Assessment Task, ETL504

Reflecting on the teacher librarian as leader

Louise

ETL504 ~ Teacher Librarian as Leader: Assessment 2 Part B

The teacher librarian (TL) role is complex and challenging to understand and encompasses far more than I first envisaged. In my introductory forum post (Foyel, 2023, February 21) I  identified the TL as being an advocate for the school library; promoting the role and a culture of reading within the school setting. This subject has provided opportunities for me to reflect on the TL role as one of leadership, collaboration, and professional learning; where strategic planning and leadership theory helped me to identify the type of leader I aspire to be.

I began by analysing what a leader is and how they positively influence others to achieve specific outcomes. In an earlier blog (Foyel, 2023, March 3), I reflected on inspirational leaders and educators whom I have worked with and the qualities that positioned them as effective leaders. I began to correlate those attributes with the TL role and the idea of leading from the middle. I challenged myself to ask how I might lead from the middle more effectively to become a change agent to influence the future of the school community (Farrell, 2014).

In contrast, I reflected on a totalitarian approach to leadership as I related to a discussion forum post by Gaskell (2023, February 20).  We discussed a principal’s style of leadership that lead to staff feeling undervalued, something that I have personally experienced. I contemplated how being a good leader is not always easy, and the responsibility to initiate positive change, recognise current trends, and influence school leadership are skills that need to be learned and valued collectively (Smith, 2016). Leading change is a part of the TL role, as is dealing with conflict at times. Module 3.2 was an important part of my learning and came at an opportune time. I was experiencing a situation of personal conflict and I knew this meant having a difficult conversation with my principal. Plocharczyk’s (2013) reading provided me with some practical solutions to overcome this conflict in a timely, professional, and appropriate manner; utilising clear communication skills towards a mutually agreed resolution.

I further examined how the TL could respond to becoming a driver of change and respond to structural, cultural, and societal influences. Robinson (2010) presented his perspective on changing an educational paradigm and I concluded that the TL can be a leader of change through the school library program (Foyel, 2023, March 7). However, I have come to understand that the TL is uniquely positioned to take on many leadership responsibilities of teaching and learning and their leadership style can be crucial in determining their philosophy, practice, and vision (Smith, 2016).

I began my role as TL by gaining the trust and respect of the library users; working collaboratively with teachers and building positive relationships with students. What I do in my role typifies the characteristics of a servant leader (Crippen & Willows, 2019); one who is focussed on the people I serve to promote:

  • actively listening to the needs of teachers and students by providing quality resources to support the curriculum or reading interests,
  • having the foresight to support teachers in their current class programs by supplementing their goals within the library program,
  • and committing to growth and community building through special events to strengthen relationships beyond the school library.

I aspire to be future-focussed in the TL role, a crucial part of the leadership approaches that I have discussed previously (Foyel, 2023, March 18). An instructional leadership approach may assist in this goal; a learning-centred model, focussed on the direction in which the school will take (Bush & Glover, 2014). Adapting to 21st-century learners the TL is a lifelong learner; where fitting into more than one leadership style ensures we are positive cultural change agents. Whatever the approach, my ‘lead-from-the-middle’ position must look towards the future by evolving with a shared vision for future goals (JISC, 2012) and a clearly defined vision statement that is aligned with the school’s Strategic Plan.

References

Bush, T & Glover, D. (2014). School leadership models: What do we know? School Leadership and Management, 34(5), 533-557. https://doi.org/10.1080/13632434.2014.928680

Crippen, C & Willows, J. (2019). Connecting teacher leadership and servant leadership” A synergistic partnership. Journal of Leadership Education, 18(2), 171-180. https://journalofleadershiped.org/jole_articles/connecting-teacher-leadership-and-servant-leadership-a-synergistic-partnership/

Farrell, M. (2014). Leading from the middle. Journal of Library Administration, 54(8), 691-699.  https:doi.org/10.1080/01930826.2014.965099

JISC. (2012). Defining and articulating your vision, mission and values. https://www.jisc.ac.uk/full-guide/vision-mission-and-values

Plocharczyk, L. (2013). Managing conflict and incivility in academic libraries. In K.  Blessinger & P.  Hrycaj (Eds.), Workplace culture in academic libraries (pp. 307-319). Elsevier. https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/csuau/reader.action?docID=1574989&ppg=336

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

Smith, B. (2016). The role of leadership style in creating a great school. SELU Research Review Journal, 1(1), 65-78. https://selu.usask.ca/documents/research-and-publications/srrj/SRRJ-1-1-Smith.pdf

 

ETL504, Master of Education (Teacher Librarianship)

The Teacher Librarian as a leader of change

Louise

ETL 504 Module 2.1 ~ Activity and Reflection

Informed by Robinson’s presentation, think about the influences upon a school – structural, cultural and societal and identify a key driver for change in each area that the teacher librarian could respond to through school library programs. 

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

 

According to Robinson (2010), changing an educational paradigm can only happen if an institution’s habits and the environment they occupy are subjected to change. Collaboration equals growth and divergent thinking is the driver, the ability to ask and interpret questions in various ways.

