Visual, tactile and kinaesthetic senses are particularly important for young learners (http://www.acu.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0007/195676/Chapter_3_Multimodal_Literacy_M_Walsh.pdf). Engaging young learners in activities involving digital movie making provides opportunity to cater to the many different learning styles of lower primary aged children. Also the additional sensory input from learning in this way creates linked memories enhancing retrieval (http://www.eschoolnews.com/2008/03/26/analysis-how-multimedia-can-improve-learning/%20).
As well as traditional literacy, children need to learn skills of visual and aural literacy. These skills help their understanding and abilities to think and communicate (http://moodle.cqu.edu.au/mod/page/view.php?id=145984).
Below I have embedded my first foray with the Voki application. As a digital video tool that is very easy to navigate, lower primary children could be engaged easily in their learning. Mobile devices such as iPods make individual contributions to group activities so accessible. Such participation provides learning outcomes like :
- higher order thinking skills
- communication skills
- presentation skills
- literacy
- organizational and teamwork skills
The example I used with my Voki was a small history research assignment. Children could be divided into pairs or groups with an aspect or a few questions to research. Research could be using the internet or library books, or watching a suitable documentary. The Voki can be dressed and customized by the children. They could write their own script and record their own voices or select a voice from the Voki menu with an accent as I did. This required typing a script into the app (a literacy skill). The Voki provides a fun, engaging method of presentation after uploading to YouTube or a class Blog page.
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