What is Digital Storytelling? How Can I Use it in an ESL Classroom?

Digital storytelling is a way in which students or educators can create a story through technology using: audio recording, images, text, music, animation, videos, etc.  A digital story focuses on a specific topic, allowing the creator to reflect and share their work in a creative and unique way.  

According to The EDUCause Learning Initiative Site, they provide 7 things you should know about Digital Storytelling. The most informative part of the article is under the subtopic of 'Why is Digital Storytelling Significant' where they explain how digital storytelling is meaningful for students learning. "Digital stories let students express themselves not only with their own words but also in their own voices, fostering a sense of individuality and of “owning” their creations. At the same time, digital stories give students an opportunity to experiment with self-representation—telling a story that highlights specific characteristics or events—a key part of establishing their identity, a process that for many is an important aspect of the college years." It is crucial for ELL students to hold a sense of individuality and purpose of their learning experiences. Story telling in their L1 and L2 would give them a wonderful opportunity to reflect and share their journey of learning a second language, living in another country, and adapting to an entirely new culture. 

In the next section of this assignment, I will explore first hand how the process of digital storytelling works, and have a better sense on how develop, share, and utilize this tool in my future classroom.  What I read to be the finest aspect of digital storytelling is from a very informative website, Educational Uses of Storytelling. The site provided very convicing information regarding this educational tool in all levels of education. 

According to Bernard Robin, Ph.D., "Today the use of digital storytelling is being practiced in neighborhood community centers, schools, libraries and businesses, by novice technology users to those with advanced skills. In the field of education, teachers and their students, from early childhood classrooms through graduate school, are using digital storytelling in many different content areas and across a wide range of grade levels." The research and information on this site gave me a true understanding on how digital storytelling is used by many different individuals in various fields.  I look forward to creating my own! 

"To Tweet or Not to Tweet"

As a visual learner myself, I always try and incorporate visual aides within my classroom instruction. Ten Great Video Tutorials on Using Twitter in Education, is a great article including informational videos to help me better understand the nuts and bolts of micro-blogging with Twitter. The video that captured my eye was titled, Academic Excellence in 140 Characters. They take a look on the usage of social media sites and the impact of learning. The engagement of students with each other were impacted. They felt as if they knew each other on a higher level. in and outside of their classroom. 

Twitter in the classroom included discussions on a relevant topic discussed further from class, assignments, and most importantly, a way for students to interact through what they love, social networking. Students are able to express themselves in 140 characters interacting with each other and support.  The teachers also put reminders on the Twitter page of upcoming assignments, office hours, and events on campus. I found myself really connecting with this video in relation to how they effectively used this micro-blogging tool in the classroom.

   

The second article I read was titled, A Must Have Guide When Using Twitter in Your Classroom. This intrigued my eye because I love when information is designed in a bullet point referenced way.  Educators of any field continuously have fast paced lives, especially when it comes to technology.  This article listed four sub-categories on implementing technology in the classroom including communication, organization, resources and writing skills. My favorite activity using Twitter that would be very appropriate for ELL students is having them tweet sentences using a specific word to build vocabulary.  As soon as I read this idea, 5 more ideas came to mind! This is only one of the many ideas on the Twitter Guide. This website 'sold' the use of Twitter in my future classroom! 

A Learner in the Modern World

For many decades learning theories have been studied, researched, and developed by theorists, philosophers and educators. Behaviorism, Cognitivism, and Constructivism are the three widespread learning theories implemented through research.  "These theories, however, were in a time when learning was not impacted through technology".   Siemens has looked at these three learning theories and has added yet another theory to satisfy the technology, that is now intensively added into our learner's lives-Connectivism.  Connectivism continuously is moving forward at a rapid rate.  There are four principles that are integrated into this learning theory. Chaos, network, complexity, and self-organization theories.  How does connectivism relate with current technology in the learning process? First, lets look at the root word, connect. Beginning from when we were born, our lives have been filled through connection with others creating a variety of experiences.  