When we look at Robinson’s (2010) perspective of structural elements such as group sizes, students being seated in rows and being allocated classes based on age groups are assumed outdated, however, most of these still exist in classrooms of today. A conundrum that is influenced by governing bodies of schools. However, many studies, such as Ron Ritchhard’s (2015) cultures of thinking,  have shown that among other things,  smaller class sizes and flexible seating can lead to better collaboration and divergent thinking.  Within the setting of the school library, a teacher librarian can make decisions about the environment. Implementing flexible seating and areas to capture both individual learning and group collaboration spaces helps to support a culture of thinking.

Robinson (2010) outlined how globalisation has had an influence on cultural identity. Cultural identity links to how an individual perceives themselves in terms of their nationality, ethnicity, religion, sexuality or other social group and their adoption or rejection of certain beliefs, values or behaviours of that group (Wilson, n.d.).  When it comes to the school library and the teacher librarian can contribute to the variety of social groups in a school setting by creating awareness of common groups within the school environment and helping students gain a better understanding of these groups. Events such as National Sorry Day, NAIDOC Week, National Reconciliation Week, Harmony Day, ANZAC Day, and Indigenous Literacy Day are some ways in which libraries and teacher librarians can support the various social groups and charitable causes as a school through the library program.

Societal influences such as the digital age have made an exponential influence on our schools and the students that occupy them. Robinson (2010) pointed out that children are surrounded and immersed in highly stimulating environments. The school environment may not be keeping up with how students need to learn and what it is that engages their interest and captures divergent thinking. The teacher librarian has a unique opportunity to engage students in this everchanging digital world through a collaboration role with classroom teachers. Using a variety of pedagogical practices to help support teaching and learning (Templeton, 2021) the teacher librarian can help implement and improve inquiry learning, digital citizenship and digital literacy skills across an entire school setting.

Change does need to be at the forefront of educational institutions and embracing the structural, cultural and societal influences is key to successful change. The teacher librarian can play an important role in responding to these changes and be a leader of change as part of the school library programs.

 

References

Ritchhart, R. (2015). Creating cultures of thinking. Jossey-Bass.

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

Templeton, T. (2021, August 4). Digital literacy and the teacher librarian – Part 2. Softlink. https://www.softlinkint.com/blog/digital-literacy-and-the-teacher-librarian-part-two/

Wilson, V. (n.d.). What is cultural identity and why is it important? Exceptional Futures. https://www.exceptionalfutures.com/cultural-identity/

 

 

 

ETL504, Master of Education (Teacher Librarianship)

Leading from the Middle

Louise

What is a leader? (Module 1.2 Activity and reflection)

I have worked as a primary school teacher for over 20 years now, during this time I have worked with many inspirational leaders and mentors. They have been other staff members and leaders in my school who have provided me guidance through a shared vision and strategies to take our team forward.

When I begin to analyse each individual that has inspired me to achieve individual and team outcomes they have a number of shared qualities that made them effective leaders.

  • built positive relationships
  • genuine interest and care for others
  • built others up
  • innovative
  • goal oriented
  • visionary who inspired change
  • justified change with research
  • supported change with staff development
  • great communicators
  • supportive, encouraging and motivating
  • trusted others to make decisions
  • valued all opinions
  • delegated responsibilities without micro-managing
  • treated all staff with respect
  • they focussed on a team mentality (non-hierarchical)
  • offered positive and constructive feedback
  • most importantly they became my confidants and friends

A Leader vs. a Boss - What's the Difference?

Assessment Task, ETL402, Master of Education (Teacher Librarianship)

Making Connections on a Quest to Find the Hidden Gem

Louise

ETL 402: Literature Across the Curriculum

ASSESSMENT 2 – Reflective Blog Post

Being immersed in a book is both thrilling and captivating. We all want a book to envelop us and experience it from within – as teacher-librarians our mission is to find these hidden gems and ensure our students are captivated too. My hope was ETL402 would reveal the secret to finding the right book for the right reader to engage children in literature across the curriculum, promote enquiry, and contextualise learning (Waugh, et al, 2016).

Defining children’s literature was the first step along this quest. I identified with Em Sze’s (2022, November 8) viewpoint of children’s books being timeless and suitable for adults. Something I look for when choosing a book to read to children. Some students perceive picture books as texts for younger readers. I argue that the audience is fluid because authors must engage adults too in order to share with children (Foyel, November 22). Bringing this into my own practice in the library, I reshelved senior picture books separately. This change encouraged some reluctant readers (generally in Stage 3) to value picture books once again, without feeling disenchanted or judged by their choice of format. Importantly, the enthusiasm and impact of teacher-librarians and the vital role they play in influencing students to read for enjoyment should never be underestimated (Gagen-Sprigs, 2020).

Making connections with text is vital and thinking beyond the written narrative is certainly one element that is not identified in most definitions of children’s literature (Foyel, November 23), though important for identifying new understandings (Buckley, November 11). I learnt that connections to text and reading for pleasure may be the key to academic success, an important part of empowering readers to develop critical literacy skills (Turner, 2014). Supported by numerous studies (Foyel, 2022, November 20), reading for pleasure has many positive implications for student academic success (National Library of New Zealand, n.d).

