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.
