INF 533 – Task 4 – Part A – The thinking

THE THINKING

Citation:

Templeton, T. (2020). White Australia Policy [Sway].

The Immigration Restriction Act of 1901 was one of the first pieces of legislation created by the newly formed Australian Federal Government and is the main focus of this digital narrative (DN). Commonly referred to as the White Australia Policy (WAP), the Act was designed to maintain racial homogeneity and the economic value of the Australian man (Fong, 2018). Whilst the Act is addressed in Year 10 History and Senior Modern History, the cognitive and curriculum focus of this DST is aimed at the 9/10 History Unit of work – Australia – From Federation to the Bicentennial (ACARA, 2014a; ACARA; 2014b). The utilisation of a multimodal DN in a flipped classroom (FC) dynamic was a strategic ploy to encourage student ownership of learning, approach sensitive content suitably, promote collegial discussion, and allow the teacher to meet the needs of a diverse classroom (Gonzales, 2016; Schmidt and Ralph, 2016, p.1).

Pedagogy

Digital storytelling (DST) is an emerging pedagogical practice that effectively combines technology and literary work for use in recreational, personal or educational endeavours (Ciccorico, 2012; Ohler, 2013, p.94). It is the modern adaptation of oral traditions, and the use of the narrative structure promotes reflective processes whilst communicating content in a manner that meets the cognitive, behavioural and developmental needs of students (Vidales-Bolanos and Sadaba-Chalezquer, 2017). DST promotes Information Communication Technology (ICT) acuity, competency in digital literacies and a participatory culture, as it encourages students to move beyond passive consumption and into interacting and creating with it (Leu et al., 2011; Hashim and Vongkulluksn, 2018).

A DN created with Microsoft Sway allows students to interact with the different literacies and interactive elements, furthering valuable 21st century skills and improving the quality of transactions between the narrative and the reader (Ciccorico, 2012; Moran et al., 2020). The format allows for the successful integration of visual and audio resources, and the use of personal devices increases teen engagement because technology is intrinsically linked to a teen’s social capital (Moran et al., 2020, p.6; Vidales-Bolanos and Sadaba-Chalezquer, 2017).

Classroom Context

Flipped classrooms (FC) are a transformative student centred teaching strategy with two distinct components, an external technology-based component followed by an interactive section (Ozdamli and Asiksoy, 2016, p.99; Schmidt and Ralph, 2016, p1.). This inverted learning sequence allows students to gain access to the content prior to the lesson, which then allows for the teacher to facilitate discussion and meet the varying needs of the students (Basal, 2015; Schmidt and Ralph, 2016, p.1). Implementing FC also allows student learning and engagement to be observed, documented and any misconceptions clarified (Leask, 2014). As Schmidt & Ralph (2006, p.1) point out, guided discussion is essential for all students but especially for low literacy and ability students. FC are constructivist in nature, self-paced, promote student ownership of learning and build critical study skills which are essential for lifelong learning (Basal, 2015).

Digital Technologies

Digital technologies and multimodal resources (MR) are an integral aspect of DN and other modern classroom pedagogies (Ibrahim, 2020). MR can be static, such as picture books and graphic novels, or dynamic such as Sway, Powerpoint, Thinglink, digital textbooks, and interactive websites (Ibrahim, 2020). This DN utilises Sway and Thinglink because the software programs embed together well, and their combined interactivity promotes engagement as well as encourage gestural manipulation to access information (Ibrahim, 2012; Heick, 2017).

The resources themselves do not espouse learning. Instead it is the juxtaposition of media which conveys information at the correct level and the subsequent class discussion that has the greatest impact on student learning (Mayer and Morena, 2005; Ibrahim, 2012). When multimodal information complement and enhance each other, the brain is able to decode, deduce, categorise and construct this new information efficiently upon prior knowledge and thereby reducing the cognitive load (Mayer and Morena, 2005; Ibrahim 2012; David, 2020). But when the varying forms of media have less than optimum layout and delivery, the brain becomes overloaded and processing time increases leading to an increased cognitive load leading to lower comprehension and failure to make meaning (David, 2020). Therefore, it is important that DN created for use in a classroom setting utilise the multimedia principles to ensure cognitive load is maintained for optimum intellectual performance (Ibrahim, 2012; Heick, 2017).

School Context – Students:

Daramalan College is a culturally diverse co-educational high school with many students’ descendants of the post war immigration schemes (ABS, 2016). Therefore, discretion and finesse are required when addressing outdated perceptions of race and ethnic diversity. The utilisation of a DST in a FC allows the student to process the information privately and then engage in discussion to develop further understanding.

School Context – Technology:

Sway was selected due to its inclusion in the school’s subscription to Microsoft Office and that it can be successfully catalogued into the library management system. This meets the requirements dictated by the school’s Collection Management and Development Policy. Other benefits include its intuitiveness, ease of use and ability to integrate multimodal resources.

REFERENCES:

ACARA. (2014)a. HASS – History Curriculum. F-10 Curriculum. Educational Services Australia. Retrieved from https://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/f-10-curriculum/humanities-and-social-sciences/history/

ACARA. (2014b). Modern History Unit 4 – HASS. Senior Secondary Curriculum. Educational Services Australia. Retrieved from https://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/senior-secondary-curriculum/humanities-and-social-sciences/modern-history/

Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2016). 2016 Census Quick Stats – Australia Capital Territory (No. 8ACTE). Retrieved from https://quickstats.censusdata.abs.gov.au/census_services/getproduct/census/2016/quickstat/8ACTE?opendocument.

Basal, A. (2015). The implementation of a flipped classroom in foreign language teaching. Turkish Online Journal of Distance Education 16 (4). DOI:: 10.17718/tojde.72185

Ciccoricco, D. (2012). Chapter 34 – Digital fiction – networked narratives. In Bray, J., Gibbons, A., & McHale, B. (2012). The Routledge Companion to Experimental Literature. Taylor & Francis eBooks. Retrieved from CSU Library.

Cornet, C. E. (2014). Integrating the literary arts throughout the curriculum. In Creating meaning through literature and the arts: arts integration for Classroom teachers (5th ed,) pp144-193. USA

David, L. (2020). Cognitive theory of multimedia learning (Mayer). Learning Theories. Retrieved from https://www.learning-theories.com/cognitive-theory-of-multimedia-learning-mayer.html

Fong, N. (2018). The significance of the Northern Territory in the formulation of ‘White Australia’s Policies’ 1880-1901. Australian Historical Studies, 49 (4), p.527-545. Retrieved from https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/1031461X.2018.1515963

Gonzalez, J. (2016). Graphic novels in the classroom. [Blog] Cult of Pedagogy. Retrieved from https://www.cultofpedagogy.com/teaching-graphic-novels/

Hashim, A., & VongKulluskn, V. (2018). E reader apps and reading engagement: A descriptive case study. Computers and Education 125, pp.358-375. Retrieved from https://www.journals.elsevier.com/computers-and-education/

Heick, T. (2017). What is cognitive load theory? A definition for teachers. TeachThought. Retrieved from https://www.teachthought.com/learning/cognitive-load-theory–definition-teachers/

Ibrahim, M. (2012). Implications of designing instructional video using cognitive theory of multimedia learning. Critical Questions in Education 3(2), p.83-104. Retrieved from https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ1047003

Leask, A. (2014). 5 reasons why the flipped classroom benefits educators. Enable Education – Online learning solutions. Retrieved from https://www.enableeducation.com/5-reasons-why-the-flipped-classroom-benefits-educators/

Leu, D.J., Forzani, E., Timbrell, N., & Maykel, C. (2015). Seeing the forest, not the trees: Essential technologies for literacy in primary grade and upper elementary grade classroom. Reading Teacher 69: (2), p.139-145. Retrieved from https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ1073399.