Examining the most influential books from my childhood, elements such as compelling characters, rich imagery and tension-building, influence the text choices I make for read-alouds (Foyel, 2022, November 26). This encouraged me to question how authentic sharing helps students to understand a complex world (Goldstone, 2001/2001). I recognised that sharing a book with a child is a ritualistic, bonding time (Gaiman, 2013) to delve into morals, and messages, or to simply enjoy (Foyel, 2022, November 20).

Although children are first influenced by adults’ selections, when they begin to self-select, children become the drivers of change (Foyel, 2022, November 20). I learnt that new trends in children’s literature are influenced by many things, including societal changes and the digital age (Foyel, 2022, December 23). Despite being inspired to have my students respond to literature using technology, by creating book trailers (Balafoutis, 2023 January 7), digital literature remains a challenge for me. I perceived a lack of emotional bonding and connection with students when engaging in these texts (Foyel, December 27), until I discovered the augmented reality book Between Worlds (Adam Savage’s Tested, 2016). I immediately bought a copy and became excited about the possibilities for teaching and learning with this emerging technology, I began to look at digital forms through a new lens (Yokota & Teale, 2014) and now wonder what the future holds for children’s literature as I continue my journey into the future.

GEM FOUND (though the quest continues)!

References

Adam Savage’s Tested. (2016, October 26). Between worlds: Augmented reality in storytelling [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/YO1E7DBuqtc

Gagen-Spriggs, K. (2020). An Investigation into the Reasons Students Read for Pleasure. School Libraries Worldwide, 26(1), 110–123.

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

Goldstone (2001/2002) Whaz up with our books? Changing picture book codes and teaching implications. Reading Teacher, 55(4), 362-370.

National Library of New Zealand. (n.d.). Reading for pleasure: A door to success. Services to Schools. https://natlib.govt.nz/schools/reading-engagement/understanding-reading-engagement/reading-for-pleasure-a-door-to-success

Turner, C. (2014). Opening the portal: an exploration of the use of postmodern picture books to develop critical literacy and contribute to learning in the Australian Curriculum: English. Literacy Learning: The Middle Years, 22(1) 52-61 https://search-informit-org.ezproxy.csu.edu.au/doi/10.3316/aeipt.201744

Waugh, D. Neaum, S., & Waugh, R. (2016). Childrens literature in primary schools. SAGE Publications.

Yokota, J. & Teale, W. H. (2014) Picture books and the digital world. The Reading Teacher, 67(8), 577-585. https://doi.org/10.1002/trtr.1262

ETL402, Master of Education (Teacher Librarianship)

eBooks vs Paper Books – Which do you prefer?

Louise

ETL 402 Module 5.2 Reflection

Think about how you process information and read. Are young people any different? Do they use technology differently than older people? Have ebooks ‘taken off’ in your school? What reasons could explain this?

 

decorative


When the lockdowns forced our school library to close, I subscribed to some ebook providers for a free trial. During this time, borrowing self-selected texts decreased.

I believe there were a number of reasons this occurred, despite promoting these options to teachers, students and parents in various ways. This included emails to students and promoting the sites and instructional videos about how to log in and borrow books via library Google Classroom. Instructional videos were also shared with parents via our school stream app and weekly newsletter. Teachers also promoted new ways to borrow via their class Google Classroom and Class Dojo to parents. 

Some of the reasons for low borrowing statistics may have included some students not having access to technology (though school laptops were borrowed by any student who did not have one at home) or not being able to navigate the sites on their own. Being a K-6 school and children in Kindergarten to Year 3 had not had any experience at school using laptops and were also learning how to navigate their class work on a new platform. 

On returning to school I surveyed students about their use of ebooks and how they preferred to self-select books. There was an overwhelming response to reading print-based books and they preferred to read or even reread books from home rather than books online. Barshay (2019) reported that Clinton (2019) found her students also preferred to read paper-based books and felt that they learned more from the text on paper. 

In Sparks’ research (2021) it was found that children 8 years and younger comprehended print-based texts better, additionally, poor readers did not look at the eB0ok and relied on the illustrations in the eye-tracking experiment.  

Kamenetz (2018) reported that emotional bonding and the physical connection was also an important factor when reading with children, and parents and teachers have an essential role to play when sharing and modelling reading to children. Furthermore, Kamenetz (2018) noted that electronic devices for young children are not ideal when not supported by an adult and certainly must have both text and illustrations to be effective. 

I know from my own experience I have not been able to switch to ebooks and much prefer a physical paper book in my hands. I like to flick back and forth pages at times and I know that reading a paper book just before bed puts me to sleep, rather than increasing the use of technology and being exposed to the light from the screen to keep me awake further. 

