Tag: Uncategorized

Animation

Today’s class looked at the use of animation in the classroom, and allowed us to create our own animation using iStopMotion on the iPads. We explored the creativity of animation and its limitless uses. It is so easy to create on iPads with programs available at our fingertips, which makes it a great tool to use with children. It provides an outlet for creativity that may have not been possible with paper and pen or to describe in words. Beauchamp (2012) states that ICT allows pupils to “achieve something that would be very difficult or even impossible to achieve in any other way”. Animation also allows for inter-disciplinary learning in the classroom, as you can use the digital tools to create an animation about a topic on the Vikings, for example. Beauchamp goes on to explain how children do not separate experiences into different compartments and therefore it is important that ICT is not viewed as a separate ‘subject’ but rather, something that contributes to all areas of learning. Going further, Beauchamp advises that ICT should not just be  about learning, but also part of the pupils’ play as this reflects how much ICT is a part of their daily life. Using digital technologies should aim to help with problems that pupils with ASN experience and should strive to have a sense of inclusion, or e-Inclusion as Beauchamp calls it.

Learning about animation involved more than I had expected. Plainly, animation is described to involve the stringing together of a sequence of static images, generally so that they appear to move (Jarvis, 2015). We found out about the different types of animation such as cutout, stop-motion, pixilation, drawn and computer. We looked at how animation can enhance learning: Bertrancourt (2005) suggests animation enhances learners’ visual representations, illustrates processes and provides an interactive element. Jarvis (2015) explains that using sound and video enhances the quality of information processing and therefore, the quality of learning. He says that “animation can have a big visual impact”, however, Jarvis goes on to say how time consuming this can be. Moving Image Education explains how animation “breathes new life” into something that wouldn’t normally move.

We were tasked with creating an animation using a range of resources provided by our lecturer, Graham. We were to use the iPad app called iStopMotion and hence use the animation style of stop motion. This was an easy way for us to introduce ourselves into animation. We looked at some YouTube tutorials to help us get to grips with the app. I created an army themed animation using a hand-drawn camouflage backdrop and toy soldiers and tanks. I also used pieces of paper to communicate a ‘bang’ noise into my short animation clip. It was very rewarding to make the animation as it didn’t involve too much artistic skills and it produced a good result in not too long. Moving Image Education says that you don’t have to make using animation in the classroom complicated, use basic cut-outs to create some really interesting animations.

A still picture from my animation clip

Using an activity such as this in a classroom would again use inter-disciplinary skills. It would therefore cover more than one outcome, and help to ‘bundle’ our outcomes while teaching.

I can explore and experiment with sketching, manually or digitally, to represent ideas in different learning contexts. – TCH 1-11a.

To show my understanding across different areas of learning, I can identify and consider the purpose and main ideas of a text. – LIT 1-16a.

This class has opened my eyes to the vast uses and benefits of using animation in the classroom. It has allowed me to grow my confidence with using apps such as this on the iPads and given me inspiration on how I could use this in the classroom. I feel passionate about using lessons that children will enjoy while they are learning, and I think using animation would definitely excite the children and give them many skills at the same time. I look forward to using animation when on placement and ultimately in my own class!

References:

›Beauchamp, G. (2012) ICT in the Primary Classroom: From Pedagogy top Practice. Pearson.›

›Jarvis, M. (2015) Brilliant Ideas for Using ICT in the Classroom: A Very practical Guide for Teachers and Lecturers. Routledge.

›Porter, B. (2004) Digi Tales: The Art of Telling Digital Stories. Bernajean Porter Publication.

›Moving Image Education website: [Online] https://movingimageeducation.org/create-films/animation [Accessed: 20.2.18]

YouTube Tutorial: [Online]  https://youtu.be/Cw7_OeWpR6I [Accessed: 20.2.18]

Movie Making

Today’s class focussed on making movies on an app called iMovie. There was also a theme of internet safety throughout, as Safer Internet Day 2018 was last week (6th February). During the process of taking this module and learning about digital technologies, it has always been at the forefront of my mind that when we teach children about the amazing possibilities of digital tech, we need to remember to inform them of the more negative side as well. Beauchamp (2012) states that “the key idea [is] that e-safety is not about restricting children, but about educating them”. However, Beauchamp also suggests that “most schools will have in place a policy regarding e-safety, but they are more likely to reflect official policies and perhaps not the reality of pupils’ lives”. As Beauchamp has said, we, as teachers, should be aware that school policies may not cover real life situations that children may come across and we must be on hand to help in this circumstance. As a class, we took a quiz that asked questions surrounding internet safety. This would be a great tool to use in a classroom as it gives the teacher an idea of any child that isn’t sure what to do in dangerous situations online. Further lessons can be carried out to ensure all children have the knowledge and skills to know what to do and who to tell if something doesn’t seem right online. This is very important, as Beauchamp also states “the most successful schools.. in terms of e-safety ensured that pupils knew what to do when things went wrong”. There are resources available on the Safer Internet website and on Glow applications such as ‘thinkuknow’.

