ETL533 – Assessment 3: Digital Storytelling Topic Proposal
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
Firstly, I wholeheartedly agree with your observation about graphic novels soaring popularity – I cannot keep them on the shelves! Secondly, folktales seem to be timeless and can engage students of any age (adults too). You have obviously spent time considering how your digital text will be used as a learning tool.
I am sure that you are aware, but CANVA has some great comic book templates that are ready to go which may help with your design. I like the idea of students adding to or creating their own ending, thereby becoming digital literature creators themselves but I wonder if what they would be creating is digital literature or if it is really just an e-book in graphic novel format? Will they also be required to add animations and sound effects to their work?
Lastly, is there a way that you can add some interactivity to your part of the story? Perhaps I could click on the red hood and then read about why it is red, or click on her basket and get Little Red’s cookie recipe?
Hi John, I have utilised the comic book templates already, they are great. I was hoping that I wasn’t falling into the trap of an animated e-book, thanks for the interactivity suggestions, I might have a play around with how I could incorporate some of your ideas.
Hi
I love that you are also going to use Canva as a means of producing digital work. It is such an easy one-stop tool for students to use ( I’m not sure how graphic artists feel about it though – as someone who did a four-year degree in visual communication I do think it is the death of the graphic designer) I use Canva in my classes and I feel it gives much professional, engaging results then publisher and is much easier to use than adobe – which for engagement purposes with students is important.
could you also possibly look at post-modern examples of little red riding hood? I know there have been some that teach concepts like digital citizenship – this could make it more “real world” for students if they can somehow apply it to their own lives. There are so many adaptation examples! https://mrswillskindergarten.com/versions-of-little-red-riding-hood/. This might be good if they are expected to create their ending – which is an awesome idea by the way.
Thanks for your comments Allissia. I have used Canva with Years 5 and 6 for a while now. Their presentations are becoming quite polished. There may be some budding graphic designers yet!
I like your ideas about giving it a 21st-century feel. Thanks for the suggestion and link.
Yes, I have left it very open to interpretation at the end, so that the ending doesn’t have to be the traditional adaption. I do love a twisted/fractured fairytale.
I have no doubt that your Stage 3 students will be completely absorbed in this unit of work! You obviously know your students well and have prepared an excellent learning opportunity with links to ICT and English through the popular genre of graphic novels. You’ve already thought about so much and have had some great comments, I’ve had to really think about what kind of feedback I could add…
I wonder if there’s an opportunity to link additional languages and cultural backgrounds to your digital story? Do you have any EAL/D students that could finish the story using their first language (using translate in Word for Microsoft 365).
Could students incorporate videos into their endings?
Here’s a link to an Auslan version of Little Red
https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=Little+Red+Riding+Hood+auslan&view=detail&mid=1E29B0DBE251ED1B10251E29B0DBE251ED1B1025&FORM=VIRE
I’m looking forward to seeing your final project, it sounds like something I would love to use with my students in Stage 3 as well. Good luck!
Thank you for your feedback Courtney. I believe that Canva may allow for language changes in the settings, though my primary school only has minimal students who regularly read/use a language other than English (around 4). Videos and sound recordings of their own voice is also an option. I have considered recording my voice while reading the text as an adjustment for low-ability students, though they can also use talk-to-text apps to help with this too.
I have no doubt that your Stage 3 students will be completely absorbed in this unit of work! You obviously know your students well and have prepared an excellent learning opportunity with links to ICT and English through the popular genre of graphic novels.
Research indicates that oral development and creativity skills in non-English speakers benefit from constructing meaning through digital storytelling in English (Yang et al., 2022). I wonder if there’s an opportunity to link additional languages and cultural backgrounds to your digital story, thereby strengthening the outcomes for non-English speakers? Do you have any students that could finish the story using their first language (using translate in Word for Microsoft 365). Could students incorporate videos into their endings in English and their first language?
Here’s a link to an Auslan version of Little Red
https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=Little+Red+Riding+Hood+auslan&view=detail&mid=1E29B0DBE251ED1B10251E29B0DBE251ED1B1025&FORM=VIRE
I’m looking forward to seeing your final project, it sounds like something I would love to use with my students in Stage 3 as well. Good luck!
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
Firstly, I wholeheartedly agree with your observation about graphic novels soaring popularity. Given that they are such a great way to promote reading, develop literacy skills and engage reluctant readers (Crawford, 2004) I am actively curating more titles. Secondly, folktales seem to be timeless and can engage students of any age (adults too). You have obviously spent time considering how your digital text will be used as a learning tool.
I am sure that you are aware, but CANVA has some great comic book templates that are ready to go which may help with your design. I like the idea of students adding to or creating their own ending, thereby becoming digital literature creators themselves but I wonder if what they would be creating is digital literature or if it is really just an e-book in graphic novel format? Will they also be required to add animations and sound effects to their work?
Lastly, is there a way that you can add some interactivity to your part of the story? Perhaps I could click on the red hood and then read about why it is red, or click on her basket and get Little Red’s cookie recipe?
Crawford, P. (2004). A Novel Approach: Using Graphic Novels to Attract Reluctant Readers and Promote Literacy. Library Media Connection, 22(5), 26.