Reading and writing have always posed a challenge for some learners. In any classroom there are differences in the way students learn or accommodate information. An effective teacher is always cognizant of this fact so that instructions cater for the diverse learning styles and needs of students. Such teachers constantly seek ways to assist their charges in developing these essential skills. Can the use of digital photo stories assist with the process? Well, digital photo stories can appeal to the auditory and the visual learners. They also present the advantage of exposure to an advanced technological process, particularly if they are allowed to produce their own stories. Imagine the quantum excitement and motivation that these students will experience!
Students will also be able to transfer this knowledge and skills to their composition of stories and will focus their attention on word usage and vocabulary to evoke the emotion that they want to portray in their stories. They will have to apply their knowledge of mood, tone, setting, characterization and plot to choose the most appropriate pictures to relay the story. Additionally, this type of media allows them to see connections between what they are learning and its applicability to the real world. So in response to the question posed previously, my answer is a resounding "YES!"
Hi Michael,
ReplyDeleteI too, am really excited about Digital Story-telling and the joy it would bring to my students. I love the personal touch and definitely cannot wait to use it with my students. As I stated in an earlier blog, bringing new technologies into a traditional classroom is not an easy task for the teacher. Kajder, (2005) states that two-thirds of teachers feel unprepared to use tecnology. This digital story-telling, however is different, I feel that it is something I can share with my colleagues and expect great results. You picked a great topic to blog.