, July 16). As a future teacher librarian, I feel confident that the knowledge I have gained from this unit will allow me to create and maintain a dynamic school library space that is responsive to the ever-changing information landscape.

 

 

References

Australian Capital Territory. (2019). School Libraries: The Heart of 21st Century Learning. https://www.education.act.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0007/1435435/School-Libraries-The-Heart-of-21st-Century-Learning.pdf

Caulfield, M. A. (n.d.). Check, Please! Starter Course. https://checkpleasecc.notion.site/Check-Please-Starter-Course-ae34d043575e42828dc2964437ea4eed

World Wide Web Consortium. (n.d.). Web Content Accessability Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0. https://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG21/

Puckett, J. (2015). Modern Pathfinders: Creating Better Research Guides. Association of College and Research Libraries.

Wilson, A. (2024, July 2). The Dynamic School Library: My Emerging Understanding. Connect the Dots. https://thinkspace.csu.edu.au/amandawilson/2024/07/02/the-dynamic-school-library-emerging-understandings/

Wilson, A. (2024, September 5). Smart Searching Infographic. Connect the Dots. https://thinkspace.csu.edu.au/amandawilson/2024/09/05/smart-searching-infographic/

Wilson, A. (2024, October 5). Teaching Information Literacy. Connect the Dots. https://thinkspace.csu.edu.au/amandawilson/2024/10/05/teaching-information-literacy/

WordPress. (n.d.). WordPress. https://wordpress.org/

.38 Long LLC. (n.d.). Hemmingway Editor. https://hemingwayapp.com/

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Teaching Information Literacy

Teaching Information Literacy

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This blog post is a reflection on my experience with teaching information literacy. I identify the changes needed in my own teaching practice and the challenges I see facing the profession as a whole.

 

How is information literacy currently taught to students in your context?

Reflecting on my six years teaching Year 1 and Year 2, information literacy was barely touched upon. The only thing I can recall is teaching our students how to paraphrase information they had read on topics of interest when writing their own informative texts, but this was as far as we went on this topic. For these tasks I always sought out quality information sources myself and provided these to the students. Upon reflection, doing this was taking away the chance to model, guide, and support my students in how to select quality information sources.

 

What is needed to build upon current teaching approaches?

A clear continuum of what information literacy may look like at each stage. An example of this is Hossain’s (2020, p. 14) K-12 Academic Integrity Literacy (citation and referencing) continuum. The expectations listed in the ‘K-Grade 2’ column emphasise a need for teachers to explicitly model information literacy practices, such as verbally acknowledging the ownership of work. Linking back to the teaching of paraphrasing that I mentioned previously, I could further build upon this by clearly explaining why we paraphrase the information we have gained to develop an awareness of ownership within my students.

 

What do you see as the challenges for teaching information literacy in our complex and changing information ecosystem?

I see smartphones as a huge challenge when it comes to teaching information literacy. While the younger generation are often labelled as “digital natives”, evidence suggests that the digital literacy skills of this cohort vary considerably, and the technologies they choose to engage with are limited (Merga, 2018, p. 78). In 2023, it was estimated around 91 percent of 14- to 17-year-olds in Australia owned a smartphone (Maclean, 2024, para. 1). While smartphones appear to be the technology of choice for the current teenage cohort of students, the technology has drawbacks that impact the application of digital literacy skills. A smartphones screen size and capabilities do not facilitate the ability to critically assess content using strategies such as exploring multiple sources (Yarmey, 2023, p. 108). This limitation impacts a young persons ability to critically assess information sources that they may encounter when using their smartphones.

 

What might you consider to be potential ways to respond to these challenges?

Embedding instruction on how to select the right tools for information searching within our information literacy lessons. Also ensuring that the information literacy skills that are taught, particularly at the high school level, are transferable to mobile phone devices, as it is inevitable that this cohort of students will engaging with information sources using smartphones.

