Interactive Breakout Session SKI41
The Digital World and Education: Engaging Learners Through Digital Narratives
Educators have recognised that in order for learners to thrive in a digital world and a digital economy they need a set of 21st century skills, which include visual and information literacy skills as well as scientific and technological literacy skills. A digital narrative is a type of visual media assignment that is designed to help students cultivate some of these skills through creating student-generated digital content.
This session focuses on the use of digital narratives as a way of engaging students with science and other disciplines and helping them appreciate the complex process of scientific discovery and exploration of the world we live in. Through the process of researching their topic, outlining the narrative, writing a storyboard, selecting appropriate images and creating a movie, students develop a diverse set of skills: effective communication, peer collaboration, critical thinking, visual and information literacy, and technological efficiency. Students’ personal reflections and survey results show that a majority of students enjoyed the project, understood the process of science better than just reading about it and acquired skills they could use in the future.
How can you engage learners through digital narratives? Discuss ideas for your setting based on a project which was undertaken by the facilitators to explore novel ways of teaching both digital literacies and digital skills to students in an engaging environment that allows for student-led design and collaborative learning.
Moderators
Hoda Mostafa
Associate Director, Associate Professor of Practice, The American University in Cairo, Egypt
Hoda Mostafa is currently as Associate Professor of Practice and Associate Director at the Center for Learning and Teaching, American University in Cairo. She teaches freshman within a multi-section course, Scientific Thinking and has also designed and developed a course on Creativity and Creative Problem Solving, exploring design thinking and educational game design with her students. She has also participated in the planning, design and implementation of a new Freshman Program in 2013 and continues to work on foundational teaching and learning at AUC.
As a faculty developer she designs and facilitates professional development workshops for faculty and teaching assistants over a wide range of topics including pedagogy, assessment and integration of educational technology into the classroom. She also works on the dissemination and promotion of innovative teaching practices into the classroom. Her interests include integrating creative thinking, critical thinking and scientific thinking into primary level higher education and helping in the advancement of these habits of mind in Egyptian society.
Links
Aziza Ellozy
Professor of Practice and Director, The American University in Cairo, Egypt
Aziza Ragai Ellozy is Professor of Practice, the founding Director of the Center for Learning and Teaching (CLT, 2002) and the Associate Dean for Learning Technologies at the American University in Cairo, Egypt.
Under her leadership, the Center for Learning and Teaching provides significant support for the enhancement of teaching, learning, and faculty development. Dr. Ellozy has overseen the successful implementation of a large number of programs and services such as the Faculty Development Institutes, the Student Technology Assistants Program and the Midterm Assessment Program. As Associate Dean for Learning Technologies, she is responsible for coordinating the technology-related activities of Center for Learning and Teaching, University Academic Computing Technologies, Classroom Technologies and Media Services, the students’ Learning Commons and the Libraries.
Dr. Ellozy has fostered several international faculty development collaborations, including the Center for Teaching & Faculty Development (CTFD), UMass Amherst, US, the Columbia Center for New Media Teaching and Learning (CCNMTL) at Columbia University, US, the Palestine Faculty Development Program/AMIDEAST and recently with EDRAAK, the first non-profit Arab MOOC platform. These long term collaborations span a wide variety of activities, from consultations on a range of teaching, learning and faculty development issues to collaborative technology projects.
Dr. Ellozy has given keynote speeches, invited presentations, consultations and workshops in Morocco, Portugal, the West Bank, Denmark, South Africa, Germany, Saudi Arabia, Greece, Italy, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and the US, and is considered a regional faculty development expert.
In 2007, Dr. Ellozy was awarded AUC’s President’s Distinguished Service Award and in 2011 she received AUC’s Excellence in Academic Service Award. She received the Provost’s Award for exceptional leadership of the Center for Learning and Teaching in 2012, and in 2013 she received the President’s Catalyst for Change Award.
Links
http://www.aucegypt.edu/llt/clt/contact…