Mannheim, M. (2020). Canberra is expanding Australia’s biggest free public WiFi network but how many people use it? ABC News Canberra. Retrieved from https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-08-13/canberra-expands-free-wifi-but-fewer-people-are-using-it/12551266

Mayer, R., & Moreno, R. (1998). A Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Learning: Implications for Design Principles. CHI 1998. DOI:10.1177/1463499606066892

Mayer, R., & Moreno, R. (2005). A cognitive theory of multimedia learning; Implications for design principles. Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/248528255_A_Cognitive_Theory_of_Multimedia_Learning_Implications_for_Design_Principles

Moran, R., Lamie, C., Robertson, L., & Tai, C. (2020). Narrative writing, digital storytelling, and coding: Increasing motivation with young readers and writers. Australian Literacy Educators Association, 25 (2), p.6-10. Retrieved from https://primo.csu.edu.au/permalink/61CSU_INST/15aovd3/cdi_gale_infotracacademiconefile_A627277934

NSW Migration Heritage Centre. (2010). Australian migration history timeline – 1945-1965. Powerhouse Museum Collections. Retrieved from http://www.migrationheritage.nsw.gov.au/exhibition/objectsthroughtime-history/1945-1965/index.html

Ohler, J.B. (2013). Digital storytelling in the classroom. New media pathways to literacy, learning, and creativity (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin. Retrieved from https://primo.csu.edu.au/permalink/61CSU_INST/1hkg98a/alma991012780180302357

Ozdamli, F., & Asiksoy, G. (2016). Flipped classroom approach. World Journal on Educational Technology: Current Issues. 8(2), p98-105. Retrieved from https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1141886.pdf

Schmidt, S. & Ralph, D. (2016). The flipped classroom: a twist on teaching. Contemporary Issues in Education Research. 9(1). Retrieved from https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1087603.pdf

Vidales-Bolanos, M., & Sadaba-Chalezquer, C. (2017). Connected Teens: Measuring the Impact of Mobile Phones on Social Relationships through Social Capital. Media Education Research Journal 53(25). Retrieved by https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1171085.pdf

Reviewing Digital Literature – White Australia Policy [Sway].

This resources was assessed using the guidelines set out by this RUBRIC

Citation: Templeton, T. (2020). White Australia Policy [Sway].
General Selection Criteria:		Digital Literature Selection Criteria:
Teaching and Learning Needs	50/50	Learning, literacy and language development:	45/50
Curriculum Needs	20/20	Format enhances the learning:	15/20
School Needs:	20/20	Features enhance the learning:	20/20
C/W School Ethos.	8/10	Price:	Free 10/10

Summary:

The White Australia Policy [sway] is an internally created teacher resource for use in conjunction with a flipped classroom setting. Designed as the pre-lesson task for the Year 9/10 History – “From Federation to Bicentennial”, this digital narrative contains a variety of primary sources, news clippings, videos, radio interviews and infographics about the different local and global perspectives surrounding the White Australia Policy. The resource is a valuable teaching tool but needs to be accompanied by a teacher facilitated class discussion in order to gain optimum values.

Curriculum links:

9/10 History –

(ACDSEH092)

(ACDSEE 145)

Senior History –

ACHMH123 & ACHMH125 (Senior Modern History – Unit 3)

ACHMH194 & ACHMH195 (Senior Modern History – Unit 4)

Learning, Literacy and Language:

The White Australia Policy [Sway] is a linear interactive digital narrative that has two main purposes. The overt purpose is to assist students through the various perspectives of Australian and world history to understand the reasoning behind the legislation and implementation of this Policy. The variance in viewpoints allow the students to develop their own conclusion about this historical event using the range of primary and secondary sources (Lamb, 2011). The covert purpose of this narrative is to facilitate literacy development by promoting literacy, academic writing and critical thinking.

The narrative facilitates literacy development by the use of complementing images, audio and textual elements, and the integration of the teacher as narrator is a direct attempt to use prior rapport to connect the students to the content (Ibrahim, 2012; Mangen et al., 2013). This congruence of information is more effective at promoting knowledge and comprehension as the complementing audio and textual elements allow the student to experience the benefits of a read aloud in the privacy of their own home (Rhodes, 2019; Ibrahim, 2012). Whilst the language used within the resource is diverse and subject specific, it may be difficult for students with learning or developmental needs to process, and thus it would have been beneficial to have hyperlinks available to assist with comprehension (Fitzsimmons, Weal & Drieghe, 2019).

The Sway’s textual elements with its formal tone, in text citations and use of subject specific vocabulary were designed to provide an archetype of academic writing (Cutler, 2019). Literacy Toolkit (2019) recommends the use of modelled writing as an explicit teaching strategy to address elements of writing such as sequence, linking ideas and vocabulary choice. It allows students who lack confidence in their writing to learn strategies and techniques that they can use in their own writing (Literacy Toolkit, 2019). It also allows those students who lack familiarity with in text citations to experience how citations are intext and referenced.

Digital narratives like this Sway combines emerging technology and literary works in a manner that improves critical thinking and 21st century literacies (Moran et al., 2020; Ciccorico, 2012). As students navigate through the various modalities, they experience a variety of primary sources that would be viewed as discriminatory in modern Australia. The blatant racial stereotyping evident in some of the primary sources may cause some students distress. This transmedia resource will challenge student’s perceptions of Australian history, as well as develop their critical thinking and digital literacies (Kopka, 2014).

Technology trends.

Ross Johnston (2014) and Leu et al., (2015) point out that the inclusion of interactive digital literature into educational practices meets the modern societal paradigm and allows students to develop valuable 21st century skills. The use of transmedia sources such as this Sway would benefit students by developing their critical thinking, experiential learning and their digital literacy (Cullen, 2015; Pietschmann, Volker & Ohler, 2014; Kopka, 2014; Leu et al., 2015).

Resource Integration:

The White Australia Policy [sway] is a teacher created digital narrative and is freely available on the school intranet with no licensing limitations making it a very thrifty resource. It can be integrated into the library management system, class intranet pages and into any of the Microsoft office suite. It is also accessible from all personal devices and can be exported to Word and printed out for students who are disadvantaged by the digital divide (DIIS, 2016).

Recommendation:

The White Australia Policy [sway] would be a valuable addition to the school collection.

References:

Cullen, M. (2015, December 21). How is interactive media changing the way children learn. In EducationTechnology. Retrieved from https://educationtechnologysolutions.com.au/2015/12/how-is-interactive-media-changing-the-way-children-learn/

Cutler, D. (2019). Modeling writing and revising for students. Edutopia. Retrieved from https://www.edutopia.org/article/modeling-writing-and-revising-students

Department of Industry, Innovation and Science. (2016). Australia’s digital economy update. Retrieved from https://apo.org.au/sites/default/files/resource-files/2016/05/apo-nid66202-1210631.pdf

Fitzsimmons, G., Weal, M., & Drieghe, D. (2019). The impact of hyperlinks on reading text. PLOS ONE. Retrieved from https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0210900

Kopka, S. & Hobbs, R., (2014). Transmedia & Education: Using Transmedia in the Classroom with a Focus on Interactive Literature [Blog]. SeKopka. Retrieved from https://sekopka.wordpress.com/2014/05/07/transmedia-education-using-transmedia-in-the-classroom-with-a-focus-on-interactive-literature/

Lamb, A. (2011). Reading re-defined for a transmedia universe. Learning & Leading with Technology 39(3), p.12-17. Retrieved from https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ954320

Leu, D.J, Forzani, E., Timbrell, N., & Maykel., C. (2015) . Seeing the forest, not the trees: Essential technologies for literacy in primary grade and upper elementary grade classroom. Reading Teacher 69: (2), p.139-145. Retrieved from https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ1073399.

Literacy Teaching Toolkit. (2019). Modelled writing. Victorian Department of Education. Retrieved from https://www.education.vic.gov.au/school/teachers/teachingresources/discipline/english/literacy/writing/Pages/teachingpracmodelled.aspx

Mangen, A., Walgermo, B. R. & Bronnick, K.A. (2013). Reading linear texts on paper versus computer screen: Effects on reading comprehension. International Journal of Educational Research, 58, 61-68.doi:10.1016/j.ijer.2012.12.002

Pietschmann, D., Volkel, S., & Ohler, P. (2014). Limitations of transmedia storytelling for children: A cognitive development analysis. International Journal of Communication 8, p.2259-2282. Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/279323387_Limitations_of_Transmedia_Storytelling_for_Children_A_Cognitive_Developmental_Analysis

Rhodes, G. (2019). Why I read aloud to my teenagers. The Guardian. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2019/feb/09/why-i-read-aloud-to-my-teenagers

Ross Johnston, R. (2014a). Chapter 23 – Literature, the curriculum and 21st-century literacy. In G. Winch, R. Ross Johnston, P. March, L. Ljungdahl & M. Holliday (Eds.), Literacy: Reading, writing and children’s literature (5th ed., pp. 472-489). Melbourne: Oxford University Press.

Creating a digital narrative – The good, the bad and the ugly.

Creating a digital narrative requires planning.

Creating a digital narrative for classroom practice requires extensive planning.

