Technologies Used: Photostory, PowerPoint, Photoshop, Windows Movie Maker, Audacity
Author: Dr. Suzy Edwards
Description of Activity
Digital Responses were developed from a concern I had that students in EDF3508 Teaching Studies 4 need greater opportunities to interface theory and practice before going out on practicum with very young children.
The idea behind Digital Responses was the students would need to create a context in which to apply the theory presented in the lectures and the readings. Some example responses have been groups who have written a parenting magazine, established fictional childcare centres, developed a not-for-profit organisation challenging consumerist practices against young children and local parenting support agency.
In each of these cases, students produced digital responses that drew on theoretical ideas to communicate information to their intended audiences. I felt this approach met my goal of developing a stronger interface between theory and practice as the students had to apply the theory to the particular fictional contexts they developed.
For example, the parenting support agency designed a puzzle showing the infant brain and which areas of the brain were stimulated by everyday parental actions. Another example is how the group writing the parenting magazine produced an article around how to support quality interactions and engagements with babies and toddlers.
References
Edwards, S. (2009). E-learning in preservice teacher education:creating spaces for critically engaging with the theory/practice relationship in infant and toddler care. Paper presented at the 11th New Zealand Early Childhood Research Conference, January. Wellington:New Zealand.
To cite this article please use the following:
Edwards, S. (2009). Digital Responses. In M.Henderson & A.Fernando (Eds) Online Teaching Centre. Faculty of Education: Monash University.
