Learning from Vicky Saumell: Digital Storytelling in Argentina

I have chosen to discuss this case study in particular, not only because it took place in my own country, Argentina, but also because I find the work this school and especially the person who has designed it (Vicky Saumell), truly remarkable.

What I find remarkable about this is how the whole organization of English teaching as changed as from the implementation of these projects. After deciding to leave the coursebooks aside, teachers started designing their own material and relying much more heavily on Web tools, and it I for this reason that both teachers and students began to work much more enthusiastically as their motivation grew because the topics treated were of the students’ interests.

Another positive aspect of this innovative way of working is that it fostered not only students’ motivation but also their decision-making, which strengthened their individuality at the same time it allowed for collaborative work, all 21^st century skills. You can have a look at Vicky’s own article about her project here, and you can have access to the work she has been doing with the students at her school here. 

We should definitely take this as a starting point to wonder about what things we can do in our own particular contexts to move farther away from coursebooks and favour a closer relationship to a manner of teaching which will be more motivating and definitely more significant to our students, whether that be through technology or not, is left to each of us to decide.