The Hunger Gamesmr. Becker's Classroom

Becker's Healthcare Websites. With more than 17.4 million U.S. Households facing hunger, or one in every seven households nationwide, it is a dire public health concern. Food insecurity. About Curtis Curtis Becker is a distinguished teacher, author, editor, and publisher embarking upon his thirteenth year in the classroom (2019-20). He has inspired students at the middle school, high school, and college levels. Becker currently teaches first year composition at Emporia State University. Tom Becker's middle grade novel is a boy's own adventure that reimagines ESCAPE FROM COLDITZ into a dystopian setting. It's a fast-paced, breezy read but the world building is a little undercooked and the female characters depressingly stereotypical.

What is Transmedia?

Alrighty lets drive into transmedia and what that means to participate and how teachers can use that in the classroom. So first off, what we need o do is ask ourselves what is transmedia? And that is elements of media to which are spread out across multiple platforms to enhance story experience, (Kinder, 1991). Now this can include narrative and non-narrative aspects, (Alper & Herr-Stephenson, 2013).

Transformation

So I just touched on movement across multiple platforms, so what does that really mean? Well first off you will have your original story, so the book, the narrative, you then might find that it does get reimagined into a movie, so then you’ve got this extra level to transmedia, (Alper & Herr-Stephenson, 2013). Then you can put this up and discus this on online forums and communities. So there’s a big participation in that kind of area, which, and recently, has been moved onto mobile apps and games, (Alper & Herr-Stephenson, 2013). A lot more mobile and a lot more participation through that way.

History

Transmedia seems to be new however, it can be seen in much older stories. Media franchising is not a new idea and is essentially what transmedia is trying to explain, (Johnson, n.d.). So Spreadable Media (n.d) considered the bible as the most successful transmedia narrative. It has been successfully transformed into magnificent paintings and as technology improved, it has also reimagined into many movies, both for adults and children. Spreadable Media (n.d), also discusses that ancient Greek mythology was transformed and told through pottery, dating it before the term ‘transmedia’ was coined. Furthermore, there are now many blogs that discuss Greek mythology, such as John Tuohy’s, “It’s All Greek Mythology to Me”, which you can follow down below.

Participation and Today’s Transmedia Universe

Alright the movement of medias across multiple platforms has allowed participation to a new level, (Kinder, 1991). One can now find themselves immersed in an online universe, participating in transmedia storytelling, (Jenkins, 2006). Each medium however, does have their own part to the story, (Jenkins, 2006).

The Universe

As transmedia is so widespread now, there are many ways to participate in this universe. Online forums and discussion boards are a great way to imbed ones self into a universe. In depth discussions on theories and lore about a narrative shows the communities actively participating in transmedia. The Hunger Games page on Reddit is a great example of this. Click the link below to visit and find out more. Next we have interviews, now this can be a Q&A with authors or directors, as well as participation of characters, which enhances the transmedia universe. Blogs can also go hand in hand with discussion and online forums. Soundtracks can also be an immersive experience for the audience to feel included in the universe. Lastly, Henry Jenkins (2006), discusses that open ended games can change how the story develops and how the audience communicates with the narrative and other players.

In the Classroom

So next we need to ask ourselves how can we use this in the classroom? This is where Alper and Herr-Stephenson (2013), characteristics of transmedia play can come in. So firstly we have resourcefulness, this means that students are using all available tools And materials to creatively solve a problem within the transmedia universe. Next is social, so social is important can be both social interaction with proximity, both also interactions online, which is important for participation. Next is mobility, now this is the movement of creations across platforms. This is content that is created by students, for example; videos, pictures, blogs and so forth. Accessibility is where students can join transmedia play at different starting points through their own context and access. Now we go onto replayable, now this is perhaps the most important one. Students should have the ability to replay transmedia play as they explore and learn more about the universe. For online communities, they can join in newer conversations, and for open ended games, they may want to replay the game to produce a different outcome.

The Hunger Games

So then what is an example of using this within the classroom? So Suzanne Collins, the hunger games trilogy is a well known dystopia narrative. Teachers could use dystopias like the hunger games to encourage students to explore societal issues. Teachers can then encourage students to participate with online communities of the trilogy with their new knowledge of dystopias. The hunger games website includes a range of transmedia play devices, which I will include the link just down below.

