Digital Technologies Week 5 – 6th February 2018

During this week’s session, we used the Book Creator app on the iPad to create a summary of a well-known book. We also discussed the advantages of using e-Books in a classroom setting.

As defined in the Oxford Dictionary, an e-Book is “an electronic version of a printed book which can be read on a computer or a specifically designed handheld device.”

The principles and practices of literacy and English, created by Education Scotland, highlight that the most useful way of communicating a lesson in literacy and English is by providing “frequent opportunities to communicate in a wide range of contexts” (Education Scotland, n.d., a). A multimodal text contains two or more semiotic systems, these include, visual, gestural, audio, spatial and linguistic. Multimodal texts are beneficial to all learners and make it easier for everyone to participate in lessons. They can also be used throughout the curriculum.

(Education Scotland, n.d., b) states that ICT in school helps to raise attainment and achievement, closing the gap between the advantaged and disadvantaged and thus, providing them with the skills for the digitally advancing world that awaits them. This statement highlights that ICT enables young learners to reach their full potential through enjoyable experiences while gaining and developing different skills.

E-Books can be extremely effective in a classroom for many reasons. They are an enjoyable resource for learners and they are especially effective within a literacy lesson. They can also be used to push learners who are struggling with reading. Through the use of Book Creator, learners are able to grasp a deeper understanding of the story which will continue to help them with their reading practice. E-books are portable which can also promote outdoor learning and activities. They can also help to give learners a better understanding of our digital age and allow them to become more comfortable with technology.

During today’s lesson, we were asked to create a teaching aid that was based on a particular story. I created a teaching tool based on “Room on the Broom” by Julia Donaldson. My e-Book features several semiotic systems making it a multimodal resource. It contains parts of the story read aloud by myself and questions based on that particular part of the story. At the end of the e-Book, the learners will be asked to describe their favourite part of the story. I believe that this lesson would be aimed at early level within the Curriculum for Excellence and the experiences and outcomes that I have highlighted for this lesson are as follows:

  • I enjoy exploring events and characters in stories and other texts, sharing my thoughts in different ways.   LIT 0-19a
  • I can use digital technologies to explore how to search and find information.     TCH 0-02a

To summarise, I will carry today’s experience with me throughout my teaching practice as I believe that it will be very important to use within a classroom setting. E-

Books are an effective resource that can be used to allow all learners to reach their full potential within many different curricular areas. This resource also allows for a lot of choice and freedom within the classroom as there is no limit to what you can create. I feel that learners can make this a memorable experience for themselves which in turn will allow them to be highly engaged in these activities.

 

References

http://www.bbc.co.uk/webwise/guides/about-e-books

Education Scotland (n.d., a) Curriculum for Excellence: literacy and English, principles and practice [Online]. Available from: https://education.gov.scot/Documents/literacy-english-pp.pdf [Accessed: 6 February 2018].

Education Scotland (n.d., b) Technologies in Curriculum for Excellence [Online]. Available from: https://education.gov.scot/parentzone/learning-in-scotland/curriculum-areas/Technologies%20in%20Curriculum%20for%20Excellence [Accessed: 6 February 2018].

 

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