What is digital storytelling

Digital Storytelling : Module 8 of 10 At a basic level digital storytelling means using technology to tell stories. Write a script. This is the single most important thing you can do to save time during filming and editing. Use background music. Music can bring your pitch to life.

Narrate your story with personality. VoiceThread examples - across levels and disciplines. Augmented Stories. Story Chasers - empowering digital witnessing and storytelling. Center for Digital Storytelling. What is Digital Storytelling and how can it be used in the classroom?

Our 21st century students process information in a different way than their predecessors. If given a presentation slide with a graphic and text, the millennial student will look at the graphic first, then read the text and finally decide how the graphic fits the text. Given this natural tendency towards rich multimedia stimuli, providing students with digital stories will give them exactly what they want, the motivation, the stimulation, and the revelation of the creation of a digital story.

For teachers, it helps us to address the Common Core Standards dealing with technology integration, creativity and problem solving. Let's get started.

These can include: Fostering creativity: One of the biggest benefits associated with digital storytelling is that students have the opportunity to tap into their creativity.

They have more freedom and flexibility with how they choose to share their story than they do with just a paper and pencil.

Improving technological skills: The process of creating a digital story will give students the chance to use a variety of different technological tools and programs. This experience is invaluable in preparing them for the technological future that awaits. Giving students the opportunity to help their peers: Many students may be more technologically-proficient than others. They can use their skills to help others in the class learn how to use the various tools and programs.

These students may not be the same students that excel in other academic areas, so it can give the opportunity to take more of a leadership role than they normally might. Building better writers: Since the steps for creating a digital story follow the same progression as composing a written piece, students will also be able to improve their writing and pre-writing skills. Helping English language learners communicate: Since English language learner can have the chance to rehearse and re-record a narrative for a digital storytelling, it may improve their English language skills and take some of the pressure off of needing to share an answer right away during class.

Encourages collaboration: Digital storytelling lends itself well to teamwork. Step 1: Be a Film Critic Before you begin a digital storytelling project with your students, begin by thinking about some of your favorite movies and what makes them so appealing to you. Step 2: Plan After you have given students the chance to be a film critic, present them with their digital storytelling assignment.

Step 4: Let Students Take the Lead Remember, the point of digital storytelling is for students to share a narrative and demonstrate their creativity. Be Prepared for Bumps in the Road Whether it is your first time trying digital storytelling in the classroom or your twelfth, there are inevitably going to be technological difficulties and other problems that pop up.

Allow Students to Be Creative As we shared above, one of the main benefits of digital storytelling is that it allows students to be creative. Hold Students Accountable While creativity is important, so is accountability.

Share Presentations After students have had completed their digital stories, be sure to make time to allow each student to share their work with the class. Examples of Digital Storytelling in the Classroom How can you use digital storytelling in the classroom?

Students will use multimedia tools to help them share a personal narrative or a fictional story. To create a real-life story problem for a math concept: Student can work to create and act out a story problem related to a math concept they are learning.

You could also have students add the explanation for how to solve the problem to the end of their video. There are a wealth of other terms used to describe this practice, such as digital documentaries, computer-based narratives, digital essays, electronic memoirs, interactive storytelling, etc.

As with traditional storytelling, most digital stories focus on a specific topic and contain a particular point of view. Digital stories can vary in length, but most of the stories used in education typically last between 2 and 10 minutes.