A Personal Reflection

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As I draw near to the end of this degree I can’t help book look back at what has happened during the three years I have been studying.
Navigating the fallout of a global pandemic while raising two toddlers and studying part time, a flood that wiped out my town, a career change away from teaching and withdrawal from the TL course, a career change back to teaching and reenrolling in the course, my two boys being diagnosed AuDHD, a complication in my pregnancy, welcoming a third child and then a diagnosis of Cerebral Palsy and now completing my work placement at my own high school from many many years ago.

IT has been a long and tumultuous step into the world of a Teacher Librarian and information specialist but what a journey it has been.
Coming out of the other side all I can see (apart from that snazzy certificate just out of reach) is  hope.

In a previous blog post I showed the image of the Lismore Library and the mountainous pile of destroyed books from the flood.
Well as of this month, the Lismore Library has officially been reopened and as I step into this world I want to highlight the hope that comes from the sharing of knowledge.

inside Lismore Library
(Lismore City Council, 9th October 2025)

ETL504 – Reflection

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Before this subject, I used to think of leadership mainly as a formal position or title, specifically someone in an authority position. Engaging in the unit content and suggested reading, along with researching the first assignment, made me realise that teacher librarians (TLs) lead in many other ways. They lead through collaboration, advocacy, and guiding learning, not just through hierarchy (Crippen & Willows, 2019). This has really shifted how I think about my future role. Leadership can be something you do every day, not just something you are allocated. 

Working through the SWOT analysis helped me see both the strengths and the challenges of TL leadership. On the one hand, TLs have specialist knowledge, understand the curriculum, and can bridge teams across the school. We are perfectly placed to influence teaching and learning (Crippen & Willows, 2019). On the other hand, if people only see the TL as a support person, it’s easy to be overlooked when it comes to decision-making or strategic planning (Weisburg, 2020; Kumar & Sharma, 2025). That really made me think about how important advocacy is, and how much leadership is about showing your impact, not just waiting for recognition.

I also realised that TL leadership isn’t just about managing resources or running the library. It’s about guiding teachers, supporting students, and embedding library programs into the curriculum in ways that actually improve learning outcomes (Robinson, Lloyd, & Rowe, 2008). Thinking about blended leadership styles made me see that leadership is flexible. It’s about choosing the right approach for the situation and being willing to step up when needed (Bush & Glover, 2014).

Advocacy is another big piece I hadn’t thought much about before. TLs have to advocate for themselves and highlight their value, not just hope others notice it. This is something I will need to consider moving forward in my career as it is not a strength I currently possess. Gathering evidence about student engagement, digital literacy, or teacher collaboration can help position the library as a central, strategic part of the school (Lance, Rodney, & Schwarz, 2014). I now see that this kind of leadership is as much about influence and relationships as it is about formal authority.

Finally, I’ve realised how much relational leadership matters. Trust, support, and collaboration are just as important as decision-making power (Harris, 2014). If I focus on building strong relationships and sharing expertise, I can lead by influence, not just by title.

This subject has really challenged my previous assumptions and understanding of leadership within the context of schools and has changed how I see the teacher librarian role. TLs aren’t just helpers, they are leaders who guide curriculum, empower staff, advocate for the library, and make a real difference to student learning. Understanding this, and seeing the different ways leadership can be enacted, will definitely shape how I approach my future practice.

References 

Bush, T., & Glover, D. (2014). School leadership: Concepts and evidence. British Educational Leadership, Management & Administration Society.

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

Harris, A. (2014). Distributed leadership matters: Perspectives, practicalities, and potential. Corwin.

Kumar, R., & Sharma, P. (2025). Barriers to effective library utilization: A qualitative study of students and teachers in educational institutions. EPRA International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research, 11(3), 120–130. https://eprajournals.com/IJCM/article/16273

Lance, K. C., Rodney, M. J., & Schwarz, B. (2014). The impact of school libraries on student achievement: Research in Indiana. Library Research Service.

