Over the last two weeks, the Year 4 classes have been using green screen movie making techniques to publish their historical narratives of a convict. Why bother with this? There are many reasons to choose this strategy – with a key reason being to add depth to the student’s level of understanding.
In an historical narrative, the students have to write from the perspective of the character and to complete a piece of writing of high quality, they need to bring the time and place alive. They also have to vividly describe the experiences of the character and their values and to refer to relevant and historically accurate details.
In selecting a costume to wear for their character for their green-screen filming, the student has to refer to their research and knowledge about the historical context of their character. In selecting a backdrop (photo in this case) for their filming they will also have to select carefully so that they can represent the appropriate setting for their character.
Being aware of this way of publishing their work will assist the students throughout the writing process. This will be especially so for students who require visual stimulus for the generation of their ideas.
Finally, bringing this creation together requires technical skills but also aspects of media, visual and digital literacy. We know that the future world for our students will be a complex one. Experiences of this type undoubtedly deepen students’understanding. They also, however, provide them with opportunities to use technology for purposes that technology is best used for – in ways that expand their horizons and in ways that require creativity, collaboration and problem-solving.