Digital Storytelling

A Presentation by Sandra Leiterman and Chris Setley

EDCI 750
April 8, 2014

Digital Storytelling in the Classroom

1. What is digital storytelling?
2. How do you accomplish it well?
3. How do I incorporate this into my classroom?
4. Why should I incorporate this into my
classroom?

Digital Storytelling in the Classroom

1. What is digital storytelling?

Digital Storytelling in the Classroom

1. What is digital storytelling?
The practice of using computer-based tools to tell stories.

The Seven Elements of Digital Storytelling

Watch this 4 minute YouTube

video that will introduce you to
the elements of digital
storytelling.

https://youtu.be/4KYgVrvQp7g

The 7 Elements of Digital Storytelling

1. Point of View
What is the main point of the story and what is the perspective of the author?

2. A Dramatic Question
A key question that keeps the viewer's attention and will be answered by the end of the story.

3. Emotional Content
Serious issues that come alive in a personal and powerful way and connects the audience to the story.

4. The Gift of Your Voice

A way to personalize the story to help the audience understand the context.

5. The Power of the Soundtrack

Music or other sounds that support and embellish the story.

6. Economy
Using just enough content to tell the story without overloading the viewer.

7. Pacing
The rhythm of the story and how slowly or quickly it progresses.

http://digitalstorytelling.coe.uh.edu/page.cfm?id=27&cid=27&sublinkid=31

Combine a story (writing) with

media (text, images) to create a
project to edit, export and share.

Watch this 1 minute YouTube

video that shows the process of
digital storytelling in an
elementary classroom.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fYBePzN3DSw

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http://voicethread.com/about/library/9th_graders_write_childrens_stories_about_astronomy_Mrs_Edenstrom/

Watch the first minute of this

student video that illustrates the
breathing system.

http://www.freetech4teachers.com/2014/04/next-vista-announces-finalists-for.html#.U0HqCvldV8E

Digital Storytelling in the Classroom

2. How do you accomplish it well?

Digital Storytelling in the Classroom

2. How do you accomplish it well?
No matter what tools you use, the process is essentially the
same: Import - Edit - Export

A more detailed look at the

process.

Getting started with Digital Storytelling

1. Define the problem
what is it that I want my audience to know, whats the story I want to tell?

2. Create a storyboard
plan your graphics, sounds, text, narration and music

3. Research
begin collection of possible materials in folders (pictures, sounds, graphics and other
relevant information about your topic.

4. Explore
checkout software and other web tools available to create your story

5. Create
learn how to use your chosen tool and create your story, edit it to fit your target audience

6. Share your story!

Digital Storytelling in the Classroom

3. How do I incorporate this into my classroom?

Digital Storytelling in the Classroom

3. How do I incorporate this into my classroom?
Equipment and internet connection
Organize and PreWrite
Webtool and Apps
Publish and Share

How do I incorporate digital storytelling into my classroom?

Equipment and internet connection

How do I incorporate digital storytelling into my classroom?

Organize and PreWrite
e
Elem

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n
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How do I incorporate digital storytelling into my classroom?

Webtool and Apps
e
Elem

ntary

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o
c
Se

How do I incorporate digital storytelling into my classroom?

Publish and Share

Digital Storytelling as an
Effective Instructional Tool for Teachers
Teachers can use digital storytelling:
*as an anticipatory set or hook to increase student interest in new ideas
*to enhance current lessons within a larger unit
*as a way to facilitate discussion about the topics presented
*as a way of making abstract or conceptual content more understandable

http://digitalstorytelling.coe.uh.edu/page.cfm?id=27&cid=27&sublinkid=30

s
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Watch this clip from 1:40-2:40 to see how

they use audio to supplement the a
reading in a history class.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7q_Hi_ypC3Y

Google Lit Trips

*Free, downloadable files that mark the journeys
of characters from literature on the surface of
Google Earth.
*A good place to start with digital storytelling-use
a completed project to get comfortable using the
tools.
*You can create your own stories where location
plays a significant role in the story.

Other ways to incorporate digital storytelling

using a map:
*Create a scavenger hunt around the world.
*Use an image of a place anywhere on Earth or your own backyard as a story
starter.
*Map the settings of a book you are reading.
*Write a collective "Where have you been this summer?" as a class.
*Follow a biography of an important character in history and events that
influenced or were influenced by him/her.
*Tell the story of learning (and where) that took place in your classroom in a
school year.