When children are being safe online, it allows them to use the technologies for what they are there for: giving them additional knowledge and skills. It has been proven that using technologies can raise attainment: the Scottish Government (2015) states that “there is conclusive evidence that digital equipment, tools and resources can, where effectively used, raise the speed and depth of learning in science and mathematics for primary and secondary age learners”. It is absolutely vital that the children in our schools are given the right tools to be digitally literate as Weiss (2017) says that digital literacy is the set of competencies required for full participation in society. Bennett (2004) goes further and states that “being literate in the twenty-first century incorporates more than simply being able to read and write. Children need to also learn how to use [and] present…”. Not just that; digital literacy also helps to develop a wide array of skills such as critical thinking skills, collaboration skills, effective communication and creativity.

Today’s task was to create a movie using iMovie on the iPads. The movie was to promote being safe online. Our group completed a plan template to follow before starting to record the film. Each member of the group had a role (editing/recording/making fake Instagram accounts etc) to ensure we made the movie in the specified time frame.  

Our idea focussed on the idea that not everyone is who they say they are online, and the story was as follows: a bear has an Instagram profile and suddenly gets a follow request from a stranger. After the bear accepts the request, the stranger (a unicorn) starts to message the bear and asks questions about him. The unicorn asks to meet up and eventually the bear realises that this is not safe. He blocks the unicorn account and tells his parents about it. Thank goodness he did, as it turns out the unicorn was really a werewolf! From watching this, hopefully children would see the dangers of speaking to people you don’t know online and should become aware of the signs of strange behaviour.

A copy of our movie is here: BEar Safe.m4v

Using the iMovie app to create our movie was challenging to begin with, but we got the hang of it eventually. It was very rewarding to produce our own film within one lesson – however, with children, this would be spread out over multiple lessons. This would be a great activity for children to not only improve their digital abilities but also learn more about a current issue, in order to advise others. The idea of digital storytelling is not a new one, according to Porter (2004), sharing stories through digital medium will be “the principle hobby of the world’s people”. Therefore, learning about this unique way of telling stories will unlock a new world of creativity for children. Doing an activity such as this one in the classroom would cover Literacy, Technology and Health & Wellbeing outcomes:

I can extend my knowledge of how to use digital technology to communicate with others and I am aware of ways to keep safe and secure. – TCH 1-03a

I can explore online communities demonstrating an understanding of responsible digital behaviour and I’m aware of how to keep myself safe and secure. – TCH 2-03a

eBooks

In today’s session, we looked at the advantages of using mobile devices, and, more specifically eBooks in the classroom and how this can be beneficial to students’ learning. We explored the BookCreator app and discovered its capabilities and thought about what uses this could have in a learning environment.

Firstly, we had to learn about what an eBook really is. The Oxford Dictionary defines them as “an electronic version of a printed book which can be read on a computer or a specifically designed handheld device.” From this definition, we brainstormed why using these devices in the classroom could be beneficial. We came up with the following mind-map:  

Our ideas at the start of today’s session are in red. Once we had learned more about eBooks, we added to the mind-map in blue.

The benefits to eBooks are vast: they are portable which means learning can take place wherever you’d like, whether that be in the classroom, the playground or in a setting relating to the text. Also, the digital element of eBooks makes the act of reading more enjoyable for children and may even light a spark for them to realise their love of reading. One of the best advantages of using eBooks is the unlimited choice of books that you have access to at your fingertips – it means the joy of reading is not limited to the budget of the school library. Other benefits include working out cheaper in the long run; enhancing children’s digital literacy and the use of audio-books for children with ASN.

