“These projects not only allowed my students to see that history could be interesting (let alone useful), but also offered them an opportunity to learn new skills applicable to the digital world.”
This weeks reading is mainly about the specifics and benefits of an assignment that the author cooked up in an attempt to bridge the gap between what history is perceived to be and what it actually is/ could be by her students. the quote above addresses the general theme of the piece which is ultimately a discussion of the possibilities of digital story telling with in a historical context. The assignment that is the at the center of this article is a one based around a blog post with a non academic intended audience. This lack of an academic audience pressure allows for the students to have a more natural interaction and attitude with the blog post and also promotes an environment where its acceptable to experiment with there response which could lead to improving their skills within the digital world
“In and of itself, digital storytelling can be defined as “storytelling that is conducted using digital technology as the medium or method of expression, in particular using digital media in a computer-network environment.”4”
This quote is broad. The broadness of the terminology of digital story telling is I guess kinda the point of it. If the exact definition or context is left open ended then things of all digital natures can fall into this category of story telling. However with this broadness does come some confusion for me. I personally think that the some kind of specific references or examples of digital story telling behind what the author discussed would have helped paint a better picture for me. I understand that the point is that its broad because its a broad definition but it also kinda leaves me wondering where the line is in general in terms of the definition.
“The collaborative nature of the project further motivated students toward giving their best.”
This quote points out a general theme in education that I’ve seen before and Im not sure about. Through my education growing up we had a variety of peer reviewed assignments. I understand that one of the rationals behind this kind of approach is deepening the students understanding by examine others works critically but I also feel like there are other less noble things in play. I believe that this more positive response in students motivations may be rooted in a sense of shame in having others view their work which in turn causes more effort to be put forth. This was my experience growing up and this quote just made me wonder what her specific experience with this phenomena was and what she attributes it to. It also got me thinking if this approach is ethical in a learning environment. Now I understand that it could be seen as an inconsequential side effect but Id be curious to take a deeper look at how this actually manifests itself in real world assignments similar to this and the role it plays.