Creating a digital narrative for a university assignment that can also be used for classroom practice turns a teetotaler into a wino.

The creation of a digital narrative (DN) for education practice requires the teacher to consider the curriculum content, the needs of the student, the digital technologies available and their own individual ICT acuity.

It requires:

A clear understanding of which parts of the curriculum need to be addressed, content or skills (or both)
The cognitive, behavioural and developmental needs of the students.
The technological capabilities of the school such as BYOD policies and wifi capabilities.
It also requires the educator to acknowledge their own capability and find ways to work within their capacity. This last fact is often crucial as many teachers feel that creation of interactive media is beyond their capability and therefore abstain from using DST in classroom practice (Hyndman, 2018).

Part 1: Curriculum

Whilst there are many pedagogical strategies in which an educator can introduce DN or DST into classroom practice, the most effective method for teacher librarians to use is the Backwards Design Process (BPD), or otherwise known as backwards by design. BPD can be utilised across all areas of the curriculum and is often used by teacher librarians as a method of developing information literacy lessons (Gooudzward, 2019). Therefore it seemed like the sensible way to create this DN due to my familiarity with the process.

The identification of the learning outcomes in both content and skills strands of the 10 History curriculum (ACARA, 2014).
Once the learning outcomes were identified, the method and process of evaluating these learning outcomes needed to be determined.

Kurt (2018) and Gooudzward (2019) both point out the importance of ‘ranking’ the outcomes and then correlating them to the complexity of the assessment. The use of Bloom’s taxonomy would be useful here to help differentiate the learning.

Now the learning events can be planned. Considerations should include the type of learning that would suit this unit such as blended learning, explicit instruction, inquiry learning or the use of flipped classroom.

Part B – Student Needs – Pedagogy that works.

When creating or using DST, acknowledging the needs of the students is a fundamental part of pedagogical practice. The White Australia Policy was a very inflammatory legislation and requires finesse and discretion when addressing it in a classroom setting. Students who are recent immigrants or those that were descendants of those restricted by the White Australia Policy may need time and space to process this information. The use of a flipped classroom as a pedagogical strategy allows for the embedding of a DST for students to access prior to the lesson (Schmidt & Ralph, 2016, p.1). This gives the student time and space to process the information privately and the integrated questions promote critical thinking. This strategy also promotes analysis and evaluation of the policy as well as time for the teacher to facilitate class discussion and address the needs of a diverse classroom (Basal, 2015).

Part C: Technological capacities.

The use of Microsoft Sway was based on expediency. My school has a subscription to Microsoft and the students have already engaged with the program in other disciplines. The format allows for the successful integration of images, videos, audio, hyperlinks and Thinglink. It can be accessed from any personal device connected to the internet, is intuitive to use and can be successfully integrated into the school intranet, class pages and can be cataloged into the library management system.

The school has a BYOD policy and excellent wifi, so there should be minimal issues accessing this resource.

Part D: Teacher Competence

Cantabrana et al., (2018) point out that the quality of education in the 21st century is directly linked to teacher education and training. Teachers that have been supported in their professional learning and development to integrate DL into their practice are more likely to use it successfully (Cantabrana et al., 2018). Competence in ICT involves positive attitudes to technology as well as combing conceptual and procedural knowledge (Cantabrana et al., 2018, p.77; McGarr & McDonagh, 2019, p.11). This means that teachers that are reluctant to use ICT from either lack of knowledge or lack of interest are less likely to want to improve their capability and extremely unlikely to create and foster the use of DL and DST in their classroom practice.

McGarr & McDonagh (2019) point out that teacher competence should be framed around three main areas, technological, cognitive and ethical. This makes sense as creating a digital narrative requires the teacher to be competent at combining curriculum with technology, whilst ensuring copyright is addressed appropriately (McGarr & McDonagh, 2019, p.13).

References:

ACARA. (2014b). HASS – History Curriculum. F-10 Curriculum. Educational Services Australia. Retrieved from https://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/f-10-curriculum/humanities-and-social-sciences/history/

Basal, A. (2015). The implementation of a flipped classroom in foreign language teaching. Turkish Online Journal of Distance Education 16 (4). DOI:: 10.17718/tojde.72185

Cantabrana, JL., Rodriguez, M., & Cervera, M.G. (2018). Assessing teacher digital competence: the construction of an instrument for measuring the knowledge of pre-service teachers. Journal of New Approaches in Educational Research. 8(1), p73-78. Retrieved from https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1202957.pdf

Goudzwaard, M. (2019). Slides: Backward design for librarians. New England Library Instruction Group 2. Retrieved from https://scholarworks.umass.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1052&context=nelig

Hyndman, B. (2018). Ten reasons teachers can struggle to use technology in the classroom. The Conversation [Blog]. Retrieved from https://theconversation.com/ten-reasons-teachers-can-struggle-to-use-technology-in-the-classroom-101114

Kurt, S. (2018). What is backward design. Educational Technology. Teaching and Learning Resources. Retrieved from https://educationaltechnology.net/backward-design-understanding-by-design/

McGarr, O., & McDonagh, A. (2019). Digital competence in teacher education. Output 1 of the Erasmus+ funded Developing Student Teachers’ Digital Competence (DICTE) project. Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/331487411_Digital_Competence_in_Teacher_Education

Schmidt, S. & Ralph, D. (2016). The flipped classroom: a twist on teaching. Contemporary Issues in Education Research. 9(1). Retrieved from https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1087603.pdf

Going backwards to move forwards.

I have often wondered how students can appear to be engaged and respond appropriately to a particular topic one day, and then the next day/week/month – look at me perfectly blankly when I bring up the same topic for discussion.

The blank faces and looks of confusion make me want to pull my hair out and develop a dangerous drinking habit. It is very frustrating for teachers when students seem incapable of transferring gained information and knowledge from one class to the next class, let alone another subject or even the real world!

As teachers we query our lesson structure, our pedagogical practice and our sanity for that matter! We wonder what is going on in the heads of our students and in our own!

After all didn’t someone once say…

Well I am not Einstein but I am determined to make a change to my practice.

One theory about this daily dilemma is that the curriculum and associated resources are often constructed with the focus on content rather than outcome (Fuglei, 2020). This means that the learning outcomes of the lesson or unit of work can be missed as they were not explicitly addressed in the teaching and learning.

This then poses the challenging question –

How do we increase the statistical probability of students achieving these learning outcomes?

The answer is…

Backward design process, or commonly known as backward by design (Fuglei, 2020).

The backward design process (BDP) is a strategy that focuses on the learning outcomes to be achieved by the students and then working it backwards to what the assessment criteria will be and then the pedagogical strategies that meet those needs (Ziegenfuss & LeMire, 2020). It is the opposite of forward design that organises learning in the form of content, lessons and then exam. Aviles & Grayson (2017) point out in forward design, student understanding and master is often misdiagnosed as the learning activities do not contain evidence of such learning. BPD is very effective in classroom instruction as its student centered focus allows for the teaching and measuring of established learning outcomes (Ziegenfuss & LeMire, 2020). Wiggins & McTighe (2012) cited in Aviles & Grayson (2017) point out that this student mastery can be observed and documented in discussion groups, formative and summative tasks, or anything that shows metacognitive awareness. As comprehension and understanding is assessed throughout this process, the student is able to connect theory to applications, and this fosters knowledge acquisition, increases reflective practices and therefore becomes constructivist in nature (Ziegenfuss & LeMire, 2020).

Aviles & Grayson (2017) indicate three roles in BPD.

Direct teaching – connecting and engaging students to the lesson.
Facilitating Learning – socratic seminars, reciprocal teaching, graphic organisers for conveying information, reflective practices
Coach to student learning – provide feedback and opportunities for independent practice.

The process of BDP makes it very conducive to education and library practices, as it requires the educator to identify the outcomes prior to planning the learning experiences and classroom resources (Gooudzward, 2019). This means that the activities integrated into the teaching and learning are designed to meet the specified learning outcomes and the students cognitive needs(Ziegenfuss & LeMire, 2020). Whilst BDP can be utilised in all curriculum areas, it has great value in the teaching and learning of information literacy (Ziegenfuss & LeMire, 2020; Fox & Doherty, 2012).

Fox & Doherty (2019, p.145) point out that there are three definite stages in BPD.

Identify the results (learning outcomes, curriculum outcomes, general capabilities)
Determine mode/format of evidence (Aviles & Grayson, 2017)
1. Assessments of learning – Summative
2. Assessments for learning – Class discussion/Socratic seminars
3. Assessments as learning – reflective practices/ metacognitive process
Plan teaching and learning activities that meet those needs.

