The interactive story, My Grandmother’s Lingo, would be a great digital resource to inform and engage students. With the interactive story being digital content, it helps stimulate engagement with the students in the class. ‘Digital content can supplement primary instructional materials or drive a unit or lesson’ (Bixler, 2021). With the story presented by Angelina Joseph being interactive, this can help benefit the students learning as ‘stimulations and interactive models can deepen learning’ (Bixler, 2021). With interactive stories ‘guiding [students] them through a set experience’ (French, 2017), this helps promotes engagement for students as they will feel more attached to the story. Although interactive based content may not perfectly suit all learners with some students being more Kinesthetic learners, those who ‘learn through experiencing or doing things’ (Malvik, 2020). Visuals that are presented in My Grandmother’s Lingo still may cater for those Kinesthetic learners as they can still potentially be engaged through the moving visuals. Overall, the interactive story works to promote learning and engagement, while also in particular this story linking to first nations learning and culture.  

 

When using My Grandmother’s Lingo as a resource to teach the history of Indigenous cultures, it links heavily to AITSL standards 2.4, which is ‘Understand and respect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to promote reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians.’ (AITSL, 2018). This resource links heavily to standard 2.4 as using this particular resource helps show broad knowledge and understanding of indigenous culture, as well as promoting respect for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories, cultures and languages. 

 

The digital resource of My Grandmother’s Lingo will not only engage learners but informs them of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture and their history. The resource is suited to help majority of learners in the class. The digital resource positively links to AITSL standards 2.4, as it shows understanding and knowledge of the subject at hand while also showing respect to the cultures involved. The resource also relates to the themes of identity and Country.

 

 

Using this digital resource in the classroom would be a great way to catch the attention of students in the classroom as the resource involves song and dance which is considered to be an alternative resource to use when learning. The use of a musical resource in the classroom can help promote ‘development in language and reasoning’ (NAfME, 2014). As parts of the brain associated with using language and reasoning coincide with the part that is used for music. ‘The left side of the brain is better developed with music, and songs can help imprint information on young minds.’ (NAfME, 2014). As well as enhancing learns in unconventional way, the song also highlights the histories and culture that the modern-day indigenous person participates in as well shedding light on the task of balancing the traditional lifestyle and values while living in the modern-day world. The contents and background information of the song is relatable to students as they also live in the modern-day world and can relate to the song in that sense. The song then also works to inform students of the histories and traditions that are within Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people’s culture. 

 

 

The song Two Worlds works well in linking to AITSL standards 1.4 and 2.4. Buway’s song relates into standard 1.4 as the song has the ability to “Demonstrate broad knowledge and understanding of the impact of culture, cultural identity and linguistic background” (AITSL, 2018) through highlighting background cultures and traditions as well as indigenous languages. The song also fits into standard 2.4 as the song works to promote positive relationships and reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians, by comparing the two different lifestyle each culture provides and forming both into one.

 

 

Buway’s song overall can be used as great digital resource to help teach students on not only indigenous culture but how Indigenous Australians balance their own traditions with modern-day life in Australia, which students will be able to relate to as they too live in modern day Australia. In the goal of forming different perspective when experiencing Indigenous Australian culture and forming more respectful and positive relationships. 

 

 

The Dreamtime story of Mirram The Kangaroo and Warreen The Wombat would be a excellent digital resource to use in the classroom when learning about First Nations Peoples history, as the story gives great insight suited to primary school age level, on what Dreamtime stories are, the history of Indigenous Australians and their culture as well as a great understanding into what life was like during the Dreamtime for the Indigenous people. With the story being animated and full of detailed illustrations, it can be seen that this can have a positive impact on the learning experience for the students viewing the story as previous studies show that ‘it can be concluded that animated video stories had a positive effect on the learner’s achievement…[also] success shown over the development of the learner’s story writing skills’ (Rapada, 2021). This certain style of digital resource being an animated story, accommodates to majority of the learning styles seen in the classroom such as multiple core ones such as visual, auditory, and reading. The content within the animated story gives an insight appropriate to primary school student viewing, as the animations help depict the customs and traditions within the Dreamtime story. This allows for students to gather an understanding of the story suited to their level of learning, allowing them to grasp a better understanding of the content, resulting in the students viewing the resource to become more knowledgeable of Indigenous Australians culture which may also lead to more respectful relationships formed with the students and the history and culture of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

 

 

When using The Dreamtime story of of Mirram The Kangaroo and Warreen the Wombat as a digital resource in the classroom, it can be seen that the use of the story works well with AITSL standard 2.4 as the animated stories demonstrates broad knowledge and understanding of the Dreamtime, further resulting in students gathering these understandings. As a resource, the story can be used to help shed light on and pay respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories, cultures and language.

 

 

 

The Aboriginal dance workshop video is another kind of digital resource for teachers to use when teaching Indigenous culture to their students. Using a dance workshop in the form of an instructional video allows for students to participate in a more traditional indigenous way. While there may be health benefits to participating in dance such as ‘better coordination, agility, improved mental functioning and physical confidence’ (Better Health, 2013) another benefit and the main one for when using this resource in a classroom setting would be the highlighting of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture and how to perform such traditions such as traditional Aboriginal dances. This type of resource will be able to engage learners, especially those who are Kinesthetic learners as they will be more suited to learn through doing movements. 

 

 

This resource relates not only to AITSL standards but also themes of identity as this dance workshop works to promote Aboriginal histories and culture through the form of dance, relating heavily then to standard 2.4. The dance workshop also relates to the theme of identity and country as this expression of dance highlights the histories of those who came before. 

AITSL (2018). Assessment criteria for Graduate Teacher Standards 1.4 & 2.4 Supporting the Accreditation of initial teacher education programs in Australia: Standards and Procedures Acknowledgement of Country. [online] Available at: https://www.aitsl.edu.au/docs/default-source/initial-teacher-education-resources/aitsl_1-4-2-4_assessment_criteria_2020.pdf?sfvrsn=fe95f33c_4.

Better Health (2013). Dance - health benefits. [online] Vic.gov.au. Available at: https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/HealthyLiving/dance-health-benefits.

Bixler, N. (2021). How to use digital education resources effectively. [online] Hapara. Available at: https://hapara.com/blog/how-to-use-digital-education-resources-effectively/.

French, K. (2017). Why Interactive Content Brings People into Your Story. [online] Column Five. Available at: https://www.columnfivemedia.com/interactive-stories-bring-people-story/ [Accessed 6 Oct. 2022].

Joshua, A. (2016). My Grandmother’s Lingo. [online] SBS. Available at: https://www.sbs.com.au/mygrandmotherslingo/.

Malvik, C. (2020). 4 Types of Learning Styles: How to Accommodate a Diverse Group of Students | Rasmussen College. [online] Rasmussen.edu. Available at: https://www.rasmussen.edu/degrees/education/blog/types-of-learning-styles/.

NAfME. (2014). Important Benefits of Music In Our Schools. [online] Available at: https://nafme.org/important-benefits-of-music-in-our-schools/.

Rapada, R. & J. (2021). Animated Video Story as Innovative To Improve Grade 3 Learners’ Story Writing Skills. International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research Review. 1-12. [online] Available at: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/357477592_Animated_Video_Story_as_Innovative_To_Improve_Grade_3_Learners’_Story_Writing_Skills#:~:text=Hence%2C%20it%20can%20be%20concluded,level%20of%20story%20writing%20skills. [Accessed 8 Oct. 2022].

www.youtube.com. (2011). Dreamtime Stories - Mirram The Kangaroo and Warreen The Wombat. [online] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xDJrnldb08o&t=6s [Accessed 7 Oct. 2022].