Digital Authoring and Student Empowerment
Suzanne Miller and Suzanne Borowicz conducted a fascinating research on the use of digital video in various classrooms upstate New York. You may want to visit their project site, City Voices City Visions, and review some of the students’ digital authoring projects. Ernesto’s Bio Poem and Tysheka’s iPoem spoke to me personally. These projects are great examples of the ways to empower our students with ownership for complex media productions that
- integrate all aspects of language arts (reading, listening, writing and speaking);
- send powerful messages to the larger audience about important issues in students’ lives within and outside the classroom, and in this way bridge inside/outside school literacies;
- encourage and nurture collaboration, peer support, and inquiry,
- and call for critical thinking about the meaning making process with newer technologies and about the audience’s interactive role in this process.
Please join us in exploring the potential of digital video for multiliteracies of today and tomorrow. Here are some questions for us to consider in this exploration:
· What possibilities do you envision for digital authoring in your classroom?
· Do you know of good examples of student digital authoring?
· Can you share these with us?
· Can you tell us why you chose them?
April 3, 2007 @ 4:51 pm
Ms. Outspoken’s response to Leu’s Ch. 9 readings
I have focused most of my response to the reading based off the Online Module 2 handout and Leu’s text.
First let me say that I do think digital authoring will eventually take place in all classrooms. I know teachers are fearful sometimes of technology and as teachers are required to incorporate technology into the classroom that digital authoring will become second nature. What a powerful tool to have for students. I know for me growing up, with no family but my mom around I would have loved to call my aunt in Alabama and say go online and look at my presentation of combining like terms, or on Beowulf. I can imagine that it will give great pride to students to know that their work is important and they can share it with whomever they would like.
Secondly I would like to discuss Leu’s Chapter 9, Teaching with Technology in the Primary Grades. I explored many of his websites and found some to be very good. However, internet danger is only one click away and I experienced this at my very first site. When I clicked on the site for the magic kingdom read-out-louds, there were some very neat books their that you click on and they would be read to your class and they were interactive. I even found one entitled The Lucky Seed, about what happens to a little seed when it grows which would be great for our group project. And then it happened on the left side of this children’s site there were “hot chicks” pictures and videos of women wearing and doing not so appropriate behaviors. This brings us back to vigilance in the classroom and making sure if you used a site a week ago, that you check before you use it again. We as educators also need to MONITOR our students relentlessly.
I really thought that Kidsconnect.com had a great disclaimer. They said that even though they spend hours and hours patrolling the site, the internet is an evolving place and to please e-mail them and let them know if there are any inappropriate advertisers on their recommended sites. They also gave a warning that kids should be monitored on the computer at ALL times. When you scroll down they have a plethora of children friendly sites from anything to math games to research sites. It is really great, I bookmarked it!
Has anyone ever encountered with your primary grade students a site that you have used before and was “clean” and then when using an additional time it was not appropriate? If so how did you handle this or how would you handle it if you did run into this problem? Also, should adult advertising be allowed on kids sites? I look forward to your responses
April 10, 2007 @ 2:33 pm
There are so many great outlets for students to express themselves. Digital video is one of the newest. My students would love to make student films but have limited access to technology. I am resistant to allowing them to take my digital camcorder out of the classroom, and the school does not have one available to them. Now, thanks to camera phones, students have a camcorder at their disposal. Many phones film in 30 second chunks and so, when edited as Ernesto’s poem was, films can be several minutes long.
Making a digital video can be a very daunting experience so showing several examples is a great way to show students that they have the ability to do this. The short films on City Voices would be a fantastic introduction to student made films. Before starting Oedipus Rex I show my students the short film Oedipus performed by vegetables. They love it and have so many fantastic ideas of what they could do. We look at the behind the scenes web page to look at how in depth the animation and post-production actually was. The kids really get excited about the short film genre.
These films involve scriptwriting skills, the mastery of dialogue, film techniques, editing skills and many other unknown talents. They are an excellent outlet for the student and are as personal and individual as the students themselves. I was lucky enough to take a film class in high school (long before digital video) and editing was such a nightmare my friends and I took about 50 takes until it was perfect so we wouldn’t have to edit anything. What an exhaustive process! Now with easy film editing on Windows Moviemaker and the even better Mac version-editing is half the fun. The editing tools really activate some hidden creativity and allow kids to say things with their movie that aren’t actually in the film. I am excited about this new literacy for students and wish my kids had the resources to make it a reality in my classroom.
http://www.austinschools.org/filmfest/index.html
A contest for student filmmakers in elementary/middle and high school categories. Subcategories include documentary, experimental, animation and others. I used to work for this district and am so excited to see them branch in this direction. Austin has always been so innovative!!
http://www.studentfilmmakers.com/summershorts/ss06_safe.shtml
A film about why schools shouldn’t dissect cats.
http://www.boostdigital.com/films/film_limyangtam_achild.php4
A Malaysian film about a child being punished.
http://www.newvenue.com/production/
Oedipus with vegetables.
