While considering digital storytelling from different perspectives, I often came upon the concepts of sociocultural theory and constructivism in articles. However, when I tried to categorize studies in these perspectives to compare the approaches, I got confused.
The two approaches in consideration here can be separated for the purpose of analysis. However, researchers actually draw on multiple theories for conceptual framework, and the same practice, research design or finding can be addressed from different views. To draw a clear- cut divide between social-cultural theory and constructivism in practice is almost impossible because even the original theories lend themselves to each other. Vygotsky’s propositions have been seminal and fundamental to both socio-cultural and constructivist approaches to learning. It would be more sensible to consider what the research questions in each study are and how the theories are incorporated in the investigating to find the answers to the questions before a study can be considered as to be more socio-cultural or constructivist-inclined.
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Thursday, May 7, 2009
My final project on DS
I decided to work on the topic of using digital storytelling in teaching ESL/EFL for two reasons: the first one is because I was an English teacher, the second one is because there has been not much under this title in EUODS.
It was more challenging than it had looked. A surprising thingis that in the large body of literature on digial storytelling since 1990's, there is not much dedicated to this topic. DS has been addressed generally as a learning approach in various educational contexts, or a method of assessment in constructivism. A great number of studies have been conducted on various aspects of DS, but the use of DS to teach ESL/EFL has not been investigated at length.
What I found was enough for a short paper, which I wrote for the purpose of contributing to the web site. However, if I had to write a real literature review, it would be insufficient. I guess one of the reasons for this is because DS cannot be applied as a tool to build up the English literacy from the beginning. It is not very suitable for developing separate practical skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing. DS can be used only when learners have achieved a considerable level of integrated skills to create the story. What is more, while technology is the power of DS, it requires other kinds of literacy to be brought in such as visual and media literacy. This may exceed the the constraints of many ESL/EFL classrooms in time and facility beside the limited technology skills of the teacher.
It was more challenging than it had looked. A surprising thingis that in the large body of literature on digial storytelling since 1990's, there is not much dedicated to this topic. DS has been addressed generally as a learning approach in various educational contexts, or a method of assessment in constructivism. A great number of studies have been conducted on various aspects of DS, but the use of DS to teach ESL/EFL has not been investigated at length.
What I found was enough for a short paper, which I wrote for the purpose of contributing to the web site. However, if I had to write a real literature review, it would be insufficient. I guess one of the reasons for this is because DS cannot be applied as a tool to build up the English literacy from the beginning. It is not very suitable for developing separate practical skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing. DS can be used only when learners have achieved a considerable level of integrated skills to create the story. What is more, while technology is the power of DS, it requires other kinds of literacy to be brought in such as visual and media literacy. This may exceed the the constraints of many ESL/EFL classrooms in time and facility beside the limited technology skills of the teacher.
Literature review on DS
While taking this course on digital storyelling, I attended another one on the theory of instructunal technology. This gave me an opportunity to do more research on digital storytelling (because I chose to write on digital storytelling as a versatile learning tool that integrates technology into the classroom so nicely for the theory course).
I didn't know that digital storytelling has drawn so much attention and critiquing from different psychological and learning perspectives. My background is linguistics and literature. Entering the field of technology (thoug it is not technology for techies) is a big challenge to somebody who has been familiar with only text like me. So it was such a nice surprise to find that sociocultural theory is brought in like a nice tool to analyze the conceptual framework and practice of digital storytelling. It was fascinating to see how Bakhtin, Vygotsky or Bruner are cited as influential theorists for studying the narrative in digital storytelling.
After reading my first literature review on DS, my professor of the theory course said that this would be a useful assignment if I choose digital storytelling for my dissertation. This is too early to say, but I really feel interested in this suggestion.
I didn't know that digital storytelling has drawn so much attention and critiquing from different psychological and learning perspectives. My background is linguistics and literature. Entering the field of technology (thoug it is not technology for techies) is a big challenge to somebody who has been familiar with only text like me. So it was such a nice surprise to find that sociocultural theory is brought in like a nice tool to analyze the conceptual framework and practice of digital storytelling. It was fascinating to see how Bakhtin, Vygotsky or Bruner are cited as influential theorists for studying the narrative in digital storytelling.
After reading my first literature review on DS, my professor of the theory course said that this would be a useful assignment if I choose digital storytelling for my dissertation. This is too early to say, but I really feel interested in this suggestion.