 

References 

Barshay, J. (2019, August 12). Evidence increases for reading on paper instead of screens. Hechinger Report. https://hechingerreport.org/evidence-increases-for-reading-on-paper-instead-of-screens/

 

Kamenetz, A. (2018, May 24). What’s going on in your child’s brain when you read them a story? KQED: MindShift. https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/51281/whats-going-on-in-your-childs-brain-when-you-read-them-a-story

Sparks, S. D. (2021, July 22). Reading on screen vs print: New analysis thickens the plot on comprehension. Education Week.

ETL402

Knowledge of Children’s Literature

Louise

 

Children’s literature is complex in nature and can be difficult to define because personal perceptions shape this definition. When considering my own knowledge of children’s literature, it is difficult to determine how far back to go. I have been immersed in literature as far back as I can remember. I have grown up with familiar authors, just as some children grew up with Harry Potter, and have always had an affinity with old favourites, such as Roald Dahl, Judy Blume, Enid Blyton, Mem Fox and C.S. Lewis. THen developed some new favourites as a teacher, parent, aunty and teacher librarian, such as Julia Donaldson, Aaron Blabey, Matt Cosgrove, Michael Pfister, Stephen Michael King, and J.K. Rowling…just to name a small few of course! Considering children’s literature is like considering my life itself. Listening to reading and sharing the written form and feeding my imagination through fiction texts to entertain, amuse and capture a sense of escapism. The lines are definitely blurred between children’s and adult literature  (Huck et. al. 1987), picture books in particular, though have children as the intended audience, adults must want to read them to children too. Who is to say what a child enjoys reading and what an adult enjoys sharing with children? Simply put, if literature provides enjoyment, then its audience is negligible.

 

So then, how is our professional knowledge about children’s literature obtained and increased?  

Here are some strategies that can be used:

  • network with other professionals
  • network with local authors and illustrators
  • connect with local libraries
  • connect with local publishers
  • read professional journals (eg, SCAN, INCITE, Connections)
  • join organisations that promote quality literature (eg. CBCA, NSW Premier’s Reading Challenge, National Simultaneous Storytime)
  • follow book awards (eg, CBCA Book of the Year Awards, YABBA)
  • use current syllabus documents
  • Engage with literature
  • Read to children
ETL402, Master of Education (Teacher Librarianship)

The value of children’s literature and who influences this

Louise
ETL402 ~ Literature Across the Curriculum: Module 1
The value of children’s literature has changed substantially over time, you only need to look back through the history of children’s literature and how the content has evolved. The 17th Century saw works for children aimed at moral and spiritual behaviour and etiquette telling stories to children who were seen as small adults (Broomhall, McEwan, & Tarbin, 2017). Storytelling has become a ritualistic sharing time for adults and children, though still may contain a moral. Books for children have emerged in today’s society, into new genres, especially with the advent of new technologies (Wolf, 2014) and new trends in the influence of animation and visual culture and the limited availability of books reflecting the diverse nature of today’s world (Short, 2018).
So who influences these changes in literature? Is it the world, the society we live in, adults who select books (parents, educators or otherwise) or the children who are reading or sharing in them? Who are the drivers of change?
As a Teacher Librarian, I have seen the exponential rise in graphic novel borrowing and requests for more by students. With this comes the careful selection of this genre to ensure suitability for primary school-aged children. This is driven by student selection, and at the same time, the increased demand from readers has ensured authors and publishers are meeting this demand. Converting many loved books into graphic novels such as the Wings of Fire series (Sutherland) and fresh takes on classics such as the Babysitter club series. Along with other popular titles such as Bad Guys (Blabey), Dog Man (Pilkey), Amulet (Kibuishi) and Sisters (Telgmeier, 2014). Many of these have themes of fantasy, adventure or current issues. This being said, I think the biggest drivers of change are the readers themselves and their interest in the visual nature of the books, as a strong visual appeal keeps readers immersed and is central to their experience and interaction with the text (Short, K, 2018), with parents, teachers and other influential adults fostering the childs love of reading for enjoyment.
References
Broomhall, S., McEwan, J., & Tarbin, S. (2017, March 30). Once upon a time: A brief history of children’s literature. The Conversation.
Short, K. (2018). What’s trending in children’s literature and why it matters. Language Arts, 95(5), 287-298.
Wolf, S. (2014). Children’s literature on the digital move. Reading Teacher, 67(6), 413-417. https://doi-org.ezproxy.csu.edu.au/10.1002/trtr.1235
Assessment Task, ETL533, Master of Education (Teacher Librarianship)

Assessment item 4 – Digital Storytelling and Reflection: Part D

Louise

Part D: Critical Reflection

The subject of Literature in Digital Environments has challenged my thinking about how students engage with digital resources. During the Covid-19 lockdown, libraries had to evolve and connect to their readers in new and innovative ways, which involved interacting online and expanding electronic resource collections (Garner et al., 2021).

Module 1 provided the opportunity to expand thoughts about trends in digital literature. Curtis (2022, July 22) made the point that many teachers continue to evaluate literature based on our preconceived ideology of it being text-based, while digital literature is far beyond this. Similarly, in my first blog post for ETL533 (Foyel, 2022a) it was noted that although digital literature can deepen understanding, careful consideration needs to be made in selecting useful forms of digital literature amongst the vastness of choice (Dobler, 2013). 