The Scottish Government have set A Digital Learning and Teaching Strategy for Scotland, aiming to use digital technology to raise attainment, ambition and opportunities for all by improving the standard of teaching and learning for young people and parents when it comes to digital technology. It sets out four main objectives: developing the skills of teachers; improving access for all learners; ensuring digital technology is considered in all areas of the curriculum and empowering leaders to drive innovation and investment in digital technology.  A document was also published by the Children’s Parliament called A Digital Learning and Teaching Strategy or Scotland: The Views of Children. In this paper, questions such as “What digital technologies to do you use?” are asked and the answers are recorded. The children were asked if they use digital technologies at school. The use of Smartboards were mentioned often but this was mainly/always used by the teacher. Even though it is positive that digital technologies are used in the classroom, it is important that we, as teachers, remember to give the children time to use these devices on their own to explore and discover them. When asked if they want to use digital technologies more in the classroom, most children said that they thought the use of iPads etc should be a common thing and not just a reward at Golden Time.

Book Creator is an app that you can get on the iPads which allows you to make your own eBooks. There has been over 25 million eBooks created using the app so far, including children’s picture books, comic books, photo albums, journals, textbooks and more. We used the following tutorial to learn more about how to use the app:

In today’s session, we were asked to, in groups, make brief e-brochure on Book Creator for prospective UWS students. We were given a short time frame to complete this task. This allowed us to see how easy and quick it was to familiarise ourselves with how to work the app. Our group took a walk around campus and thought about what we wanted to include in the brochure, such as information about lecture theatres, library, canteen etc. We were able to include pictures, videos, audio and texts, and then personalise it the way we wanted it to look. It was amazing to see a brochure come to life in such a short space of time! This kind of activity would be great for children as the instant gratification factor is there (you have a completed brochure within 15 mins or so).

We were then tasked to create an eBook summarising a well known story individually. This task allowed us to focus less on the content of the book (as we were just retelling a story) but more on the different tools on the app, this allowed us to really explore what the Book Creator app had to offer. I chose a book called “Snuggle Up, Sleepy Ones” – about different animals getting ready to go to sleep. I added audio clips of me reading aloud on each page of the eBook. The book that I created included pictures from the original on one side of the page. The other side of the page had questions to help the children think about the book a little more (ie food for thought).

An example of one of the pages of my eBook

This shows how eBooks can be used as not just an electronic form of a paper book, but also as a teaching tool. It can be adapted and completely personalised to suit many situations. This is the beauty of digital technologies – its versatility and personalisation options make teaching/learning an enjoyable thing to do. The lesson that I have created would cover literacy and digital technology outcomes:

Using what I know about the features of different types of texts, I can find, select, sort and use information for a specific purpose. – LIT 1-14a

I can explore and experiment with digital technologies and can use what I learn to support and enhance my learning in different contexts. – TCH 1-01a

Today, we used mobile devices (the iPad) to create eBooks, but there are countless other programs that can be used on tablets such as iPads. The use of these tablets in the classroom mean work is produced that is of a high standard and easily edited. Beauchamp (2012) states that “mobile devices, especially mobile phones and tablets, have very advanced capabilities and can be used to supplement or even replace a laptop computer.” This gives so much more freedom to the classroom than the use of computers or even laptops, and means the children and the teacher can be more creative in lessons.

I thoroughly enjoyed working on mobile devices in today’s class. I loved exploring the Book Creator app and discovering how easy it was to make my own book! I can really see how this lesson could bring so much joy to a classroom of children, while teaching key digital technology lessons at the same time.

References:

Youtube video – ›https://youtu.be/TE5DTD87-IE

›Beauchamp, G., (2012) ICT in the Primary School: From Pedagogy to Practice. Pearson.

›Children’s Parliament Consultation (2016) A Digital Learning and Teaching Strategy for Scotland: The Views of Children.

After having spent numerous weeks undertaking the Digital Technologies module and learning about a multitude of various technologies that can be used effectively in the classroom, I was unsure how using a well-known game would fit into the curriculum other than its use of developing technology skills, technology awareness and fine motor skills. However, today we learnt about the use of the Wii console in the classroom can be effective through using it as a stimulus in learning for many different areas of the curriculum.

The Higher Education Academy state that ”Digital Games-based learning is the integration of gaming into learning experiences to increase engagement and motivation.” Despite not being in the classroom today with children, it certainly increased my own motivation for learning in this subject in particular and I felt thoroughly engaged with the task at hand.

