digital+storytelling

  **Read Me!

** **What IS Digital Storytelling?** Digital storytelling has many forms and as many definitions. One of the more accomplished digital storytellers of our day, Daniel Meadows, defines digital stories as “short, personal multimedia tales told from the heart.”

The beauty of this digital expression, he maintains, is that stories can be created by people everywhere, on any subject, and shared electronically all over the world. Meadows describes digital stories as “multimedia sonnets from the people” in which “photographs discover the talkies, and the stories told assemble as pieces of a jigsaw puzzle, a gaggle of invisible histories which, when viewed together, tell the bigger story of our time, the story that defines who we are.”

Bernajean Porter (Digitales) shares with us that digital storytelling “takes the ancient art of oral storytelling and engages a palette of technical tools to weave personal tales using images, graphics, music and sound mixed together with the author's own story voice. Digital storytelling is an emerging art form of personal, heartful expression that enables individuals and communities to reclaim their personal cultures while exploring their artistic creativity. While the heart and power of the digital story is shaping a personal digital story about self, family, ideas, or experiences, the technology tools also invite writers and artists to think and invent new types of communication outside the realm of traditional linear narratives.” Digital storytelling is the practice of combining narrative with digital content, including  images, sound, and video, to create a short movie, typically with a strong emotional component. Sophisticated digital stories can be interactive movies that include highly produced audio and visual effects, but a set of slides with corresponding narration or music constitutes a basic digital story. Digital stories can be instructional, persuasive, historical, or reflective. The resources available to incorporate into a digital story are virtually limitless, giving the storyteller enormous creative latitude. Some learning theorists believe that as a pedagogical technique, storytelling can be effectively applied to nearly any subject. Constructing a narrative and communicating it effectively require the storyteller to think carefully about the topic and consider the audience’s perspective.

People tell stories to teach beliefs and values to others. The oral tradition of knowledge transfer and exchange has served as the basis for education since humans began teaching one another,and digital stories build on this model by incorporating rich, dynamic media. The process of creating a digital story forces storytellers to choose a topic that can be appropriately conveyed to a particular audience, with electronic elements, in the time available. This dynamic creates an opportunity to reflect on life and find deep connections with the subject matter of a course or with an out-of-class experience, such as a trip abroad. Digital stories let students express themselves not only with their own words but also in their own voices, fostering a sense of individuality and of "owning" their creations. At the same time, digital stories give students an opportunity to experiment with self-representation—telling a story that highlights specific characteristics or events—a key part of establishing their identity, a process that for many is an important aspect of the college years. 
 * Why is it important?**

Recent data suggest that a majority of U.S. teens use various tools to create digital media, and this proportion is growing. Today’s students don’t think twice about generating original electronic content and sharing it online, and digital storytelling dovetails well with these modes of student expression. Students creating digital stories develop proficiency with multimedia applications, but the deeper impact comes from their thinking critically about effective combinations among audio and visual elements. Each story challenges a student to cull—from personal collections or from other resources—artifacts that meaningfully support the story and to assemble them in a way that achieves the desired effect. In doing so, students develop a discerning eye for online resources, increasing their technology and media literacy

Let's read a few articles!  Banaszewski gives a detailed description of the digital storytelling process used in his 4th and 5th grade classroom. While the technology enabled students to develop and share a clear, effective story, the author insists the technology was always secondary to the storytelling. Banaszewski gives examples of how he structured the process from beginning with an outline answering specific questions, adding visual images, peer coaching through the production phase, and story coaching to provide a positive classroom environment. This story coaching approach was adapted from storyteller Doug Lipman and gives students an opportunity to share their story, receive cool and warm feedback, and then give the author an opportunity to ask questions.
 * Can I do this with my students?** 
 * ** Banaszewski, T. (2002). //Digital storytelling finds its place in the classroom.// Multimedia Schools 9(1), pages 32-35, online at: **http://www.infotoday.com/MMSchools/jan02/banaszewski.htm

Banaszewski found it important to model this process to his students. Just like sharing stories presents risks for students, the teacher should share a story of his own. He also recommends starting with a class story that can be created collectively. Interestingly enough the author began teaching digital storytelling with 3 Macs and now has 20 macs in his classroom but it still requires the same amount of time…about 6 months. He also discusses the classroom management issues that teachers must deal with while creating these stories. The most important advice he gives is that the teacher must surrender a great deal of control allowing students to become their own director.

