Digital Storytelling: Making learning personal

                    According to Courtney in Library 2.0, “A digital story is a story told using some combination of digital still images, video clips, voiceover narrative, and music.”    The length varies but is often no more than 3 to 5 minutes in length. The required hardware and software as listed in our textbook Library 2.0 is as follows:

·          Computer ( preferably with a DVD burner)

·         Digital camera

·         Scanner

·         USB microphone

·         Tabletop microphone stand

·         Photo editing software ( for instance, iPhoto or Photoshop)

·         Sound recording software (for instance, Sound Studio, GarageBand, or Audacity)

·         Video editing software (for instance, iMovie or Adobe Premier)

·         Optional: digital video camera, headphones                                       

     The University of Houston’s site on The Educational Uses of Digital Storytelling also provides a list of software that can be used to create the stories. Many of these are free or very low cost. You can find the list on their website at: http://digitalstorytelling.coe.uh.edu/technology_tools.html.

      The Center for Digital Storytelling (CDS) in Berkeley, CA was founded Dana Atchley, Joe Lambert and Nina Mullen.  This organization’s main focus is assisting people in using digital media in order to tell meaningful stories.  In his article, Digital Storytelling: Capturing Lives, Creating Community, Joe Lambert lists what he says are “The seven elements” of digital storytelling.  He says they are:

·         Point (of view)

·         Dramatic question

·         Emotional Content

·         The gift of your voice

·         The power of the soundtrack

·         Economy

·         Pacing

    Lambert separates point and point of view into two parts. He says that point is the reason the story is important to the author and point of view is the perspective from which the author tells the story.   The dramatic question, according to Lambert, “brings the point of the story and its point of view into focus for the listener, keeping the listener involved from beginning to end.”  He says that it is the emotional content of the story that “distinguishes these stories from a mere recitation of the day’s activities.”  Lambert describes the voice as a “gift” because it provides the listening with image of the storyteller that gives a deeper meaning to the story.  It is the music that brings the story to life. It sets the mood and heightens the emotions of the listener.  Think of your favorite movie and how the music put you on the edge of your seat.  I remember seeing Jaws for the first time and how the music, when he was going to attack, made me hold my breath waiting for it to happen.  Since most digital stories are no more than approximately five minutes, the storytelling has to “get to the point”.  The use of images and music can assist in “telling” the story.   Finally Lambert describes the pace of the story.  We all know that when we are faced with listening to a person lecturing or speaking in a slow, monotone voice that they lose our attention.  It is important to vary the speed, the narrator’s voice, the music and even the presentation of the visual images in order to keep their attention.     (Courtney, p. 132)

     For more information on the 7 Elements, you can visit the Center for Digital Storytelling at http://digitalstorytelling.coe.uh.edu/7elements.html. 

      Digital Storytelling is becoming more and more popular in the field of education and in many classrooms. Microsoft has created a site with instructional manuals for Digital Storytelling in the Classroom and helpful videos.  One of the things that I noticed on the site was the following statement, “When students create a movie or interactive slide show to tell their story, learning becomes personal. Students improve their writing, show creativity, and have a voice.”   We all know that when a student is engaged and doing, they learn so much more than when they just listen. This is a way to get even the reluctant student involved and excited about learning.  It’s wonderful to see them “having fun” and what they don’t even realize is that they are learning too.  You can find Microsoft’s site at: http://www.microsoft.com/education/en-us/teachers/guides/Pages/digital_storytelling.aspx

      In addition to the Microsoft site another good resource is Edutopia.  This site provides a guide for integrating Digital Storytelling into the classroom. It describes 7 things that you should keep in mind.  You can find this list at: http://www.edutopia.org/digital-storytelling-classroom.

      It is amazing the number of sites and the abundance of information that you can find on Digital Storytelling.  It is an amazing tool to stimulate and educate the minds of our students.  It is something that can be used in just about every classroom.   It is our responsibility to make sure that teachers are aware of it and to help them integrate it into their classrooms.