Unit 5 Reflection Blog

                Module 5’s theme was Using Non-print Media to Create Stories and Narratives. The two chapters included in the unit provided various ways to do this in the classroom. Chapter 3 of Hyler categorized text types as either narrative, argumentative, or informational. However, the chapter focuses on narratives and mentions the many advantages of this type of writing. Narratives allow students to be creative. According to the book, students learn to use “effective technique, well-chosen details and well-structured event sequences.” As middle or high school students are still struggling to find their identity, narratives can benefit them. Personally, I’d love to include narratives in my classroom because it’s my favorite style of writing. As a matter of fact, narratives are the reason I fell in love with writing in the first place.

                Hyler’s book mentions the idea of “This I Believe” essays, where students write about a strong belief they possess. To be honest, I’m not a huge fan of this assignment. The author talks about using Wordle as a tool, but the only aspect of it I found helpful was the word frequency display. While describing these essays, Hyler establishes the difference between revising and editing. Before reading this, I used the words interchangeably, but I now know the difference. Revisions include adding or deleting information and possibly changing the organization. On the other hand, editing entails checking for spelling and grammar mistakes, as well as sentence structure. I liked that he has students do revisions and editing during separate class periods. That’s an idea I’ll use in my own class.

                One assignment I found unique and intriguing was the digital stories. This goes back to the idea of transmediation. Though this type of lesson requires more time and patience, it seems to be extremely beneficial. In addition to text, a digital story contains videos, pictures, and music. The videos must include basic pieces of a story such as a plot, setting, characters, and a conflict. Both books mentioned using Animoto to create these stories. I briefly looked at the website and it looked really easy to use. It seems like a great tool for this type of project. Hyler reported that his students enjoyed this assignment and I can understand why. Using videos, photos, and music can contribute to the story. Gura Chapter 2 states, “The act of retelling their own short stories through text, images, and sound added to the students’ understanding of the story-making process.” That quote sums it up pretty well. I see a lot of value in digital stories and it’s definitely something I’d like to try when I’m a teacher.