# data[].attributes.body
How did you feel during the workshop?

First entering the class, I was a bit nervous but eager to learn. I also have experience in and enjoy the arts so I was looking forward to this class. The icebreaker games offered a good opportunity to get to know to some of my new classmates. I had fun participating in the activities.

What were your most uncomfortable moments?

At first I was apprehensive to present or perform in front of the class. Especially because I had not met any of my classmates before. However over the progression of the class this changed and I became more comfortable.

What were your most enjoyable moments?

I enjoyed having the opportunity to interact with my classmates and build connections while participating in the various drama activities. This was a great opportunity to get to know my new classmates. I also enjoyed collaborating with different people to accomplish a task or goal.

What did you notice about your emotions during the workshop? How did these emotions manifest in your body? Might these be similar to a primary student’s emotional experiences?

I was nervous at first, which meant I didn't feel very interested in sharing my ideas with group members or the class. However as the class progressed I became more comfortable with my peers and felt more confident. This meant I felt more eager to share any ideas I had with my peers when we did group activities, and I was more comfortable sharing with the class.

What did you discover about how you learnt in this workshop?

I discovered that I highly enjoy learning with other people and collaborating with others. I also enjoy learning through practical experiences and activities as I appreciated participating in the drama games and activities as opposed to writing down notes.

How might primary students learn in drama?

Primary students can learn a lot through drama, particularly in terms of building confidence and fostering creativity. Drama provides a safe and supportive environment for students to step out of their comfort zones, take on different roles, and express themselves in imaginative ways. By participating in dramatic activities, such as improvisation, students can develop their communication skills, enhance creativity, and gain confidence in speaking in front of others. Additionally, drama encourages collaboration and teamwork, as students often work together to create and perform scenes or plays.

# data[].attributes.body
To further enhance my understanding of dramatic elements, I created a poster of the drama elements. I used information from the textbook, the lecture and the tutorial.

References-

Dinham, J. (2020). Delivering Authentic Arts Education (4th ed.). Cengage Learning Australia.

‌

# data[].attributes.body
How do the practical activities and unit information inform your personal understanding of the use of dance as an expressive learning process through which educators can facilitate creativity in primary students?

The practical activities and unit information have played a crucial role in informing my personal understanding of the use of dance as an expressive learning process for facilitating creativity in primary students. Firstly, engaging in the activities practically as opposed to just reading and writing about them has allowed me to place myself in the shoes of a primary student participating in dance. I enjoyed being able to create dances with my classmates. I feel that by doing this, primary students would be engaging in movement to embody various concepts, enabling them to communicate their thoughts, emotions, and ideas in a unique and nonverbal manner. I also feel that it is a great creative outlet, as students have to think outside the box and use their imagination to choreograph movement. This would be especially true when they are asked to add meaning to their dances, as they have to think of creative ways to convey a story and/or feelings with their bodies.

# data[].attributes.attachment_caption
A screenshot of my Uni page that I created in the app Notion to stay organised.

# data[].attributes.body
Do you have strategies for managing pressure as you move through this unit? What are they?

One strategy I intend to apply is making sure I stay ahead of tasks and assignments to avoid cramming and leaving tasks to the last minute. The key way to do this is to stay organised. To do this I use a calendar and to-do lists that sync to my phone for easy access. I also have an assessment checklist that is organised and has due dates and information about all my upcoming assessments. This means that I have a visual display that clearly lays out everything I have to do, allowing me to plan my time more effectively. I have found that this strategy has been working very effectively for me so far this semester. I particularly like how I have it synced to my phone as well as my computer, so I can check my progress easily in the mornings or even on the bus to uni.

# data[].attributes.headline
Week 7 Cultural Dance Independent Research

# data[].attributes.subject
Week 7 Cultural Dance Independent Research

# data[].attributes.body
I found the concept of using different cultural dances to educate students on diversity and different cultures interesting, so I researched the topic and found this article which I thought was very insightful. I took notes on the information in the article.

According to the article, intercultural understanding is a valuable capability in the Australian school framework, but it is not widely integrated into the education system and society.

The Australian Curriculum emphasizes the importance of students valuing their own cultures as well as those of others, but there is a lack of professional training for principals and teachers in this area.

Research suggests that structured and ongoing professional learning is needed to develop intercultural capabilities across all areas of schooling.

Dance can play a significant role in language acquisition and intercultural understanding, as it connects children with the art and culture of different countries.

Integrating dance into the language classroom can deepen students' understanding of history, geography, music, clothing, and behaviors related to dance and the country.

Dance provides an opportunity to connect language to movement, allowing students to follow instructions in songs and engage in physical expression.

Embedding intercultural experts, such as intercultural artists, in schools can enhance intercultural understanding and provide authentic learning experiences for students.

I also liked the video included in the article, showing a primary Spanish teacher incorporating dance into her Spanish curriculum, to further enhance her students understanding of the different cultures that speak Spanish. The students really seemed to enjoy the activity.