Today in the 21st century, our connections have changed and our social networking has expanded. Vieira, provides a brief explanation of the expansion of social networking through a Youtube video titled, The Network is Learning. Social software is one of the largest ways we network as adults through either personal or professional communication.  Children and adolescents network through social media using pictures, statues, text-messages, and blogs, only to name a few.  Educators are now enforcing educational learning through social software and is changing the way children learn.  Along with Vieira, George Siemens has posted a short informative sideshow audio on collectivism and the continual fluctuating space which learning occurs titled, What is Connectivism? After listening to both of these short videos I can positively say that I have a much greater understanding of Connectivism and how I can relate it to my networking through technology. 

"Our emphasis with collectivism is to recognize the continually fluctuating space in which learning occurs.  If we fail to account for those progressive changes, we will omit a good portion of what is critical in the learning process"-George Siemens Associate Director, R & D , LTC U of Manitoba.   

A learner is like a continuous and steady ripple affect. One small drop or change keeps the ripple going in the ocean and can be related to a learner and their knowledge/advancements. As experiences and connecting increases so does the affect and changes of learning. "A knowledge continues to grow and evolve, access to what is needed is more important than what the learner currently possesses". Now how does this work?  Does this mean the information I am learning today is not going to help me tomorrow?  As continuous learners, we need to focus on what we need to learn for tomorrow so we can keep steady with the developing changes around us. This is why as educators we truly need to evaluate our teaching styles to fit the needs of students today. "In order to better understand learning, we need to better understand how and why connections form.  We need to understand the nature of those connections, find how we need to use that understanding in forming how we design classrooms, how we create curriculums, and how we deliver or teach the curriculum".  With the literature and slide show videos that were given to complete this assignment, I now have a greater understanding of how I need place connectivism on a higher level of importance, when designing the environment for my students to learn.  21st century students of all ages need the opportunity to enhance through experiences, networks, and currency.  Relationships, decision making and maintaining connections are all important skills needed to be implemented in my curriculum planning.

Here is a little Vygotsky for thought :)
“The relation of thought to word is not a thing but a process, a continual movement backward and forth from thought to word and from word to thought. In that process, the relation of thought to word undergoes changes that themselves may be regarded as developmental in the functional sense. Thought is not merely expressed in words; it comes into existence through them. Every thought tends to connect something with something else, to establish a relation between things. Every thought moves, grows and develops, fulfills a function, solves a problem” (1986, p.218).

Technology Transformation

When brought up in a conversation, the term technology can either do two things.  It can scare or intrigue.  Often times, there is a stereotype of what type of individuals are scared by this term.  There is also the stereotype that only the 'educated young adults' could somehow manage to understand this technological transformation.  Although, somehow this transformation has reached nearly everyone, somehow in some way. Today in the 21st century, there are moms, dads, and grandparents on Facebook, on-line bill pay users of the elderly, and young school-aged children creating blogs for literary work and checking their Twitter accounts regarding classwork.  From one end of the world to another, technology is transforming at such rapid rates, it is nearly impossible to steer clear from it.
After watching this stimulating video on YouTube called, Shift Happens, the statistics for future innovative and technological advances sent chills down my spine.  E-paper will one day be cheaper than regular paper?  So you mean to tell me, that paper and pencil that I have been raised to love and the smell of old books in a library will soon not exist?  Scary!  Nevertheless, while taking this on-line class to enhance my knowledge of  technology in the classroom, it truly has intrigued me in numerous areas. One day, I am sure to be 100% accustomed to it.
The video, Shift Happens provided statistics about jobs around the world and how fast they are advancing and improving.  In regards to education according to this video, "for students starting a four year technical degree, this means that half of what they learn their first year of study, will be outdated by their third year of study"!  I do not want to give too much information away, so please watch!  

The second video I would like to reflect upon is called Social Media Revolution which is also found on Youtube.  This video truly conveys the impact social media has on the lives of everyone in the world.  Kindergartners are now using Ipads to learn instead of blackboards, customers now rely on websites such as Yelp.com for recommendations, and most shockingly, 1 in 5 divorces are blamed on the partners use of Facebook.  The largest question I have a concern for, is the impact technology is going to have on future education, how I can be prepared for it, and most importantly, how I can use it effectively.

Throughout this course, I have learned, created and designed countless new ideas to build my knowledge of technology and incorporate it in my future classroom.  This video could be used in my classroom as well if I am working with middle or high-school children.  Secondly, it could be used as a great way to hook my students into learning a different aspect of technology.  However, I do not feel as if my students will ever not be intrigued in technology, and it is a wonderful tool to engage students in all content areas.