http://captura.llanogrande.org
The example in the article focused on a group of migrant high schoolers who created a digital story depicting the social problem of domestic violence against women. The article went on to describe how the students portrayed their topic through the use of a digital story. Without even watching the story, it was incredibly moving. Digital Storytelling allows for multiple forms of media and technology to intertwine in order to evict more emotion by capturing the audiences senses of sight and sound. By displaying pictures and words with background music or sound effects, the author(s) can elicit a specific response from their audeince in order to get the message or purpose of the story across. It was truly amazing to hear about the collaboration and thought process from the high schoolers regarding this project. Not only did they have to do the background research, but they also had to combine multiple elements of media that all encompassed the topic of domestic violence in order to tell their digital story. This is a great example of a way to incorporate digital storytelling in the classroom. By having students collaborate on social issues, they can discuss real-world matters with their peers and use their imagination and creativity to present a story to their classmates regarding a pressing issue through the use of pictures, video, audio clips and music.
The process of creating the story itself is such a learning opportunity for students. I think teachers would be silly not to take advantage of this incredible tool. Oftentimes, teachers worry about time (or lack of) for projects such as digital story telling. However, if teachers really educate themselves on the ins and outs of digital storytelling, they can be the top resource for their students, and be pro-active in the trouble-shooting process by telling them exactly what they need to know in order to create their own digital story. I found a prezi-presentation that links digital storytelling to the common core standards. Thus, there is no excuse to not incorporate digital storytelling in the classroom! Prezi on Digital Storytelling (with student examples)
Additionally, I found a great resource for digital storytelling, but it also had student examples that cover social issues just like the study in the article. It's mind-boggling to me what students are capable of through this media.
How could this project be modified for students at the elementary level?
Scott Nixon, A. (2009) Mediating social thought through digital storytelling. Pedagogies, 4(1), 63-76.
When you explained the example made by the migrant high school students, with out watching I understood what you meant by the emotion it can elude and send to others. Just the few digital stories we watched in class, I felt an emotional connection to the people that made them. I think it would be a great idea for students to create a digital story on varying topics to share with their peers.
ReplyDeleteI checked out the prezi and that explains it all! We as teachers need to make more time for this!! I think it also taps into literacy a lot as well. It provides a creative way for the students to read, write and express them selves with words, music and pictures. It is truly spreading literacy "across the curriculum". Even though we are always crunched for time, these are the things students will remember and take away with them.
The prezi was a great resourse; I enjoyed that!
To modify the project for younger students, it would be fun to find a simple website where the students really just input things and then it creates it for you. It would also be fun to pair them up with a student/mentor of a higher grade who knows how to work a digital story app/website, and they could work together to create the ideas of the younger student.
Meghann,
ReplyDeleteYou said it best - this type of project allows for literacy to be spread across the curriculum. It allows for MULTIPLE content areas to be combined through the use of MULTIPLE forms of media, which is beneficial for students and teachers.
I love the idea of having older students as mentors to work with younger students on a project like this - what a great learning opportunity for both groups of students. Older students can be the "mentor" and teach the younger students. Since a lot of younger students need one-on-one or small group instruction when it comes to technology, this would be a great way for students to get the help and support they need without having the teacher stress on tending to each individual learner, they can oversee this collaboration.
I'm replying here but really see great threads across your comments, and your colleagues' replies to your comments. You raise many interesting points about Scott-Nixon and the possibilities for DS to engage learners in becoming critically conscious & socially active. Then, you offer terrific resources to expand knowledge of how to use DS, why, and what impact it can have. Linking Meghann & JoLynn's comments: you now have the framework for a wonderful project connecting students inter-generationally. I immediately thought, too, of the fact that the Canton Day Care center is sited in the same place as an assisted living/nursing home. For the 'social thought' piece, wouldn't it be cool to create stories honoring elders and learning about challenges they have faced, perhaps through stories that are co-created by very young children working with slightly older peers? It certainly would make Grandparents' Day incredibly special and unique. I can see the collaborative idea moving in many directions -- if you like it, it might be a good focus for your Webquest (we can discuss this).
DeleteMeghan, I did not read this article but because of your comments on it, I will go back and read it. Sounds like you are sold on the idea of digital storytelling. Are you going to try a pared down version in your preK room?
ReplyDeleteJoLynn,
DeleteFunny you ask that :-)... Yesterday, as i was doing some extended research on digital storytelling, I found this article that was titled "Digital Storytellling in Preschool classrooms" - certainly I was intrigued! Though it didn't necessarily say how to use it at the pre-k level, it gave great resources (that's how I found story center) to use for younger students. I'm considering using it in the spring semester, when we do our family unit. That way, students can share pictures of their family and siblings, and chose some music to go along with it: simple, but effective - a great pre-k philosophy, haha.
What are your thoughts on using it at the pre-k level?
Article:
https://www.gryphonhouse.com/resources/activity/digital-storytelling-in-preschool-classrooms
I think it would be a great experience for the children, the parents, and the children. Wouldn't that be a great way to get parents personally involved in the program! I will check out the website you mentioned and see what ideas I can come up with. I also agree that waiting until spring would be the best idea, that way you could do more research on the best way to approach this with preschool children.
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ReplyDeleteMeghan,
ReplyDeleteI like your point about how digital story telling can be used to help students talk about pressing issues at a level that is appropriate for them. I had never thought to use media or current events as a topic for digital story telling, or to integrate the genre into other content area. We have in some ways only focused on using digital stories to create narratives about ourselves, or our families. What a great idea to expand this multi-genre project into other areas of the curriculum, all while exposing students to a variety of different technologies. Do you think I would be easier to introduce the genre of digital storytelling though an I Am poem, or possibly through another subject or content area topic?
Danielle,
DeleteDepending what you want from your students - I think either could be appropriate. If you want them to do an I Am Poem, certainly I am examples would suffice. However, if you're looking to introduce social issues, or have students collaborate on social issues through the use of digital stories, then showing them an example of a DS that covers a social topic would suffice. Certainly modeling what is expected of the students would be the best example to give them, but that doesn't mean you should limit the DS opportunity to one topic either.