Biology

Teachers can use transmedia to enhance the learning in not only English subjects, but in science too. Now there is many ways that we can use transmedia in biology classes. A great tool though, is Ted Ed talks, where students can patrtipate in discussions on those pages. Next they can go on about Blogs and leave comments. Going on to textbook, most textbooks will have websites that corresponds to them, allowing comments and discussions on those as well. Lastly, you can also get educational games for Biology.

Feel free to jump onto any other references, I have mentioned them throughout but there is some more interesting ones as well.

Alper, M., & Herr-Stephenson, R. (2013). Transmedia Play: Literacy Across Media. The National Association for Media Literacy Education’s Journal of Media Literacy Education, 5(2), 366-369. Retrieved April 27, 2018, from http://digitalcommons.uri.edu/jmle/vol5/iss2/2/www.jmle.org

Hunger Games. (n.d.). Retrieved from Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/Hungergames/

Jenkins, H. (2006). Convergence Culture: Where Old and New Media Collide. New York: New York University Press. Retrieved May 4, 2018, from https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=RlRVNikT06YC&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false

Johnson, D. (n.d.). A History of Transmedia Entertainment. Retrieved April 27, 2018, from Spreadable Media: http://spreadablemedia.org/essays/johnson/#.WuKFe4huZnJ

Kinder, M. (1991). Playing with Power in Movies, Television, and Video Games. University of California Press. Retrieved April 27, 2018, from https://publishing.cdlib.org/ucpressebooks/view?docId=ft4h4nb22p&chunk.id=d0e44&toc.depth=1&toc.id=&brand=ucpress

Teachers need to allow students the ability to explore new digital tools by becoming digital content creators which will give students purpose in these activities, (Howell, 2012). Digital fluency is very important within the classroom, students need to be exposed to digital tools so that they can develop their fluency and use it in a technological era

Blogs to follow for more on Digital Fluency: Jessica Ellen, Mrs Covich’s Classroom

Transcript:

Digital fluency is often a phrase we don’t hear about, but something we do understand however, can be hard to explain. To help explain it, we can think about what it means to be fluent in a language, where Mike Mayor (2015) discusses fluency is often referred to spoken language where there are no mistakes and flows almost like a river, nice and smooth, (Mayor, 2015). He also goes on about different proficiency levels and how that can be determined with how the language is used and what students do with the language.

Now if we discuss this idea of fluency in a language to digital fluency, it can almost mean that students are digital content creators, which I will get back to later, without produces mistakes. Their use of the digital tool can also be smooth, no need to research how to use something and thus they are confident in these digital tools. However, perhaps we shouldn’t state whether a student is digital fluent, but more so what level proficiency. Mayor (2015) discusses that this should be now how language fluency should be assessed, (Mayor, 2015), maybe we should do the same with digital fluency. Students may be on different levels depending on how they are using the digital tools and what they are creating digitally, whether it is more complex than others.

I guess we then need to discuss how digital fluency can be developed. Howell, (2012) believed that it comes down to three areas to which it can be developed and evolve essentially (Howell, 2012). There is no definite starting point for digital fluency, however these aspects all work together. Howell, (2012) discusses how students need to explore and experiment with a new digital tool. The students may call upon previous knowledge but, a key aspect is to experiment. In the case of word, students can experiment on how to change the text, add in a picture, how to edit the text. A lot of these is how something works, students then explore the boundaries and limitations of the tools. For word they might see how big the text can go, which can then lead them down the path to create signs that utilize one letter per page. Finding these boundaries can be extremely useful in creating digital content, a lot of it would be useful in formatting and then using these skills in other tools. This leads us to the topic of technology innovators which Howell (2012) terms as using this knowledge of boundaries and how things work to use and dispatch across other platforms, (Howell, 2012). This could be using it in a blog, forwarding and emailing student’s word documents to parents, to submissions of competitions, and moving on to using word to create content not normally done on word.,

All is good to have students experimenting with a digital tool, however, there needs to be a purpose of it, as Howell (2012) states, (Howell, 2012). If you were to put a student in front of a blank work document and tell them to experiment, you may find that they write their name and change it around a little bit. However, if you give them a purpose, say ask them to write a short story, you may find that they will engage in experimenting that little bit more. Furthermore, if you get them to say add a title and use word art for the title, and ask them to add in some pictures, either from the internet or icons, they are then experimenting and learning more again. You may also find that the students go beyond what you ask, which is ideal, that is what you want them to do, as Howell (2012) states, (Howell, 2012). These activities then build upon their digital knowledge, and asking students to add in pictures, well this can evolve and develop their internet searching skills when looking for a picture.

