Digital Storytelling(3)

							  A Multilevel Approach
to Using Digital Storytelling
     in the Classroom

   Bernard Robin & Melissa Pierson
    Instructional Technology Program
           College of Education
          University of Houston
             The Challenges
•   Seeking meaningful uses of digital imaging
    other than the superficial ones
•   Wanting students to use digital imaging as a
    mode of communication and personal
    reflection
•   Integrating multimedia development into
    K-12, pre-service and graduate education
           Digital Storytelling

•   Many definitions, but in general, combining
    the longstanding art of telling stories with
    any of a variety of available multimedia
    tools, including graphics, audio, video,
    animation, and Web publishing.
Elements of a Digital Story
1.    Overall Purpose of the Story
2.    Narrator’s Point of View
3.    A Dramatic Question (or Questions)
4.    Choice of Content
5.    Clarity of Voice
6.    Pacing of the Narrative
7.    Meaningful Soundtrack
8.    Quality of the Images
9.    Economy of the Story Detail
10.   Good Grammar and Language Usage
           Telling the Story
Primarily a visual story but might also use:
• First person narrative
• Previously recorded audio
• Text slides
• Interviews
    Writing and Recording a Script

•    A script is written that tells a personal
     story in one’s own voice and style
    – Written script will be made into a digitized
      voiceover during production of the digital
      story
     Examples of Digital Stories
     http://www.coe.uh.edu/digital-storytelling


•   Found on the Web
•   UH Students: Graduate, Pre-Service
    Teachers
•   K-12 Teachers
•   University Faculty
The Digital Storytelling Experience in
         Preparing Teachers
 •   Need for an Integrated Project
 •   Model of rich technology-integrated
     teaching and learning
 •   Demonstrated power of technology
     when used to support compelling,
     authentic content
                  Set
•   “Vision before application”
•   Framework of lesson events:
    –   Anticipatory sets
    –   Main content presentation
    –   Lesson closure
    –   Student presentations
    Project Requirements
•   Support for technology-integrated unit
•   Option of creating teacher tool or student
    presentation
•   Planned and storyboarded
•   Created or located media elements
•   Option to use MovieMaker, iMovie, or
    PowerPoint
Finding Images & Audio on the Web
Image Search Engines
• Google             Audio Search Engines
• Picsearch          • AltaVista
• AltaVista          • Singing Fish
Tools for Creating Digital Stories

 •   Microsoft Photo Story
 •   Apple iMovie
 •   Microsoft PowerPoint
 •   Macromedia Flash
 •   Many other software options
  A Few Words about Copyright
Copyright Disclaimer: Many of the digital stories on
our site include images and audio found on the
Internet using commonly available search engines.
The stories have been created for non-profit,
educational use by students and teachers and we
hope are within the fair use protection of existing
copyright laws. If any copyright owner objects to the
use of any work appearing on this site, please
contact us and we will remove the work and review
the propriety of including it.
    Student Impressions
•   Found it easy to create digital stories
•   Excited that tools were user-friendly
•   Felt powerful about ability to plan and
    develop stories
•   Could imagine themselves using stories
               A Memorable Quote
•   “…what is occurring because of that one simple little thing
    you have done (teaching digital storytelling) is really rather
    phenomenal. Remember your comment at the beginning of
    the training about – would it help if I could give you a
    technology tool that very quickly you could learn and use
    even if you don’t know anything about technology? I
    wondered when you said that how it could be done. Well,
    you did it and it has proven to be effective many times over
    with an unbelievable ripple effect as it is touching special
    education, ESL students, recent immigrants, parents of
    autistic children, and on and on.” – a high school teacher in Texas
            Next Steps
•   Workshops for Teachers and Faculty
•   More Work with K-12 Students
•   Greater Emphasis on Original Writing
•   More Training on Creativity in Digital Photography
•   More Instruction on Integrating Video
•   Holding a Digital Storytelling Festival
•   More Exploration of Copyright Issues
    Digital Storytelling Website
•   http://www.coe.uh.edu/digital-storytelling