Other ways to incorporate digital storytelling:

*Create a virtual tour of a country or historical place.

*Create a public service announcement on an important local or world issue.
*Simulate an interview of a historical character.
*Simulate a debate on an historical topic, such as the Bill of Rights.
*Create a presentation based on images of local artifacts and architecture.

Digital Storytelling as an
Effective Learning Tool for Students
Students can use digital storytelling:
*to develop enhanced communication skills
*to learn to organize their ideas, ask questions, express opinions, construct narratives
*to learn to create stories for an audience
*to present their ideas and knowledge in an individual and meaningful way
*to share work with their peers, critique their own and others work
*to gain emotional intelligence and social learning

http://digitalstorytelling.coe.uh.edu/page.cfm?id=27&cid=27&sublinkid=30

Digital Storytelling in Math and Science Classes

Remember: a story is simply something we tell someone
we can tell about both

MATH

SCIENCE
and

*Explain step by step procedures in

problem solving
*Pictures of geometric shapes
*Real world examples and
connections of concepts

*Explain concepts using real world examples

*Visual representation of plants, animals
cells, etc.
*Talking picture for vocabulary enrichment

ebtool
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0rSuU-oX0fQ&index=6&list=PLjMtIr3TKDmRvr2BeJ-T63764emmfJZMY

A teacher uses
GoAnimate to create
a short animation to
explain the order of
operations.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5QN6Qw6JQ-8&index=3&list=PLu4bXNfdFdSxqBMpGTBH0XJGkyN-RVxMJ

Digital Storytelling in the Classroom

4. Why should I incorporate this into my
classroom?

Digital Storytelling in the Classroom

4. Why should I incorporate this into my
classroom?
It develops 21st Century skills
It develops literacy and communication skills
It allows students to connect in a global society
It meets the ISTE standards for both teachers and
students

ry
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1
2
requires that children not only communicate with classroom
The

peers, but also read e-books, receive and send e-mail, locate
and evaluate online information, prepare reports with
presentation software, establish dialogue with learned
individuals in other regions, and write for both a local and
global community.

http://digitalstorytelling.coe.uh.edu/page.cfm?id=27&cid=27&sublinkid=32

21st Century Skills

When digital storytelling is used by students, it provides a strong foundation in many
different types of literacy, including:

*Digital Literacy
*Visual Literacy
*Technology Literacy
*Information Literacy
http://digitalstorytelling.coe.uh.edu/page.cfm?id=27&cid=27&sublinkid=32

on
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m ls
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skil

Students who are shy or afraid to talk in class get a chance

to be heard.
It empowers students voice to deliver rich, deep message
that is capable of conveying a powerful message.
It helps students explore the meaning of their own
experience, give value to it, and communicate that
experience with others.

http://digitalstorytelling.coe.uh.edu/page.cfm?id=27&cid=27&sublinkid=32

a
n
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ct iety
e
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con al soc
glob

student stories and concerns are represented in

curriculum, connectedness to one another and their
communities
allows a sense of community membership that for
many students is a first chance to declare self-value
improves students social skills described as
community connections, groupworks, the
possibility to know other people, and understand
their identities which are connected with a social
context.
http://digitalstorytelling.coe.uh.edu/survey/SITE_DigitalStorytelling.pdf

S
T
E
N
E
IST dards
n
a
t
S
Standards for
Administrators:

Standards for Teachers:

Standards for Students:

Visionary leadership

Facilitate and inspire student learning and

creativity

Creativity and innovation

Digital age learning culture

Excellence in professional practice
Systematic improvement
Digital citizenship

Communication and collaboration

Design and develop digital age learning

experiences and assessments

Research and information fluency

Promote and model digital citizenship and

responsibility

Critical thinking, problem solving and

decision making

Model digital age work and learning

Digital citizenship
Technology operations and concepts

http://digitalstorytelling.coe.uh.edu/page.cfm?id=27&cid=27&sublinkid=32

its
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o

It develops creativity and critical thinking.

It promotes the notions of lifelong learning and
independent learning.
It is a process that helps students reflect upon
their learning and find deep connections with the
subject matter of a course or with an out-of-class
experience.

http://digitalstorytelling.coe.uh.edu/page.cfm?id=27&cid=27&sublinkid=32

Tell me a fact and Ill learn. Tell me

the truth and Ill believe. But tell me
a story and it will live in my heart
forever.
INDIAN PROVERB

Link to Categorized Resources

http://tinyurl.com/dstresources