From Text to Technology:

Evolution of Literature Teaching

Abstract

The absence of technology in classrooms reduces the opportunity of visual learning which is deemed to be crucial for the students in a rapidly growing globalized world. Visual media can be a very effective means of getting and retaining attention of the students. Literature, in its textual form, is necessary since the words are the sources of interpretation and critical analysis but if the students only go through textual materials it often becomes a tedious effort and as a result they lose both attention and interest. This paper aims to show how technology (screen adaptation) can make learning easier, entertaining, and effective for learners. Therefore, creating a bridge between texts and visual media is something that is, literally, a demand of the present time. It is also a good idea strategically since adaptations of different texts offer diverse contexts and backgrounds. To showcase the aforementioned effects of technology two widely taught texts of Shakespeare, The Tempest and Macbeth are chosen as the primary texts for this paper. The texts and the adaptations will show how a comparative analysis of texts and their adaptations is more effective in developing a sound understanding and critical analysis of the texts. Moreover, the use of adaptation will trigger a creative response in the learners’ minds and lessen their heavy reliance on class lectures and other secondary sources. This paper will accommodate the concept of “tiered text,” which refers to a series of interconnected materials, through which different transitions or even shift in the basic structure of the narrative can be seen.