Curriculum through Literacy - Case Study Example

Curriculum through Literacy Name Institution Curriculum through Literacy The Australian Curriculum has been designed in a manner that ensures the main intellectual capabilities of the student fully are developed. These capabilities include literacy, numeracy, information and communication technology, critical and creative thinking, ethical behaviour, personal and social capabilities, intercultural understanding (McPherson, 1995). The Australian government is devoted to ensuring every child acquires quality education. The use of YouTube as a resource learning centre effectively conveys audio, visual and animations in assisting the learner. This instructional material adopts latest technologies in developing the skills and the mental capabilities of the student (Cerone, 2012). This resource meets the requirements of the Education Reform Agenda in digitalizing education in Australia. Video One: English and Communication http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=azoAPF5Dw4I&list=PLB1D207A242DE1F91&index=1&feature=plpp_video This work is focused on assessing how the YouTube digital resource effectively covers the curriculum content in the two areas (English and Communication). First, we will analyse whether the digital instructional materials meet the required standards set by the Australian Education Curriculum; whose emphasis, according to McPherson (1995),is on importance of knowledge, understanding and skills of learning areas. This analysis will be based on the sample videos retrieved from the YouTube. The used modules will be analysed in respect to their ability to enhance literacy level of the learner. The assessment of this pedagogy is based on the specific needs of students at level 4. This is done with an understanding that every student has special capabilities that must be harnessed. Each video from the YouTube has a lot of content to be analysed. For instance, we can begin with the video about exchanging opinions. By use of this video, a student is able to learn both English and communications. The learner is in a position to understand ways in which one can disagree with another without having to raise the tempo. The disagreement in this case has been done in a way that is least offensive to the other party. This tool manages to help the learner fully understand fruitful ways of asking for another person’s opinion. Besides, a student using this learning module will also meet the curriculum requirement of constructive response of verbal and non-verbal audience. Learning this aspect is useful to all kinds of students. This explains how the curriculum has been designed to accommodate unique interests and abilities of students. Wash (2010) reiterates that the success of a curriculum is in the meeting of individual needs of students. Another requirement under speaking and listening for a grade 5 students is the variation in tone and pace in order to add emphasis. It also has to do with the choice of words during communication. This is effective to express feelings about the subject. The learner using this tool is in a position to master these communication facets. They have been clearly illustrated through the conversion in the video. How quick a student is able to master this is dependent both on the capabilities of the student and the teaching context. Video Two: English and Communication http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1xKnOe8hirA&feature=bf_next&list=PLB1D207A242DE1F91 Our next video is about expression of feelings of which our major emphasis will be upon learning prepositions and adjectives. By using this video, the learner is in a position to quickly master the use of preposition. The link does not just focus on teaching the student about preposition, but the setting allows the student to master other aspects of the curriculum. The content in this video is informative in an overall perspective. It focuses on enriching the learner on various aspects. Comparing the content and the course requirement for grade 5, it only illustrates how effective this tool is. In teaching the learner about English, there is a demonstration of the structure of a sentence. This is definitely appropriate to grade 5 students. The student learns that a sentence structure should be an adjective followed by a preposition in that order. According to the assessment by Donnelly (2004), this tool is using an integrated approach to assist the learner understand the literary content of this whole stuff. The content in this video meets the learner goal alignment. This is true in relation to some of the objectives set for students in grade 5. Donnelly (2004) asserts that this approach has minimized mismatch between learning and subsequent assessment. For instance, the teaching on prepositions is in tandem with the writing objective of how to organize main and subordinate ideas. This is accordingto the Victorian Essential Learning Standard. In relation to communication, the focus is on listening, viewing and responding. This module seems to meet all these learning objectives about communication. It all surrounds the conversation Jen is having with her friend. One of the objectives of a grade 5 student in relation to communication is asking relevant questions to stimulate better understanding. Silverman