Interactive eBooks were featured early in my career (Foyel, 2022a), and was also noted (Foyel, 2022b) that digital texts afford new possibilities for reading and engaging with content (Lamb, 2011). McGeehan et al. (2018) entertained the idea that digital texts need to offer readers the opportunity to interact with the text, and educators seeking criteria to select quality digital literature. 

Frustration arose in Module 2 when asked to consider the challenges of using digital technology in the classroom. For some teachers, embracing change is the first challenge to overcome (Foyel, 2022c), though this is not my biggest concern. Time and resources to explore new resources is my greatest frustration, where infowhelm is often at the forefront of my overwhelm (Foyel, 2022d). 

Assessment 2 allowed time to explore different formats of digital literature. Though the quest to succinctly define what counts as a digital text continued. Wheeler (2022, August 8) aptly pointed out the frustration of defining an eBook vs a book app and Sargeant’s (2015) article helped to put into perspective that an eBook is read, while book apps are used. Undeniably, digital stories are not bound between pages, rather they offer features and experiences that cannot be provided by a print book (Yokota & Teale, 2014).  

Furthermore, storytelling has played an important role in history “to share knowledge, wisdom and values” (Malinta & Martin, 2010, p. 3061) and evolving over time into the digital realm (Combes, 2019). Storytelling is constant, though constantly changing. Fisher and Hitchcock (2022, p. 371) defined digital storytelling broadly as “using computer-based tools to tell stories”. Stackhouse (2013) discussed transmedia and the increasing ways to tell digital stories and gain access to others’ stories. Stackhouse (2013) noted that higher levels of engagement can be linked to making decisions within a story.

This idea of decision-making in a story initiated my ideas about my own storytelling project. After analysing the reading habits of Stage 3 students, there was an undeniable gravitational pull toward graphic novels. Moorefield-Lang and Gavin (2012) discerned the visual nature of digital graphic novels is preferable to the 21st Century reader. Canva was the creative platform of choice due to personal familiarity and having previously taught Stage 3 to use it. Project decisions were based on promoting maximum engagement while building creativity and digital literacy skills (Fisher & Hitchcock, 2022). With this in mind, a folktale was incorporated as Stage 3 enthusiastically engaged in this writing topic during 2022. 

Feedback was gained from road testing the resource with students and peers on my blog post, which was used to refine design choices. Curtis (2022, September 18) suggested adding interactivity elements, such as clicking an image to read a recipe. Interactivity was then included as comprehension tasks. Student feedback also instigated the ‘light bulb’ element to ensure students could locate the comprehension tasks. Facey (2022, August 29) proposed making the resource “real world” for students, this was incorporated into the comprehension tasks, giving the questions a 21st Century feel. 

Stage 3 student feedback was valuable, and adjustments were based on this. Some suggested more dialogue was needed and others wanted more coloured images. Additional dialogue was inserted to help students understand the story and the layout was reordered to ensure the story could be followed. Colour vs black and white images represent “good” vs “bad” characters and was not changed. Overall, student feedback was extremely positive, students were engaged and excited to participate further (Foyel, 2022e).

Future developments may include a read-to-me option, to support students of low ability or from non-English speaking backgrounds. Barnett’s (2022, September 16) comment inspired this idea, where she pointed out that research by Yang et al. (2022) suggests “oral development and creativity skills in non-English speakers benefit from constructing meaning through digital storytelling in English” (2022, para. 2).

This subject has inspired creativity and compelled me to consider the vast formats of digital resources in a new way, though continuing to critically analyse them to ensure they are integral to students’ learning and growth as we “cannot predict what the future will hold” (Yokota & Teale, 2014, p. 585).

References (Part D)

Anonymous. (2022). Module 4.1. Understanding the value of digital storytelling. ETL533, Interact 2. https://interact2.csu.edu.au/webapps/blackboard/execute/displayLearningUnit?course_id=_64104_1&content_id=_5128719_1 

Barnett, C. (2022, September 16). I have no doubt that your Stage 3 students will be completely absorbed in this unit of work! [Comment on “Digital storytelling proposal]. Mastering Librarianship. https://thinkspace.csu.edu.au/librarianlouise/2022/08/28/digital-storytelling-proposal/comment-page-1/#comment-13 

Combes, B. (2019). Digital Literacy: A New Flavour of Literacy or Something Different?. Synergy, 14(1). https://www.slav.vic.edu.au/index.php/Synergy/article/view/v14120163 

Curtis, J. (2022, July 22) If we redefine ‘literature’, do we need to redefine ‘reading’?. [Forum post]. ETL533, Interact 2.  https://interact2.csu.edu.au/webapps/discussionboard/do/message?action=list_messages&course_id=_64104_1&nav=discussion_board_entry&conf_id=_128305_1&forum_id=_282785_1&message_id=_4149565_1 