Robinson, V. M. J., Lloyd, C. A., & Rowe, K. J. (2008). The impact of leadership on student outcomes: An analysis of the differential effects of leadership types. Educational Administration Quarterly, 44(5), 635–674. https://doi.org/10.1177/0013161X08321509

Weisburg, H. K. (2020). Leadership: There is no other option. Synergy, 18(1).

 

ETL533 – Digital Storytelling Project : Critical Reflection

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My understanding of what it means to be an education professional in digital environments has shifted from viewing technology as a teaching tool to recognising it as a dynamic framework that supports collaboration, critical thinking, and creativity. Initially, I saw digital environments as functional tools to increase engagement; however, through deeper exploration of ETL533, I came to understand how they create spaces where teachers and students can collaboratively construct learning. My digital literature project reflects this shift by using Canva as a means of engaging students in the learning process, with the expectation that they will later use the same platform to create their own digital storytelling project aligned with curriculum outcomes.

One of the ways this unit has challenged my understanding of digital learning is by transforming how I viewed digital and print storytelling formats. Previously, I perceived these as opposing formats, an either/or approach to storytelling in the classroom. However, as evidenced in my reflection Evaluating Digitally Reproduced Stories in the discussion forum for Module 1.2, I acknowledged that both mediums share the capacity to evoke emotion and encourage critical thinking, whilst acknowledging that they differ in how readers navigate them (Gibbons, 2025). This shift from viewing digital and print texts as competitors to viewing them as complementary to each other, has reshaped how I engaged with concepts of digital narrative and teaching digital literacy.This idea is further developed in my Thinkspace post Finding Story in the Digital Space (Gibbons, 2025), where I reflect on how transmedia storytelling reshapes literacy learning. I came to understand that digital storytelling does not replace traditional literacy, but rather extends and enhances it, offering students opportunities to become creators as well as consumers of stories and information. This reflection reinforced my growing belief that explicitly teaching digital literacy skills, empowers learners to participate actively in the storytelling process, navigating and constructing meaning across multiple platforms.

The idea that digital storytelling enhances or extends traditional literacy was explored further in my reflections for Module 4.1. In the discussion forum I explored how video games can be used to engage student interest with learning through the example of the Assassin’s Creed: Discovery Tour (Gibbons, 2025). The digital storytelling tool not only engages students but has been used to create an interactive, experiential tool to deepen understanding of historical eras such as Ancient Egypt and Ancient Greece. This reflection helped me to recognise that digital learning environments can be used to foster curiosity and critical thinking. It was this realisation that formed the initial concept of my project, as students could move from passive consumption of information to using digital learning environments as a multimodal tool.
Peer feedback on my Digital Storytelling Proposal was particularly influential in shaping the final project. It was noted that my personal connection to Matthew Brady could make the project more relatable, and they suggested students could be encouraged to explore their own ancestral stories (Brandt, personal communication, August 25, 2025). Thomas & Manalil, stat that digital storytelling can promote a sense of belonging and personal connection for students, especially when asked to create narratives (2025). The peer feedback influenced my final project in that I included a factual biography to accompany the fictional diary entries. This allows the resource to not only model historical research but demonstrates how personal histories can be creatively represented. It also provides a template for student-generated stories aligned with the Stage 3 history outcomes (NSW Department of Education, 2024).

The feedback also encouraged consideration of the format and presentation of the diary entries, including opportunities for multimodal storytelling. To further support this concept, Yu suggests that multimodal story production supports the development of communication and digital literacy skills (2025). In the final project, I included four diary entries.These remained text-based to model traditional diary writing, whilst also incorporating audio clues to create deeper meaning. The use of the AI voice over feature was included to make the text stand out and to be more accessible (Canva n.d). This project provides a guide for how students can utilise the built-in tools and AI features that are present within Canva. By demonstrating these options, the project empowers students to experiment with multimodal storytelling, fostering creativity and critical thinking, whilst also supporting diverse learning preferences and abilities.