Kurt (2018) and Gooudzward (2019) both indicate that a hierarchical scale needs to be used to determine curriculum content priorities in determining which learning outcomes are crucial and which are just worth being familiar with. Once these outcomes have been determined, assessments or evidence of learning needs to be appropriately linked to them.

As the stages indicate, the primary focus of the BPD is on what the students learn or achieve rather than what the teacher thinks is important. This makes BPD a student centred approach to learning, and as it requires the teacher to understand the student’s level of understanding prior to commencing the lesson. Therefore this process aligns with the constructivist approach to education.

References:

Aviles, N., & Grayson, K. (2017). Backward planning – How assessment impacts teaching and learning. Intercultural Development Research Association. Resource Centre. Retrieved from https://www.idra.org/resource-center/backward-planning-assessment-impacts-teaching-learning/

Fox, B., & Doherty, J. (2012). Design to learn, learn to design: Using backward design for informational literacy instruction. Communications in Information Literacy 5 (2). 144-155. Retrieved from https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/193813175.pdf

Fuglei M. (2020). Begin at the end: How backwards design enriches lesson planning. The Resilient Educator. Retrieved from https://resilienteducator.com/classroom-resources/backwards-design-lesson-planning/

Goudzwaard, M. (2019). Slides: Backward design for librarians. New England Library Instruction Group 2. Retrieved from https://scholarworks.umass.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1052&context=nelig

Jensen, J., Bailey, E., Kummer, T., & Weber, K. (2017). Using backward design in education research: A research methods essay. Journal of Microbiology & Biology Education 18(3), pp1-6. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5976040/pdf/jmbe-18-50.pdf

Kurt, S. (2018). What is backward design. Educational Technology. Teaching and Learning Resources. Retrieved from https://educationaltechnology.net/backward-design-understanding-by-design/

NSW Department of Education. (2019). Backward design model. Teaching & Learning – Professional Learning. Retrieved from https://education.nsw.gov.au/teaching-and-learning/professional-learning/teacher-quality-and-accreditation/strong-start-great-teachers/refining-practice/planning-a-sequence-of-lessons/backward-design-model

Ziegenfuss, D., & LeMire, S. (2020). Information Literacy and Instruction: Backward Design: A Must-Have Library Instructional Design Strategy for Your Pedagogical and Teaching Toolbox. Reference & User Services Quarterly, 59(2), 107-112. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.5860/rusq.59.2.7275

Flipping it around – How flipping a classroom can change the way students learn.

Technology has become an integral part of education and many teachers have made the conscious decision to integrate emerging technologies inventively within their professional practice. Basal (2015) believes that technology enriched learning environments increase the learning opportunities for students, as it allows them to improve their ICT acuity, increases their engagement with the content and provides valuable classroom discussion time. One such way of integrating technology in a meaningful manner is the use of flipped learning or flipped classrooms.

By inverting the learning sequence, students gain access to the content prior to the lesson which allows them to address the understanding in the lesson.

Flipping the classroom means flipping the process of learning.

This access to content occurs in a personalised, student centred manner through a variety of methods, including the reading course notes, and the accessing videos or other multimedia (Basal, 2015). Flipped classrooms follow a constructivist approach to learning as students are required to take ownership by accessing the content in their own time, at their own pace (Basal, 2015). This self paced approach increases the likelihood of students making those valuable connections between new content and prior knowledge, and therefore improving their overall learning outcomes.

Flipped learning student centred approach can be seen clearly during class time, where the student is able to apply their knowledge and understanding to the learning activities. Additionally, as Leask (2014) points out, student engagement and learning is easier to observe and document when teachers are able to view them applying their knowledge. By addressing content earlier, the teacher is able to assist individual students with cementing their understanding and clarifying misconceptions (Schmidt & Ralph, 2016, p.1). The other advantage is that the students are required to take responsibility for their own learning by accessing the content in their own time and prior to the lesson.

Flipped Classrooms changes the role of the teacher from font of knowledge to facilitator of learning.

There are several benefits to using a flipped classroom in pedagogical practice. One benefit to implementing this strategy is that it reduces or eliminates the ineffective lecturing teaching style (Basal, 2015). The lecture format is a very traditional form of teaching and alludes to the illusion that the teacher is the font of knowledge, and the student the receptacle receiving the information in a passive manner. Flipped classrooms, as Basal (2015) points out, requires the teacher to become a facilitator and organiser of content, rather than a font of content. This role reversal changes the classroom dynamics from a teacher centred to a student centred approach.

The student centred approach is visible throughout the strategy. Leask (2014) points out that student engagement and learning is easier to observe and document when teachers are able to view interactions in class discussions and thereby assess the quality of interactions the student has made with the content prior to the lesson. The early delivery of content also facilitates learning as the teacher is able to assist individual students with cementing their understanding and clarifying misconceptions, which is essential for low ability and low literacy students (Schmidt & Ralph, 2016, p.1). This guided class discussion and application is very provident for students that are unable to receive assistance at home for their learning. Flipped classrooms increase learning outcomes as students are required to take responsibility for their own learning and that students gain confidence in class discussions due to the prior access to content material (Basal, 2015, p.32).

An indirect positive consequence of flipped learning is that the creation of videos for students to access prior to the lesson also provides access to content for students who are unable to attend school due to illness or personal circumstances (Schmidt & Ralph, 2016, p.1). Prior to 2020, remote learning and remote access to content was not a priority but with the recent pandemic and resulting lockdown, flexible and adaptable learning have become a concern for many teachers across the country.

Whilst there are many benefits to using flipped classrooms in pedagogical practice, there are concerns. The primary issue is the creation of resources such as videos and other forms of multimedia to deliver the content. Schmidt & Ralph (2016) point out that even though the making of videos can be extremely time consuming, teachers should not divert to mundane Powerpoints and repetitive videos as they can lead to student boredom and disengagement. Another issue is that students can be disinclined to access the coursework prior to the lesson, and this disinclination can affect the vibrancy of the class learning and discussion (Ozdamli & Asiksoy, 2016). Another major concern with implementing flipped learning in pedagogical practice is access to personal devices and reliable internet outside of school. This makes accessing these resources such as online videos and other multimedia texts difficult for First Nations students, learners from lower socioeconomic families as well as rural and remote areas (DIIS, 2016).

More than just videos – Flipped lessons promote complex reasoning and problem solving.

Successful flipped classrooms are more than just the creation and dispersal of didactic videos outside the classroom. Rather it is the collaborative learning and classroom discussion that is provoked by the content material that occurs in the classroom that makes flipped learning successful (Basal, 2015). It is about the students being able to clarify their understanding and address any misconceptions that they may have. Flipped learning requires both the student and teacher to adapt their perspective of teaching and gives teachers additional class time to focus on making meaning of new information in a student centred manner (Basel, 2015). It requires students to be proactive, engage with the content prior to the class, and in discussion during the class. It requires teachers to be willing to experiment with technologies, and relinquish didacticism in favour for constructivism. Flipped classrooms will not meet the needs of all students and their teachers, but it is will work for the majority.

REFERENCES:

Basal, A. (2015). The implementation of a flipped classroom in foreign language teaching. Turkish Online Journal of Distance Education 16 (4). DOI:: 10.17718/tojde.72185

Department of Industry, Innovation and Science. (2016). Australia’s digital economy update. Retrieved from https://apo.org.au/sites/default/files/resource-files/2016/05/apo-nid66202-1210631.pdf

Lo, C. K. (2017). A critical review of flipped classroom challenges in K-12 education: possible solutions and recommendations for future research. Research and Practice in Technology Enhanced Learning 12 (4). Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6302872/pdf/41039_2016_Article_44.pdf

Schmidt, S. & Ralph, D. (2016). The flipped classroom: a twist on teaching. Contemporary Issues in Education Research. 9(1). Retrieved from https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1087603.pdf

Szparagowski, R. (2014). The effectiveness of the flipped classroom. Bowling Green State University Scholar Works. Retrieved from https://scholarworks.bgsu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1118&context=honorsprojects

The cognitive cost of multimodal resources.

Multimedia is the convergence of multiple forms of media into one format and is present across all aspects of modern life including classroom practice.

The notion of a multimedia resource may seem to be a more modern construct, but multimedia resources have been associated with educational practices for an extended period of time. Originally appearing in classrooms as annotated drawings, maps, and picture books, these static forms of multimedia appear in many guises, across all learning areas and year levels (Ibrahim, 2020).

