Once Upon a Time, There was Digital Storytelling…

What do Honda, the music band Train, 9th grade literature students, Margaret Atwood, George Clooney, and the epic poet Homer have in common? Why, Odysseus King of Ithaca of course!

Odysseus, the great hero of the Trojan War, sets off on a journey (an odyssey like the Honda van) to reach his wife and child - except he gets a little sidetracked by the immortal goddess Calypso, “the one without a permanent scar” (Train’s “Drops of Jupiter). All ninth grade literature students get the pleasure of reading this epic poem, complete with Margaret Atwood’s poem “The Siren’s Song” and a discussion of the movie Oh, Brother Where Art Thou starring George Clooney.

Now, instead of just telling the students what is coming for the unit, imagine being able to give them a sneak peak before they read; a sneak peak complete with video, narration, audio, pictures, and more! According to The University of Houston’s website, digital storytelling “is the practice of using computer-based tools to tell stories.” The following are some traits of digital storytelling:

*focus on a specific topic
*are told from a particular point of view
*contain a variety of images, audio clips, videos, and narration
*usually between 2 and 10 minutes in length
*can be used for a plethora of topics (historical, personal, literary, etc)

Teachers could incorporate digital storytelling in their classrooms in many ways. This hands-on activity could be used for introduction activities, culminating activities, and attention grabbers. For media specialists, this is a wonderful way to collaborate with teachers and work with students. Since various types of software (Adobe, Apple iMovie, QuickTime Pro, Microsoft Photo Story, Windows Live, etc) is needed, the SLMS would be a great resource for teachers and students. In his or her own media center, a school library media specialist could use Digital Storytelling to spotlight new titles in the center, various happenings with the program, and the like.

The following are the seven main elements of Digital Storytelling and should be included in each:

1. Point of View: Choose an effective person to tell your story.
2. Dramatic Question: Pose a question that will be answered throughout the story.
3. Emotional Content: Connect your story with social issues in which your audience is interested.
4. Voice: Use your voice for narration to capture their attention.
5. Soundtracks: Use some music or sound that enhances your story.
6. Economy: Use enough content to get the audience’s attention but without spoiling the entire topic.
7. Pacing: Set an appropriate pace for your story based on the topic and your audience.

Visit The University of Houston’s website at http://digitalstorytelling.coe.uh.edu/index.html for examples, tips, ways to create your own digital story, rubrics for your students, and other resources.

Digital storytelling is the practice of using computer-based tools to tell stories. Digital stories usually contain some mixture of computer-based images, text, recorded audio narration, video clips, and music. Topics can range from personal tales to the recounting of historical events, from exploring life in our community to exploring life in other corners of the universe, and everything in between.

Seven Elements of Digital Storytelling

1. Point of View - What is the main point of the story and what is the perspective of the author?

2. Dramatic Question - A key question that keeps the viewer's attention and will be answered by the end of the story.

3. Emotional Content - Serious issues that come alive in a personal and powerful way and connects the story to the audience.

4. The Gift of your Voice - A way to personalize the story to help the audience understand the context.

5. The Power of the Soundtrack - Music or other sounds that support and embellish the storyline.

6. Economy - Using just enough content to tell the story without overloading the viewer.

7. Pacing - The rhythm of the story and how slowly or quickly it progresses.

Educators at all levels can use digital storytelling to:

• Introduce new material
• Help students learn to conduct research
• Synthesize large amounts of content
• Gain expertise in digital communication and authoring tools
• Help students organize ideas for an audience
• Present ideas / knowledge in an individual and meaningful way
• Create a hook for a lesson
• Enhance unit lesson plans
• Appeal to diverse learning styles
• Generate interest, attention, and motivation
• Capitalize on creative talents
• Publish student work for viewing / critiquing by others
• Promote the accomplishments of cross-curricular academic standards

http://digitalstorytelling.coe.uh.edu/index.html

As a kindergarten teacher, I can definitely see the use of teacher created digital stories in the classroom. Kids of all ages will respond positively to creative interpretations of academic content. In elementary schools, I believe the creation of digital stories is appropriate for students in fifth grade. Fifth grade students could use digital storytelling to reflect on their days in elementary school. The media specialist could collaborate with the classroom, art, and music teachers to help students develop a fifth grade project. The classroom teacher could work with students on the writing aspect. The art teacher could work with students on the visual aspect. The music teacher could work with students on the audio aspect. The media specialist could work with students on the technology aspect. This project would allow students to create a memoir which could be shared with family and friends via the Internet.

Video Distribution System and Georgia Public Broadcasting

Our school uses the video distribution system (closed circuit cable system) on a minimal basis. School owned videos are shown around holidays (The Mouse on the Mayflower – Thanksgiving in February, Olive the Other Reindeer – Christmas in December, and Our Friend Martin – Martin Luther King Jr. Day in January). Teachers have absolutely no input or control regarding the video distribution system. The media specialist does not even have control or input regarding the video distribution system. The administration alone is responsible for what is sent out over the closed circuit cable system. I absolutely disagree with this policy. Our kindergarten team loves to collaborate. When one of us locates a wonderful educational video, we want all of our students to experience it. The video distribution system would be a wonderful way to show the video to all six classes at the exact same time; instead, we are forced to pass the video around from classroom to classroom. I say, “If you have the technology available, use it.” The cafeteria manager uses the closed circuit cable system to read a story to the students each winter. The students listen to the book and then create illustrations to decorate the cafeteria for the Winter Wonderland breakfast. For a short period of time, the fourth and fifth grade students create a news program which aired on the video distribution system each morning after announcements. The news program explained the daily lunch choices, current events within the school, and even included book reviews.

Our school and district does not have a set standard for how to use the Georgia Public Broadcasting (GPB). Schools and individual teachers can use the educational website as little or as much as they see fit for their particular classroom and students. As a kindergarten teacher, I only use the kids section because the other information seems to be geared for older students. My kids love to play the games and read along with the stories. It is a real incentive to complete the assignment neatly, accurately, and in the allotted time. In previous years, the Discovery Education’s Streaming Videos were some of the only videos available online for teachers to use in the classroom. Now that YouTube is available, Discovery Education’s Streaming Videos is not used as often.

What's on the Tube?

If you are like me, you are always looking for ways to use videos in your classroom. I tend to either check out a DVD from the media center of find it on Discovery Education’s video streaming. At my school we do have a Video Distribution system located in the media center. In talking with the media specialist this is piece of equipment that is very underused, and often not used for educational purposes. We do have a morning news broad cast that come through it each morning, but that is the only regular activity it sees. On Channel 4 we have a digital bulletin board that shows on a TV in the school Lobby, but it often as old information. The most use the VDS sees is when teachers want a video played for either the whole school or a certain grade level. At Christmas they played “Charlie Brown” on it for the whole school to watch during their Holiday Parties. Towards the end of the year many grade levels will watch the movie versions of books they read, but not real purposeful vidoes are show through this system.
GPB education is another great resource. I really like that they have webinars on the new common core that will be rolling out next year. You can watch trainings for your specific grade levels. This is going to be a very helpful tool in planning for next year.

http://www.gpb.org/education/common-core

As an Elementary teachers I wanted to check out the “Count on it” link that is designed for k-3. I was not impressed. Being a 3rd grade teacher I was hoping for some really great games and activities on Counting back Change and Elapsed time, but the activities on this page do not seem to be aligned to the current GPS for 3rd grade. Just being able to tell time is not enough for a 3rd grader. They need to know if I start an activity at this time, and Finish at this time, I spent this long completing the activity. I hope the other grade levels are better aligned.

http://www.gpbkids.org/countonit/