Throughout the unit ETL533, my professional identity has developed from that of a teacher librarian who uses technology to one who designs learning experiences within digital spaces.. By synthesising theory, practice, and peer input, I now understand that effective digital education relies on thoughtful, inclusive, and story-driven design rather than just implementing the newest and shiniest technology without purpose.

 

References
Canva. (n.d.). Create a design. https://www.canva.com/

Gibbons, G. (2025, July 16). 1.2 – Evaluating digitally reproduced stories [Online discussion post]. ETL533: Digital futures in education, Charles Sturt University.

Gibbons, G. (2025, September 17). Finding story in the digital space [Blog post]. Grace Gibbons – Thinkspace. https://thinkspace.csu.edu.au/gracegibbons/2025/09/17/finding-story-in-the-digital-space/

Gibbons, G. (2025, September 17). Digital storytelling [Online discussion post]. ETL533: Digital futures in education, Charles Sturt University.

NSW Department of Education. (2024). Curriculum K–10. https://education.nsw.gov.au/teaching-and-learning/curriculum

Thomas, S., & Manalil, P. (2025). Digital storytelling and the pedagogy of belonging: reimagining inclusion in higher education. Frontiers in Communication, 10, Article 1630596. https://doi.org/10.3389/fcomm.2025.1630596

Yu, B. (2025). Pedagogical Insights from Multimodal Digital Story Production in English as Second Language Teaching. In M. M. Gu, Y. Liu, & C. F. Huang (Eds.), Re-envisioning English-Medium Instruction in K-12 Schools (pp. 39–59). Springer Nature Switzerland. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-83002-0_3

Digital Storytelling Project – Part A: Context & Rationale

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Matthew Brady Digital Storytelling Project

Subject Area and Context
This digital storytelling project explores the life of Australian bushranger, Matthew Brady through a semi-biographical interactive website created on Canva. The project combines factual historical information with fictionalised diary entries, allowing students to engage with both the historical content and imaginative reconstruction. Petousi, et al., state that, “By engaging with interactive digital stories, students can take on the perspectives of historical figures,” (2022, p. 3). This perspective allows students to develop a deeper understanding of the past and an empathy for historical figures.

 The My Story series (Scholastic, 1999-2010) provides a precedent for blending historical events through the view point of fictional diaries. The series invites readers to empathise with the experiences of children during historical events such as the First Fleet, Eureka Stockade, and World War II. This approach supports historical inquiry skills by encouraging students to see history not just as dates and events but rather as lived human experiences. My digital storytelling project mirrors this technique of fictional diary entries to support factual information and create a more personal look at Australia’s colonial history.

The project is designed for Stage 3 learners in alignment with the History K-10 syllabus unit, The Australian Colonies (NESA, n.d.). Students are required to investigate the lives of individuals in Australia’s colonial past. Although bushrangers are not explicitly identified in the syllabus, they represent a culturally significant part of colonial life and provide an accessible entry point for students to explore broader themes such as law and order, survival, and social identity in the 1800s. This project is a jumping off point for students to research and create their own semi-biographical journal depicting the life of someone from colonial times, be that a notable person or simply a person living their day-to-day life at that time. 

Intended Purpose and Audience
The intended audience for this project is Stage 3 primary school students. The project was designed as a resource to model how students might create their own historical narratives, blending researched facts with creative narrative. The concept is to use this resource within a classroom as a part of a history unit however, it may be adapted to a library storytelling session. 

Value & Implementation of Canva
The site, Canva, serves multiple purposes in program delivery. It models digital storytelling as a learning tool and provides students with a clear example of how digital platforms can be used to create multimodal texts. The site also provides opportunities for independent learning, as students can engage with the resource prior to class discussions or activities. Importantly, the inclusion of fictional diary entries gives students a personal narrative voice to connect with, making abstract historical content more relatable while fostering empathy and curiosity. Canva was selected as the tool to create this digital storytelling project as Canva for Education is freely available to all staff and students in the NSW Department of Education and is a sanctioned tool for educators to implement. This program also aligns with the digital learning Technology 4 Learning,  digital learning policy (NSW DoE, n.d). It was also selected due to the extensive templates, I used a template by Ruangkasa Studio in Canva (n.d.). 