The use of technology is argued in the classroom as to wether it should be included or not. Theorists including Jean Piaget and Leonard Vygotsky have argued that “play is a crucial component of cognitive development from birth and through adulthood”. Wether this play is done through solid materials or interactivity through a smart device or TV screen is left to personal preference. As a parent myself, I see the benefits and impact that the use of technology has on my own daughter and how a range of apps and games have increased her own skills, abilities, knowledge and confidence in her own learning. I can only imagine the benefits and motivation they will impose on young learners if the use of these same resources were to be used within a classroom. The use of games-based learning is supported by Farber (2016) who notes that “…students are provided with a gameful learning experience driven by play.”

Before we got to get to the task at hand, we were asked to create our own character and vehicle based on the principle of Mario Kart, the racing game for the Wii console. This put to good use my creative art skills and I enjoyed coming up with different ideas that I thought would appeal to children and fit in well with a game such as Mario Kart. Having children design their own character and kart is alone allowing them to use their creativity and imagination skills to design something they would use themselves in game play.

Upon completion of our own characters and racing karts, we were given time to complete our task for today’s class: to create our own IDL lesson plan based around Mario Kart. Having the lesson planned around the IDL topic allowed for a breadth of Experiences and Outcomes to be explored across many of the curricular areas. The following are the ones which we included in our lesson plan:

‘I can describe, follow and record routes and journeys using signs, words and angles associated with direction and turning.’ MTH 1-17a

‘Using technology and other methods, I can display data simply, clearly and accurately by creating tables, charts and diagrams using simple labelling and scale.’ MTH 1-21a

‘I can design and construct models and explain my solutions.’ TCH 1-09a

‘I can create and present work using the visual elements of line, shape, form, colour, tone, pattern and texture.’ EXA 1-03a

‘I can present my writing in a way that will make it legible and attractive for my reader, combining words, images and other features.’ LIT 1-24a

After completing my drawings (which I did feel rather proud of and impressed with) as a group we came together to come up with areas in which we could use Mario Kart as a stimulus across different areas of the curriculum. At first I felt a little apprehensive as to where this would take us when creating our IDL plan, however once we got started, we found it difficult to stop. There were so many areas which we could cover, some of which included; Literacy, Maths, Technology, Expressive Arts and Health & Wellbeing. Games based learning offers a whole host of learning opportunities across education including the following:

• Using games as a stimulus (or contextual hub);
• Games are often used as a starting point for other activities;
• ›Using games to teach content;
• Games can be used to illustrate concepts and materials to be taught;
• Using games to teach social skills.

Along with Games-based learning having an evidently successful impact on young learners, it too has the ability to enhance the educators skillset and knowledge in the world of Gaming and provide them with skills and abilities they otherwise would not have if they had not became a teacher. It offers rich learning opportunities to take a game, turn it into a learning opportunity like what we done today and immerse their pupils in an engaging and rich lesson that can be carried over the course of just a few days, or possibly even weeks or months. It is important to remember that although our job is to be the educator, it is highly rewarding to learn from the pros themselves – our pupils. They are the finest examples to learn from when it comes to gaming as a lot of children in Scotland have already adopted a mass of knowledge and ability when it comes to games such as Mario Kart and Minecraft. They can teach us just as much as we can teach them in some aspects of education. Along with this, we are offering our pupils lessons in which they grasp, understand and will be excited about. Stephen Reid of Immersive Minds supported this theory by stating that “Although game-based learning has had a ‘difficult history’ with teachers who may have felt threatened by children becoming more expert in technology than they are, there is no denying that such platforms offer them a way to engage the pupils in a way they understand and can relate to.”

Overall, today’s lesson provided a highly useful and exciting insight into the world of Games-Based learning. As a teacher I am impelled at the prospect of using a popular game as a stimulus and getting my pupils motivated, engaged and excited to learn around something they likely already have experience of using. Furthermore, using games in the classroom allows educators to create unique and stimulating lessons across various aspects of the curriculum whilst avoiding unnecessary repetition and maintaining pupils engagement. I look forward to enhancing my skills and putting them to good use in the classroom when I become a professional teacher.