 

References:

Hossain, Z. (2020). Connecting policy to practice: How do literature, standards and guidelines inform our understanding of the role of school library professionals in cultivating an academic integrity culture? Synergy, 18(1). https://slav.vic.edu.au/index.php/Synergy/article/view/373

Maclean, J. (2024, September 9). 91 per cent of Australian teens have a phone – but many are not secure. CSU News. https://news.csu.edu.au/opinion/91-per-cent-of-australian-teens-have-a-phone-but-many-are-not-secure#:~:text=Most%20Australian%20teenagers%20have%20their,the%20interactions%20they%20might%20have.

Merga, M. K. (2018). Reading Engagement for Tweens and Teens: What Would Make Them Read More?. Bloomsbury Publishing

Yarmey, K. (2023). Changing the conversation: introducing information literacy to a generation of smartphone users. In Godwin, P. & Parker, J. (Eds.), Information Literacy beyond Library 2.0 (1st ed., pp. 103-110). Facet.

Smart Searching Infographic

Smart Searching Infographic

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In Module 4.2 of ETL501, we were encouraged to create a smart searching infographic that could be used to develop students’ search skills. I chose to adapt Caulfield’s (n.d.) SIFT method into an simple, eye-catching infographic. The SIFT method is comprised of four steps that aid in the evaluation of information sources that students may encounter. These steps are: Stop, Investigate the source, Find better coverage, and Trace claims, quotes and media to the original context. Further learning about the SIFT method can be gained through the Check Please! Starter Course.

The SIFT method

References:

Caulfield, M. A. (n.d.). Check, Please! Starter Course. https://checkpleasecc.notion.site/Check-Please-Starter-Course-ae34d043575e42828dc2964437ea4eed

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A participatory designing approach

A participatory designing approach

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At the onset of a school library’s build or refurbishment, it is crucial that the needs of the people who will be using the facilities are considered in the design. A participatory designing approach ensures that a space is not just aesthetically beautiful, but also works well for the end user by including them in the designing process (Hughes et al., 2019, p. 331). The most favourable time for the school community to have an impact on the design process is at the very beginning, as opportunities for the school community to influence the design process decline once professionals are engaged (Hughes, 2019, p. 10). There are many methods teacher librarians can use to give a voice to the teaching and learning community of a school to ensure the end product will be one that is functional, well used, and elicits a love of reading and learning. Examples of participatory design methods include surveys, charettes, and student design projects that can be embedded into units of work.

 

Site visits are a useful participatory design strategy that allows a teacher librarian to gain insights into design possibilities. During site visits, teacher librarians can speak directly to other teacher librarians, teachers, and students to gain an understanding of the strengths and weaknesses different design features posess and how they impact learning and teaching. The information gained from site visits can create a foundation upon which other participatory design methods can be built upon. Any photos, ideas, and anecdotes collected from the site visits could then be presented to the school community and used as a springboard for inspiration and guide an informed discussion around design possibilities.

 

One way in which I would keep school community members up to date on the school library redesign process would be through the creation of Prezi’s (n.d.), that could be distributed to the wider school community via different channels, such as email and the school social media accounts. Using the Prezi format would make the information accessible to everyone, from staff and parents, to our youngest students. Classroom teachers, particularly in the younger grades, could use the Prezi as a springboard for discussion with younger students.

 

References:

Hughes, H. (2019).  (Re)Designing the library through school community participation. Connections, 111. https://www.scisdata.com/connections/issue-111/re-designing-the-library-through-school-community-participation/

Hughes, H., Bland, D., Willis, J., & Burns, R. E. (2015). A happy compromise: collaborative approaches to school library designing. The Australian Library Journal, 64(4), 321–334. https://doi.org/10.1080/00049670.2015.1033380

Prezi. (n.d.). Prezi. https://prezi.com/

The dynamic school library: My emerging understanding

The dynamic school library: My emerging understanding

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Module 1 of ETL501 The Dynamic Information Environment has made it clear to me that a dynamic school library does not only exist within the space where the school’s books and resources are held. It is present in every classroom, with collaboration and co-teaching happening between the teacher librarian and classroom teachers. A dynamic school library is responsive to the learning needs of the students upon which it serves. It is ever evolving, keeping pace with the changing information environment around it.