Support for Diverse Learning Needs
The project integrates multimodal features such as text, images and voice-over to allow for multiple access points to engage with the content. For students who may struggle with literacy, the visual and auditory elements support comprehension, while more capable readers can engage with the diary style text. The open-ended, inquiry based approach can be extended or simplified to provide scaffolding or extension depending on the differentiated learning needs within the same classroom (Anis & Khan, 2023).  Multimodal approaches like these are used to promote inclusivity, engagement and differentiation in the classroom. 

Community and Library Use
Though the resource is intended for classroom use, the digital story can be used within the library or community context to promote Australian and family history. Bushrangers such as Matthew Brady capture public imagination, and his story in particular holds personal resonance for me as part of my own family history. In the library context, the project could be incorporated into history displays, storytelling sessions or even digital literacy programs. This project can be implemented within the community to demonstrate how personal connections can be implemented as a way to explore historical resources, and to invite communities to reflect on the colonial past of our country in an informative and interactive way. 

 

References

Anis, M., & Khan, R. (2023). Integrating multimodal approaches in English language teaching for inclusive education: A pedagogical exploration. 2(3), 241.

New South Wales Department of Education. (2025). Canva for education. Technology 4 Learning. https://t4l.schools.nsw.gov.au/resources/professional-learning-resources/canva-for-education.html

NSW Education Standards Authority. (n.d.). History K–10: Stage 3 – The Australian colonies. NSW Government. https://education.nsw.gov.au/teaching-and-learning/curriculum/hsie/hsie-curriculum-resources-k-12/hsie-k-6-curriculum-resources/the-australian-colonies

Petousi, D., Katifori, A., Servi, K., Roussou, M., & Ioannidis, Y. (2022). History education done different: A collaborative interactive digital storytelling approach for remote learners. Frontiers in Education (Lausanne), 7. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2022.942834

Ruangkasa Studio. (2025). Brown aesthetic scrapbook group project presentation [Canva template]. Canva. https://www.canva.com/ 

State Library of Tasmania. (ca. 1826). Sketch of James McCabe, Matthew Brady, and Patrick Bryant [Sketch]. https://www.utas.edu.au/library/companion_to_tasmanian_history/B/Matthew%20Brady.htm

Finding Story in the Digital Space

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One of the ideas that really stayed with me from ETL533 module 4 was the concept of transmedia storytelling. I had always thought of social media and digital platforms as tools for sharing or promoting stories, but not necessarily as part of the story itself. Reading about how narratives can unfold across platforms; books, games, apps, and even social media, made me reflect on how students are already living in this kind of world. They move seamlessly between screens and media, piecing together stories from YouTube, TikTok, podcasts, and games.

As a teacher librarian, this makes me excited about the potential of incorporating digital texts and tools into programs. Story no longer has to be bound to a single traditional text format; it can be interactive, collaborative, and student-driven. A student might start with a book, explore a related interactive website, then share their own creative response through a tool like Canva. Each platform adds another layer to their learning journey.

What stood out most for me is that digital storytelling doesn’t replace traditional literacy, but rather, it extends it. It provides opportunities for students to be creators as well as consumers of stories, while also developing digital literacy skills that are vital in today’s world. For me, that’s the real power of digital storytelling in education: it opens the door for students to see themselves not just as readers, but as storytellers too.

Life is Strange

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(Square Enix, 2022)

Digital literature has evolved as a format of storytelling to encompass interactive and multimedia formats where narrative and technology can combine to create engaging stories. Digital literature explores narratives that are interactive, participatory and facilitate role-play (Miller, 2019). The video game, Life is Strange: Remastered Collection is an episodic narrative-driven game which can be catagorised in this way. This format blurs the role of the audience as both reader and player. The player is placed inside the world where the story unfolds and invites them to interact and make decisions which shape the outcomes of the narrative to some extent. With a blend of branching dialogue, cinematic visuals and a signature time-rewind mechanic, Life is Strange challenges the rules of storytelling and highlights the potential of video games as a form of digital literature.