and Poynter (2004) demonstrate how this frameworkprovides a heuristic approach suitable for digital resources. The way students learn communication is practical, social and intriguing. Through this module, the student benefits greatly with facial impressions that accompany the message being delivered. This is from the digital learning material (video). Video Three: English and Communication http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MW3rTX6tXvI&feature=bf_next&list=PLB1D207A242DE1F91 The third video is about technology. The students learn a multiple of both skills and knowledge. In this module, the student is equipped with a variety of learning skills that are necessary in daily life setting (Pomerantz, 2001). The teacher using this material will realize better outcomes due to the wonderful blend of face-to-face and digital learning. The subject of technology has been used to teach the students not only technology, but with English and communication. The use of one subject to teach a variety of skills helps meet the needs of different categories of students.The writing by Donnelly (2004) illustrates howthis approach effectively addresses active and reflective learners; global and sequential learners. Walsh (2010) says that the fruition of this is based on the understanding of the fact that whatever a student learns is always less than what the teacher teaches.The blend adopted in this approach therefore focuses on maximizing student learning. More so, this approach suites most of the learning contexts in which the learning might be taking place. This video can assist a grade 5 learner to learn about morphemic knowledge, visual and phonic patterns (Lyons, 2002). The knowledge of the learner will be enriched starting from the simple words to compound words. This is in line with the requirement for the students in this grade. Similarly, the communication has also been enhanced through this module. The learning process of a student especially in this grade reaches apogee when all the required elements have been observed and they can be manifested in the learner. The presentation skills learnt in this video module is in relation to use of appropriate comments and questions to provide feedback on others’ presentation. Feedback is one way of gauging communication effectiveness. Video Four: English and Communicationhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OFFNQmqlgOo&feature=bf_next&list=PLB1D207A242DE1F91 The other video link relates to religion. Students use this platform of religion to learn much about English and communications. First, this arena of religion has been used to explain to the student a number of vocabularies that they can understand easily. When we analyse this in relation to the curriculum requirement for the English unit we come to understand how this is relevant to a grade 5 student in Australia. From the narrative, the student is equipped with ability to identify sociocultural values, attitudes and believes in this given narrative. A part from the literary skills gained, the learner is also in a position to learn about religion. Donnelly (2004) explains this as a way of signifying the diversity of this approach that has been adopted. This approach renders slim the possibilities of learning and teaching mismatches. Learning and teaching mismatches are the greatest player in curriculum failure and subsequent dropouts. This approach by all possible means reduces the loss of potential professionals. This in its own sense promotes the child’s academic progress. The approach adopted promotes the student’s ability in terms of literary understanding. It is applicable in almost every arena. The subject of religion used in this study package is also successful in learning communication skills. The exchange of ideas and knowledge between the two participants in the module is all about communication. To a grade 5 student, he/she benefits a lot from this kind of approach. What facilitates easy understanding to this student is in relation to the fact that the topic is what the learner can easily relate with. Besides, the precision, brevity and simplicity in the presentation of facts benefit a lot the student in this grade. One of the communication aspects required according to a student in grade 5 is the use of non-verbal strategies in this particular video. The variation in facial expression seen is in line with the message being passed across. From the video, one noticeable thing is that when a party is seriously expecting a response from the other, they look directly into their eyes. It can be seen from both the deliverer and the receptor of the message. The student learns how to add weight to the message they are delivering during communication. Video Five: English and Communication http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W0zBXxTWcpg&feature=bf_next&list=PLB1D207A242DE1F91 The next video link is about an interview session. It relates to preparation and subsequent presentation in the interview room. A number of items can be learnt from this particular video stream. To a grade 5 pupil, there is also pretty much suiting his or her curriculum. One critical thing in an interview is always the choice of words. According to McPherson (1995), this is one way of reaching a student in this grade with a