 

A key takeaway I gained from this module are the approaches that I can utilise to help me create a dynamic school library in the future. The first approach, The 21st Century School Libraries Framework (Loh, 2018, p. 4), illustrates how a school library can evaluate access, space, and programming in order to fulfill the five key roles of a school library, being: reading, research, collaboration, studying, and doing (Loh, 2018, p.4).

The 21st Century School Libraries Framework (Loh, 2018, p.4)
The 21st Century School Libraries Framework (Loh, 2018, p.4)

The second approach is built upon the concept of embedded librarianship, where a teacher librarian embeds themselves alongside classroom teachers in the planning and teaching of curriculum content. Boyer (2015, p. 74) outlines that the level upon which a teacher librarian embeds themselves within the school learning framework exists on a continuum, aptly called The Embedded Continuum.

The Embedded Continuum (Boyer, 2015)
The Embedded Continuum (Boyer, 2015)

Below is a Y Chart categorising the main themes I have identified throughout module 1:

Y Chart: A dynamic school library
Y Chart: A dynamic school library

 

References:

Boyer, B. (2015). Designer Librarian: Embedded in K12 Online Learning. TechTrends, 59(3), 71-76. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11528-015-0855-9

 

Loh, C. E. (2018). Envisioning the school library of the future: A 21st century framework. Office of Education Research National Institute of Education. https://repository.nie.edu.sg/server/api/core/bitstreams/c3e6186c-3beb-419e-b602-b54c874963aa/content

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ETL533: A Reflection on Learning

ETL533: A Reflection on Learning

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Literature in Digital Environments (ETL355) has introduced me to new forms of literature that I had not experienced before and has helped me in reclassifying literature that I had engaged with in the past. Reflecting back on my initial understandings at the commencement of this unit, I had already been using digital literature sporadically within my classroom teaching, I just did not realise at the time. In my initial blog post, I mused as to whether the app Scratch Jr (DevTech Research Group & Scratch Foundation), which I had used with my students in the past, was a form of digital literature (Wilson, 2023-a, para. 3). With the information that I have now learned from this unit, I now recognise that the app itself is not digital literature, but it can be used as a platform to create digital literature. Although the primary focus of my lessons was technology and coding, I was inadvertently encouraging my students to create their own pieces of digital literature.

 

In Module 4.1, I shared my concerns around the use of social media as a platform to create digital literature (Wilson, 2023-d, para. 2). Research has shown that users engage with social media on a shallow level, with many sharing articles they have never read or voting in polls attached to articles they have not clicked on (Glenski et al., 2020, p. 40). Personally, I have witnessed this myself on Facebook with news articles containing deceptive headlines and when reading the attached comments, it is clear that many people did not actually read the article. Whilst an author creating a piece of Twitter fiction does not have the intention of spreading false information, users that come across these tweets may not have the engagement level needed to comprehend that what they are reading is fiction and therefore I still hold these concerns at the conclusion of the unit.

 

Creating my own digital story has been an educational and personally meaningful experience. I challenged myself by selecting a platform I had never used before to create my digital story. Through this process I have enhanced my digital technical skills by learning how to embed video, create hotspots within pictures and use programs, such as JuxtaposeJS (Knight Lab, n.d.) to enhance and engage readers with the story. The digital literature piece that I created is not only a valuable piece for use within the classroom, but it has also become a personally meaningful piece of digital literature for my family, serving to preserve our family history and will be treasured for many years to come.