Life is Strange was originally released in 2015 however the game developers at Square Enix and Deck Nine released a remastered version in 2022. This remaster helped to bring the graphics and textures up to date with the current technological advancements. The game has a strong fanbase and as such this remaster was not about changing the story but rather updating the presentation so that the game could remain relevant, immersive and accessible in the current gaming landscape. It also allowed for a cohesive collection with the subsequent games in the series. 

The game’s emotional storytelling is a major strength. The strong character development helps to address the complex themes of friendship, identity and loss. The game is presented in a beautiful hand-painted art style that places emphasis on expressive facial animations and is enhanced with a beautiful score written by Jonathan Morali. The atmospheric compositions complement the game’s emotional narrative and themes. These in depth elements create an immersive atmosphere that enhances the emotional weight of the narrative and draws players into the world of Arcadia Bay. 

One of the key elements that drives this as a piece of digital literature is the ability to make choices within the game play. An example of this is explored early in the game where the protagonist, Max, is exposed to a situation where a character is bullying another character. The player can choose to intervene or allow the bully to continue. The choice impacts the relationship between Max and these other characters for the remainder of the game. A unique feature within Life is Strange, is the implementation of a time-rewind mechanic. This allows players to experiment with different choices and see the consequences unfold, deepening their engagement. 

Cut scenes are another storytelling element that add strength to this narrative format. The use of cutscenes allows the game to transition seamlessly from game play into cinematic sequences which depict critical story elements of the plot. This feature can be used to, ‘explain the passage of time, changes of setting, or the introduction of new characters’ (Alexander, 2011).  In the narrative of the game, cut scenes are used early in chapter one to discover the ability to rewind time during a confrontation in the bathroom where Max witnesses a friend’s death. The cinematic cut scene allows the time to be rewound and the secondary character to be saved in that moment. 

The game does have some weaknesses within the context of digital literature. Whilst there is a lot of autonomy over the game play through decision making processes, there are still fixed events and a linear story which progresses through chapters. For example key story elements such as major character deaths, and progression through chapters are fixed. The branching narrative style creates a sense of agency over choices but they often return to a closed ending that is linear and static. A truly immersive piece of digital literature would perhaps use the choices to definitively alter the endings of the game. 

Life is Strange demonstrates the capabilities of video games as a form of digital literature by blending storytelling, player agency and multimedia design. The narrative encourages deep emotional connection as players build the character development with their own participation in game play. The combination of rich narrative, atmospheric music, beautiful visuals and a branching narrative structure create an immersive world that players can connect with. The game not only entertains but also highlights how interactive media can explore narrative in a way that traditional texts cannot.

References 

Alexander, B. (2011). The new digital storytelling: Creating narratives with new media. ABC-CLIO. https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/csuau/reader.action?docID=678297&ppg=20

Deck Nine, & Square Enix. (2022). Life is Strange: Remastered Collection [Video game]. Square Enix.

Miller, C. H. (2019). Digital storytelling: A creator’s guide to interactive entertainment. Taylor & Francis Group.

Square Enix (Publisher). (2022, February 1). Official launch trailer – Life is Strange: Remastered Collection [PEGI] [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L5S8-7xCaTI&list=TLGGNGAPOFBuBEwyNTA4MjAyNQ

Vooks: Storytime brought to life

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(Vooks, 2025, 0:32)

 

One increasingly popular digital literature format for younger audiences is the animated digital storybook. These stories are, ‘conveyed to an audience through the skillful use of media’ (Alexander, 2011).  Animated digital storybooks are a hybrid of video, narration, animation and written text, offering children an experience that combines reading with audiovisual storytelling. Vooks is one such platform that animates children’s picture books. The program was initially offered as free for educators during its early years, it has since transitioned to a discounted model for teachers, with some titles also available free on YouTube. According to Huan, “animation can engage children and sustain their motivation as an effective learning tool’ (2020). Animated digital story telling is an example of how digital media can be used to enrich the reading experience for children. 