References

Edutopia – 3 Ways to use Games-based Learning. [Online] Available at: https://www.edutopia.org/article/3-ways-use-game-based-learning-matthew-farber. [First Accessed – 7th March 2018]

Future Scot – Immersive Minds. Teachers Experience Games-Based Learning at Minecraft Launch. [Online] Available at: http://futurescot.com/educators-encouraged-open-minds-possibilities-games-based-learning/. [First Accessed: 7th March 2018]

Higher Education Academy – Gamification and Games-Based Learning. [Online] Available at: https://www.heacademy.ac.uk/knowledge-hub/gamification-and-games-based-learning. [First Accessed: 7th March 2018]

Scottish Government (2008) The Curriculum for Excellence [Online] Available at: http://www.education.gov.scot/Documents/all-experiences-and-outcomes.pdf [First Accessed: 7th March 2018]

 

Throughout the digital technologies module, I have dramatically improved my knowledge and skill when using IT. I now have a varied knowledge on how digital technologies can be used within a classroom setting and how they benefit both the students and the teacher.

I have re-analysed my own knowledge of digital technologies and I can confidently state that this module has benefitted me in many ways. I now have an understanding of how to use digital technologies when teaching children, both in the classroom and outdoors, and how to use digital technologies to enhance a lesson.  I am now confident in using iPads, game based learning devices, Glow, easi-speak microphones, coding and programmable toys.

The module was fun and engaging, and has allowed me to gain a deep understanding of how to encourage children to develop their skills in technologies.

Through taking part in the Digital Technologies module, it has been not only enjoyable but has also enabled me to realise that the use of technology has a massive impact on teaching within the 21st century.

I am pleased that I had chosen this module as part of my Trimester 2 within the BA Education course, as I have gotten the chance to become educated upon the various uses of technology within a teacher’s lesson planning, construction of ideas and classroom experiences in an appropriate manner.

Through growing up within both the world of technology and experiencing the Curriculum for Excellence at first hand, I have realised that the digital skills and opportunities I have learned throughout growing up and in addition to this module can make myself as an educator stand out and create lessons which are different and engaging. In addition, the learning experience from children will be modern and exciting with emphasis on technology, which differed from what my school learning experience was like.

Technology was always a subject that was never confidently carried out in the classroom, but now I think that with the learned impact that it has on a child’s development of many different skills, us as educators should be confident in our own abilities with regards to technology and through practice we should demonstrate it more within our classroom and children’s experiences.

I now know and understand that digital technology can be usd in a variety of ways in order to make links between all aspects of the Curriculum for Excellence. Whether it be through Art, Music, Science, Social studies and many more. Along the course of this module there have been many different ideas given to us for ways in which we can use technology to cover aspects of the Curriculum. I will definitely be encouraging future BA1 students to choose this module as it has widened my technology skills and developed my creativity with regards to thinking about different lessons to carry out.

Thank you!

For our final week of Digital Technologies, we were learning about and exploring the use QR codes to enhance outdoor learning.

Outdoor learning is a vital part of the Curriculum for Excellence, which provides all educators and learners with different skills that may not be achieved within the classroom. Going outdoors may seem simple and non engaging, but its advantages it possesses are endless. Through further reading it was learned that:  “Outdoor learning experiences are often remembered for a lifetime. Integrating learning and outdoor experiences, whether through play in the immediate grounds or adventures further afield, provides relevance and depth to the curriculum in ways that are difficult to achieve indoors.” Learning and Teaching Scotland (2010)

“The core values of Curriculum for Excellence resonate with long-standing key concepts of outdoor learning. Challenge, enjoyment, relevance, depth, development of the whole person and an adventurous approach to learning are at the core of outdoor pedagogy…” Education Scotland (2010)

The relevance and depth to the curriculum that outdoor learning provides includes:

Personal Development: Children can develop and begin learning skills in areas such as communication, problem solving, and working with others when outdoors and completing tasks together.

Inclusion for all: It can provide opportunities for children to use a range of skills and abilities not always visible in the classroom.

 Critical Thinking Skills: Outdoor learning can help children to make links between other curricular areas which may not have been clear when indoors, such as:

• Health and Wellbeing

Encouraging and capitalising on the potential to experience learning and new challenges in the outdoor environment.

• Science

  As children and young people progress in their learning of the sciences, teachers can take advantage of opportunities for study in the local, natural and built environments.

  Not only does this link to other curricular areas, but also links in with the SHANARRI Wellbeing Wheel which is a vital part of the Curriculum for Excellence and with regards to the wellbeing of all children within it.