Curtis, J. (2022, September 18). Firstly, I wholeheartedly agree with your observation about graphic novels soaring popularity. [Comment on “Digital storytelling proposal]. Mastering Librarianship. https://thinkspace.csu.edu.au/librarianlouise/2022/08/28/digital-storytelling-proposal/comment-page-1/#comment-14 

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

Facey, A. (2022, August 29). I love that you are also going to use Canva as a means of producing digital work. [Comment on “Digital storytelling proposal]. Mastering Librarianship. https://thinkspace.csu.edu.au/librarianlouise/2022/08/28/digital-storytelling-proposal/comment-page-1/#comment-8 

Fisher, C. M., & Hitchcock, L. I. (2022). Enhancing Student Learning and Engagement Using Digital Stories. Journal of Teaching in Social Work, 42(4), 371–391. https://doi.org/10.1080/08841233.2022.2113492 

Foyel, L. (2022a, July 24). When is a book not a book? Mastering Librarianship. https://thinkspace.csu.edu.au/librarianlouise/2022/07/24/when-is-a-book-not-a-book/ 

Foyel, L. (2022b, August 21). Critical reflection of digital literature experiences. Mastering Librarianship. https://thinkspace.csu.edu.au/librarianlouise/2022/08/21/critical-reflection-of-digital-literature-experiences/

Foyel, L. (2022c, August, 8). 24 years of change. [Forum post]. ETL533, Interact 2. https://interact2.csu.edu.au/webapps/discussionboard/do/message?action=list_messages&course_id=_64104_1&nav=discussion_board_entry&conf_id=_128305_1&forum_id=_282786_1&message_id=_4177475_1 

Foyel, L. (2022d, August 13). Consumer challenges. [Forum post]. ETL533, Interact 2. https://interact2.csu.edu.au/webapps/discussionboard/do/message?action=list_messages&course_id=_64104_1&nav=discussion_board_entry&conf_id=_128305_1&forum_id=_282787_1&message_id=_4190067_1 

Foyel, L. (2022e, October 2). Creating a digital story – Feedback. [Forum post]. ETL533, Interact 2. https://interact2.csu.edu.au/webapps/discussionboard/do/message?action=list_messages&course_id=_64104_1&nav=discussion_board_entry&conf_id=_128305_1&forum_id=_282779_1&message_id=_4249218_1 

Garner, J., Hider, P., Jamali, H. R., Lymn, J., Mansourian, Y., Randell-Moon, H., & Wakeling, S. (2021). “Steady Ships” in the COVID-19 Crisis: Australian Public Library Responses to the Pandemic. Journal of the Australian Library and Information Association, 70(2), 102–124. https://doi.org/10.1080/24750158.2021.1901329 

Lamb, A. (2011). Reading redefined for a transmedia universe. Learning and Leading with Technology, 39(3), 12-17.  http://ezproxy.csu.edu.au/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ehh&AN=67371172&site=ehost-live

Malinta, L. and Martin, C. (2010). Digital storytelling as a web passport to success in the 21st Century. Science Direct. Procedia – Social and Behavioral Sciences, 2(2), 3060-3064. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2010.03.465 

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. https://doi.org/10.1080/21532974.2017.139948  

Moorefield-Lang, H. and Gavigan, K. (2012) These aren’t your father’s funny papers: The new world of digital graphic novels. Knowledge Quest,  40(3), 30-42. https://web-s-ebscohost-com.ezproxy.csu.edu.au/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=1&sid=283419e7-3319-4e52-9b5a-61c67de16080%40redis 

Sargeant, B. (2015, February 6). What is an ebook? What is a book app? And why should we care? An analysis of contemporary digital picture books. Children’s Literature in Education, 46(4), 454-466. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10583-015-9243-5 

Stackhouse, A. (2013, May 22). Blurring the lines: Storytelling in a digital world. [Video]. TEDx Talks. YouTube. https://youtu.be/9c0bEZS1jC4 

Wheeler, A. (2022. August 18). eBook vs book app. [Forum post]. ETL533, Interact 2. https://interact2.csu.edu.au/webapps/discussionboard/do/message?action=list_messages&course_id=_64104_1&nav=discussion_board_entry&conf_id=_128305_1&forum_id=_282788_1&message_id=_4195924_1 

Yang, Y. T. C., Chen. Y. C., & Hung, H. T. (2022). Digital storytelling as an interdisciplinary project to improve students’ English speaking and creative thinking. Computer Assisted Language Learning, 35(4), 840-862. https://doi.org/10.1080/09588221.2020.1750431

Yokota, J., & Teale, W. (2014). Picture books and the digital world. The Reading Teacher, 67(8), 577-585. https://doi.org/10.1002/trtr.1262

Assessment Task, ETL533, Master of Education (Teacher Librarianship)

ETL533 Assessment Item 4 – Digital Storytelling Project and Reflection: Part A and Part B

Louise

PART A: Context for Digital Storytelling Project

(Foyel, L. 2022).

