Exploring Digital Storytelling

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What is Digital Storytelling?

According to the University of Houston, digital storytelling is:

"Digital Storytelling is the practice of using computer-based tools to tell stories. As with traditional storytelling, most digital stories focus on a specific topic and contain a particular point of view. However, as the name implies, digital stories usually contain some mixture of computer-based images, text, recorded audio narration, video clips and/or music. Digital stories can vary in length, but most of the stories used in education typically last between two and ten minutes. The topics that are used in Digital Storytelling range from personal tales to the recounting of historical events, from exploring life in one's own community to the search for life in other corners of the universe, and literally, everything in between. "

Benefits and Uses of Digital Storytelling

Digital storytelling can be used in a variety of classroom settings, from early elementary all the way up to graduate school and offers numerous benefits to the students.  In this day and age, students are easily bored with traditional educational activities and assessments and do not feel engaged in the classroom.  Digital storytelling incorporates interactive digital media, which the students are already familiar with, and engages the students in active learning.  Projects that incorporate digital storytelling are usually learner-centered, with the student picking the topic themselves - this makes the learning meaningful and relevant to the students' lives because they can explore topics they are interested in.  

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In addition to developing students' technological and 21st century skills, they are simultaneously learning the actual content and subject matter skills.  For example, social studies students can create digital stories while exploring historical events or figures.  Math students can create digital stories by telling math word problems and science students can document their latest experiments.  In my first grade class, my students are just beginning to learn how to write sentences and short stories, so I could teach them the elements of storytelling (beginning, middle, and end) by utilizing digital stories!  I am a first-year teacher, so I am having a hard enough time just getting by... haha.  So, honestly, I am not planning on assigning a digital story project this year.  BUT!  I have put a lot of thought into it so far and would love to start planning and exploring and hey - maybe I'll be able to squeeze it in by the end of the year.  

Incorporating Digital Storytelling in the Classroom

If I were to assign a digital story project, I would want it to be as a culminating assessment after a unit on the elements of storytelling, emphasizing a beginning, middle, and end.  I was really, really touched by the article "Digital Storytelling Finds Its Place in the Classroom" about the Place Project.  I would love to incorporate this into my classroom.   With all of the bullying and cyber bullying that goes on with our youth today, I want my students to feel absolutely safe and comfortable in our classroom and having them share and discuss their favorite places with their classmates would be an wonderful exercise!  According to the author of the article, "the project confirmed my belief that everyone has a story about a place that is important to her or him, and that by using multimedia to develop and share those stories, we strengthen our understanding of our communities."

My Theoretical Plan

The project would have a few different steps and be spread out over a few weeks.

1. Students will be asked to orally describe their place to their groups - Where is it? What does it look like? Why is it important to you?  These types of questions will be part of the beginning or introduction paragraph that will consist of 3-5 sentences.  
2. The students will each sit with me to go over and revise their written sentences.  
3. The body or middle of the story will consist of more specific questions (your earliest memory, how does it make you feel, etc) and the students will elaborate about their place - their parents and I will help them write out this part of the story, as it will probably be above their writing level.  
4. Finally, they will have to come up with a clever ending or conclusion. 
5. Once the story has been drafted, the students will be asked to either draw pictures or provide pictures of their favorite place.  They will need about 5-7 images and will be asked to create a storyboard for their digital story using a template like this one.  If they were so inclined, they could also provide actual digital video footage, as well.
6. Each student will be expected to narrate their story to provide an audio track - I'll have to investigate other resources, but for now, I would use my laptop, which is set up with a video and audio recorder.  
7. As for the movie-making software, my roommate has experience using Windows Movie Maker and it seems really simple and user-friendly, so I'm going to try that out.  Once we have all of the images/video/audio created and collected, I will work with the students to edit together their stories.  

Here's an example of a digital story my roommate made using Windows Movie Maker:

Technology Resources and Restraints

I only have three computers in the classroom, and I know many of my students do not have computers at home, so this project would end up taking substantial class time if I were to pursue it.  I would look into using the computer lab or see if my school has a mobile computer lab.  I know already that my school does produce their own morning announcements and our media center has tech tools like digital cameras, video recorders, and a mini tv studio equipped with basic editing software.  Another option would be to schedule extra time in the media center or partner up with the media specialist to use their scheduled time to work on this project.  

As far as what resources I would show them - I would definitely show them examples of other digital stories made by other students their age.  Like this one!  Then, using my Interactive White Board, I could actually show them step by step how to use the program.  I'm not sure if my first graders will be able to use Windows Movie Maker on their own - I may have to have them start out with a simple PowerPoint or Slide Show software and then I will input them into a more advanced editing program.  

My Actual, Short-Term Plan

Of course, most of this is theoretical for me, as I just don't see myself incorporating such a time-consuming project into my curriculum this year.  For this purpose of exploring digital stories, I have enlisted the help of my roommate to act as a student - together, we are going to pick one of her favorite places, find media for it, record audio, and then, put it all together using Windows Movie Maker!  Maybe this will be one of the examples I can use to show my students next year.  I am very excited to do some more exploring and delve deeper into digital storytelling!! :)