Now lastly, Howell (2012) talks about the need for creative activities, (Howell, 2012). This goes hand in hand with the other two aspects, as you need a purpose for experimenting to occur, but you need the students to create something for there to be a purpose. Getting students to create something from these tasks develops the students into digital content creators, which Howell (2012) terms the phrase, (Howell, 2012). Digital content creators are generally also technology innovators, they understand how something works, so how word works and how changing the font affects the feel of the content, and these technology innovators can then use it to create new and exciting digital content. For instance, students that understand word, can then go on and create a blog, something that can be like word, but is the next step up. This can be ever evolving, as new tools are developed, therefore there is new ways to use these tools and so forth.

Digital fluency is very important within the classroom, students need to be exposed to digital tools so that they can develop their fluency and use it in a technological era.

Ellen, J. (2016, April 16). Image 1. Retrieved May 3, 2018, from Teaching and Learning in the Digital World: https://jessicaellen2016.wordpress.com/

Howell, J. (2012). Teaching with ICT : Digital Pedagogies for Collaboration and Creativity. South Melbourne: Oxford University Press. Retrieved April 26, 2018, from https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/curtin/reader.action?docID=1986003&ppg=1

Mayor, M. (2015, August 4). What Does it Mean to Be Fluent in English? Retrieved April 26, 2018, from Pearson: https://www.english.com/blog/mean-fluent-english

Image sourced from: World Development Indicators, 2013

Allowing internet access within the classroom teaches proficiency, and also changes the type of education for an economy and society that is internet dependent, (Castells, 2002). Having a digital divide between populations, means there is a divide in knowledge of global economy and society. This digital divide between those that have access to this technology and knowledge can be limiting in schools, therefore, how can teachers bridge the gap?

While there is this digital divide, both globally and nationally, it can provide implications and limits to rural schools. The digital divide within Australia is narrowing, however, is also deepening, (Andreasson, 2015). More Australian households are connecting to the Internet, however, those that aren’t are getting left behind, (Andreasson, 2015). Between 2003 and 2013, the percentage of Australian households that had access to the internet rose from 53% to 90%, (Andreasson, 2015). Those that do not have access to the internet have an inactivity towards the online economy and society, and inability to connect to online government services, (Andreasson, 2015). More so, teaching in these rural communities can be difficult, where having internet access may allow rural students to connect to an online class, allowing students access to a collaborative classroom.

Some developing countries do have the infrastructure and access to the internet, however, it is too costly and not considered a priority, (Hempel, 2016). Mark Zuckerberg believed that internet access should be a priority and developed schema with service providers to launch internet.org, a free internet service for India, (Hempel, 2016). Using this innovation to better connect the world, teachers can help bridge the digital divide.

Teachers need to be able to facilitate students’ need for technological knowledge, by utilizing digital tools within the classroom. Besides schools, libraries are another place to which the population can learn this technology and actively participate online. Teachers and librarians have a similar role with technology, they should provide access to the internet and allow pupils various formats online where they can use their imagination, (Aqili & Moghaddam, 2007). Teachers are key to bridging the digital divide as they allow less fortunate students the ability and equality to education.

