Confessions of a Teacherholic

Upon starting the ED 529 course, we were charged with creating and posting an introduction video that detailed information about us. Simply put, my first video was a fail, to the tenth degree, which seems to be a common theme happening in my blog space with each new post. I did not follow many of the rules associated with composing audio and video texts. I was super excited for the duration of the two minute clip, but I did not include any engaging video design elements. Hicks (2013) argues that individuals should take into consideration the “MAPS heuristic” elements, which my initial video also failed to do. Here is how I crafted the first introduction video: I wrote down about seven bulleted ideas (which served as my talking points), attempted a rehearsal or two, shot about three takes of the video, and called it a finished product. This process went against everything I teach related to writing and creating. The biggest problem is I did not look at the assignment as a creation piece, but rather just an introduction video. Out of ignorance, I completely disregarding the work that goes into producing an appealing audiovisual work.

After reading chapters 5 and 6 from Troy Hicks’ Crafting Digital Writing: Composing Texts Across Media and Genres, I learned many lessons to take into my next attempt. With my second attempt at bat, I chose to take a more creative approach to the video remake. I knew I did not want to do the same video twice, so I started by finding inspiration online. Once I found my source of inspiration, I quickly recognized how much of a rigorous task it was going to be to take my once drab video and turn it into an engaging work of digital art (not to say I was successful in doing so). I was very cognizant of Hick's (2013) key considerations like narration, timing, music, and film effects.
Because I’m an English teacher, my natural inclination was to write a narrative story entitled, Confessions of a Teachaholic. I started with a blank sheet of paper, which later became a draft of the story. I worked really hard to keep content, technique, and process at the forefront of my brain while working. After getting my ideas down on paper, I revised and edited my story to ensure my ideas and creative decisions were succinct and intentional before moving to iMovie to revise and edit. I chose iMovie as the video editing program because of its user-friendly framework. It was easy to record the video on my iPhone, import it to iMovie, and adjust snippets of the video to insert transitions and remove bloopers. Trust me, there were many, many bloopers. During the revising and editing stage, I consistently considered Hicks’ (2013) idea that all of the elements of video matter equally including words, music, and transitions. I also attempted to vary my “voice pitch and volume” and ensure my music choice matched the words I spoke too (Hicks, 2013, 91). Overall, according to Hicks (2013), my new video required a lower degree of content creation due to the story being rehearsed and the music being found online. After learning about the video composing process for audio texts, this remake took five times as much time as my initial video. However, the export to Youtube was quick and painless, taking about 10 to 15 minutes total.

Now that you have the background, please enjoy my new (and hopefully improved) video, Confessions of a Teachaholic:

(Corne, 2011)

As I am reflecting about this entire process, it makes me wonder about the power of equipping our students with the skills to tell stories using video technologies. There is value in beginning to consider this dialogue extensively, but not without first confronting the need for developing proficiency in the most basic reading and writing skill areas. According to a study completed by Figg and McCartney (2010), students need to achieve basic reading and writing proficiency, and develop the ability to express themselves in their choice of digital literacy formats through effective collaboration. For those students who have surpassed proficiency, they should definitely move to the next step of applying what they know using digital technologies to get to the higher levels of Bloom's Taxonomy. For those who have not, we have to be very intentional about setting them up for success even when it comes to digital technology assignments.

If you are interested in learning more about iMovie to better your skill before providing the option to your students, check out the Youtube video below:

Overall, this class really has me reflecting on my work as a teacher and for that I am grateful.

Resources

Corne, James. (2011, January 9).Video Resume [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o98-qo6jAfA#t=35

Figg, C. & McCartney, R. (2010). Impacting academic achievement with student learners teaching digital storytelling to others: The ATTTCSE digital video project. Contemporary Issues in Technology and Teacher Education, 10(1). Retrieved from http://www.citejournal.org/

Hicks, T. (2013). Crafting Digital Writing: Composing Texts Across Media and Genres. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.