The range of multimodal resources found commonly in schools.

Multimodality is cited as a panacea for pedagogical problems, both inside and outside the classroom. In fact, the prevalence of multimodal resources in education has been adduced as more effective at communicating information than when a single modality is used (David, 2020). This is because the information is often delivered in two main literacies, visual and auditory. It is the combination of these literacies that enhances learning, and improves educational outcomes (Ibrahim, 2012). But not all multimedia resources promote learning. The method and delivery of the information is essential to ensure students do not suffer from information overload.

Information overload – when the brain gets inundated with more information that it can process.

A modern classroom is likely to have multimodal resources in a variety of formats, ranging from static formats such as picture books, to illustrated books, graphic novels and anime, to more dynamic forms such as videos, interactive websites and videos (Ibrahim, 2020). The use of common teaching tools such as Powerpoint, digital textbooks, ebooks, websites and databases can all be considered dynamic forms of multimedia (Ibrahim, 2012). The efficacy of multimodal learning is based upon two main theories, Mayer’s cognitive theory of multimedia learning and Sweller’s cognitive load theory (Ibrahim, 2012). These two theories are able to predict which parameters of multimedia lead to optimum intellectual performance (Heick, 2017).

Mayer’s theory pointed out that whilst the brain appears to engage with material simultaneously, it instead selects the information individually and then organises and integrates the data consequently in three distinct cognitive processes (Mayer & Moreno, 2005). The first step in this process is that the learner selects an amount of incoming auditory and visual information to process. This amount is finite and an overload of information can have negative ramifications for the student such as confusion and a distaste for that medium (David ,2020). The next step in this cognitive process is the organisation of that processed information. This is where the user merges the visual and auditory information together (Mayer & Moreno, 2005; David 2020). Both Ibrahim (2012) and David (2020) agree when modalities complement and enhance each other, as the visual imagery allows the brain to use its cognitive strength to work towards constructing working schemas instead of creating a mental image. Creating mental images is cognitively heavy and the construction of schemas decreases the cognitive load on a learner and increases working memory. The last step is where the learner integrates and constructs new knowledge on their own prior learning to make meaning of this new information (Mayer & Moreno, 2005; David 2020). Ibrahim (2012) believes that by constructing their own meaning, the learner is able to increase their overall understanding and comprehension of the content.

Sweller’s cognitive load theory is based upon the structure and process of the human memory system which includes the method in which memories, information and knowledge are stored in a complex and integrated manner (Russell, 2019). When a learner is presented with new information, their working memory has a limited capacity unless it is transferred to their limitless long term memory (Russell, 2019). This finite capacity in the working memory cache, also known as cognitive load, has direct implications on the learning in classrooms. CESE (2017) categorises cognitive load as intrinsic, extraneous and germane. Intrinsic cognitive load is from the inherent complexity of the information, and can be supported by germane load, which are instructions that facilitate the transfer of knowledge from the working memory to the long term memory (CESE, 2017, p.3). Whereas extraneous load inhibits memory transfer and does not contribute to positive learning outcomes (CESE, 2017, p.3). As Russell (2019) points out, the cognitive load theory indicates that explicit instruction is required to transfer learning from the working memory to the long term memory and requires explicit instruction and worked examples to ensure learners are capable of developing their own knowledge base and long term memory (Russell, 2019).

These two theories have a direct implication on the construction and delivery of multimedia and multimodal resources in the classroom. Mayer’s concept of cognitive loading of multimedia uses Sweller’s cognitive load theory to determine the point where retention and comprehension are optimised (Xie et al., 2017, p.14) Mayer’s theory of visual and auditory information being processed separately is an extension of the split attention effect known as the modality effect (CESE, 2017, p.7). Split attention contributes to cognitive loading, as it often requires the learner to process pieces of information simultaneously for integration. Whereas the modality effect actually reduces the load, because the same information is presented in two forms and thus increases the working memory capacity (CESE, 2017, p.7). This fact is further emphasised when students engage in collaborative learning. Kirscher et al, (2018, p.222) argue that when the task is cognitively heavy, collaborative groups are beneficial if the individual members are capable of utilising their combined capacity. Whilst many teachers are familiar with the structure, function and benefits of collaborative learning groups in classrooms, they need to ensure distribution of cognitive loading occurs for optimal learning.

Mayer’s theory of multimodal or multimedia learning is structured around several principles (Walsh, 2017). Whilst the principles do vary in their focus, the overall arching theme is that users or students would statistically learn better if unessential content is removed, clues highlighted or signalled, words and texts are presented simultaneously rather than consecutively (Walsh, 2017; Ibrahim, 2012). Xie et al., (2017) determined that cues are essential in dynamic resources to minimise cognitive load, but that their presence improves knowledge retention and transfer in static and dynamic forms of multimedia. Ibrahim (2012) also points out that the efficacy of multimodal resources is increased dramatically when the format is segmented or promotes self pacing, and if the narrator’s voice uses colloquial language and a conversational style compared to formal structure and tone (Walsh, 2017). These principles help educators in creating and determine which multimedia resources would benefit student learning and which ones inhibit it.

Multimedia, multimodal learning and resources are an essential part of modern pedagogical practices. Their presence in both static and dynamic forms are present in all aspects of teaching practices. Therefore it behooves the educator to understand how the brain interacts with these resources. Resources that cause information or cognitive overload to students impede learning as the user is working against the brain, rather than with the brain (Heick, 2017). Multimedia designed within the parameters of Mayer’s and Sweller’s theories have an increased efficacy with learning outcomes than multimodal resources without it.

REFERENCES

Centre for Education Statistics and Evaluation. (2017). Cognitive load theory: Research that teachers really need to understand. NSW Department of Education. Retrieved from https://www.cese.nsw.gov.au//images/stories/PDF/cognitive-load-theory-VR_AA3.pdf

David, L. (2020). Cognitive theory of multimedia learning (Mayer). Learning Theories. Retrieved from https://www.learning-theories.com/cognitive-theory-of-multimedia-learning-mayer.html

Heick, T. (2017). What is cognitive load theory? A definition for teachers. TeachThought. Retrieved from https://www.teachthought.com/learning/cognitive-load-theory-definition-teachers/

Kirschner, P., Sweller, J., Kirschner, F. & Zambrano, J. (2018). From cognitive load theory to collaborative cognitive load theory. International Journal of Computer Supported Collaborative Learning 13, p.213-233. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11412-018-9277-y

Lloyd, T., Mitchell, B., & Mayers, R. (2012). Overall, Excellent Work! Assessment Rubric for Learning Theories. Paper Exceptional Satisfactory Developing Inadequate a (90%-100%) B (80%-89%) C (70%-79%) D/f (0-69%).

Mayer, R., & Moreno, R. (1998). A Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Learning: Implications for Design Principles. CHI 1998. DOI:10.1177/1463499606066892

Russell, D. (2019). An introduction to cognitive load theory. Teacher Magazine [Features]. Retrieved from https://www.teachermagazine.com.au/articles/an-introduction-to-cognitive-load-theory

Sweller, J., van Merriënboer, J.J.G., & Paas, F. (2019). Cognitive Architecture and Instructional Design: 20 Years Later. Educational Psycholgy Review 31, p261–292. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-019-09465-5

Walsh, K. (2017). Mayer’s 12 principles of multimedia learning are a powerful design resource [Blog]. Emerging EdTech. Retrieved from https://www.emergingedtech.com/2017/06/mayers-12-principles-of-multimedia-learning-are-a-powerful-design-resource/

Xie H, Wang F, Hao Y, Chen J, An J, Wang Y, et al. (2017). The more total cognitive load is reduced by cues, the better retention and transfer of multimedia learning: A meta-analysis and two meta-regression analyses. Public Library of Science ONE 12 (8). DOI: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal. pone.0183884

Proposing a digital narrative

Proposal topic: Migration, immigration and government policies in Australia.

