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Statement of Intention

For this assignment I have chosen to use ‘Story Jumper’, a free program that allows 

you to create an online ‘picture book.’ I was initially going to use ‘Storybird’ which 

describes itself as “short, art-inspired stories you make to share, read and print.” 

While the two programs are very similar, Storybird is more art focused (it does not 

allow you to use your own artworks or photographs) while Story Jumper does. 

Storybird is also more focused on ‘collaborative storytelling’ while Story Jumper 

lacks this element. In short, both programs provide scenes, props and ideas to aid in 

the creation of a virtual storybook.

I chose Story Jumper as I wanted the freedom to use my own images and pictures. I 

still wanted my images to look illustrated as in a storybook, but lack the skill to draw. 

I combated this by experimenting with a free program called ‘AKVIS Sketch’ which 

allows the user to transform photos or pictures into ‘sketches’, with adjustable 

settings (this is just one of many programs that does this). I thought that this could 

be a valuable tool for students if they wanted to have a hand-drawn look but lacked 

the natural ability (it also appeals to the media teacher in me). Alternatively, 

students could contribute their own artwork if they are passionate about that, and 

this would provide artistic students with a valuable opportunity to contribute to a 

class writing assignment in a visual way. Ideally, I would give students the option of 

using either Storybird or Story Jumper, as some students may instead want to focus 

solely on their creative writing which Storybird, with its collaborative style and 

provided artwork, would better facilitate.

Statement of Intention continued...

The purpose of my assignment and using the mode that I did was to briefly explore 

just a few issues I anticipate coming up against but to do so in a creative way 

utilising ICT. I think creativity is THE most important thing (as reflected in my Story 

Jumper), and practicing the way in which ICT can not only just be ‘used’ but ‘used 

to enhance’ learning is both a VELS requirement and an integral part of being a 

modern teacher. The issues I chose to explore included gender in the classroom, 

the importance of grammar and how it can be used to improve student writing, 

NAPLAN, The new national curriculum, the use of ICT in the English classroom 

and the importance of creativity in schooling today.

My ‘audience’ is specifically a tutor from this subject, but to keep in line with the 

storybook form I had chosen I attempted (clumsily) to integrate multiple issues 

regarding English teaching in the 21 st Century with the character of ‘Virginia’, a 

first year out graduate teacher. The concept was that Virginia would ‘journey’ 

through these issues, learning more along the way. In terms of addressing a 

broader audience, I believe this ‘book’ would resonate with any graduate teacher 

struggling with the myriad issues facing the modern English teaching, while 

attempting to build their own teacher ‘identity’ in their first year.

Once upon a time there was a girl named Virginia. She was a 

graduate secondary school teacher, and was ready to enter the 

classroom after a year at university.

She knew the she was going to love teaching English, but there 

were just so many   issues to traverse in the 21 st century as an  

English teacher. She was a little bit scared...

So, Virginia began to do some research. She knew that English 

teaching was important, but wanted to know more about why.

The ACARA rationale for English suggests, “The study of 

English is central to the learning and development of all young 

Australians. It helps create confident communicators, 

imaginative thinkers and informed citizens… It helps them 

become ethical, thoughtful, informed and active members of 

society.”

So in other words, English plays an integral part in developing 

the understanding, attitudes and capabilities of those who will 

help change the future of Australia.

Virginia was beginning to understand the importance of this 

subject in schools, and her role in teaching it…

One of the ‘aims’ of ACARA English 

especially stood out to her, 

“English aims to ensure that 

students learn to listen to, read, 

view, speak, write, create and reflect 

on increasingly complex and 

sophisticated spoken, written and 

multimodal texts across a growing 

range of contexts with accuracy, 

fluency and purpose.”

One of the ACARA aims was for students to ‘create.’ 

Virginia believed very strongly in the importance of 

creativity in the English classroom. 

Firstly, ‘create’ was at the highest level of Blooms 

taxonomy, and so encourages the highest order thinking in 

students. 

Virginia also believed that the world is especially in need 

of creative thinkers as we face a rapidly changing global 

landscape.

Sir Ken Robinson once said, “My contention is that 

creativity now is as important in education as literacy, 

and we should treat it with the same status.” 

But how would Virginia do this in her class? Especially 

when NAPLAN might get in the way…

Naplan describes itself as “the measure through which 

governments, education authorities and schools and 

the community can determine whether or not young 

Australians are meeting important educational 

outcomes.”

Their website purports that all Australian schools 

benefit from the outcomes of this testing, and that it 

can give schools detailed information about how they 

are performing, through which they can identify 

strengths and weaknesses to be addressed.

"So NAPLAN and MySchool is all good news then?" 

Virginia wondered. 

Not so. There are some views that “The 

difficulty of comparing schools statistically is 

well recognised by those charged with analysing 

and reporting NAPLAN results — but these 

professionals are restricted in what they can (and 

should) report.” 

There are also concerns that any ‘intelligent’ 

public debate is being hampered by a lack of 

media attention regarding the technical 

characteristics of NAPLAN as well as education on 

how to understand the data.

enter text here

"Clearly, NAPLAN and the MySchool website are contentious 

areas", thought Virginia. 

"But where does this leave creativity in the English 

classroom, and how can I use ICT to promote creative 

thought and enhance my teaching?"

Virginia began to research and soon discovered 

‘Digimuve’, an Internet site working with educators to 

align pedagogy and digital design tools in both teaching and 

learning practice. 

Digimuve claims that, “More than ever, developing the 

competencies and social skills young people need to learn, 

play, work and socialise in a digital world is dominating the 

educational landscape.”

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