After doing the reading for digital stories my mind began to swim. The ideas that popped into my head and how intrigued I was about digital stories was awesome. I could see this being used in every grade level (a first for me and technology) and every part of the school.
Digital stories are short (3 to 10 minutes max) videos created by anyone that include video, picture, music, narration, and graphics. Digital stories are that....stories told and created by the presenter. They are based on a sigle topic and one point of view. They can be about anything and made by anyone with a "story" to tell.
I would think that digital stories could be used in the media center as a way for the media specialist to review or introduce a library concept (DDC or how to use a non-fiction book). Students could use digital stories in the media center as a way to share their favorite book (especially the younger grades). This story could be done weekly or bi-weekly by various students on various grade levels and shared school wide.
In the classroom, I began to think of all the ways I could use it as well. Of course, any teacher could use it as a way to preview a topic, review a topic, or teach one. But, I really wanted to think about how my class could use it...23 six year olds. Then I thought how they could use it to keep track of their own writing ideas. It could become a digital storybook of sorts. I also thought about how a digital story could be used as a culminating activity for students in any subject area. As I've heard often in education and know from real life....if you can perform the task and explain your thinking clearly...you must understand it. By creating performance based task using digital stories as a way to show understanding in my book is an awesome way to not only implement 21st Century Learning but to also the every day standards students must learn.
Monday, November 12, 2012
Saturday, November 10, 2012
The Power of Digital Storytelling
Digital stories are a way for people to share their stories through technology. A digital story is a story told using a variety of still and moving digital images with voice over narration and music playing throughout the story. It is a powerful way to tell a story. They are short, usually ranging from 3- 10 minutes and focus on one topic.
Digital stories can be used in the media center to show students important historical events, to help students gain a better understanding of what that time might have been like. Images and music have a powerful way of transporting people to another time and place, and digital stories are excellent when teaching students about various times in history. Digital stories can be used to introduce a unit, or help students gain a deeper understanding of a particular lesson being taught.
Another way they can be used is to allow students to tell their own stories to share with their classmates. They could share one specific event in their life, or share some of their background history. That would be a great way for students to dig into their own history and share their stories.
The media specialist can guide students to creating digital stories for any subject area; from showcasing various geometrical shapes in architecture and exploring various themes in pop culture, to showing how a particular disease affects various parts of the body. Any subject area can be used, and it would be a good idea for a media specialist to think of the myriad of ways that digital stories can be used, and use it as a way to collaborate with teachers in each subject level. Creating digital stories is an excellent way for a student to think critically, and express themselves verbally and artistically.
The media specialist would have to be sure to educate students about copyright issues, and guide them in the correct way to use photos and other information for their digital stories. Digital storytelling is a powerful tool for teachers, students, and the media specialist to use to tell a story, or convey a message, using technology.
Digital stories can be used in the media center to show students important historical events, to help students gain a better understanding of what that time might have been like. Images and music have a powerful way of transporting people to another time and place, and digital stories are excellent when teaching students about various times in history. Digital stories can be used to introduce a unit, or help students gain a deeper understanding of a particular lesson being taught.
Another way they can be used is to allow students to tell their own stories to share with their classmates. They could share one specific event in their life, or share some of their background history. That would be a great way for students to dig into their own history and share their stories.
The media specialist can guide students to creating digital stories for any subject area; from showcasing various geometrical shapes in architecture and exploring various themes in pop culture, to showing how a particular disease affects various parts of the body. Any subject area can be used, and it would be a good idea for a media specialist to think of the myriad of ways that digital stories can be used, and use it as a way to collaborate with teachers in each subject level. Creating digital stories is an excellent way for a student to think critically, and express themselves verbally and artistically.
The media specialist would have to be sure to educate students about copyright issues, and guide them in the correct way to use photos and other information for their digital stories. Digital storytelling is a powerful tool for teachers, students, and the media specialist to use to tell a story, or convey a message, using technology.
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