Overall I found that this article really broadened by understanding of the benefits of implementing dance in not only a languages classroom, but across the curriculum, as it can deepen students' understanding of culture.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Dancing is a way to support intercultural understanding, languages and multilingualism in Australia Education.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
It’s a global challenge when learning about a language when culture is not an indispensable topic in our education system and society, but yet “intercultural understanding” is a valuable capability for the Australian school framework, the question we will need to ask is: How intercultural understand

# data[].attributes.body
To further expand my knowledge of using media arts in a primary school setting, I read the article included in the week 8 page on canvas and answered the questions provided.

What are the advantages of facilitating digital storytelling activities with primary students?

One advantage of digital storytelling is that it develops a strong foundation of skills needed when children learn to write. This process of digital storytelling is accessible to students of all writing abilities, even those who aren't yet strong readers or new to the English language. There are several features of digital storytelling programs that make it easier for these learners. For example, various digital storytelling tools feature a storyboard layout that allows students to observe the organization and order of their writing and easily modify the sequence of their events and ideas. They can also present an entire story without having to write anything, as most programs can record audio and students can draw pictures, making it easy for younger children. These programs also allow students to add pictures to their stories, which can prompt more descriptive writing.  Students also need to constantly edit their projects, building another essential writing skill.

Another benefit of using digital storytelling tools is that it shows young learners how their skills can connect with the world around them. It is also enjoyable and exiting for most students, which means that it will increase their engagement in the task and their learning.

What is the suggested process for digital storytelling?

There are many types of writing that the article suggests students can create. First is original stories, where students create an original narrative. Another is pattern stories, where students complete a pattern or retell a story. Students can also write how-to instructions for fun activities like making slime or a sandwich. The final form of writing the article suggests is passion projects. This is where students create a project on something that they are interested in and share their knowledge,

Why is it important to allow the students to share their digital work?

It lets students know that their work is important. If students feel that their work is valued they are more likely to put effort into and be proud of their digital storytelling.

Reference-

Kolk, M. (n.d.). Digital Storytelling in the Primary Classroom. Creative Educator. https://creativeeducator.tech4learning.com/2018/articles/digital-storytelling-in-the-primary-classroom

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Use this powerful form of communication to build literacy for emerging readers and writers

Digital storytelling is a powerful way to connect young learners to reading, writing, and digital literacy. While students in the primary grades may be more likely to watch stories than read and write their own, today's digital tools make it easy for these emerging writers to create and publish their own stories.

Digital storytelling tools provide opportunities for primary learners to begin communicating their ideas by simply adding pictures and recording their narration to describe what they've drawn, providing an opportunity to practice retelling before they begin writing. Digital storytelling relies on showing as much as telling, exemplifying that 21st-century literacy is more than just words on paper.

For students who aren't yet strong readers or confident speakers, or are new to the English language, creating digital stories provides an authentic opportunity to practice fluency. Digital stories are meant to be shown and shared; if you give your young learners headset microphones, they can record, listen, and rerecord until they are comfortable with their fluency and ready to incorporate their narration into the digital story.

Digital storytelling develops strong foundations in the craft of writing

The process of developing a digital story provides opportunities for students at all competency levels to develop and improve their writing craft. Many digital storytelling tools include a storyboard view of the pages in a project, helping students see how their writing is organized and providing an easy way to change the order events and ideas. Students can also look at the visual details in the pictures they have added to their stories and then enhance the story with additional descriptive writing.

Digital storytelling provides a compelling need to read and listen carefully and to write and edit effectively. Writing, adding images, writing more, rearranging the order of a project, and changing specific details helps students see that effective storytelling requires time, reflection, and editing.

Digital storytelling establishes the relevance of school work

Creating digital stories, like the ones they are watching on YouTube and Netflix, help young learners see how the skills they are learning in school connect to the world around them. "Why do we have to do this?" isn't heard that often in a room of eager primary learners, but crafting digital stories firmly answers this question and establishes that what is learned in school is relevant to their world outside of it.

What can primary students create?

While digital storytelling requires skill in narrative writing, it isn't limited to this form of writing. In fact, the most powerful writing often combines informational, narrative, and opinion writing to inform and entertain, to raise awareness, or to change behavior.

Original Stories

Many young students love to tell stories, and some of them are even interested in writing them down. But for others, getting the ideas in their head down onto paper is a struggle. Because effective digital stories, show, not tell; images and sounds are as integral to effective storytelling as the text itself, easing the stress many young students feel when asked to write.

You might choose to have reluctant writers brainstorm ideas and begin "writing" by finding and adding them to their story. Tools for digital storytelling, like Wixie, make it easy for students to change the order of pages and then use the recording feature to narrate their story without having to write at all. You could also have them record their ideas as a first draft, find a parent or assistant to type the words into a word processing document and then have them work to edit the printed version before recording again.

Pattern Story Adaptations

Emerging readers love pattern stories because they "know" what is coming next and can "read" the story without having to know how to read the words. You can also use patterns to build the confidence of your emerging writers by asking them to add just a few words to complete a pattern for a class adaption of your favorite story.