 Bull and Kajder elaborate on their view that the focus in Digital Storytelling in the language arts classroom should be on the writing and communication process rather than on the technology used to create the stories. They discuss the Center for Digital Storytelling's popular **//[|Seven Elements of Digital Storytelling]//** in detail and describe strategies that can be used in the classroom and conclude with a summary of the benefits of this technology teaching method with a variety of different learners.
 * ** Bull, G., & Kajder, S. (2004). //Digital Storytelling in the language arts classroom.// Learning & Leading with Technology, Volume 32 Number 4, pages 46-49. Online at: http://cs2.cust.educ.ubc.ca/csed/400/csed_readings/display%2024.pdf **

 A two-part series on Digital Storytelling from one of the masters! > http://technosavvy.org/?p=399 > ** > http://technosavvy.org/?p=409 > **  >  **<span style="COLOR: rgb(180,71,8); BACKGROUND-COLOR: rgb(255,234,0)">See Me! ** <span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive">  <span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive"> <span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive"> <span style="COLOR: rgb(180,71,8); BACKGROUND-COLOR: rgb(255,234,0)">
 * <span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive">** Savvy Technologist Podcast - Bernajean Porter - Digital Storytelling, Part 2
 * <span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive">** Savvy Technologist Podcast - Bernajean Porter - Digital Storytelling, Part 3

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<span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS', cursive"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif">A great way to begin learning about digital storytelling is by watching a digital story. Let’s think about how digital could be used in YOUR classroom! ======
 * Personal stories MUST SEE! **
 * Scissors http://www.photobus.co.uk/index.php?id=2&movie=scissors.flv
 * Childhood memories http://www.digitales.us/gallery/gallery_living_memories.php<span

**Stories of history MUST SEE! **
 * Gettysburg http://www.coe.uh.edu/digitalstorytelling/gettysburg.htm

**Stories of our time MUST SEE! ** Stories as Teaching Tools **
 * In my country (#3) and Desktop (#8) http://www.bushin30seconds.org/150/
 * <span class="test_16Bold">
 * http://edweb.sdsu.edu/sciencetg/elementary/bridge/bridge.html <span
 * http://edweb.sdsu.edu/sciencetg/elementary/eggdrop/eggdrop.html

**Reflective/Peer Teaching** <span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive"> <span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive"> <span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive">    <span style="COLOR: rgb(180,71,8); BACKGROUND-COLOR: rgb(255,234,0)"> <span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive"> **<span style="COLOR: rgb(180,71,8); BACKGROUND-COLOR: rgb(255,234,0)">Teach Me! **  There are numerous methodologies and processes that various experts espouse. There is general agreement, however, that the writing process supersedes and dictates everything else. From BernaJean Porter’s Digitales, the following is her overview for crafting your story into a 3-5 minute digital movie.
 * [</span|http://edweb.sdsu.edu/sciencetg/ie/gravity.html]>

The process of making a digital story can be organized into four separate phases. Similar to the stages of writing, you can see the overlapping phases.

A digital storytelling script is a first person narrative that tells the story in your own voice and style. The written script will be made into a digitized voiceover during production. The voiceover is the heart and soul of each personal digital story. Before writing the script, you will want to find your story. One of the most unique features of this specific digital storytelling style is the expectation that each story express a personal meaning or insight. Periodically try reading or “telling” your story out loud. Listen to the writing style. Does it represent the way you speak? Revise the sentence structure and vocabulary choices until the story has a conversational style that you might use with friends, family and colleagues.
 * Writing a Script**

The complexity of weaving all the media elements together into a cohesive story gives new meaning to planning FIRST! Digital storytellers will find it well worth the up front time to use three planning tools to prepare for post-production: paper/electronic storyboarding templates; image/shot lists templates; and music/sound lists templates. Storyboards provide the “BIG” visual blueprint of all the detailed choices you make for each scene or image frame for your digital story before you begin production. Think of your storyboard as a work in progress that is modified as often as needed while keeping track of both the details and “big” picture of your story. The image/shot lists along with music/sound lists help identify exactly what resources you need according to the storyboard.
 * Planning the Project**

Each digital story is considered a project. Keep all six sub-folders of resources and assets organized together within the final project folder. It is essential that these files all stay together! If these files are stored randomly or separately from the production file, then you may find yourself having to hunt down the location of each moved file and reconnect or “re-reference” it for the software program.
 * Organizing Project Folders**

Voiceovers are the digital files created by recording your final script in your own voice. Your voice performs the story rather than reading it. Voices engage the audience in the personal content and emotional meaning of the story. A storytelling voice establishes a personal relationship with listeners as the story unfolds. But your voice with all its power and flaws expresses the real magic in your story because the story is told in a way that no other than you can deliver.
 * Making the Voiceover**

You are now ready to spin your tale with video-editing tools. This is the post-production stage where all the elements are mixed together following the storyboarding developed in the pre-production phase. Your ultimate goal is to draw viewers into the story and keep them there as it unfolds. A rough cut with the images and voiceover ONLY is created first. When that is roughly flowing, the other media elements are then mixed for a final cut. Each media element is used to extend the story's meaning and impact. Music soundtracks are added last. So many choices! So many creative styles! It is great play space! Beware the danger of eternal dabbling, polishing or modifying, thus creating a never-ending, never quite ever, ever finished story project! Depending on project deadlines, storytellers may again want to consider keeping it simple the first time or two. Take time to cite your sources with “rolling credits” at the story’s end as well as adding any acknowledgements you want to make.
 * Putting It ALL Together**