Curriculum Links:

10 History –

The population movements and changing settlement patterns from 1750-1901 (ACDSEH080)
Laws made by federal Parliament between 1901-1914 including the Harvester Judgement, pensions, and the Immigration Restriction Act (ACDSEH092)
The impact of changing government policies on Australia’s migration patterns, including abolition of the White Australia Policy, ‘Populate or Perish’ (ACDSEH145)
The waves of post-World War II migration to Australia, including the influence of significant world events (ACDSEH144)

Senior Modern History

ACHMH123 (Senior Modern History – Unit 3) – The changing nature and significance of Australia’s foreign policy from 1916-1949 (ACHMH123)
ACHMH125 (Senior Modern History – Unit 3) – The key features of post-war reconstruction, including industrialisation, immigration, the provision of social welfare, and attitudes and policies towards Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, and women.
ACHMH194 (Senior Modern History – Unit 4) – The nature of Australia’s response to key developments in the period, including the success of the Communists in China, the Tokyo War Crimes Tribunal, the return of the French to Vietnam, Indonesian claims for independence, Australia’s adherence to the White Australia Policy until 1973, and the implications of Australia’s involvement in the Vietnam War (ACHMH194)
ACHMH195 (Senior Modern History – Unit 4) – The significance of Australia’s immigration policies on regional relationships after World War II, including the reasons for the gradual dismantling of the White Australia Policy in the period 1945-1973 (ACHMH195)

Proposed digital tools – Microsoft Sway

Rationale

The White Australia policy was one of the first pieces of legislation the newly formed Australian Government passed through parliament. The policy had a significant impact on the dynamics and diversity of the fledgling nation. Originally deployed as the Immigration Restriction Act of 1901, the policy was aimed ensuring only those of British ancestry would gain entry into Australia to preserve the sanctity of the British-Australian culture and the economic value of the Australian man. This digital story will seek to investigate the policy, the reason for its introduction, its ramifications on the diversity of the Australian population and the effects of its subsequent removal during the Whitlam administration.

Storytelling has been the predominant method in which humanity has used to convey information, cultural traditions and ideologies for centuries (Cornett, 2014). The advent of emerging technologies and personal devices has led to the formation of digital stories and storytelling. Digital storytelling is an engaging and informative method that combines emerging technologies and literary works for recreational or informative purposes (Ciccorico, 2012). The story itself is a valuable teaching tool as it integrates visual, audio and textual elements together in a manner that enhances the storyline, improves engagement and promotes literacy development (Ohler, 2013, p.94). The inclusion of digital narratives as part of teaching and learning promotes language, literacy and ICT competency.

This Sway project will eventually be part of a larger 3 part digital narrative detailing how migration patterns have influenced the national identity of Australia. Teachers will be able to use this internal resource as part of their teaching practice either as individual Sway links or as part of the series depending on the needs of the students as well as in depth study they are doing. This resource has the capability to be catalogued into the current library management system and thus can be easily accessed by staff.

The three part series will include:

Movements of people – 1750-1901. (Year 9 history and 9 Civics and citizenship)

1. the nature and extent of the movement of peoples in the period (slaves, convicts and settlers) (ACOKFH015 – Scootle )
2. The population movements and changing settlement patterns during this period (ACDSEH080 – Scootle )
3. The influence of the Industrial Revolution on the movement of peoples throughout the world, including the transatlantic slave trade and convict transportation (ACDSEH018 – Scootle )
4. Experiences of slaves, convicts and free settlers upon departure, their journey abroad, and their reactions on arrival, including the Australian experience (ACDSEH083 – Scootle )
5. The short and long-term impacts of the movement of peoples during this period (ACDSEH085 – Scootle )

Australia’s migration history (Years 9&10 History)

1. the nature and extent of the movement of peoples from 1750-1901 (slaves, convicts and settlers) (ACOKFH015 – Scootle )
2. The population movements and changing settlement patterns from 1750-1901 (ACDSEH080 – Scootle )
3. Laws made by federal Parliament between 1901-1914 including the Harvester Judgement, pensions, and the Immigration Restriction Act (ACDSEH092 – Scootle )
4. The impact of changing government policies on Australia’s migration patterns, including abolition of the White Australia Policy, ‘Populate or Perish’ (ACDSEH145 – Scootle )
5. The waves of post-World War II migration to Australia, including the influence of significant world events (ACDSEH144 – Scootle )

Australia’s National Identity in the 21st Century (Year 10 History and 9 Civics & Citizenship)

1. How national identity can shape a sense of belonging in Australia’s multicultural society (ACHCK067 – Scootle )
2. How and why individuals and groups, including religious groups, participate in and contribute to civic life (ACHCK079 – Scootle )
3. How ideas about and experiences of Australian identity are influenced by global connectedness and mobility (ACHCK081 – Scootle )
4. Continuity and change in beliefs and values that have influenced the Australian way of life (ACDSEH149 – Scootle
5. The commemoration of World War I, including debates about the nature and significance of the Anzac legend (ACDSEH097 – Scootle )

REFERENCES

Cornet, C. E. (2014). Integrating the literary arts throughout the curriculum. In Creating meaning through literature and the arts: arts integration for Classroom teachers (5th ed,) (pp144-193) USA

Ohler, J.B. (2013). Digital storytelling in the classroom: New media pathways to literacy, learning, and creativity (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin. Retrieved from https://primo.csu.edu.au/permalink/61CSU_INST/1hkg98a/alma991012780180302357

Digital Storytelling

The art of storytelling is intrinsically human.

Stories are the way humans have conveyed information, cultural traditions and ideologies throughout the centuries as well as being the conduit of language, literature and literacy (Cornett, 2014). But whilst stories have been part of human culture for millenia, the way these stories are ingressed have evolved. Burkey (2016), points out that access to stories has not changed but prevalence of personal devices and evolving technologies have increased the methods of access. This is because storytelling, and the format in which they occur, are a reflection of societal norms. This shift in storytelling access is more apparent in young people as personal devices, such as tablets and smartphones, are an essential part of a teen’s social capital, and a reflection of their generation (Vidales-Bolanos & Sadaba-Chalezquer, 2017).

Digital storytelling (DST) is a rapidly developing format that combines emerging technologies and literary works (Ciccorico, 2012). The process allows visual, audio and textual elements to be woven together to convey information in a digital format for either recreation or informative purposes (Ohler, 2013, p.94). The fundamental difference between a traditional story and a DST, is that the latter would lose its value if viewed without a screen. This is because the interactive and gaming elements present in most DST require the use of technology and a personal device for a transaction to occur between the story and the viewer (Ciccorico, 2012). The integration of DST in educational practice encourages students beyond just passively using technology into creators and users of technology.

From an education perspective, DST has great potential for teaching and learning. Moran et al., (2020) believes that the combination of storytelling and technology can improve traditional literacies and 21st century skills. The multimodality of DST allows students to engage and experiment with different literacies, formats and technologies across the curriculum and address the needs of diverse learners. This exposure to DST has an ability to impact literacy identities as well as provide assistance to EALD students and those with learning needs (Moran et al., 2020; Ross Johnston, 2014). When DST is integrated into teaching practice it allows the students to experience the text in a dynamic way by expanding algorithmic creativity and narrative perspectives (Ciccorico, 2012). It also allows teachers to engage students into difficult content matter such as the Holocaust and White Australia Policy as the format allows for the interweaving of primary and secondary sources in a non confrontational manner.

DST is a highly adaptable format that can be used effectively across the curriculum and year levels to effectively address curriculum outcomes. ACARA (2018) requires teachers to integrate digital literature such as DST in their practice to ensure students have the relevant skills and literacies for active citizenship in a digital world (MCEETYA, 2008). Educators who fail to integrate mobile technology into pedagogy limit the development of new literacies and competencies. By incorporating DST in educational practice, teachers are encouraging students beyond the passive use of technology to active users and creators of technology (Moran et al., 2020, p.6).

References

Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority. (2018). Literacy. In Australian Curriculum – General Capabilities. Retrieved from https://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/f-10-curriculum/general-capabilities/literacy/

Burkey, A. (2016). Shifting stories in a digital world. FYI 20 (1), p.12-15. Retrieved from https://primo.csu.edu.au/permalink/61CSU_INST/15aovd3/cdi_rmit_aeipt_211907

Cornet, C. E. (2014). Integrating the literary arts throughout the curriculum. In Creating meaning through literature and the arts: arts integration for Classroom teachers (5th ed,) (pp144-193) USA

Curran, G. (2017). Unlocking life stories through digital storytelling. Fine Print 40(1), p. 28-30. Retrieved from https://primo.csu.edu.au/permalink/61CSU_INST/15aovd3/cdi_rmit_primary_828942069094737

Littlejohn, K. (2018). 1917live: Historical storytelling in the digital space. Teaching History 52(4), p. 4-7. Retrieved from https://primo.csu.edu.au/permalink/61CSU_INST/15aovd3/cdi_rmit_primary_207856499201807

Mantei, J., Kipscombe, K., & Kervin, L. (2018). Literature in a digital environment (Ch. 13). In L. McDonald (Ed.), A literature companion for teachers. Marrickville, NSW: Primary English Teaching Association Australia (PETAA)

MCEETYA (2008) Melbourne Declaration on Educational Goals for Young Australians. Curriculum Corporation. Australia. Retrieved from http://www.curriculum.edu.au/verve/_resources/national_declaration_on_the_educational_goals_for_young_australians.pdf

Ross Johnston, R. (2014). Literary literacies: Digital, cultural, narrative, critical and deep literacies. In G. Winch, R. Ross Johnston, P. March, L. Ljungdahl & M. Holliday (Eds.), Literacy: Reading, writing and children’s literature (5th ed., pp. 556). Retrieved from Proquest Ebook Central.