After reading your favorite pattern story, use its pattern, or develop your own version, and ask your students to complete it. If the pattern requires just one or two words to complete, students may be able to type on their own or with you at a station or interactive white board. Have students use paint and imaging tools to add supporting illustrations.

There are many great children's literature titles that are easy and fun to adapt. Many digital publishing tools, like Wixie, even let you create your own template that makes it easy for students to begin creating their page as well as tools that make it easy to collect, combine, and share their work as a class book.

How-to Instructions

While not a traditional narrative, how-to instructions make for a great digital storytelling project. How-to writing helps teach students the importance of organization and sequencing. Using digital tools to create a short series of pages that each contain a simple sentence or two along with supporting visuals and illustrations, allows emerging writers to create products that effectively communicate an idea or process.

Many young students have already used a YouTube video to learn how to make glitter slime, do simple card tricks, or complete holiday crafts. Some of them even know how to search and find a video on their own when they want to learn something. Developing and publishing their own how-to digital stories connects the work students are doing in school to the world they encounter outside of it.

Passion Projects

Everyone likes to be an expert and many young students have high-interest and high-expertise in a specific area. Create a learning culture that shows students you expect them to share their expertise with other learners, by challenging them to create informational texts that teach others about the topics they are passionate about.

When you ask young students to develop informational texts, the added benefit is that you end up with informational texts written at the level of your learners. While the Web contains a wealth of information on just about any topic, the content and reading level of the information is often way above the ability of primary students.

If you share student work online, or export as PDFs or eBooks, you let students know that their work is important. Your digital library can be full of literature and informational texts that were written and published by your students!

Raising Awareness and Inspiring Action

Stories inspire action. Use digital storytelling projects like opinion pieces or public service announcements to let learners know that their writing and publishing can change the world. Students use their growing writing and digital communication skills to raise awareness and educate others about issues for which they are passionate.

When first-grade teacher Barbara Fairchild's students were studying families, she asked them to create stories that shared their opinions as to why a special someone was their favorite relative. She supported her writers by structuring the project so students created pages that:

1. stated their opinion,

2. shared two or three reasons or examples to explain why, and

3. finished with a concluding statement

When several of the people mentioned in the stories cried after viewing them, students saw the power that their words and stories could have.

Let your emerging writers know you believe in them!

Not only are emerging writers and primary learners able to create digital stories, the process of creating them develops strong foundations for digital-age communication. Digital storytelling also provides a powerful opportunity for students to practice authentic digital literacy skills through work that is shared with the world beyond the classroom.

Popular Topics

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Digital Storytelling in the Primary Classroom

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Digital storytelling is a powerful way to connect young learners to reading, writing, and digital literacy. While students in the primary grades may be more likely to watch stories than read and write their own, today's digital tools make it easy for these emerging writers to create and publish their own stories.

# data[].attributes.body
Today my performance group and I practiced our group performance assignment, due in week 12. We worked through the script together for the first time and started the choreography of our dance. I think we made excellent progress today. We also recorded ourselves practicing so we can reflect and have a reference point for our blocking for next week.

What we did well-
I think that so far we are working very well together as a group. We have all taken on responsibilities based on our strengths and we are all contributing equally. Taliah and Indi have written the beginning and end drama scripts, I am writing the script for the media arts video, and Bella has taken on the role of choregraphing the dance. This system has worked very well as it ensures that everyone is making an equal contribution. It also means that we all get to work with our strengths, for example Bella is a dancer and I have past experience doing media ATAR.

I also am very happy with our idea and script for our drama section. I feel we are using the drama elements effectively. We use space and contrast by using different levels between the pirates and Indi to show who has the 'upper hand' or is winning at that time. We have used time by having slow motion during one of the sword fights. We have also planned to contrast in our costumes (symbol) to show the good vs evil, we are planning to have Indi wear white and the pirates to wear black.

I am happy with our dance as well. I believe that we are effectively utilizing the four elements of dance. I like how we have used space to have Indi, the princess, on the ground at multiple parts of the dance, showing that she is less powerful and being defeated than the pirates. We have also used space well by moving all around the room. I also like how we have used time to have slow motion movements in the sword fight, making it more dramatic. I also like how we have used relationships, having the pirates move together and in sync throughout the dance.

We presented a 20-30 second snipped of our drama segment to the class and we got good feedback, so that is a good indicator that we are on the right track.

What we can improve on-
The main thing I believe we have to improve on is memorizing our lines and becoming more confident. However this was only our first time running through the script together so I am not too concerned. We aim to be confident in our lines by next week.

I also think we can improve on adding more expressions and confidence to our characters. For example, when we need to do our 'evil laugh' we need to be louder and more confident. I also think we need to project our voices more.

I also think it would be a good idea to have a backdrop to put on the board. We could have a picture of the top of a pirate ship, making it more clear that we are on a pirate ship.

Another piece of feedback we received from Penny was that we should have a small piece of narration at the start to provide more context. This is because we jump right into the action. She suggested that we could have Indi speak directly to the audience. We are going to write this into our script.