 

The feedback that I received on my digital storytelling proposal encouraged me to think beyond the digital story itself to how I could use my digital story within the classroom. Two pieces of feedback suggested using my digital story as a proforma for students to create their own texts on their grandparents (Forfar, 2023; rachelerinives, 2023). The inclusion of prompts encouraging text-to-self connections throughout the story would give guidance on the kinds of interview questions students could ask an older person who is significant to them. Another piece of feedback encouraged me to consider the reading levels of the students accessing the text (lizfrench77, 2023). This feedback was acted upon through the inclusion of narration to support early-readers in accessing the text. The many different perspectives provided through the feedback on how the digital text could be used in the classroom was encouraging and demonstrates the versatility of the digital story that I have created.

 

As a current classroom teacher, my takeaway from this unit is that digital literature, when embedded authentically, has the power to enhance and support the student learning experience (Sukovic, 2014, p. 206). In Module 2.3 I identified that I could begin to adapt my current pedagogy by embedding quality digital literature in to my guided reading lessons (Wilson, 2023-c, para 1). This small but meaningful step will just be a starting point from which I can further embed digital literature in authentic ways to develop my students’ digital literacy skills and enhance curriculum content.

 

As a future teacher librarian, I hope to cultivate a digital literature collection that goes beyond eBooks. In Module 1.2, I identified three main points when it comes to selecting quality digital literature for a school library (Wilson-b, 2023, para. 1-4). This knowledge, coupled with the experience of critically evaluating three pieces of digital literature in the first assessment, has equipped me to be able to critically evaluate digital literature for the inclusion in my future school library.

 

References

DevTech Research Group & Scratch Foundation. (n.d.) Scratch Jr. https://www.scratchjr.org/

 

Forfar, L. (2023, September 17). Hello Amanda [Comment on blog post “Digital Storytelling Topic Proposal”]. Connect the Dots. https://thinkspace.csu.edu.au/amandawilson/2023/08/27/digital-storytelling-topic-proposal/#comment-15

 

Glenski, M., Volkova, S., & Kumar, S. (2020). User Engagement with Digital Deception. In Shu, K., Wang, S., Lee, D., & Liu, H. (Eds.). Disinformation, Misinformation, and Fake News in Social Media Emerging Research Challenges and Opportunities (1st ed., pp. 39-62). Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-42699-6

 

Knight Lab. (n.d.). JuxtaposeJS. https://juxtapose.knightlab.com/?_gl=1*1c6rflz*_ga*MTAxNTYwNDE2MC4xNjk0NjA3MTQ5*_ga_8F4WPDMPL5*MTY5NDYwNzE0OC4xLjAuMTY5NDYwNzE0OC4wLjAuMA..

 

Lizfrench77. (2023, September 16). Amanda, your proposal sounds fascinating and has the potential to be a memorable and meaningful learning experience. [Comment on blog post “Digital Storytelling Topic Proposal”]. Connect the Dots.

 

Rachelerinives. (2023, September 3). This is such a great idea on a way in which to present a history topic and engage students. [Comment on blog post “Digital Storytelling Topic Proposal”]. Connect the Dots. https://thinkspace.csu.edu.au/amandawilson/2023/08/27/digital-storytelling-topic-proposal/#comment-12

 

Sukovic, S. (2014). iTell: Transliteracy and Digital Storytelling. Australian Academic and Research Libraries, 45(3), 205–229. https://doi.org/10.1080/00048623.2014.951114

 

Wilson, A. (2023-a, July 9). Prior Knowledge and Pigeons: My Preliminary Understanding of Digital Literature. Connect the Dots. https://thinkspace.csu.edu.au/amandawilson/2023/07/09/prior-knowledge-and-pigeons-my-preliminary-understanding-of-digital-literature/

 

Wilson, A. (2023-b, July 18). Evaluating digital narratives [Online discussion comment]. Interact 2. https://interact2.csu.edu.au/webapps/discussionboard/do/message?action=list_messages&course_id=_68469_1&nav=discussion_board_entry&conf_id=_140370_1&forum_id=_321155_1&message_id=_4517189_1