Vooks’ catch phrase is ‘storytime brought to life,’ (Vooks, 2025) which reflects their objective of increasing children’s engagement with picture books. They offer a curated selection of popular picture books as well as texts written specifically for their platform. Examples of popular titles include the Curious George series by Margret and Hans Rey and Llama Llama Love to Read by Anna Dewdney. Each story is animated, professionally narrated and has the addition of light background music. 

From a literacy perspective, Vooks is a cross between literature and passive media. The visual modality supports meaning-making, particular for visual learners who find it difficult to engage with traditional text picture books. The use of narration adds tone, pitch and rhythm which help children with their reading practice in areas such as fluency. This multimodal storytelling can help develop comprehension and engagement. 

Once a story has been selected, it plays automatically similar to a video. This highlights one of the key limitations of the program. Due to the automated page turning and the narration, children have limited opportunities to control the pace or actively construct meaning. Traditional picture books provide the opportunity to control the pace, which allows time for asking questions and pausing for discussion. These crucial conversations foster a deeper understanding of the text and increase comprehension.  Animated storybooks run the risk of simply becoming entertainment unless a parent or teacher is able to facilitate deeper connections through constructing meaning and encouraging comprehension. Without support the active engagement activity turns into a receptive activity which can raise concerns around screen time and literacy skill development. 

Vooks does attempt to address these concerns. Gong & Levy suggest that animation can enhance children’s engagement by making stories more fun, however it is crucial to capture their attention to the text plays in their reading (as cited in, Arslan-Ari & Ari, 2021). Vooks incorporate the text from each story book, ensuring it is always visible on the page as well as highlighting the text in sync with the narration. This strategy of highlighting can help encourage tracking however younger children in particular, may still focus primarily on the animations (Arslan-Ari & Ari, 2021). Vooks also address the need for adult facilitation of activities by providing supporting resources for educators including lesson plans and discussion guides. Vooks emphasise that their program is complementary to print rather than a replacement. 

Vooks can be seen as a middle ground between other examples of digital story telling that focus on different key elements of narrative. Programs such as Storyline Online, focus less on animation and place more emphasis on the oral presentation and the use of famous celebrities to create engagement. Comparatively, media such as the Inanimate Alice novel experience, incorporate interactivity and user decision-making as a key feature that are used to promote active engagement with the story. There is a fine line between telling an interactive story and giving the reader too much autonomy over the story, this is where some interactive programs blur the line between story and game, turning the ‘audience into a game player’ (Yip, 2022).  Vooks is more visually engaging than the simple readings of Storyline online, but less interactive than programs such as branching narrative digital storytelling present in Inanimate Alice. 

Vooks and similar animated storybook programs represent a significant shift in how we define and deliver literature to young readers. Whilst the stories on Vooks are not interactive, their multimodal approach can support children’s engagement, comprehension and can make the stories more accessible for young readers. When used effectively with adult scaffolding, these digital texts can be a positive tool to integrate with literacy development. 

 

References 

Alexander, B. (2011). The new digital storytelling : Creating narratives with new media. ABC-CLIO, LLC.

Arslan-Ari, I., & Ari, F. (2022). The effect of visual cues in e-books on pre-K children’s visual attention, word recognition, and comprehension: An eye tracking study. Journal of Research on Technology in Education, 54(5), 800–814. https://doi.org/10.1080/15391523.2021.1938763

BradField Narrative Designs Inc. (n.d.). Inanimate Alice [Website]. https://inanimatealice.com/

Huan, R. (2021). Evaluating Child Engagement in Digital Story Stems Using Facial Data.
ProQuest Dissertations & Theses.