Little Red Meets the Wolf is a digital narrative that focuses on folklore and its origins. It was created in the style of a digital graphic novel and intertwines ICT and the NSW Stage 3 English Syllabus outcomes.  As the Teacher Librarian, series like Amulet, Wings of Fire, Mythic and Raina Telgemeier’s books have soared in popularity. Year 6 has sourced the Heartstopper series outside of school too.  The graphic novel style has been chosen to connect with Stage 3 students,  because of the current popularity of this genre and the new experiences it is providing with reading in the 21st Century (Moorefield-Lang & Gavigan, 2012).

Little Red Meets the Wolf has been designed using Canva and can be shared with students via this platform and/or Google Classroom. It is intended for use nearer to the end of a unit about Folklore and Fairytales. Students will be familiar with the traditional versions of the story Little Red Riding Hood and its structural elements prior to being introduced to this resource, accessed via www.gutenberg.org, books in which copyright has now expired.

The protagonist in Little Red meets the Wolf is featured as a coloured image, as are other “good” characters. The rest of the narrative’s images are in black and white to show the contrast between “good” and “bad”. The music was added to create an atmosphere and emotional impact (Serafini et al., 2015) and the animations were added to provide the opportunity to interact with the text (McGeehan et al., 2018). 

Image 1 (Foyel, L. 2022)

When engaging with this resource, students will:

  1. read through the given narrative in presentation mode (accessed via Google Classroom).
  2. engage in the comprehension tasks on each page. Part A (Image 2) is accessed via a clickable image. Answers are submitted via Google Classroom. 
  3. open the Canva link (accessed via Google Classroom) and plan, compose and publish their own ending to the narrative (see Image 1, p6 and Image 3). Students are not required to make a copy as Google Classroom creates a copy for each student when shared as an assignment from Canva.  Students must be aware of copyright (Image 1, p15).

 

Little Red Meets the Wolf Part A:

Page 3 Comprehension Task

Page 4 Comprehension Task

Page 5 Comprehension Task

    Image 2 (Foyel, L. 2022). Click on each image to enlarge.

 

Little Red Meets the Wolf Part B:

Image 3 (Foyel, L. 2022).

Students will share Part A comprehension tasks with their teacher and their peers of Stage 3. Likewise, students’ Part B digital stories will be shared with the same audiences. 

As part of this development process, I road-tested this resource with Stage 3 students. Their feedback lead to some development changes to ensure that my target audience was well catered for. This included changing or adding dialogue, ensuring students could find the activities by adding the light bulb element and introducing the resource after reading the traditional Grimms tale and two other shorter adaptions for context. 

Learning to manipulate the digital platform is one area for students to develop their ICT skills and support the digital narrative process (Fisher & Hitchcock, 2022).  Students in Stage 3 at my current setting have one-to-one access to laptops and access to Canva via their student portal to engage with this resource. 

Pages 7 – 11 (Image 1) of the resource are storyboard templates for students to use, ensuring the digital graphic novel style is incorporated and students learn about the new content format (Moorefield-Lang & Gavigan, 2012). These pages can be rearranged, duplicated or removed. Pages 12 – 14 (Image 1) are story elements such as background pictures, exclamation symbols, speech bubbles, and character elements to help with the design process and enhance consistency with students’ story conclusion. Students should understand that the graphic novel style intertwines both images and dialogue, and the two must coexist to create a comprehensible narrative (LaFille, 2022).

As part of the English curriculum, Stage 3 completes a writing unit on Folklore, Myths and Legends. This unit develops student knowledge, understanding and skills using the NSW English Syllabus (NESA, 2012) outcomes, particularly objective A outcome EN3-2A,  objective B outcome EN3-6B, and objective C outcome EN3-7C. Combined with the NSW curriculum’s general capabilities, that “deepen students engagement” (NESA, 2022) through critical and creative thinking and digital literacy.  

Teachers explore various traditional tales and the style that they use. Stage 3 teachers could use this resource to assess student learning. Assessing learner-generated digital stories can be a challenge, though having a generic design as this resource provides, helps to generate an appropriate marking rubric (Kearney, 2011). Alternatively, this resource could be used in library lessons to support learning in the classroom and allow for collaborative writing and content sharing (Malinta & Martin, 2010). Part A comprehension tasks extend student thinking and learning about this folktale, the origins of the tale and a 21st Century viewpoint. Part B task challenges them to think beyond the traditional tale and construct an alternative viewpoint. Ultimately, Little Red Meets the Wolf is a resource to engage and enthuse students and teachers and deepen their understanding of digital narratives (Dobler, 2013).

References (Part A)

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

Fisher, C. M., & Hitchcock, L. I. (2022). Enhancing Student Learning and Engagement Using Digital Stories. Journal of Teaching in Social Work, 42(4), 371–391. https://doi.org/10.1080/08841233.2022.2113492 

Kearney, M. (2011). A learning design for student-generated digital storytelling. Learning, media and technology, 36(2), 169-188. https://doi.org/10.1080/17439884.2011.553623  

LaFille, R (2022, February 26). Visual writing in graphic novels. Kids Comic Unite. [Blog post]. https://kidscomicsunite.com/visual-writing-in-graphic-novels/

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. https://doi.org/10.1080/21532974.2017.139948  

Moorefield-Lang, H. and Gavigan, K. (2012) These aren’t your father’s funny papers: The new world of digital graphic novels. Knowledge Quest,  40(3), 30-42. 

NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA). (2012). English K-10 syllabus. https://educationstandards.nsw.edu.au/wps/portal/nesa/k-10/learning-areas/english-year-10/english-k-10/outcomes/table-of-objectives-and-outcomes

NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA). (2022). Learning across the curriculum: general capabilities. NSW Curriculum. https://curriculum.nsw.edu.au/teaching-and-learning/learning-across-the-curriculum#general-capabilities 

Project Gutenberg. (n.d). Books: Little Red Riding Hood. https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/search/?query=Little+Red+Riding+hood&submit_search=Go%21 

Serafini, F., Kachorsky, D. and Aguilera, E. (2015). Picturebooks 2.0: Transmedial features across narrative platforms. Journal of children’s literature, 41(2), 16-24.

 

 

PART B: Digital Storytelling Project

This resource has been created in its entirety using Canva. Canva allows a variety of ways to share this resource.

The link provided below is the presentation version, where you can advance at your own pace and click all links embedded in the presentation. All embedded links will open in a new window. Please note that music does not play automatically with all computers for this version and you may have to click a purple box in the top left corner to hear it.

There is also an embedded version, which would be used as the first play-through and advances automatically. This is not the version shared with students as the clickable links to the comprehension tasks do not work. 

 

Little Red meets the Wolf : Presentation Link

 

Little Red Meets the Wolf by Louise Foyel

References (PART B)

Foyel, L. (2022).  Little Red meets the Wolf. https://www.canva.com/design/DAFKUiigPvc/JsyCibvVdnTRHmCLyF4c2Q/view?utm_content=DAFKUiigPvc&utm_campaign=designshare&utm_medium=link&utm_source=publishpresent

Grimm, J. and Grimm, W. 1823 (2021). Grimms’ Fairy Tales. [eBook]. Project Gutenberg. https://www.gutenberg.org/files/2591/2591-h/2591-h.htm#link2H_4_0023 

Lang, A. (Ed.). 1889. (2016). The Blue Fairy Book. [eBook]. Project Gutenberg. https://www.gutenberg.org/files/503/503-h/503-h.htm#link2H_4_0005 

Perrault, C., 1889 (2010). Old-Time stories. [eBook]. Project Gutenberg. https://www.gutenberg.org/files/31431/31431-h/31431-h.htm#page92 

Assessment Task, ETL533, Master of Education (Teacher Librarianship)

Digital Storytelling Proposal

Louise

ETL533 – Assessment 3: Digital Storytelling Topic Proposal

Image created in Canva by Louise Foyel

Topic: Building literacy connections with folktales and graphic novels through digital storytelling.

Stage 3 students have always had a keen interest in learning about folklore and its origins. This resource aims to use a common folktale, Little Red Riding Hood, and intertwine it with a genre that I have seen rapidly growing in popularity, graphic novels. Then integrating these two genres with the use of ICT to create a digital graphic novel. This resource is in line with the NSW Stage 3 English outcomes (NESA, 2012). 

Platform/Tool: Google Drive and Canva

This digital storytelling resource is aimed at Stage 3 students. They are familiar with using the Google apps and Canva. The students in our diocese are able to access Canva through their portal. Canva is a free resource and the Education Creator is available free to all teachers, which includes Pro level access to premium content. Students can share their designs with teachers within our diocese, teachers can also create collaborative classes and include their students in a team. 

Rationale: 

Prior to using this digital storytelling tool, students will engage in learning experiences to enhance their understanding of a folktale. By investigating some of the common classic folktales, students will learn about common structural elements of a folktale and other key features, such as the power of 3 or 7, good vs bad characters, complication and resolution, and coda.

Students will also engage in reading graphic novels and look at the style and content of how they were created.  

I aim to create the beginning of a familiar folktale, Little Red Riding Hood. I will use the design tool, Canva, in the style of a digital graphic novel and combine the use of animations and sound. The beginning and the complication will be provided and the students will engage with the resource to complete the story. Their interpretation may follow the traditional ending or an alternate ending. The good characters are the only elements of colour to show the contrast between good and bad. The last few pages will provide blank storyboard pages, speech bubble elements, character pictures, and background pictures to build their own ending appropriate for their audience (their peers). 

This task will work toward building student understanding of digital graphic novels and will address the following outcomes:

  • Through the use of Canva, explore the digital graphic novel, Little Red meets the Wolf By Louise Foyel and its elements.
  • Using Canva, generate ideas, plan and complete a given digital story, Little Red meets the Wolf, combining the structure of a folktale with the elements of a digital graphic novel.

 

Resources

Canva. (2022).  https://www.canva.com/ 

NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA). (2012). English K-10 Syllabus. https://www.educationstandards.nsw.edu.au/wps/portal/nesa/k-10/learning-areas/english-year-10/english-k-10