Timmer, Eric. (2014, November 17). iMovie for Beginners [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZGG5kbMKmLo

Digital Literacy in the Age of Common Core

Wilhelm, Friedermann, and Erickson assert, “We believe that in order to be literate in the twenty-first century, students must become composers and readers of hypermedia. They must understand its possibilities, uses, and design. Since our future texts, even more so than our current ones, will be hypertextual, students will need to understand the conventions and construction of such texts." (as cited in Hicks, 2013, 28) This quote exemplifies the work we do in modern and emerging digital literate classrooms and the why associated with that work very well. Although this quote is very true in nature, it is often overlooked that as literacy becomes more interactive and engaging, we too must be diligent in ensuring students are being equally critical of the information they take in on a daily basis. In the modern age of Common Core, students are pushed to think critically about everything they read and write. What sometimes gets swept under the rug in many classrooms is the need to be critical of information received digitally too.

With the many digital avenues available to receive information, students are living in a world where everything they could every want to know or learn is at their fingertips. One of the biggest challenges associated with marrying the accessibility of the knowledge and the amount of knowledge is the inability of some students to think analytically to determine the credibility of the knowledge at their fingertips. Hicks argues that the constant struggle is getting student to consider, “Who published this and for what purpose? Is the information accurate and reliable? Even if it looks good, can I trust this website?” (Hicks, 2013, 33) This is also true of contents outside of English Language Arts as well. Maloy (2016) discusses the need for us to rethink our exemplar uses of technology, especially when it comes to research in social studies classrooms (para. 2). Maloy (2016) continues by urging the reader to confront the reality that "students must learn the skills to search the Internet effectively, evaluate online materials, and accurately synthesize and report the facts, ideas, and theories they have learned" (para. 2).

I have come to the realization that the only way to genuinely build the skill is to have students practice the skill and engage in real dialogue around the issue. In my own classroom, this hurdle is something we cross frequently. Because the source perhaps looks credible or uses language in a convincing way, it is automatically deemed credible in the eyes of some of my students. The reality is that it is scary to consider the cultural impact of students believing everything they hear and see on the internet, on social media platforms, and even in newspapers without first considering the level of bias and accuracy that may or may not exist in the context of the writing. My go-to checklist in my classroom sounds very similar to the questions originally posed by Hicks in the text. I like to ask questions like: Who is the author? Why was this work crafted? What makes this work believable? Are there other texts that perhaps present a varying or more critical viewpoint on the topic? Asking these questions is one way I have started to get students thinking about the information they take in and learn from as it relates to the various digital literacy platforms.

The second challenge identified is the biased information users receive upon searching for new information. Eli Pariser argues that “filter bubbles” create a negative discourse in terms of “influencing our understanding of politics, religion, science, the arts, our communities, and ourselves.” (as cited in Hicks, 2013, 33) Knowing the internet is equally as smart as human beings, if not smarter, we as teachers have to be very aware and conscious of this pitfall of researching and receiving information and facts based on our own interests and previous search records. Now that I know the term associated with searches tailored to an individual's internet history, it becomes a little easier to have a dialogue with students about the potential pros and cons of this functionality. By discussing it, they will be more inclined to think twice or try to find other sources to support or even refute some of the facts the internet might present them with. More importantly, if we want students to be true critical thinks, that skill has to be built digitally as well. After all, most students are digital natives who are still learning the tools and possibilities.

This video is a great teaching tool that helps kids

internalize what it means to identify bias in

informational text.

I am interested to know how you navigate the conversation with students around how Common Core requires students to think critically about what they read and the importance associated with approaching current digital literacies that exist within our society critically as well. I am also sharing a few resources down below for people interested in starting this conversation with teachers and students in your respective schools. Please share your thoughts and takeaways below. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Bias Lesson--Media Smarts

Identify Bias--State Library of Victoria

Resources

Hicks, T. (2013). Crafting digital writing: Composing texts across media and genres. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.

Maloy, R. (2016). Commentary: Building web research strategies for teachers and students. Contemporary Issues in Technology and Teacher Education, 16(2). Retrieved from http://www.citejournal.org/

Recognizing Bias [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BbP8OD_RWvA

[Untitled illustration of Abraham Lincoln]. Retrieved June 9, 2016 from http://www.relatably.com/q/img/abraham-lincoln-believe-internet-quote/abraham-lincoln-quote-internet-hoax-fake-450x293.jpg

[Untitled illustration of Albert Einstein]. Retrieved June 9, 2016 from http://www.relatably.com/q/img/abraham-lincoln-believe-internet-quote/vHWV5CD.png