SAG-AFTRA Foundation. (n.d.). Storyline Online [Website]. https://storylineonline.net/

Vooks. (2025, March). Vooks Explainer Video 2024 (60 s) [Video].Vooks.https://www.vooks.com/

Yip, D. K. M. (2022). Between passive viewing and active choosing in storytelling. Human factors in communication of design (Vol. 49, pp. 65–69). AHFE International. https://doi.org/10.54941/ahfe1002037

 

 

ETL533 – Digital story proposal for Assessment 2

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Topic – a semi-biographical story about the notable Bushranger, Matthew Brady. 


(Artist unknown, ca. 1826)

Platform – Canva Website

Rationale:

The digital story I am proposing is a semi-biography of the Australian bushranger, Matthew Brady, including factual information,  as well as fictional diary entries that will provide an engaging experience for students. I have chosen Matthew Brady as the focus of my story because I have conducted extensive research into his life, as he is my ancestor, and I have a personal and deep interest in his story.

​The digital story is aimed at a Stage 3 audience, with links to the History unit titled The Australian Colonies (NSW Education Standards Authority [NESA], n.d.). This unit explores colonial Australia in the 1800s, and though it does not specify bushrangers, students are required to investigate the lives of people in Australia’s colonial past. Australian bushrangers played an integral part in the development of colonial life and the significant events of the time. The idea is that students will engage with the example digital story and strive to create their own biography and journal for someone of the colonial era.  

​I have chosen to use Canva as my platform as I have some basic knowledge of the program already and would like to use this opportunity to solidify my application of this in a classroom setting. The platform is user-friendly with built in features which will make developing my digital story simple and provide students with an example of how they may use features in their own creation of digital stories. The NSW Department of Education has approved Canva as a platform, (2025), making it easy to integrate into the classroom with limited restrictions from administration.

 

References

Artist unknown. (ca. 1826). Sketch of James McCabe, Matthew Brady, and Patrick Bryant [Sketch]. State Library of Tasmania. https://www.utas.edu.au/library/companion_to_tasmanian_history/B/Matthew%20Brady.htm

NSW Education Standards Authority. (n.d.). History K–10: Stage 3 – The Australian Colonies. NSW Government. https://education.nsw.gov.au/teaching-and-learning/curriculum/hsie/hsie-curriculum-resources-k-12/hsie-k-6-curriculum-resources/the-australian-colonies

NSW Government: Education. (2025). Technology 4 learning: Canva in education.  https://t4l.schools.nsw.gov.au/resources/professional-learning-resources/canva-for-education.html

 