Reflection – Reviewing Digital Literature for a High School Library.

Reviewing Digital Literature for a High School Library.

A teacher librarian (TL) is tasked with ensuring the collection development and management policy (CDMP) suits the needs of the curriculum and the school community (Johnson, 2018).

Whilst the curation of the physical collection is well established, the rapidly evolving nature of digital resources makes the selection of digital literature (DL) more challenging. This complexity arises from the variety of emerging DL trends and their integration into the library management system (LMS) (Johnson, 2018, p.128; Hughes-Hassell & Mancall, 2005).

There has been much controversy regarding the efficacy of digital literature (DL) in education. Jeon (2012) suggests that DL has lower rates of comprehension in comparison to print, but Ross et al., (2017) believes that there is no notable difference between print, screen and tablet. The discrepancy is based upon the role digitisation plays in comprehension. Keen (2016) believes that digitisation increases engagement, improves learning outcomes and addresses the behavioural, cognitive and developmental needs of teenagers. Whereas Mitchell (2011) points out that not all digital texts are superior to print texts, and that DL needs to be evaluated against a set criteria to ensure that the enhancements promote the learning of literacy and language.

A printed text requires:

 a single literacy to gain access to the information.

However, DL needs the reader to be:

```
masterful with multiliteracies,
```
```
 competent with computation and 
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dexterous with devices (Rettberg, 2012).

These skill requirements indicate that poor traditional literacy will translate to poor digital literacy because technology virtuosity and digital aptitude are not intuitive (Moore & Cahill, 2016, p.5; Brown & Czerniewicz, 2011). This necessity of explicit instruction has thoroughly debunked the myth of the digital native.

ACARA (2018) has included DL in the Australian Curriculum in an effort to address the multimodal and multiliteracy needs of the 21st century. The embedding of DL allows students to use these new technologies to connect to the curriculum, develop multiliteracies and competencies, which are essential for active citizenship in a digital society (MCEETYA, 2008; Cullen; 2015). Importantly, DL acknowledges students’ learning needs, the shift in the reading paradigm as well as the presence of participatory culture in modern society (O’Connell, Bates & Mitchell, 2015; Moore & Cahill, 2016, p.6).

There are several pedagogical implications of utilising DL in teaching practice. Visual ergonomics and information overload have significant impacts on the reader (Mangen, Walgermo & Bronnick., 2013). Print texts have strong visual permanence which aids comprehension, but in nonlinear hypertext narratives such as After 6/4, the inability to ‘flip back’ is a hindrance. However, both Schreuder’s digital novel and the Bible app provide linearity and a sequential storyline which facilitates text comprehension for low ability and literacy students (Gonzales, 2016; Botzakis, 2018).

Information overload is an issue in After 6/4 and Land of the Magic Flute. The multimodality of these resources require readers to critically evaluate the images, text and audio simultaneously, and this can overwhelm some students. But in Schreuder’s digital graphic novel, the arias give the reader time to process the multimodal information, whereas in After 6/4, the format enables the reader to navigate at their own pace.

Peggy_Marco / PixabayFrom a pedagogical perspective, app based learning such as the YouVersion Bible app are ideal for teenagers in a Catholic High school as it promotes engagement, increases motivation, provides access to online communities, allows for text anonymity and acknowledges the importance of a personal devices to a teenager’s social capital (Cullen, 2015; Vidales-Bolanos & Sadaba-Chalezquer, 2017; Yokota & Teale, 2014; Dickenson, 2014; Hashim & Vongkulluksn, 2018). This app also satisfies the requirement of enhancing the learning of language, and the supplementary videos assist in decoding and comprehension for EAL/D and learning needs students (Gonzales, 2016).

The major hurdle to implementing this app across the school is that it is an app. My school has a strong mobile phone policy due to persistent disciplinary issues (Selwyn, 2019). The current criteria does not permit its inclusion even though this app meets the educational, behavioural and behavioural needs of the students, as well as addressing the content requirements. This exclusion of this resource should question the validity of the CDMP and its selection criteria in this digital age (Johnson, 2018).

The reality is that teachers are very confused about young people and their literary preferences. Dickenson (2014) and Earp (2017) both agree that teens favour print, whereas Twenge et al., (2019) suggests that the internet and interactive media are the preferred medium due to the prevalence of participatory culture. But this preference does not always translate to successful classroom practice. Whilst students may have a strong inclination for DL, not all formats aid the learning of literacy and language. It would be poor professional practice to promote DL that impedes learning, just like its poor practice to exclude excellent resources due to an impediment in the CDMP.

But then… I did just that.

Sometimes our practice is as only good as the policies that frame it.

References:

Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority. (2018). Literacy. In Australian Curriculum. Retrieved from http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/generalcapabilities/literacy/introduction/introduction

Brown, C., & Czerniewicz, L. (2010). Debunking the ‘digital native’: beyond digital apartheid, towards digital democracy. Journal of Computer Assisted Learning 26(5). DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2729.2010.00369.x

Dickenson, D. (2014). Children and reading: Literature review. Australia Council 2014. Retrieved from https://www.australiacouncil.gov.au/workspace/uploads/files/research/children-and-reading-literatur-5432557e418db.pdf.

Earp, J. (2017). Infographic – Teen reading habits. Teacher Magazine. Australian Council for Educational Research. Retrieved from https://www.teachermagazine.com.au/articles/infographic-teen-reading-habits

Botzakis, S. (2018). Comics in the classroom: Using graphic novels for content learning. In D. Wooten, B. Cullinan, L. Liang & R. Allington (Eds). Children’s literature in the reading program: Engaging young readers in the 21st century, (5th ed., pp. 140-152). Retrieved from Proquest Ebook Central.

Gonzalez, J. (2016, October 9). Graphic novels in the classroom: A teacher roundtable. Cult of Pedagogy. Retrieved from https://www.cultofpedagogy.com/teaching-graphic-novels/

Hashim, A & VongKulluskn, V. (2018). E reader apps and reading engagement: A descriptive case study. Computers and Education, 125, pp.358-375. Retrieved from https://www.journals.elsevier.com/computers-and-education

Hughes-Hassell, S., & Mancall, J. C. (2005). Collection management for youth : Responding to the needs of learners. Retrieved from https://ebookcentral.proquest.com

Jabr, F. (2013). The reading brain in the digital age: The science of paper versus screens. Scientific American. Retrieved from https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/reading-paper-screens/

Jeon, H. (2012). A comparison of the influence of electronic books and paper books on reading comprehension, eye fatigue, and perception. The Electronic Library, 30(3), 390-408. doi: 10.1108/02640471211241663

Johnson, P. (2018). Chapter 4 – Developing Collections. Fundamentals of Collection Development 4th Edition. ALA Editions. Chicago. Retrieved from EBSCOhost Books.

Keen, N. (2016). Stopping the slide: improving reading rates in the middle school. Connections, 99. Retrieved from https://www.scisdata.com/connections/issue-99/stopping-the-slide-improving-reading-rates-in-the-middle-school/

Mangen, A., Walgermo, B. R., & Bronnick, K.A. (2013). Reading linear texts on paper versus computer screen: Effects on reading comprehension. International Journal of Educational Research, 58, 61-68.doi:10.1016/j.ijer.2012.12.002

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Mitchell, P. (2011). Resourcing 21st century online Australian Curriculum: the role of school libraries. FYI: The Journal for School Information Professionals 15(2). Retrieved from CSU Library.

Moore, J., & Cahill, M. (2016). Audiobooks; Legitimate ‘reading’ material for adolescents? Research Journal of the American Association of School Librarians. Retrieved from www.ala.org/aasl/slr/volume19/moore-cah

Moorefield-Lang, H., & Gavigan, K. (2012). These aren’t your father’s: the new world of digital graphic novels. Knowledge Quest, 40(3), 30-35. Retrieved from http://web.b.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.csu.edu.au/ehost/detail/detail?vid=0&sid=b349502e-3dd2-48d3-9d9a-6beed7db31cc%40pdc-v-sessmgr05&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#AN=82563984&db=lih

