Practices

Thematic Field: Literacy
Training teachers to make READing fun through digITal storytelling
Comenius Multilateral Project
Institutions involved:
University College Lillebælt (Denmark), Marsilio Editori (Italy), Scottish Book Trust
(United Kingdom), Curtea Veche Publishing (Romania), Rüştü Akin Kiz Teknik Meslek
Lisesi (Turkey), Liceul Teoretic “Ovidius” Constanţa (Romania)
Coordinating institution:
Università degli Studi Guglielmo Marconi-Telematica (Italy)
Key words: Digitalisation and literacy, Teaching skills, Reading and writing skills,
Promotion of reading
Description:
OCED data (2009) suggest that teachers often lack ICT skills, which prevents schools
from fully exploiting technology to improve teaching and learning. To keep up the
fast-moving technology, teachers need to be trained to integrate ICT in the classroom.
In this context, the READ IT project aims to improve teacher skills through a
methodology based on video production using digital storytelling, developing new
teaching approaches through the use of ICT to support learning. According to the
2009 Horizon Report, "There is a growing need for formal instruction in key new skills,
including information literacy, visual literacy and technology literacy. Digital media
literacy continues its rise in importance as a key skill in every discipline and
profession". In response to this, the project aims at developing an innovative didactic
methodology that integrates traditional teaching strategies with ICT tools to help
teachers acquire new skills through video production using digital storytelling
techniques. The techniques can be applied to different subjects but in this project
production of book trailers was used as a method to promote literature appreciation.
The main outcomes are an e-learning platform delivering the e-course for teachers,
READ IT methodology for video production and digital storytelling and modular course,
Face-to-face seminars in each partner country involving teachers and students and
Book trailers. Through the training, teachers will learn and test a new educational
approach, based on digital technology (i.e. book trailers) that can help raise the
interest level and motivate students to read. Students will not only learn about
storytelling and how books are constructed, but will also develop transversal skills
(e.g. communicative, ICT, teambuilding) useful for future professional development.
The innovative aspect of the READ IT didactic methodology is to combine the
technology in terms of Digital Storytelling and book trailer production with writing
techniques such as narrative and screenplay to reinforce teaching of reading and
writing in an interactive, creative and authentic way.
Duration:
2010-2012
Webpage:
http://www.readitproject.eu
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