 

Wilson, A. (2023-c, August 6). One small change in my classroom practice [Online discussion comment]. Interact 2. https://interact2.csu.edu.au/webapps/discussionboard/do/message?action=list_messages&course_id=_68469_1&nav=discussion_board_entry&conf_id=_140370_1&forum_id=_322389_1&message_id=_4547401_1

 

Wilson, A. (2023-d, September 8). Concerns around using social media platforms for digital storytelling [Online discussion comment]. Interact 2. https://interact2.csu.edu.au/webapps/discussionboard/do/message?action=list_messages&course_id=_68469_1&nav=discussion_board_entry&conf_id=_140370_1&forum_id=_323703_1&message_id=_4579869_1

Cover of digital story, Growing Up in the 1960s
Context for Digital Story Telling Project

Context for Digital Story Telling Project

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Growing Up in the 1960s (Wilson, 2023) is a non-fiction digital narrative that centres around a young boy named Frank. Using a first-person perspective to tell the story, Frank shares facts, photos and videos of what life is like for him growing up in the Victorian town of Yarrawonga. Reading about Frank’s family, home, school, and the fun he has, students can gain a glimpse into what life was like for Frank as a child in the 1960s. After interacting with the text, students are then able make connections between Frank’s life and their own life, identifying similarities and differences to their own experience of growing up in the 2020s.

 

This digital story is primarily designed to be utilised by Year One students, aligning with the Year One History content descriptors of AC9HS1K01 (Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority [ACARA], n.d.-b) and AC9HS1K02 (ACARA, n.d.-a). The intended purpose of this digital story is to provide students with a window into life in the past, bringing Frank’s story to life through the combination of text, video, photographs, and audio. Primarily, it is envisioned that this story would be read by Year One students independently or in small groups. After reading the text, students could represent their thinking on a Venn Diagram to identify similarities and differences between themselves and the main character Frank (Fehring, 2019, p. 88).

 

As the intended audience for this digital story is junior primary, digital enhancements have been included to support early readers in accessing the text. An optional “read to me” function is embedded wherever there is text to support early readers in accessing the story. The text can also be read without the narration, giving the reader the option to read at their own pace and not compete with the narration coming from the device (Hoel & Jernes, 2023, p. 11). The narration takes “appropriate advantage of what the digital world allows” (Yokota & Teale, 2014, p. 581) through the use of a text-to-speech generator to create a young boy’s voice telling the story. This gives authenticity to the narration, making it appear as though Frank himself is telling the story directly to the reader.

 

Throughout the story, students are encouraged to make text-to-self connections between their own personal experiences of growing up and Frank’s experience in the 1960s. A yellow tab appears in the bottom left-hand corner which provides questions that prompt the reader to reflect upon the story being told and make connections to their own lives. Using hotspots for questioning is recommended as an effective way to engage students with the text without detracting from the story itself (Xu, et. al., 2021, p. 222). These text-to-self prompts assist students to understand and interpret the information that is being presented to them within the digital narrative (Ewing, 2022, p. 184). Not only does this meet the Year One History outcomes as mentioned previously, but it also simultaneously meets the Year One English outcome of AC9E1LE02 (ACARA, n.d.-c).

 

An example of the questions included to promote text-to-self connections

An example of the questions included to promote text-to-self connections (Wilson, 2023)

 

Further digital enhancements are utilised through the embedding of hotspots into a couple of the pictures to give further context to the photos that are included. For example, a historical arial map of Yarrawonga has been included. On its own, this map may not be of any significance to a student. However, the map is embedded with hotspots that pinpoint places of significance to Frank. These hotspots are aligned with the story to ensure that they support comprehension and engagement (Hoel & Jernes, 2023, p. 12). From developing a more comprehensive understanding of the places significant to Frank, students can then make inferences about his life in Yarrawonga and how he may have moved about the town.