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Rettberg, J.W. (2012). Electronic literature seen from a distance: the beginnings of a field. Retrieved from http://www.dichtung-digital.org/2012/41/walker-rettberg.ht

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Reviewing Digital Literature – The Land of the Magic Flute

Resource 3 – The Land of the Magic Flute

Summary:

The Land of the Magic Flute is a convergence of music, narrative and digital media and can be described as a modern opera. Based upon a famous Mozart & Schikaneder Singspiel, Die ZauberFlote (1791) , this graphic novel (GN) adaptation is a quest for enlightenment, knowledge, justice and truth that is conveyed through haunting imagery, text, sound and Mozart’s arias. The colour and images are very evocative of two main settings, with the modern world in bright colours, and the fantastical world in sombre shades with harsh angles. This resource would appeal to fans of classical music, graphic novels and multimodal literature.

Curriculum Links:

Year 7 English – ACHHS214
Year 8 English – ACHHS157
Year 9 English – ACELT1637/ ACELY1739 / ACHHS175
Year 7 & 8 Music – ACAMUR097
Year 9 & 10 Music – ACAMUR104

Learning, Literacy and Language:

Graphic novels (GN) offer great opportunities for promoting language, literacy and learning, but are often underestimated because of their non traditional format (Laycock, 2019; Gonzales, 2016). The Land of the Magic Flute uses clever combinations of prose, poetry, film, imagery and music to convey the storyline and this makes it a valuable resource for content delivery, as well as improving multimodal and critical cultural literacies (Laycock, 2019). GN are predominantly used within language arts courses, but can also be utilised effectively across other content areas to support literary learning. For example Maus (1991), Auschwitz (2004) and Bag of Marbles (1973) are frequently used in studying the Holocaust as the visual nature of the GN allow readers to relate to the sensitive issues within the text without being overwhelmed (Gonzales, 2016).

Digital graphic novels (DGN) promote emerging literacies and critical thinking, because the narrative structure and complex storyline provides the reader with cultural history and context (Karp, 2011; Maniace, 2014; Brenner, 2015). Readers are able to identify emotions from the variance in facial expressions, body language and physical metaphors present. The sequential imagery, linearity of narrative and visual permanence facilitate text comprehension for reluctant readers, visual learners, low literacy and EALD students (Gonzales, 2016; Brenner, 2015; Botzakis, 2018; Karp, 2011). The features such as embedded music and computer graphics, were used successfully to enhance the storyline (Kirtz, 2014).

The embedding of the seven Mozart arias during pivotal points in the narrative gives the reader time to contemplate the storyline and the value of that modality at that point in the story. The arias are supported by subtitles and emphasise the tension in the story, allow the reader time to analyse the words in conjunction with the graphics and this combined effect provides context for increased comprehension and independent reading (Botzakis, 2018; Leu, 2005). The inclusion of fantastical creatures meets the needs of adolescents who seek fantasy stories as a method in which to understand and investigate the difference between good and evil in humanity (Kole, 2011).

DGN have great capacity for innovative teaching, but educators are disinclined to utilise GN because of the assumed lack of literary qualities and that they require the same explicit instruction and scaffolding as traditional texts for comprehension and literacy development (Phelps, 2011; Botzakis, 2018; Hallman & Schieble, 2012). The reality is that that explicit instruction and the effective teaching of multimodal literacies utilising DGN can lead to a transference of ability to other texts and disciplines (Hallman & Schieble, 2012).

Trends:

Digital GN is the convergence of two major literary trends: sophisticated graphic narratives and digital literature (Moorefield-Land & Gavigan, 2012; Walsh, 2013). The recent plethora of DGN is due to its lowered publication costs and this allows emerging artists and authors increased opportunities for self publication (Moorefield-Lang & Gavigan, 2012). Whilst GN collectors prefer print editions, avid readers tend to prefer digital versions as they are often cheaper and can be purchased on the release date (Wilson, 2019).

Technology:

The Land of the Magic Flute is accessible on all devices with internet access and Flash or Javascript installations, but the digitisation effect is more pronounced on tablets (Wilson, 2019). Authentic learning requires students to be in their third place, and integrating GN and DGN into the curriculum narrows the strong dichotomy between student choice and curriculum canon (Grazotis, 2017; Phelps, 2011; Laycock, 2019) .

Resource integration:

GN are traditionally classified within Dewey at 741.5 but most school libraries merge all titles to a single location and whilst DGN cannot be physically stored in a particular location, it can be catalogued and linked into the library management system (LMS) (Kan, 2020). The Land of the Magic Flute can be integrated into the LMS, LibQuests and class intranet pages as well as accessible from most devices, which makes it an excellent teaching tool. Like other interactive websites, there is no guarantee of longevity and as the resource requires internet access to work. It would be recommended that this DGN is used for classroom practice to limit the digital demand on rural, remote and low income households (DIIS, 2016).

Recommendation:

The Land of the Magic Flute successfully meets the needs of the curriculum, as well as addresses the developmental, literacy and critical thinking needs of the modern teenager. It would make a valuable addition to a school library collection.

References:

Brenner, R. (2015). A guide to using graphic novels with children and teens. Graphix. Scholastic Teachers. Scholastic. Retrieved from https://www.scholastic.com/teachers/lesson-plans/teaching-content/guide-using-graphic-novels-children-and-teens/

Graphic Novels in Education [Blog]. American Libraries. Retrieved from https://americanlibrariesmagazine.org/2011/08/01/the-case-for-graphic-novels-in-education/

Graphix. (2018). A guide to using graphic novels with children and teens. Scholastic Australia. Retrieved from https://www.scholastic.com/content/dam/teachers/lesson-plans/18-19/Graphic-Novel-Discussion-Guide-2018.pdf

Grazotis, J. 2017, ‘Unlocking the third space – Activating your library’, Scan 36(4), pp. 34-35. Retrieved from https://education.nsw.gov.au/teaching-and-learning/professional-learning/scan/past-issues/vol-36–2017/unlocking-the-third-space-activating-your-library

Hallman, H., & Schieble, M. (2012). Dimensions of young adult literature: Moving into “New Times”. The ALAN Review 39 (2). DOI: https://doi.org/10.21061/alan.v39i2.a.5

Kan, K. (2020). Cataloguing graphic novels [Blog]. Diamond Bookshelf. Diamond Comic Distributions. Retrieved from https://www.diamondbookshelf.com/Home/1/1/20/181?articleID=37812

Kirtz, J.L. (2014). Computers, comics and cult status: A forensics of digital graphic novels. Digital Humanities Quarterly 8 (3). Retrieved from http://www.digitalhumanities.org/dhq/vol/8/3/000185/000185.html

Kole, K. (2018). The role of fairy tales in affective learning: Enhancing adult literacy and learning in FE and community settings. Australian Journal of Adult Learning, 58(3), 365-389. Retrieved from https://search-proquest-com.ezproxy.csu.edu.au/docview/2250950746?accountid=10344

Maniace, E. (2014). Reading process comparison between graphic novels and traditional novels. Education and Human Development Master’s theses. Retrieved from https://digitalcommons.brockport.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1539&context=ehd_theses

Mozart, W.G. (Composer) & Schikaneder, E. (Librettist). (1791). Die Zauberflote – A Singspiel in 2 Acts. Vienna, Austria.

Phelps, V. (2011). Pedagogy of graphic novels. Master Theses & Specialist Projects – American Popular Culture Commons. Retrieved from https://digitalcommons.wku.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2070&context=theses

Schumacher, J. (2014). More ways to pitch graphic novels [Blog]. Literacy Now. International Literacy Association. Retrieved from https://www.literacyworldwide.org/blog/literacy-now/2014/08/12/more-ways-to-pitch-graphic-novels

Walsh, M. (2013). Literature in a digital environment (Ch. 13). In L. McDonald (Ed.), A literature companion for teachers. Marrickville, NSW: Primary English Teaching Association Australia (PETAA).

Wilson, J. (2019). Everything you need to know about digital comics. PC Magazine News. Retrieved from https://au.pcmag.com/features/12330/everything-you-need-to-know-about-digital-comics