The Lizzie Bennet Diaries: A Transmedia Experience

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Pride and Prejudice, written in1813 by Jane Austen, was aimed at upper-middle class women of that era. However, its audience has grown larger than someone of that time could have imagined. With adaptations ranging from graphic novels to film and television series, and in this case, a YouTube web series. The Lizzie Bennet Diaries (2012-2013) created by Hank Green and Bernie Sue, reimagines the classic novel and explores it through the lens of digital media. Presented in the format of video blogs, the series follows a graduate student named Lizzie Bennet as she shares stories from her life.  The series ran for one hundred episodes however, there were a number of spin-offs across twitter and tumblr, which created a participatory element to the program. The Lizzie Bennet Diaries is a clear example of a piece of transmedia digital literature that adds value to the original texts as it adapts them for young adult audiences.
The vlog format transforms the classic novel into a first-person confessional style series that is aimed at a younger audience and was particularly relevant to that early YouTube era. This format made the experience more intimate and personal for the audience than traditional text could. This approach works well for younger audiences who are familiar with social media, thereby making the text more accessible and relevant. The adolescents of today are born into a world of digital media; they have, ‘grown up surrounded by digital tools’ (Hovious, Shinas, & Harper, 2021). These tools can be utlisied to make traditional literature more engaging and accessible for students in today’s tech generation. However, there is a trade-off when using these digital formats. One trade off that fans of the traditional written text may find the fast-paced, informal style is less satisfying than the traditional format and sacrifices some of the nuances of the time period in which the novel is originally set.
The story outlined in the 100 episodes, whilst engaging and fun, is only scratching the surface of the transmedia design of the series. Transmedia refers to digital environments that encourage readers to, ‘seek out content, explore information in different contexts, evaluate ideas across formats, and interact with other readers’ (Lamb, 2011). The Lizzie Bennet Diaries achieves this through the multi-platform, multimodal approach to the story. By providing additional information through the narrative voice of supporting characters and encouraging audience participation in comment sections across social media. Characters such as  younger sister Lydia Bennet, were given their own social media accounts, there were Twitter posts, GIFs, and YouTube vlogs from their perspectives. This additional information supported the overall experience of the audience.
Fans at the time who followed the story across platforms experienced a layered, multi-voiced narrative that extended from the main episodes to create a complete retelling of the classic novel. In this way, The Lizzie Bennet Diaries blurred the line between literature, television, and social media performance. The modernisation of Austen’s themes also resonated strongly with young adults. Issues like career pressures, student debt, and social media oversharing replaced Regency-era concerns about marriage and inheritance, while still keeping the spirit of the original novel alive.
The series was multimodal as the narrative was told through not only the spoken words but through the visual cues, editing techniques, costume role-plays, and the additional media content. The narrative voice of Lizzie was crucial in drawing the audience into her world, and the confessional format made viewers feel more like the characters were friends rather than just characters within a text. The Lizzie Bennet Diaries illustrates the flexibility of digital platforms in adapting traditional texts. Instead of condensing Austen’s narrative into a single vlog, it spread the story across multiple channels and platforms. This fragmented yet interconnected design reflects the way young adults already consume media; through scrolling, clicking, and jumping between platforms
The complexity of this multimodal format creates some issues around viewers engaging with the whole content of the story. With the multi-platform nature of the digital literature piece, casual viewers were more likely to miss the nuance of the different perspectives and additional information found across twitter, tumblr, and the spin-off vlog series. Were this a viewers only experience of Pride and Prejudice, the fragmented story telling results in missed information and context that a reader may find more clear in the traditional text format.
This example whilst on the list provided in the course, is particularly interesting in that it is still engaging more than a decade after its release. In 2022, Ashley Clements, the actor who played Lizzie, fanned the flames of the original audience by creating an engaging rewatch of each episode on the anniversary of its release. She provided behind the scenes anecdotes, interviewed other actors, and gave a deeper look into the making of the original web series. As for the content of the story, when addressing the relevance and timelessness of Jane Austen’s original work, we can refer to the Netflix adaptation directed by Euros Lyn, which is set to release in 2026. This story transcends time and continues to resonate with readers across generations.
The Lizzie Bennet Diaries shows that classic stories can thrive just as strongly on YouTube as they can on the page.
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References
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Hovious, A., Shinas, V. H., & Harper, I. (2021). The compelling nature of transmedia storytelling: Empowering twenty-first-century readers and writers through multimodality. TechTrends, 26, 215–229.  v     https://doi.org/10.1007/s10758-020-09437-7
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Lamb, A. (2011). Reading redefined for a transmedia universe. Learning and Leading with Technology, 39(3), 12–18.

 

Study Visit – Brisbane

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The upcoming study visit is looming and I am a mixture of incredibly excited and incredibly anxious.

The thought of leaving my eldest two children for the week is daunting, knowing they will both be dysregulated due to their neurodivergence and the change of routine, at the same time asdragging my husband and baby to Brisbane to stay in an apartment out of routine has me absolutely riddled with mum guilt. However, despite all of this,  the study visit has made me excited about this course again and the possibilities this degree holds for my future. I am enthused about my career in a way that I have not been for many years and I am seeing the bright shiny light at the end of the tunnel. A study visit, a few more assignments and a work placement and I will be done!

Brisbane Checklist:

Pre-Study Visit Quiz        ✓
Book Accommodation     ✓
Baby Sitters acquired      ✓
Print Timetable                ✓

 

Can’t wait!