Andreasson, K. (2015). Digital Divide: The New Challenges and Opportunities of e-Inclusion. Boca Raton: CRC Press. Retrieved May 3, 2018 from https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=9Z4XBgAAQBAJ&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q=narrowing&f=false

Aqili, S., & Moghaddam, A. (2007). Bridging the Digital Divide. The Elctronic Library, 26(2), 226-237. Retrieved May 2, 2018, from https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Alireza_Isfandyari-Moghaddam/publication/220677421_Bridging_the_digital_divide_-_The_role_of_librarians_and_information_professionals_in_the_third_millennium/links/5856a7eb08ae81995eb6b40e/Bridging-the-digital-divide-T

Castells, M. (2002). The Internet Galaxy: Reflections on the Internet, Business, and Society. New York: Oxford University Press. Retrieved May 2, 2018, from https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=Q1Mo-3ObWWgC&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false

Dijk, V. (2006). The Network Society (2 ed.). London: SAGE. Retrieved May 2, 2018

Hempel, J. (2016, January 19). Inside Facebook’s Ambitious Plan to Connect the Whole World. Retrieved April 17, 2018, from Wired: https://www.wired.com/2016/01/facebook-zuckerberg-internet-org/

Banner sourced from: Areadne (2015)

Teachers are resource curators, however, as more sources are found online, teachers are becoming more so, digital curators, (Flintoff, Mellow, & Pickett Clark, 2014). A blog is a good digital tool for teachers to store resources and experiences of teaching throughout their teaching career. Furthermore, using a blog gives other teachers access to a range of resources which they may not have considered otherwise. It is also essential to be able to leave comments on a blog post, which could be useful for teachers as they can participate in educational discussions, broadening their understanding and gaining new knowledge, (Kuzu, 2007). Thus the purpose of this blog is a collection of resources and creating a positive digital footprint towards a professional teaching career.

Blog to follow for beginning teachers: Amy Brown Science

Furthermore, teachers that are enthusiastic of using digital tools will need to understand that sometimes there is limitations and affordances that need to be considered within an area. Depending on these affordances, can limit the exposure of students to the digital world which can lead to teachers struggling to improve students’ digital fluency. However, it is the role of the teacher to bridge this digital divide and provide students with the best exposure of digital tools at school, (Howell, 2012). Teachers need to adopt a new attitude towards digital tools, becoming “digitally fearless” (Howell, 2012), as one limitation is with the teacher themselves, (Becker, 2007).

As the use of technology in the classroom increases, the teaching of literacy is also required to increase, so that students can decipher and understand underlining societal issues within digital texts, (Murnane, Sawhill, & Snow, 2012). Students can then decipher texts, like that of The Hunger Games Trilogy written by Suzanne Collins, and use their knowledge of online communities and forums to discuss their new knowledge of a dystopia narrative, (Curwood, 2013). Therefore, teaching technology within the classroom is important, so that students can decipher important information from online, and actively participate with these communities and spark motivation for life-long learning.

The Hunger Gamesmr. Becker's Classroom Activities

Becker, K. (2007). Digital game-based learning once removed: Teaching teachers. British Journal of Education Technology, 38(3), 478-488. Retrieved April 29, 2018, from https://onlinelibrary-wiley-com.dbgw.lis.curtin.edu.au/doi/epdf/10.1111/j.1467-8535.2007.00711.x

Curwood, J. (2013). The Hunger Games: Literature, Literacy, and Online Affinity Spaces. Language Arts, 90(6), 417-427. Retrieved April 30, 2018, from http://www.jstor.org/stable/pdf/24575002.pdf?refreqid=excelsior:16cf5f29d6072d88f289a39f1f76c44c

Flintoff, K., Mellow, P., & Pickett Clark, K. (2014, January 29). Digital curation: Opportunities for learning, teaching, research and professional development. Retrieved April 30, 2018, from Teaching and Learning Forum 2014: http://clt.curtin.edu.au/events/conferences/tlf/tlf2014/refereed/flintoff.html

The Hunger Gamesmr. Becker's Classroom Management

Kuzu, A. (2007). Views of Pre-Service Teachers on Blog Use For Instruction and Social Interaction. Turkish Online Journal of Distance Education, 8(2), 34-51. Retrieved April 30, 2018, from http://dergipark.ulakbim.gov.tr/tojde/article/view/5000102759/5000095854

The Hunger Gamesmr. Becker's Classroom Lesson

Murnane, R., Sawhill, I., & Snow, C. (2012). Literacy Challenges for the Twenty-First Century: Introducing the Issue. The Future of Children, 22(2), 3-15. Retrieved April 29, 2018, from https://search-proquest-com.dbgw.lis.curtin.edu.au/docview/1364705157?accountid=10382

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