From the recommended website I learned about what digital storytelling is and how it can be implemented in the classroom. During one section, the author describes Digital Storytelling as “The intersection between the age- old art of storytelling and access to powerful technology that is easy to learn and use.” I think it is very true that through this type of media literacy, readers are able to learn about stories from many different cultures and genres while becoming more knowledgeable about advances in technology. The digital pictures and tools used to tell a digital story can be helpful in improving students’ comprehension and vocabulary in reading. Additionally, the level of engagement that is likely to result from Digital Storytelling can greatly affect the learning outcomes of students in your classroom. Video clips, audio narration, and music can all lend themselves to better reading experiences for students of all ages. Teachers can also consider using Digital Storytelling as a way to differentiate the instruction of a class with a wide range of abilities. Students can read books on varying reading levels but still enjoy the discussion involved in studying one unique topic. Furthermore, students who struggle in fluency can hear what good reading sounds like and model after the narrations. With all these advantages to using Digital Storytelling in the classroom, it is not hard to understand why many teachers are incorporating them into reading instruction.

I think one of the best ways to use Digital Storytelling in the classroom is to ask your students to make their own storybook on the computer. Though they can certainly benefit from listening and interacting with pre-made resources, an even better option would be to have the students create stories of their own. Many different standards could be reached when students go through the writing process to create a published piece of work through Digital Storybooks. One rubric that I recently came across included criteria on planning, use of technology, mechanics, and group dynamics. I think this type of project would be very beneficial for students and would offer them experiences that are well rounded and fun.

Open Our Eyes to the Power of Technology

Monaco, M. (2009). Opening our eyes to the power of technology. Reading Today, 19.

Maria Monaco is a graduate student who wrote a very interesting article in Reading Today about the power that technology has on schools today. She writes, "How do we allow students to see the value of our reading and writing worlds, if we are not ready to value theirs" (p. 19)? I think this is a very reasonable question. Many teachers today are very quick to criticize the culture that students' are apart of today, but they don't consider the benefits of bringing that culture into the classroom. Students are also very quick to pick up teachers' negative attitudes, and it might be difficult to make connections with them when this negativity is present. According to Monaco, teachers can no longer claim that "books are the only way that students can enter new worlds and gather information" (p. 19). Technology offers students the very same opportunities that books do-- perhaps an even greater one. Currently children can learn through different technologies and see prespectives that older generations never imagined were possible. Though children often find themselves surfing the web or playing video games, they are not always well-informed about the power that technology has on education. It is up to the teachers to show students this hidden treasure. The problem is, not all teachers are willing and able to educate students on this subject.

Monaco recommends a solution to this problem that is similar to most other researchers studying technology and reading. She offers this advice: "It will require a concerted effort to introduce teachers to educational technologies and show them how to successfully integrate technology into their instruction to maximize learning" (p. 19). Professional development experiences are often the plan that schools are turning to to enhance the education that students have on technology. This is a great solution, as long as the professional development sessions do the job that they are meant to do. They need to be insightful and educational for teachers. And above all else, teachers have to have a willing attitude to learn about topics like Smartboards and iPods before the training will be effective.

In her article, Monaco mentions a blog that seems to be very interesting. It is thefischbowl.blogspot.com. In this blog teachers and students come together to discuss issues relating to education, technology being a very hot topic. In one post, the author explains the importance of teaching toward tomorrow. This is a piece of advice seems very obvious to us as new teachers, but I think many teachers do not follow this rule. Instead, they teach using technologies and resources that are out-of-date and uneffective for today's students. Fortunately, however, I think progress has been made and continues to move in the right direction.