Digital Storytelling

1. What is Digital Storytelling?
Digital storytelling is a unique way to use technology to tell a story, using the least amount of text possible. Digital storytelling focuses on visuals, audio, and touching the viewers emotions. Digital storytelling is form of creative expression. Digital storytelling is they way to tell a story in the 21st century. It can engage students in standard core curriculum. "A picture is worth a thousand words" Just because digital stories use a limited amount of text, does not mean the student is not learning some very important information. Digital stories have "hooks" that grab the viewers attention. Digital stories also have an underlying question. What does the creator of the story want the viewers to understand?
I love the idea of using digital storytelling in the classroom. It is a great way to reach out to your Visual/Spatial learners (gardners intelligences). Digital stories can be understood by ELL students as well as disabled students with low reading fluency. Digital stories engage students who might normally be "bored" with curriculum. Digital stories can be used to introduce a new topic to the class. It can also be used for a unit review. Digital stories can also be used to explain things, that sometimes cannot be expressed through words (ex. slavery, holocaust,etc.)
For this class I created a digital story about Jedediah Smith which I will show to a 4th grade class. To teach about mountain men's affect on Utah settlement. With a little creativity I think that digital storytelling can be used in any subject.
2. Websites to teach Digital Storytelling
http://electronicportfolios.org/digistory/howto.html
http://digitalstorytelling.coe.uh.edu/
http://www.storycenter.org/index1.html
When teaching the how tos of digital storytelling to elementary students, I would guide them through all of these sights. Have them read and search the sites with groups. I would go through the sites with them at first over a projector to clarify what parts I would want them to read.
3. Watch the Digital Story I created, it is posted on blog called "Jedediah Smith"
I would also have students pick 2 digital stories to watch on the site of http://digitalstorytelling.coe.uh.edu/ and have them critiquet them.
4. Lesson Plan

SCHOOL OF EDUCATION
Utah Valley State College
Teacher Education Program
Lesson Planning Guide

Name:_Amber Curtis___ Date_Oct 31, 2008_ Time_10:00 am_
Grade Level: _6th_ Subject:_Technology_ Cooperating Teacher _Miss Cindy Baer_

I. Utah State Core Curriculum Standard(s)
Standard 6Design, develop, publish and present products (e.g., Web pages, videotapes) using technology resources that demonstrate and communicate curriculum concepts to audiences inside and outside the classroom. (4,5,6)

The student will understand how digital storytelling works and why it is a valuable teaching tool.

II. Lesson Objective(s)/Goal(s)
The student will know: the necessary components to create a digital story using photostory 3.

The Student will do: Given the software for photostory 3 students will be able to create a meaningful digital story. (see rubric)

III. Preparation (teacher materials, student materials, etc.)
Hand out for students explaining digital storytelling, Pictures of each element to digital storytelling, computers, microphones, Photostory 3 software, Microsoft Powerpoint software, Rubric for digital Stories


IV. Technology Use:
Computers, Internet, Photostory 3 software, microphones, Microsoft Powerpoint

V. Instructional Procedures:

Hook: Have students watch the Jedediah Smith Digital Story.
Ask them what they liked/disliked? Did it teach them something?

Objective: Today we are going to learn about a program called photostory and you will use this program to create your own digital story.

New Material/Assess: Show how to use photostory 3.
Show how to import pictures
Show how to crop
Show how to download and add music
Show how to add text
Show students how to record audio
Allow students to practice each step on their own computers while you walk around checking for understanding.

Guided Practice/Assess: Tell students they are going to create a digital story. Have them start writing a script and picking out pictures to go with it. Students will need help to get the idea. Walk around the room and help each partnership.

Independent Practice: Give students time within the next week to complete digital stories. Students will need to be prepared to show the digital story to the class.

Closure/Review: Show student videos. After each video have student complete reflection sheets on what they liked, what they would change, etc.

VI. Accommodation(s) for Diverse Learner(s)

VII. Evaluation of Student Progress

Pre-assessment: Ask students to raise their hand if they have ever heard of a digital story.
Formative: Walk around the room to make sure students can work within photostory 3.
Post-assessment: Given the software for photostory 3 students will be able to create a meaningful digital story. (see rubric)