Digital Storytelling Briefly

Dr. Janine Shelley, School District U-46, Elgin Illinois

Digital storytelling is an intense writing process with a digital product. It exemplifies the use of technology to empower student learning with:

Writing best practice

Project management

Student engagement

Technology product

Students of all ages can create digital stories.

Process:

1. Writing: Often a prompt begins the writing that leads to a personal narrative about a particular story in a student's life. (Usually 2-4 pages)
1. Re-writing: (in the form of several drafts) to capture the essence of the story.
2. Story circle: Sharing with peers or teacher to identify story essence.
2. Script: Distillation of the essential components of the narrative story. (Usually 1/2 -3/4 page)
3. Storyboard: Organization of flow of video product and identification of possible images.
4. Locating multimedia: Selecting appropriate digital images and music.
5. Creating the digital story: Use of a product such as PhotoStory (free from MicroSoft)
6. Sharing the product .

Learning outcomes:

•  Students are engaged as they complete a complex writing and publishing process.

•  Students spend much more time perfecting their written product, choosing to write as many as 5 or more drafts of the original story and script.

•  Students focus on essential vocabulary to express their message and select images to support that message.

•  Students are proud to share their final product with an audience.