Sharing Our Stories in a Digital Age
‘Technology is the campfire around which we tell our stories.” Laurie Anderson
Our desire to tell stories is a practice that drives most of us throughout our lives. Straight to the point, we all just want someone to listen. I’d argue this theory holds true not only in our personal journey but also in our educational journey. Now in my second year of working within a 1:1 iPad classroom there is no doubt in my mind that allowing technology to become an active tool within the classroom provides students with a greater opportunity to create, communicate and reflect on their own stories. My short time in the 1:1 world has been a revelation. I’ve noticed a deeper, more comprehensive understanding of content as well as a greater desire for students to share their work due to what I believe is a more personal connection to the learning process.
When asked what the most exciting element of the 1:1 world programme has been for me to date, the answer is always one simple word, creation. I firmly believe that through creation students begin to unlock their potential that was previously inconceivable with classical education materials. Through the guidance of our brilliant EdTech team I was turned onto Dr. Ruben R. Puentedura’s SAMR model. The model aims to support teachers in designing and infusing digital learning experiences that utilise technology, into the curriculum. The ultimate goal is to climb the ladder to the Redefinition achievement level to allow students access to more powerful learning experiences.
In my pursuit of the Redefinition level, one app in particular has emerged as my favourite agent for creation and expression. In short, the Explain Everything app is an easy-to-use screencasting, and interactive whiteboard tool that allows students to annotate, animate, narrate, import and export almost anything to and from almost anywhere. This app has been a building block for learning skills that we later apply and develop within other vital apps (Popplet, iMovie, Blogger). The advantage of an app like Explain Everything over the classical educational materials, such as pencil and paper, is that students can present information using multiple forms of expression (images, text, video and audio) all at once. Work can then be shared on through a multitude of platforms and reach a wider audience. I still shake my head in awe when I read a comment on one of my student’s blog from a relative, in a foreign country, who has been able to track and enjoy the student’s learning journey throughout the school year. A video created by Sienna for her recent How We Express Ourselves summative task reveals how the digital medium can lend to the inclusion of relevant and engaging pieces of evidence when reflecting on a learning experience.
Storytelling has been one of the most powerful forms of education throughout the history of the world. Whether you look back to the Middle Ages when wandering bards shared their stories orally from place to place or to infection of knowledge due to the rise of the printing tradition in the 1400’s, storytelling has been front and centre. As storytelling platforms continue to evolve so will the magnitude to which we can share our stories. I see great value in students having an increased sense of purpose when expressing their ideas and when I consider the potential the digital medium has for allowing students to create more personal and captivating work, I can’t help but get excited where their stories will take us.