Brittany Owens

Bellarmine University

LITR 630

Digital Story
 For my digital story assignment, I chose an assignment the third grade has done for

several year, life cycles. We use this as a writing piece and also as a science grade. In the past,

weve written our papers using information I presented to them and they made posters or

presentations of their life cycles. Now, after taking this course, I wanted to empower my students

by letting them do their own research and using technology to present their work while also

creating a writing piece.

This lesson meets four of the International Language Association (ILA) Standards. The

first ILA Standard is ILA Standard 2.2: Candidates use appropriate and varied instructional

approaches, including those that develop word recognition, language comprehension, strategic

knowledge, and readingwriting connections. In my lesson, students are developing vocabulary

needed to understand the life cycles and they are incorporating the vocabulary in their writing

pieces. They are also building strategies to write their informational pieces to demonstrate their

comprehension of texts they read and putting it into their own words. The second standard is ILA

Standard 5.1: Candidates design the physical environment to optimize students use of traditional

print, digital, and online resources in reading and writing instruction. For this particular lesson,

we are using a video and Google Docs to organize this lesson. They are using the internet to do

their research. However, if they would prefer to have a paper graphic organizer, I would allow

them to use that and then transfer the information to the Google Doc. Also, they could use

traditional print from the library if they wanted to do that as well.

The third standard is ILA Standard 5.4: Candidates use a variety of classroom

configurations (i.e., whole class, small group, and individual) to differentiate instruction. As

previously mentioned, I gradually release support within my classroom so that the students feel

comfortable completing tasks independently. During this lesson students have an opportunity to
see modeling, work with a group, have teacher support and then eventually work independently

with their writing pieces and creating their digital story. The fourth and final standard is ILA

Standard 6.2: Candidates display positive dispositions related to their own reading and writing

and the teaching of reading and writing, and pursue the development of individual professional

knowledge and behaviors. By incorporating technology in my classroom, not only am I creating

an engaging environment that promotes student learning in writing, but I am also preparing them

for what the future holds. I am allowing them to feel comfortable learning and using the internet

to facilitate their learning, versus just using them for entertainment.

My International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) Standards 1: Creativity and

innovation: Students demonstrate creative thinking, construct knowledge, and develop

innovative products and processes using technology. (a. Apply existing knowledge to generate

new ideas, products, or processes b. Create original works as a means of personal or group

expression c. Use models and simulations to explore complex systems and issues d. Identify

trends and forecast possibilities.) The students are learning new material while also using what

they already know to complete an assignment based on life cycles and informational texts. They

are using skills to work together and collaborate with students to achieve a common goal during

the assignment. They are able to display their work using the photo story application and show

their comprehension of their research and also to demonstrate their writing.

The Kentucky Teacher Standards (KTS) this lesson meets are KTS 6.1 and 6.2 KTS 6.1:

Uses available technology to design and plan instruction. KTS 6.2: Uses available technology to

implement instruction that facilitates student learning. I used my Wiki as a common place for my

students to gather and learn. They use the pages from that to complete the lesson and work

together to achieve the learning target. Within my Wiki page, students were able to use links to
take them to Google Docs and Youtube to see examples and modeling of what is expected for

them during the assignment. They used these resources to facilitate their learning and work

collaboratively. They are using the technology as a means for learning reaping the benefits of

using the internet for educational purposes. The products they create are student driven and will

end the end demonstrate their understanding of the content.

The Common Core State Standards (CCSS) this lesson met are: W.3.2: Write

informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly. The

students are also meeting a science standard as well, LS1.B: Growth and Development of

Organisms: Reproduction is essential to the continued existence of every kind of organism.

Plants and animals have unique and diverse life cycles. This lesson hits both standards by

allowing the student to see modeling and examples of the expectations, they research their topics

independently (for the most part) and compile information they comprehended in their own

words, creating a final informative piece on life cycles and also a photo story to display their

learning. This lesson will serve as an engaging and motivating task that will reap better outcomes

than what was previously done in the past for this assignment.

This lesson also addresses the TPACK model. TPACK is the ability to connect pedagogy,

content, and technology into your lesson.

Motivation to use technology is not enough; students must get past the novelty of the

technology and begin to use it because they see how the tools of technology will facilitate their

learning. (Davies, 2011)

It is my goal to allow my students to develop skill that will enable them to become

digitally literate. They are already comfortable on the internet, but they do not understand the
implications or the responsibilities they hold while searching for information on the internet. I

want them to understand both the advantages and disadvantages the internet and technology

holds. I want them to be able to communicate and collaborate with each others effectively and

use technology to enhance their lives and their education. My goal is to not only incorporate

technology within my classroom but show them how to use the internet to facilitate their learning

and to build upon their knowledge using reliable and accurate information.

When reading the article Digital Story Telling Revisted by Crystal Shelby-Caffey, Edwin

bda and Bethany Jenkins, the authors stated:

Digital storytelling has emerged as an innovative practice that allows students deeper

engagement with content while encouraging the use of critical thinking and technological skills

needed to navigate the ever- changing digital terrain of the 21st century. (Caffey, bda and

Jenkins, 2014)

As previously mentioned, in the past I would do all the up-front work of gathering the

information, collecting the library books and painfully guiding them through the writing process.

I am looking forward to seeing my students become owners of their learning and allowing

themselves to create something independently and unique to them. This assignment doesnt

create cookie-cutter writing pieces, they create unique works that show off each students

personality and research. Also in doing this, they are gaining those skills needed in the ever-

changing world of technology. They are developing the gatekeeper skills of locating information,

thinking critically about it, evaluating and synthesizing the text and communicating that

information through their writing and photo story. I feel that they will be deeply engaged by this

assignment and also becoming more prepared for their lives in years to come.