• Safe
• Healthy
• Active
• Nurture
• Achieving
• Responsible
• Respect
• Included

In today’s session, we were able to explore the PicCollage App on the iPad. By using this App, it allowed us to use our creativity skills to create a collage of photographs from today’s outdoor session. We then were introduced to Quick Response (QR) Codes. QR Codes can link to a short bit of text, an audio recording, a website, a phone number, an email address, a map location, an calendar event. This linked to our outdoor session as we were to work in groups to crack the code given by the QR codes, which were located clues hidden outside the university.  We collected one letter from each location if we answered the question correctly then used the six letters to discover the secret code. The questions were based around the social studies topic of ‘Scotland’. The questions consisted of common knowledge about Scotland, for example its population or number of islands it has. This as an educator is an excellent way to engage pupils with a new topic and fin out information they perhaps did not know before taking part in the outdoor learning task. It also makes it exciting and fun, rather than going on the internet and researching for hours about Scottish facts.

Throughout the activity we were able to capture photographs from the camera roll to summarise our learning experience in a new and modernised way by adding them to PicCollage. As an educator, I think this is a well structured idea of allowing  children to explore and play around with a new App on the iPad, developing their media and digital technology skills. In addition, this adds to their development of creativity skills and being able to demonstrate their work in a collage of images that tell a story of what their learning consisted of.

I thoroughly enjoyed this task and I will definitely be using QR codes and PicCollage within future lesson plans for introducing new and exciting topics. It can adapt to any learning experience and the use of QR codes is endless. It is such a useful resource and I am very gad we were introduced to it at an early stage in my teaching career, as I had seen them before whether it be for tickets to concerts or advertisements for restaurants, but never did I believe I could use it to portray a lesson in a classroom situation.

REFERENCES

Education Scotland (2010) Curriculum for Excellence Through Outdoor Learning.

Learning and Teaching Scotland (2010) Curriculum for Excellence Through Outdoor Learning.

 

In todays session for Digital Technologies we were learning about creating a movie linking it to internet safety using the movie making program: iMovie.

Through wider reading it was found that: “Most primary schools will have in place a policy regarding e-safety, but they are likely to reflect official policies and perhaps not the reality of pupils’ lives…” (Beauchamp, 2012, p.58) He also states that the main idea of discussing e-safety is to only educate them on the use and dangers of internet not to restrict them of what they can go on.

We also explored the various different digital platforms that us as future educators will be able to access as individuals and to show to our pupils to help raise the awareness about the issue of internet safety. This can help us to educate children and to know what to do if they come across any particular case of unsafety when they may be at home online and will know how to approach the situation by informing a responsible adult or parent. The use of digital technology in this day and age helps to portray a story that can be used to address many different issues that we as educators can use:

“The digital environment provides a unique opportunity to empower people of all ages to manipulate, combine and distribute their self-expressions as living stories that can be sent into the world and through time.” (Porter, 2004, p.35)

Digital Literacy helps to develop:

Practical and Functional Skills

Critical Thinking Skills

Awareness of e-Safety

Collaboration Skills

Ability to Find and Select Information

Effective Communication

Creativity

My group created a movie by using the iMovie app on the Ipad which helped to address the issue of internet safety. We based the story around the famous Dreamworks animation movie: Shrek. Princess Fiona thought she was meeting Prince Charming who she had met online but in actuality it was Shrek who she was meeting. We dressed up as Shrek, Fiona and Donkey and acted out many of the scenes with use of audio and music. It was fun creating an iMovie and it also helped to portray the idea that people who you may meet online may not be as they seem when meeting them in person. It helped to convey this message in a humourous way. As an educator, it is important to address full internet safety and demonstrate a way to show what the consequences of being unsafe online entails.

With regards to the Curriculum for Excellence Experiences and Outcomes this links to the Technologies outcome:

“I can extend my knowledge of how to use digital technology to communicate with others and I am aware of ways to keep safe and secure. TCH 1-03a” (Education Scotland 2004).

I think the use of creating movies through iMovie is beneficial for the children to use within their primary school as not only does it develp their media and digital technology skills, with endless creativity. It also enables them to manipulate a story such as Shrek and be able to put a story in to a different context in order to explain an important issue, like Internet Safety.

This enables myself as an educator to convey a message and create awareness about the issue of internet safety in a modern and creative way instead of getting the children to read about it or write about what they know, they are being able to make links to the digital side of the curriculum for excellence, whilst learning and understanding how to be safe online.

References

Beauchamp, G. (2012) ICT in the Primary Classroom: From Pedagogy top Practice. Pearson.

Porter, B. (2004) Digi Tales: The Art of Telling Digital Stories. Bernajean Porter Publication.