Out with the essay in with the digital storytelling!

After my post contemplating which area to focus on for my action plan, I realized I was leaning towards using the SAMR model to redefine the summative/major assignment in my grade 10 history class. My idea was rather than have my Extended French students struggle with writing a 6-page essay, they would create a digital essay. Before I could venture down this road, I needed to ensure that changing the major assignment for my French section was ok. While my academic director had some misgivings, my department head (who teaches the English sections of grade 10 history) was all for it, and I finally got the OK last week. The only condition is that there is some sort of written component that will be marked.

After looking at the current assignment outline, I don’t think that I need to change it too much. The students will still be investigating their choice of event/theme/person in Canadian history, it is just the final task/output that will change. My job now is to help prepare them for this new task…what do they need to know to be able to create a multi-media presentation? How will I teach thesis writing skills without the students actually writing an essay? I’m hoping to blend my current assignment with an assignment I was presented with in November at the Ontario History and Social Studies Teacher Association (OHASSTA) conference. I attended a workshop by two award-winning teachers from Bill Crothers Secondary School in Unionville, Daraius M. Bharucha and Stefano Fornazzari San Marin. The assignment was a year-long task where students researched their place in Canadian history. Using digital storytelling, each student would recount their family’s story; when they came to Canada, what was going on at the time, etc. While my students won’t be examining their own place in Canadian history, Darius and Stefano’s assignment has several elements that incorporate the multimedia aspect I am hoping to add.

So, that’s where I’m at right now. As a step to prepare my class for the multimedia aspect of the major assignment, I think I’m going to modify the project for their current WWII project…hopefully not a disaster!

 

1 thought on “Out with the essay in with the digital storytelling!

  1. Hey Carolyn,

    I’m so happy that you got the green light with this new project! And it goes without saying that I am excited to see where you end up going with this project.

    I’m not sure if this aligns exactly with your vision, but I had my Grade 7 English class create podcasts on stories about Middle School, inspired by the radio show This American Life. It’s an audio form of digital storytelling and was an interesting way to get students excited about sound, their lives, and mining the world around them for interesting stories.

    If you haven’t see it before, you should check out This American Life. http://www.thisamericanlife.org/canada

    I’m not sure if there is a French-language version, but you never know what exists out there!

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