Digital Storytelling Drew Moore and Nancy Powell September

Digital Storytelling? Drew Moore and Nancy Powell, September 2005 http: //www. district 87. org/technology/dv/

Just watch!! http: //www. scott. k 12. ky. us/tec hnology/digitalstorytelling/stu dentstories. html

Stories have been written and shared for thousands of years. Digital storytelling is a way to enhance the written word by using a variety of multimedia tools. Digital storytellers are able to provide unique experiences for their audiences by intensifying the written story. Digital storytelling can be used to create products that provide information about historical events, explain mathematical concepts, or demonstrate scientific principals.

Why use Digital Storytelling as a learning tool? It is what kids need. • We live in a visual world. • Like it or not, students get most of their information from visual media, not merely written or spoken means. • Television and the Internet are this generation’s predominant modes of gathering information. • Teaching students to evaluate, create, and present information in multimedia form better prepares them to be effective communicators.

Digital Storytelling… • Helps students communicate messages effectively, concisely, and with a specific purpose and audience in mind. • Requires students to plan, cooperate with a team, and solve problems while working through the production process. • Views writing skills in the broader context of communication. • Challenges students to strengthen their messages with media to increase the impact on their audience. • Helps students develop multimedia literacy and technology skills.

http: //www. coe. uh. edu/digital-storytelling/examples. htm Examples History Projects…. History Projects A History of Galveston, Texas describes the growth and development of Houston's neighbor on the Gulf of Mexico. Unlike most of the other stories on this page which are made up of a series of still images, this one includes a brief video segment which documents the great hurricane that hit Galveston in 1900. A History of Galveston Texas This Digital Story demonstrates another creative way to recount history. I Remember is the tale of Sam Houston Park, located in the middle of a bustling downtown, and is revealed through the memories of a sprawling tree on the grounds of one of the city's oldest public parks. I Remember

Why use Digital Storytelling as a learning tool? It is what kids want. • Students are highly motivated to create multimedia projects. • Anyone who has provided students with a wellplanned multimedia task has witnessed students who, of their own accord, brainstorm cooperate, cooperate research, research write, write edit, edit problem-solve, problem-solve analyze, and analyze synthesize information. synthesize

Digital Storytelling… • Encourages students to discover, develop, intensify, apply, and extend their creativity. • Gives students the opportunity to find and use a new and compelling voice. • Empowers students to create in a medium that is meaningful to them.

http: //www. kqed. org/topics/education/educators/calstories-contest. jsp# Examples Personal Stories…. Personal Stories 1 st Place: "My Potato Story, " Silvia Jeong, San Francisco School of the Arts, San Franciso 2 nd Place (tie) "From Peru to California, " Jason Alarcon, Stuart Hall, San Francisco "A Journey of Dreams, " Keena Romano, Urban School, San Francisco Watch the digital stories

Why use Digital Storytelling as a learning tool? It is what teachers need. • If we want to reach the “Nintendo Generation” we need to create lessons that lure students to learning using modalities that are a part of their everyday experience. • If a picture is worth a thousand words, then educators need to capitalize on the tools that will make their lessons rich with media. • Teachers need to make an impact, and media helps them accomplish this goal.

Digital Storytelling… • Provides a visual context for learning new information. • Addresses the different learning styles associated with a diverse student population. • Capitalizes on students' natural attraction to multimedia.

http: //www. coe. uh. edu/digital-storytelling/examples. htm Examples Curriculum Videos…. Curriculum Videos • A Glance at the History of Mathematics: Created by two math teachers at Lopez High School in Brownsville, Texas, A Glance at the History of Mathematics presents an overview of how mathematics has been used throughout history, including an interesting look at the Pythagorean Theorem. • Small Beginnings: This is a simple, yet elegant visual journey that examines the history of life on earth and highlights the importance of the Small Beginnings of early life on the developing planet. • Vincent Van Gogh: This Digital Story explores the life and art of Vincent Van Gogh, through images of his paintings and drawings and text slides that present selections from letters he wrote to his brother Theo during the final years of his life. • Episode 1846: Tallest, Longest looks at the emergence of skyscrapers and bridges throughout the past two centuries. Images from the Internet were used to illustrate all of the major structures that Dr. Lienhard discusses in this fascinating view of technological achievement.

Why use Digital Storytelling as a learning tool? It is what teachers want. • Teachers want evidence that supports the growth of students' knowledge and skills. • Teachers have long recognized that assessment takes on many forms. Even if mandated, standardized testing relies almost exclusively on paper and pencil assessments, parents and teachers require a broader view of student abilities than is provided by written assessment. • If we truly want to find out what students have learned then we need to avail ourselves to the variety of products students can create.

Digital Storytelling… • Provides an authentic way for students to show what they know or have learned. • Requires students to use higher-level thinking and problem solving skills not always captured by traditional assessments. • Lends itself to peer evaluation more so than traditional paper and pencil assessments.

7 Elements of a Digital Story • Element 1: Audience An effective story has a particular audience in mind. The author of a digital story needs to identify a specific audience (peers, government officials, senior citizens, etc. ) before writing a digital story. A digital storyteller asks, "To whom am I speaking? "

7 Elements of a Digital Story Element 2: Purpose Digital stories can be created to accomplish a variety of tasks. Some purposes include informing, persuading, educating, entertaining, and/or evoking emotion. A digital storyteller asks, "What is my purpose for creating this story? "

7 Elements of a Digital Story Element 3: Content The content featured in a digital story should be meaningful. Visual components (graphics, movies, and/or transitions) and sound effects should be added to intensify the presentation of content. A digital storyteller asks, "Is the heart of my message clear and do the visual and audio components enhance (or distract from) the content being presented? "

7 Elements of a Digital Story A digital storyteller asks, Element 4: Voice The author of a digital story uses a specific perspective to enrich the story. This perspective helps establish the tone and mood of the story being presented. "Who is telling the story? "

7 Elements of a Digital Story Element 5: Technology In digital storytelling, a variety of technological tools are used to involve the viewer's visual and auditory senses. A digital storyteller asks, "Have I engaged the audience with words, images, and sound? "

7 Elements of a Digital Story Element 6: Connections Good stories connect with the audience. After watching the presentation, the viewer should feel further informed on a specific topic, compelled to state an opinion, moved to action, and/or emotionally affected. A digital storyteller asks, "What reaction can I expect from my audience? "

7 Elements of a Digital Story Element 7: Economy Time is a valuable commodity. A viewer does not want to invest any more time than is necessary to hear the story's essential content. Creators of digital stories should be prepared to view the final product multiple times, and edit accordingly to balance effect with economy. A digital storyteller asks, "Am I making the best use of my audience's time? "

Process of Making a Digital Story Pre-Production Stage • Brainstorming: Generate Ideas and Make Decisions • Write: Scripting • Storyboarding: Sketch the Scenes of the Production

Process of Making a Digital Story Production Stage • Getting Started: Defining Responsibilities; Copyright Awareness • Gathering Resources: Visual and Audio Components