PART B: Critical Reflection of Digital Literature Experiences
At the beginning of INF533, my view of digital literature at this time was naively narrow, having never heard of ‘transmedia narratives’ (such as the now dated, yet globally popular Inanimate Alice) and ‘interactive documentaries’ (such as tragically beautiful Firestorm). I was not aware that digital literature had expanded across technologies such as hypertext fiction (like these), ‘Twitterbots’ (such as Cenzobot), AR/VR narratives (Baoab Studios are leaders in AR/VR storytelling), HTML5 (Alice in Videoland is my favourite so far) and immersive storytelling apps. My mind was about to be blown…in the best possible way of course.
Digital literature is not a term that can be easily defined. It can be agreed however, that digital storytellers are using innovative tools and technologies to broach and share complex narratives and subject matter. Digital literature is a continually shifting field with new narrative experiences emerging in diverse formats, delivery methods and online platforms. Module 1 discussed the rise and accessibility of digital literature in the form of eBooks, and possessing the ability to have access to narratives with a few clicks of a button (Croft, 2021). In my first blog post for INF533 I continued the discussion and my understanding of the ‘pro’s and con’s’ of eBooks, and how they can affect student learning within classrooms (Bramble, 2021).
Research has demonstrated that the use of technologies, such as eBooks, have the ability to increase student motivation, access to and engagement with information (Jones & Brown, 2011, p. 16; Korat, 2010). However, interactive and entertaining ‘hotspots’ in eBooks that are not congruent with the storyline have the capacity to distract and interfere with story comprehension and diminish learning experiences (Labbo & Kuhn, 2000). It is also argued that eBooks should no longer be defined as a type of digital literature, as most eBooks are static copies of the original printed texts and often don’t contain any multimodal features (Rowland, 2021; Wright, 2019). In this case, should eBooks without multimodal features such as audio, video and other effects simply be classified as electronic text or ‘e-text’, rather than digital literature? Does this then make classic eBooks less desirable to consumers? Traditional publishers of eBooks may get around this marketing issue by developing ‘enhanced’ editions of their texts that feature additional content the original versions do not possess, also known as the ‘bells and whistles’. But do the bells and whistles make a digital story ‘good’? Or is it still the traditional narrative and weaving of a story that we can immerse ourselves and be completely lost in, that makes a digital story, great?
I do not yet the answers to my own questions. I am still at the beginning of my digital literature journey, and while I have enjoyed all of the new and exciting digital texts through engaging with this assessment task, at the end of the day I still enjoy picking up my physical print book and being able to turn the pages. To be able to pause mid-sentence, look out the window, and really connect with and reflect upon the character’s emotions and experiences at that exact moment. In summary, I haven’t had the same emotional experience and connection with digital literature that I continue to have with reading print. Perhaps I am still waiting for the right digital narrative to sweep me off my feet.
The Last Generation is a brilliant example of an authentic literary experience, in the genre of nonfiction journalism. Moving beyond the realm of simple, fictional storytelling (such as static eBooks), the producers have created an educational experience that is unique in its format, content and delivery. This resource would make an incredible immersive text for students to engage deeply with, in order to achieve many of the Australian curriculum outcomes and literacies and can be utilised across Stage 2 and Stage 3 History, Geography and Science programs. To ensure students experience the full, engulfing effect of the documentary, I would ensure each student had access to the resource individually, on either a laptop or iPad. Individual exploration of the text would allow the reader to work through the narrative at their own pace and to select their chosen story path of the three characters. This resource would be greatly beneficial to my lower-ability and disengaged readers, as it contains lots of images, videos and narrated text, allowing for full comprehension of the narrative and the scientific information it contains. This resource would spark the wonder and curiosity of students wanting to find out more about the lives of the people on the Marshall Islands (and Australia’s neighbours) and the devastating effects of global warming. It is a great introductory resource of the scientific concept of global warming and natural disasters, whilst also supporting students’ understanding of ethical responsibility and emotional intelligences, such as empathy.
References
Bramble, L. (2021, July 20). INF533: Online reflective journal blog task. Unshelved. https://thinkspace.csu.edu.au/lucyb/2021/07/20/inf533-online-reflective-journal-blog-task/
Croft, T. (2021). Module 1: Trends and developments [Online learning module]. INF533, Interact 2. https://interact2.csu.edu.au/webapps/blackboard/execute/content/blankPage?cmd=view&content_id=_4145309_1&course_id=_57635_1&mode=reset
Jones, T., & Brown, C. (2011). Reading Engagement: A Comparison between E-Books and Traditional Print Books in an Elementary Classroom. International Journal of Instruction, 4, 5-22.
Korat, O. (2010). Reading electronic books as a support for vocabulary, story comprehension and word reading in kindergarten and first grade. Computers &
Education, 55(1), 24-31. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2009.11.014
Labbo, L. D., & Kuhn, M. R. (2000). Weaving chains of affect and cognition: A young child’s understanding of CD-ROM talking books. Journal of Literacy Research, 32, 187–210. https://doi-org.ezproxy.csu.edu.au/10.1080/10862960009548073
Rowland, R. (2021, July 8). What is digital literature? Understanding the genre. Book Riot. https://bookriot.com/digital-literature/
Wright, D. (2019, July 10). From Twitterbots to VR: 10 of the best examples of digital literature. The Conversation. https://theconversation.com/from-twitterbots-to-vr-10-of-the-best-examples-of-digital-literature-110099