April 10, 2007 @ 7:19 pm
Ms. Outspoken’s Follow Up Posting for Leu Ch 10 digital authoring:
As I was contemplating more about digital authoring it really hit home about the teacher needing to know how to utilize technology herself. Upon reflection, as I went to view the suggested website on the above topic I had to download new software (RealPlayer) to play the videos because Windows Media player did not recognize the file. Also, the first time I tried to install the installation failed, so I had to start the entire process over again. This process took me approximately 30 minutes for the complete install to view the before mentioned clips AND this is with high speed internet. My point is I am a pretty savvy computer literate person and even I can get frustrated with user error. Then, I imagine the process of trying to do a digital authoring project and, as we discussed in class it seems overwhelming! If you add that formula to someone who is not familiar with computer literacies I can see how that person would give up on such a project. I think we as educators need to begin asking for training in such applications during our ever so needed Staff Development courses. Media Specialist I would think would love to teach classroom teachers how to do such projects, and as I have said before, would probably even like to assist in such wonderful learning. Are their any opinions? Is it up to the schools to help teachers learn how to do new literacies, such as hyper linking text, to get our students ready for this new advanced writing?
April 10, 2007 @ 10:43 pm
What possibilities do you envision for digital authoring in your classroom?
I see many possiblities with digital authoring inside my classroom. I currently teach kindergarten and I will use a blog that I am making with my colleagues about plants. This blog site would be a great tool beause my class has just learned the parts of a plants, types of plants and how to take care of a plant. We are now growing our own flowers. We are taking pictures of each phase of the growing process. Although the digital authoring will be of great help, I am finding difficulties in how to effectively manage the blog site with 5 and 6 year olds.
I have questions like, should I let them write thier response on paper first and then post it? Should I have them write and I type it? Should I pair them with an older student to help them with the site?
I love the idea of integrating technology with literacy but I am finding problems, when teaching kindergarten. I was hoping that the Hypermedia article would shed some light, however, I didnt see any examples of a kindergarten classroom.
Any suggestions.
April 10, 2007 @ 10:51 pm
Outspoken said:
Has anyone ever encountered with your primary grade students a site that you have used before and was “clean” and then when using an additional time it was not appropriate? If so how did you handle this or how would you handle it if you did run into this problem? Also, should adult advertising be allowed on kids sites? I look forward to your responses
My response:
Honestly, I do not let my students venture on many sites because of that reason. I am afraid that they will be exposed to a site that is unappropriate. However, I do teach kindergarten so my guard is up more compared to teaching a more mature age group.
Further, I do not agree with adult advertisments on a kid web site. It doesnt even make sense, its like having a snow boarding store located in Miami, Florida. I dont see the connection!!
The advertisments is another reason why educators are so afraid to incorporate and explore technology. I usually stick to the programs the school provides but I will start being more flexible it just means that I have to monitor more and be proactive with the new websites.
Hope I answered some of your questions!
April 12, 2007 @ 8:27 am
I must say that I’ve never used digital authoring in my classroom, so I have no examples to praise or critique. However, City Voices City Visions presents excellent student digital productions. Of course, some of them were weak due to lack of organization and creativity. Yet, the good far outweighed the bad. Perhaps my favorite was the high school video entitled “Wings of Hope.” This student tribute to the 9/11 heroes displayed a professional format with photographs, music, thoughtful interviews, recurring themes, and creative transitions. It would be difficult for elementary students to produce a video like this. However, third graders have a creativity and touching nature all their own. With guidance and instruction, they could create a movie just as powerful in their own way.
Now that my digital authoring “wheels” are turning, I am beginning to see the possibilities presented in this type of technology for the classroom. Students could conduct interviews much like the “Spy Divas” did in Buffalo concerning the school lunches. I’m sure those students were excited about their project. It showed in the result. Third graders would jump at the chance to video and interview teachers and other students for a movie project. They could even create an end-of-the-year movie that contains mini-videos that they took throughout the year of different activities, school functions, field trips, science experiments, skits, poetry readings…the ideas are endless.
April 12, 2007 @ 2:20 pm
The projects shared on City Voices City Visions are absolutely amazing, I congratulate both the teachers and students who took the time out to incorporate the use of technology across all content areas. I actually just learned what a biopoem was, so seeing one used in connection with technology really brought the two courses I am currently taking (Literacy and Technology and Literacy Across the Content Areas) full circle. I strongly agree that using various types of media allows students to incorporate ways of expressing unlike any way used before.
Digital authoring in my classroom…
After viewing a few of the projects shared on CVCV I am more open to using this type of complex media in my early elementary classroom. Though my young students will not be able to complete the more complex steps involved in digital authoring, they will be able to contribute the most important part of the project. I can see my students being involved the creation of short movie clips that would show newly learned and mastered concepts. On CVCV there is a movie clip of 7th graders dramatizing antonyms. Ironically, I have recently introduced antonyms to my students and although the 7th grade student use words such as forlorn and neat, my students could use much simpler words such as big and small.
Another way I foresee my students using digital video in my classroom is to show math concepts. When learning shapes, students could use video to show examples of shapes. Yet another way younger students could use digital video is with learning new concepts in science. For instance, we have been learning about the different types of clouds. Video could be used to show the different types of clouds viewed from the playground and briefly described by students. Now that I have started thinking of ideas I could go on and on… Do you think the ideas I have are feasible for first or second graders? Why or why not?
