DEJ # 10 Digital Storytelling

Quote: 

"Digital Storytelling by students provides a strong foundation in many different types of

literacy, such as information literacy, visual literacy, technology literacy, and media

literacy. Summarizing the work of several researchers in this field, Brown, Bryan and

Brown (2005) have labeled these multiple skills that are aligned with technology as

“Twenty-first Century Literacy,” which they describe as the combination of:

• Digital Literacy – the ability to communicate with an ever-expanding community

to discuss issues, gather information, and seek help;

• Global Literacy - the capacity to read, interpret, respond, and contextualize

messages from a global perspective

• Technology Literacy - the ability to use computers and other technology to

improve learning, productivity, and performance;

• Visual Literacy - the ability to understand, produce and communicate through

visual images;

• Information Literacy - the ability to find, evaluate and synthesize information.

In the area of technology literacy, students who create digital stories improve their skills

by using software that combines a variety of multimedia tools including working with

text, still images, audio, video and oftentimes, Web publishing. In the area of

technological literacy, Digital Storytelling can provide a meaningful reason for students

to learn to digitize media content by using scanners, digital still cameras, and video

cameras. In addition, as students create the narration and soundtrack for a story, they gain

skills in using microphones, digitizing audio and working with music and sound effects."

Reponse:  Early in this course we often asked questions and made comments about 21st Century literacy.  Also, we tried to define the different types of literacies and where these types of literacies would fit into our curriculum as instructors.  I believe that this particular article does an excellent job of providing a guide for instructors to define and implement the various forms of digital literacy.  I think it would be very interesting to poll k-12 teachers, and ask how they are meeting or using 21st century skills in their classrooms?  I think that many answers would consist of, "I use computers."   However, if you read the quote above, you note that 21st Century skills are aligned with technology.  It's not using the technology that makes you a 21st Century teacher, it's teaching students literacy skills and critical thinking and using technology as a tool to achieve goals.

Resource:  Robin, B. R. (n.d.). The Educational Uses of Digital Storytelling. In Digital Literacy . Retrieved October 20, 2011, from http://digitalliteracyintheclassroom.pbworks.com/f/Educ-Uses-DS.pdf


Additional Resource:   http://blog.simplek12.com/education/21-signs-youre-a-21st-century-teacher/
I chose this additional resource because it provides a great list that identifies you as a 21st Century teacher.


21 Signs You're a 21st Century Teacher (2010, October 27). In I love Ed Tech. Retrieved October 28, 2011, from http://blog.simplek12.com/education/21-signs-youre-a-21st-century-teacher/