There's is so much hype about digital storytelling.
Jason Ohler authored Digital Storytelling in the Classroom. Jason states, "The more digital the world becomes, the more your students will need you, not for more keystrokes and technical know-how, but for your guidance and wisdom". He gives twenty revelations in Chapter 1: Confessions of a Digital Storytelling Teacher. Revelation#20 clarifies the idea that teachers are not secondary to technology, although students need quality modeling that demonstrates the technology etiquette and innovative strategies for telling their stories (p.13). (http://www.jasonohler.com/conditions/index.cfm)
We have seen several tools to convey the digital stories such as, Microsoft PowerPoint, Windows Movie Maker, Photo Story, iMovie, Animoto, Voice Thread, Adobe PhotoShop, etc.
On an average, what do you see occurring in your learning environment: more focus on the storytelling or technology? In addition, why go digital when we have plenty of paper & pencils? If you have an instructional digital story worth sharing, please post it to this blog.
What's the BIG DEAL?
Using Storybook Weaver Deluxe, our students at DAVIS have recently begun to explore its capabilities. Yes, they do indeed focus on the technological aspects of the software, at first, but then, creativity takes over. Students share the "how to" of the program, but most impGEortantly, may "share" electronically, their work, peer edit, and finalize through printing out neat little books. We've begun this with our second grade teachers (2) and plan on adding some more staffers this year.
ReplyDeleteGetting people writing, using any medium, is our goal. As students communicate electronically, they are more prone to ask questions, share thoughts, and work independently without being confined to the "bell schedule"...
Hopefully not swaying from your topic here,
http://electronicportfolios.org/digistory/purposes.html
is where we need to go, electronic portfolios, the natural evolution of digital storytelling...for another topic?
I'm planning projects for 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th with movie maker, animoto, and photostory ...6th graders may also need to use audacity for the project. The projects for 3rd to 5th will involve tech vocabulary according to the curriculum. 6th graders will launch "Box Tops" for education campaign. For this project, I will need some support from administration...so let's see what I get.
ReplyDeleteFor pre-k to 2nd, I'm planning to focus a lot on reading and writing to embebe first concepts of typing and Microsof Word. Also use resources from smartboard. Later in the year, I plan to use Voice Thread, Glogster and Scratch for projects.
Also I will try to deliver the curriculum for 4th to 6th graders in an environment that focus on teacher as a facilitator instead of a lecturer...although I know that I will need mini lessons. I'll try to plant the seed and see how it works.
As an educator that worked for some time with children with special needs, I learned that it is all a matter of trial and error. I need to try ways to make it work.