Other great examples of student digital authoring…
A great example of digital authoring that is very close to home or should I say school is PGE’s KNN. Weekly at PGE we have a news broadcast, put on by the current fifth graders in the gifted program and at the end of the school year, rising gifted fifth graders. The students act as anchors, news reporters, and forecasters, keeping the entire school up to date in all that is going on in and around the school. The students come up with the topics, special reports, and questions that are involved in the interviewing. Students are also a part of the digital filming, editing and the final cut. Kids News Network, better known as KNN, airs every Monday after the morning announcements and is looked forward to by everyone in the building. What I love about it is that it is all about the students and that is all you see during the broadcasting. I think it is a great and simply complex way of getting students involved in digital authoring. And as stated it “integrates all aspects of language arts”. Check it out! KNN
April 12, 2007 @ 4:00 pm
Virtuous
How do I Implement Digit Authoring (digital video)?
Digital authoring (digital video) definitely adds depth to the students understanding of various literature or skills. It also allows students to convey their understanding in a different or more creative form. I believe the use of technology such as digital video, hypertext, and hyper studio will add another dimension to their presentations or reports. Students are now using videos to reenact their perception of novels or to display their understanding of various concepts. Students can (if not already) give reports on various people or autobiographies on a bog or webpage that uses hypertext or hyper studio.
Digital authoring (digital video) will cause students to think more critically concerning their assignment, presentation, and content. In order for students to make an efficient video they have to consider various things. They have to keep their audience in mind, their purpose, be aware of their own knowledge and capabilities (self evaluate), they have to be mindful of background color, background noises, lighting, sound (microphone, amp), and steadiness of the camera. These are just a few things to keep in mind; however, if the students are considering all of this, they are definitely displaying critical thinking about their project and the content they are interacting with. The collaboration between students, technology, and content is amazing.
• What possibilities do you envision for digital authoring in your classroom?
Since I do not have a classroom, it is hard to answer the question. I am a math specialist and I co-teach in six different 5th grade classes. Therefore, my use of technology has been limited. Also, my use of technology has been limited to PowerPoint presentations or Jeopardy games on PowerPoint. However, if I was allowed an opportunity to use more technology and I was teaching other subjects, I would like to introduce my students to hypertext. I would start with poetry writing. I would have students read various poems and discuss author style, length, concept of writing, purpose of poetry, and they types of poems. Then I would introduce them to poems that had a few vocabulary words my students would not recognize. I would lead and model the discussion towards getting a dictionary and looking up the definitions and rereading the poem for clarity. Then I would have my students write poems and encourage them to use upper level vocabulary. On the poems, I would have flip up paper for the vocabulary words for people to find the definition. I would duplicate this model several times; then lead them unto the use and purpose of hypertext when writing.
As a side note, I could not access any of the videos provided by my professor or the book. Therefore, I do not know of any great examples of digital authoring or have any personally.
April 15, 2007 @ 9:41 pm
Ms. Outspoken’s Response to Blythe:
Blythe,
First, I do not blame you for not trusting your video recorder to your students outside of class. But, what a great idea you have to utilize the cell phones, which a lot of students have even in low economic situations. That is a great way for them to piece together a digital authoring project. I know this could be very challenging given the computer situation at your school and the time allotment. However, it is a step. I am curios if you have taken a survey of your students to see how many actually have a camera phone to see if this is a viable idea. I do not have a camera phone myself, but most of my students do! Thank you for giving us that idea as an alternative resource.
Ms. Outspoken
April 16, 2007 @ 9:46 am
Cordelia’s response to Peace…
I truly admire your creative ideas for digital authoring in the classroom! You were asking if you thought the lessons you had in mind for your first and second graders would be too hard. Absolutely not! Can you imagine how much fun and interaction your students would have while video taping the clouds and describing what kinds they are? Too many students already learn about clouds by seeing pictures in a book. How much more real and relevant to actually let them play “weather forecaster” and tape and narrarate the real thing. You could connect this to a podcast and bridge the Web 2.0 tools. The students could record themselves in a podcast giving a simplified weather forecast after observing and taping the clouds. Yes, you are right. The ideas could go on and on…
I was wondering…does your school have a digital camera or video camera? I know our school does not have the funds for a video camera, so I would just have to resort to taking short video clips on a regular camera. Is this what you would do? Do have any other ideas for schools that do not really have all of the necessary technological tools?
April 16, 2007 @ 1:47 pm
Virtuous,
I feel your pain in regards to implementing digital authoring in the classroom. When we don’t have the resources other school’s have, it is very frustrating. I love your idea of using hypertext to do poetry. I think the kids would have a blast with that. Also, poetry doesn’t need to be written in linear form so a hypertext program would serve it well. It is too bad that you couldn’t see the examples of videos given. It gave me a lot of ideas of what my students could do with a cell phone camera. At the fifth grade level do the students carry cell phones yet? If they do have access to the camcorders in the phones, could you use them to implement a mini-video unit? Perhaps they could film in 30 second intervals and then edit to make a one minute movie.