What joy to finish a digital story! There is much to celebrate. When we share our stories, we experience a sacred time, a ritual that closes the story experience for individuals as well as groups who have been creating together. We are finally officially **StoryKeepers!** There are many ways to distribute. Exporting to email or creating story files suitable for web publishing is one great way to share with others. And now the digital story lives happily ever after. . . literally a living artifact that each storyteller now leaves as a personal legacy to others. <span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive"> <span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive"> <span style="COLOR: rgb(180,71,8); BACKGROUND-COLOR: rgb(255,234,0)">  <span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive"> <span style="COLOR: rgb(180,71,8); BACKGROUND-COLOR: rgb(255,234,0)">   <span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive"> We are going to use a free PC only program called PhotoStory3.
 * Applause! Applause!**


 * [|Downloading PhotoStory3] ||
 * [|Importing Pictures]
 * import
 * toolbar
 * editing (rotating, croping, special effects
 * removing black border
 * reordering ||
 * [|Adding titles] ||
 * [|Narration] ||
 * [|Customize Motion] ||
 * [|Creating Music] ||
 * [|Saving and uploading] ||


 * Additional Resources**
 * [|Acting with a Pencil : Storyboarding your Movie]
 * [|Tips for Storytelling]
 * [|Storyboarding "A recipe"]
 * [|You Oughta Be in Pictures: An Introduction to Making Videos]
 * [|What is a Storyboard and Ways to Make It]
 * [|Storyboarding Your Movie Scene Template] (PDF)
 * [|Blank Storyboard] (PDF)

<span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive"> **<span style="COLOR: rgb(180,71,8); BACKGROUND-COLOR: rgb(255,234,0)">Try Me! ** <span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive">Now that you kn ow all about Digital Storytelling, it's time to make your own. 3-5 minutes, music included, embedded in your wiki.

You have TWO choices. Choosing either way, the digital story must be TRULY a story. It cannot be an instructional presentation, but has to be one told from first-person perspective.

1. Choose a story that fits into your scope and sequence. The purpose of telling the story is to humanize your content (specifically, some component of your scope and sequence), something that needs a human element infused to have a deep appreciation for your content. Someone (or something or someplace) whose story MUST be told in order to appreciate the importance of the content.

2. Choose a story that fits into your wiki section called "Why You Should Hire Me". This is your opportunity to share information about you, your philosophy, your classroom, anything you want that will cause a hiring committee to leap up from the table and call Human Resources to get a contract in front of you before some other district scoops you up! <span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive"> Decide on your story and create a paper storyboard (so you know what pictures are going to go with your narration). <span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive"> **<span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive">Other Helpful Links **There are lots of websites that offer free clipart, graphics, animations, photographs, or images for private non-commercial use. Sometimes the images are completely free.

//Image Web Sites//
 * [|Pics 4 Learning]
 * [|Classroom Clipart]
 * [|Animation Station]
 * [|Barry's Clipart]
 * [|Background City]
 * [|Library of Congress]
 * [|Web Clipart]
 * [|Clip Photo]
 * [|Fresher Image]
 * [|Free Foto]
 * [|Free Photographs]
 * [|Free Graphics]
 * [|Stocked Photos]
 * [|History Channels Speeches that Changed the World]

//Music and Sound Web Sites//
 * [|All the Web Search Engine]
 * [|Find Sounds Web Search Engine]
 * [|Classical Music Archives Sample Clips (Royalty Free)]
 * [|Dance Music MPEG and Movie Clips]
 * [|Partners in Rhyme Sample Music Clips (Royalty Free)]
 * [|Movie Sounds Central]
 * [|The Music Bakery CD’s Sample Music Clips (Royalty Free)]
 * [|Sleep Medicine Center (Classical Lullabies)]
 * [|Partner’s in Rhyme Sample Sample Sounds (Royalty Free)]
 * [|Sound Dog Sample Sound Effects (Royalty Free)]
 * [|Wav’s Sounds and Quotes from Movies, TV, Cartoon]

//Video//
 * [|Guidelines for Shooting Video]
 * [|Tips for Making Your Movie]
 * [|Rule of Thirds>]

//Interviewing//
 * [|InterviewingTechniques]
 * [|Conducting an Interview Checklist]

//iMovie 3//
 * http://www.apple.com/support/imovie/tutorial/
 * http://www.atomiclearning.com/imovie2x.shtml
 * http://www.mediamatters.co.uk/imovie/

//GarageBand//
 * [|Overview of GarageBand]
 * http://its.ksbe.edu/dst/movies/GarageBand.mov

//Other// > [|http://digitalstoryshare.wetpaint.com] >  > http://www.inms.umn.edu/elements/ > > http://www.fno.org/nov97/toolkit.html > > http://t3.k12.hi.us/t302-03/tutorials/digstory/elements.htm > > [|http://www.storycenter.org/memvoice/pages/cookbook.html]>
 * <span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive"> Teaching Digital Storytelling Wiki
 * <span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive"> The Elements of Digital Storytelling
 * <span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive"> A Questioning Toolkit
 * <span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive"> Another Look at the 7 Elements
 * <span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive"> Digital Storytelling Cookbook