 

An example of how hotspots were embedded to add context and meaning

An example of how hotspots were embedded to add context and meaning (Wilson, 2023)

 

Genially (Genially, n.d.) was selected as the platform for this digital story as it provided the functionalities needed to create a non-linear story, giving students control in how they navigate the story. Exploring digital literature in a non-linear format is beneficial to younger students, as it aligns with how they access information within today’s hyper-connected world (Manresa, 2015, p. 117). Growing Up in the 1960s can be read in any order without it impacting on the story line.

 

Contents pageContents page (Wilson, 2023)

 

This digital story has many applications within the classroom and across year levels. It could also be used as a launch pad for students to create their own on piece of literature on an older person who is significant to them. It’s uses also extend beyond the Year One classroom, as it can be used across all year levels as an example of digital literature or as a proforma for creating biographies.

 

Click here to read the digital story Growing Up in the 1960s (Wilson, 2023)

Cover of digital story, Growing Up in the 1960s

 

References

Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority. (n.d.-a). Continuity and change between aspects of their daily lives and their parents’ and grandparents’ childhoods (AC9HS1K02). Australian Curriculum. https://v9.australiancurriculum.edu.au/f-10-curriculum/learning-areas/hass-f-6/year-1/content-description?subject-identifier=HASHASY1&content-description-code=AC9HS1K02&detailed-content-descriptions=0&hide-ccp=0&hide-gc=0&side-by-side=1&strands-start-index=0&subjects-start-index=0&view=quick

 

Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority. (n.d.-b). Differences in family structures and roles today, and how these have changed or remained the same over time (AC9HS1K01). Australian Curriculum.  https://v9.australiancurriculum.edu.au/f-10-curriculum/learning-areas/hass-f-6/year-1/content-description?subject-identifier=HASHASY1&content-description-code=AC9HS1K01&detailed-content-descriptions=0&hide-ccp=0&hide-gc=0&side-by-side=1&strands-start-index=0&subjects-start-index=0&view=quick

 

Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority. (n.d.-c). Discuss literary texts and share responses by making connections with students’ own experiences (AC9E1LE02). Australian Curriculum. https://v9.australiancurriculum.edu.au/f-10-curriculum.html/learning-areas/english/year-1/content-description?subject-identifier=ENGENGY1&content-description-code=AC9E1LE02&detailed-content-descriptions=0&hide-ccp=0&hide-gc=0&side-by-side=1&strands-start-index=0&subjects-start-index=0&view=quick

 

Ewing, R. (2022). English and literacies : learning how to make meaning in primary classrooms. Cambridge University Press.

 

Fehring, H. (2019). Literacies Assessment: Theory and Practice. In Henderson, R. (Ed.), Teaching Literacies: pedagogies and diversity (2nd ed., pp. 70-98). Oxford University Press.

 

Genially. (n.d.). Genially. https://genial.ly

 

Hoel, T., & Jernes, M. (2023). Quality in children’s digital picture books: seven key strands for educational reflections for shared dialogue-based reading in early childhood settings. Early Years. https://doi.org/10.1080/09575146.2023.2172552

 

Manresa, M. (2015). Traditional Readers and Electronic Literature: An Exploration of Perceptions and Readings of Digital Works. In M. Manresa & N. Real Mercadal (Eds.), Digital Literature for Children: Texts, Readers and Educational Practices. P.I.E. Peter Lang.

 

Wilson, A. (2023). Growing Up in the 1960s. https://view.genial.ly/64f46e5725668e00136d4c70/presentation-growing-up-in-the-1960s

 

Xu, Y., Yau, J. C., & Reich, S. M. (2021). Press, swipe and read: Do interactive features facilitate engagement and learning with e‐Books? Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, 37(1), 212–225. https://doi.org/10.1111/jcal.12480

 

Yokota, J., & Teale, W. H. (2014). Picture Books and The Digital World: Educators Making Informed Choices. The Reading Teacher, 67(8), 577–585. https://doi.org/10.1002/trtr.1262

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