whole spectrum of learning styles. This has been really highlighted by the interviewee in this particular interview. According to Victorian Essential Learning Standards, the use of analysis and discussion of perspectives in varying contexts is important in meeting the curriculum requirements. Walsh (2010) explains how this particular instructional material is successful in shaping these analytical and discussion skills. This is fully covered in the kind of skills translated in the interview. The analytical skills of the student in this grade are modelled through listening to this interview. The student is in a position to quickly understand the specific items of literature that the interviewer is targeting from the interviewee. When it comes to communication, this aspect of learning has also been addressed by aid of this digital teaching material. The focus in the video stream is a conversation between the interviewer and the interviewee. The curriculum content for grade 5 students in relation to this video covers the aspect of using simple criteria and strategies to evaluate others’ presentation. The use of words like: it sounds like, obviously, etc. is useful in assessing the presentation of the other party. This shows that the students will gain a lot if they are taught using this module. The practicality of the examples used in this module of teaching must be very appealing to the grade 5 student. Another skill that a teacher will be able to help the student easily grasp is in relation to relevant questioning to improve understanding. In spite of the fact that the interviewer had some information about the interviewee, there is a way in which she asks the questions in order to stimulate further responses. The student at this level will require this to help him in his progression academically; this includes during groupdiscussions and other forums. At the end of it, this module will assist the student in his or her overall understanding in relation to communication. Video Six: English and Communication http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0GaG1T8v9k&feature=bf_next&list=PLB1D207A242DE1F91 Finally, we analyse the curriculum content of English and communication in connection to the video about computers. We are going to use the various aspect used in the video to justify how it is useful in promoting literacy among grade 5 students. The video relates to a person showing her friend how to get some stuff from the internet. We want to find out if the structure, content and mode of presentation of this material can benefit the grade 5 student in Australian school system. In relation to English, the student is definitely enriched based on a number of aspects. One of the curriculum requirements for English is attentive listening to spoken, live and recorded messages. The attentiveness as illustrated in this video teaching module is important in taking the right steps in anything. The student who was being taught the use of a browser was able to get the procedure right because she attentively listened to the procedures. One aspect of learning that pops up in relation to this subject is the practicality of the content being taught. Another curriculum aspect required by the grade 5 students for English course is posing the right questions in order to clarify meaning and understanding. Similarly, a grade 5 student will be able to acquire a lot in relation to communication. This can be tapped from the conversation between the girls in the video. Though the conversation is just about computer related items, there is a lot to be learnt by a student. This is what Pomerantz (2010) has highlighted with the sense of integrating learning modules. This can be corroborated by using some of the pieces of communication adopted here. For instance, there is use of specialized language in order to support effective communication in different contexts. A very good example is the exclusive use of the word spam. The word relays the meaning of junk mail in a technical language. It is a unique word to refer to all unwanted mails. Most of the students at this level can easily relate to the subject in the discussion. This will improve the student’s ability to learn such communication terms in specialized field. References Cerone, F.H. (2012). Digital learning object repositories. OCLC Systems & Services, 28(1), p14-16. Constable, M. (2011). Origination and Exploitation of high-quality digital materials for courseware development: a student-centred approach. Digital Creativity, 12(4), p215. Donnelly, K.(2004). Education Agenda. Institute of Public Affairs Review, 56(3), p29. Lyons, M. (2002). K-12 Instructions and Digital Access to Archival Materials. Journal of Archival Organization, 1(1), p19-34. McPherson, G.E. (1995). Integrating the arts into the general curriculum: An Australian perspective. Arts Education Policy Review, 97(1), p25. Pomerantz, L. (2001). Bridging the Digital Divide: Reflections on Teaching and Learning in the Digital Age. History Teacher, 34(4), p509. Silverman, F.H. & Poynter, D. (2004). Self-Publishing Textbooks and Instructional Materials. Gloucester, MA: Atlantic Path Publishing. Walsh, C. (2010). Systems-based literacy practices: Digital games research, gameplay and design. Australian Journal of Language and Literacy, 33(1), p24-40. Read More