MLT0101

Maureen Walsh extrapolates that literacy functions are on two levels: On one level; Literacy is
tied to schooling and curriculum and on the other, literacy is innovative, design based and fairly
radical in its approach.
Study conducted with sixteen teachers in nine primary classrooms (K-6) in the Sydney metropolitan
area. Teachers worked within teams, combining print and digital texts
for students’ engagement in reading, responding to, viewing, writing and
producing texts. The results provide specific examples of ways in which
teachers and students were engaging with digital communication for literacy
learning and shaping future classrooms.
Just for example this case

1.CASE STUDY: DIGI-CHICKS

Two teachers in the one school worked with their kindergarten and year one class respectively to
have their students learn and develop literacy through investigation.
So In this case study teachers planned to incorporate aspects of digital technology to enable
students to investigate, communicate, reflect on and produce results of their learning.
Students observed the life cycle of chickens from the embryo in an egg to full growth and listened to
explanations of the different stages of learning new vocabularly.
Observations were enhanced by use of light table, magnifying glass and a digital microscope with
images transferred onto computer screen and saved. These photos with other photos from the
webcam were saved and used from an online diary in Voice Thread (voicethread.com).
Teachers extended oral language structures of sequencing and explaining and scaffolded these with
audio recorded explanations on teacher-made postcards.
Students read and viewed information books, class displays of posters, display of pop-up cards, and
the information in the online journals. The teacher modelled reading of a range of texts, reading and
viewing internet sites and video. Print and digital displays were used to scaffolds for joint writing of
explanations and for Claymation

RESULTS:
Students were engaged in various aspects of literacy – reading and writing – along with
other practices enabled and enhanced by digital communications technology; Students
were highly motivated to work together not only to use the technology but also to
create products that were evidence of their learning.

2.Case study: Students researched British Colonisation, focusing on specific aspects in

three groups: Law, the Environment and Disease.

Students completed research, worked in groups on tasks related to their areas, completed
written exposition, art works, displays. All brought together into producing
the exposition on a movie in Media Maker while learning the e technology
and use of Smart Board.
Through collaborative groups: Students planned the organization of research and the presentation
of the final product using Media Maker;
Produced voice recordings using a microphone linked to a computer. This recording was then used
in Media Player;

In this investigation of Federation students:

• read and viewed information in texts and on websites;
• read, compared and evaluated other expositions on Federation;
• read the work of peers using Smartboard and responded critically.

Students planned and produced:

• joint/small group construction of exposition – emphasis on developing
cohesive paragraphs;with Media Maker created a short film using the exposition written
by the class. Students incorporated aspects of visual literacy which
impacted on the persuasiveness of the final product.

RESULTS:
The facilities of technology motivated and engaged students with visual moving screens
and speedy access information about real events and places through virtual searches
and experiences as well as through traditional texts.

REBUTTAL
The arguments presented above and the results of the study may be applicable to first-world
countries. However, in the context of the Philippine Educational setting, there are several factors and
critical issues related to academic integrity that need to be addressed especially concerning digital
literacy and the digital divide among students. In today's educational landscape; In an era
where technology holds a pivotal role in education, it is imperative to grasp how students navigate
this digital realm. Consequently, how both digital literacy and the digital divide impact
Philippine academic integrity. The Adoption of a learner-centered paradigm well then plays a
crucial role in supporting digital literacy in Philippine Educational System.

By embracing a learner-centered paradigm, educational institutions can better prepare students to

navigate the digital landscape with assurance, ensuring that they not only have the technical skills
but also the critical thinking and ethical considerations necessary for responsible and effective digital
citizenship.

Furthermore, in the Philippine Educational System; the Digital Divide remains a persistent
issue, with disparities in access to technology and the internet disproportionately affecting
underprivileged students. This inequality in digital access can exacerbate the challenges among
students face in maintaining academic integrity, as they might resort to unethical practices due to
limited resources. Therefore, Understanding the interplay between the digital divide, academic
integrity, and digital literacy in the Philippines is crucial for devising targeted interventions and
policies to bridge these gaps. In education spectrum, several factors were consistently determined
that affects digital divide by many researchers including years of age, level of education, gender,
family income, socio-economic standing, quality of life, huge digital gap, financial inadequacy, lack of
school technological equipment, and school support (Elena-Bucea et al., 2021, Soomro, 2020,
Coleman, 2021).). Hence, these factors hindered Some filipino students to access technology
resulting to poor learning attainability considering that modern educational norms now have shifted
through the height of the recent COVID-19 pandemic.

If the Philippine education authorities underscore the urgency of addressing these concerns through
the enhancement of digital literacy education and the promotion of equitable access to digital tools;
then there is maybe possibility that the results of the study conducted in Australia may successfully
apply here in the Philippines.

“IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO DO JUSTICE IN THE ARTICLES PRESENTED BY MAUREEN WALSH,

NOR IS THE PURPOSE OF THE RESEARCH IS TO PRESENT A GUIDE ON HOW TO USE
TECHNOLOGY IN THE CLASSROOM. RATHER, DETAILED EXAMPLES FROM THE
RESEARCH ARE PRESENTED AS EVIDENCE OF CLASSROOM CHANGES THAT HAVE
ALREADY OCCURRED AND TO PROVIDE IDEAS AND REFLECTIONS FOR TEACHERS.”