More on searching resources for DS
One of the very useful things I learned about how to search for resources on digital storytelling is using the databases. Formerly, I just sticked to Google and Yahoo as my search engines. After doing the assignments for this course, I started to use ERIC, Questia, Komix and others to enlarge my searches for research articles on digital storytelling. A helpful tip is to use double quotation mark, plus and mimus and signs for descriptors. This did me a great favor in hunting for good papers for my literature reviews on digital storytelling. I also came to know many good journals in the field of education, psychology and technology with online resources. The most beneficial thing is I recognize that UH library is a first-class one in this aspect.
Searching for other types of information on digital storytelling offers great benefits too. I found dozens of web sites, blogs, wiki, podcasts with interesting contents for using and teaching with DS. There was amazing findings like the Search Me site, which displays visual presentation of web sites related to the theme in search. I also learned a great deal from my classmates. Each of us contributed something really valuable to the course.
Searching for other types of information on digital storytelling offers great benefits too. I found dozens of web sites, blogs, wiki, podcasts with interesting contents for using and teaching with DS. There was amazing findings like the Search Me site, which displays visual presentation of web sites related to the theme in search. I also learned a great deal from my classmates. Each of us contributed something really valuable to the course.
Friday, February 27, 2009
It's not easy to find good articles on DS
I just want to throw in a brief remark about searching for resources on DS. From my experience, there are so many good articles on DS in journals. The access to these professional periodicals is not easy. You either search for them in the UH Library or pay to download. This is a large limit as few would be ready to pay $40.00 just to read a paper. I wonder if there are easier ways to reach good sources of materials.
Friday, February 13, 2009
More on DS Research
From what I learned from web sites and articles on DS I read this week, it came to my mind that I could focus on DS as an illustration for the participatory learning mode in 'communities of practice' for my final project. (If this is new to you, Google the phrases and you may find them under big names in the field of instructional design such as John Seely Brown and M. Merrill, or Etienne Wenger and Jeane Lave). I'm taking a theoretical course on digital education, which I find useful in help me undersatnd better the theoretical foundation of practices applying technology in instruction, among which DS is a good example.
I don't know if Dr. Robin would like us to focus on online research of web sites or theoretical research for the final project. If he lets us have our own way, I may apply some concepts I have learned to analyzing DS. I need to talk to him about this.
I don't know if Dr. Robin would like us to focus on online research of web sites or theoretical research for the final project. If he lets us have our own way, I may apply some concepts I have learned to analyzing DS. I need to talk to him about this.
Sunday, February 1, 2009
DS in teaching ESL/EFL
I was an English teacher back in my country, so I was glad to find a section on using DS to teach ESL in our web site. The introduction and examples have given me an idea of how digital storytelling can support language learning.
The web site introduces two main levels for which DS is used: basic one - to learn vocabulary and more advanced - to tell a story (in doing so, the learner has to summon many skills such as writing and speaking and use them competently in order to deliver a meaningful discourse). I really like this use of DS because it raises the learner's awareness of the final goal of learning a language: to create meaningful communication.
However, this is only for ESL. How about EFL? English as a foreign language is quite different because the learners are not merged in an English speaking environment. They may be much less motivated in using English in their daily life; and therefore, they have fewer chances to practice the language. Moreover, culture is another barrier to foreign learners of English. From my experience of teaching and learning English, knowledge of the culture of the country whose language one is learning would help a great deal in developing the language skills.
I'm wondering if and how DS can help conveying culture-specific concepts to EFL learners. For example, a learner can make a digital story to present how she understands a community library in the US works, and then compare her own experience of using a library in Vietnam with that. This would reveal a lot for the teacher to correct, develop and cultivate.
I don't know if this can be developed into anything for my mid-term for final project. It sure will need a great deal of elaboration if it can.
The web site introduces two main levels for which DS is used: basic one - to learn vocabulary and more advanced - to tell a story (in doing so, the learner has to summon many skills such as writing and speaking and use them competently in order to deliver a meaningful discourse). I really like this use of DS because it raises the learner's awareness of the final goal of learning a language: to create meaningful communication.
However, this is only for ESL. How about EFL? English as a foreign language is quite different because the learners are not merged in an English speaking environment. They may be much less motivated in using English in their daily life; and therefore, they have fewer chances to practice the language. Moreover, culture is another barrier to foreign learners of English. From my experience of teaching and learning English, knowledge of the culture of the country whose language one is learning would help a great deal in developing the language skills.
I'm wondering if and how DS can help conveying culture-specific concepts to EFL learners. For example, a learner can make a digital story to present how she understands a community library in the US works, and then compare her own experience of using a library in Vietnam with that. This would reveal a lot for the teacher to correct, develop and cultivate.
I don't know if this can be developed into anything for my mid-term for final project. It sure will need a great deal of elaboration if it can.
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