“I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand.”
Confucius
Digital storytelling (DS), at its most basic, is telling stories by using modern technology. The narrator might tell his/her own story, the story of a family member or friend, or of a historical or community event using multimedia such as full motion video with sound, photo/image stills, graphics, or animation. This video is then published on the internet/worldwide web. Other terms or synonyms for digital storytelling include digital documentaries, digital essays or electronic memoirs. Digital stories vary in length but are usually between two and ten minutes long.
Examples of digital stories.
There are a number of benefits to ‘digital storytelling’ (DS). To use Gardner’s learning styles model, DS appeals to learning styles that are often neglected or at least not used as much such as ‘kinesthetic’, ‘musical’, ‘interpersonal’, ‘visual/spatial’ while still appealing to the ‘verbal/linguistic’ and ‘logical/mathematical’ learning styles. To use Peter Fleming’s VARK model, there are learning experiences to benefit and use the abilities of those who prefer visual, auditory, reading/writing, and kinaesthetic learners. Students benefit from ‘hands-on’, ‘concrete’, and problem-solving in learning. Another benefit of ‘digital storytelling’ is that students are more motivated to learn and complete the assignment. They are so engaged and stimulated that they tend to see the learning more as ‘fun’ and less as ‘work’. Students tend to perform better in these circumstances.
Student learning is said to be more ‘authentic’ since their work is shared with a worldwide audience. Most students (and teachers) who know that they and their work will be ‘judged’ by everyone and anyone tend to want to put their best foot forward and to produce their best work. Digital storytelling helps students acquire or practise 21st Century Skills such as collaboration, innovation, inspiration, insight, inquiry, and influence.
21st Century Skills
‘Digital Storytelling’ would be highly appropriate and relevant in my current teaching context – an Ontario high school history, civics, law, or guidance classroom. In a history classroom, I could ask the students narrate their own story or the story of a relative who lived through a particular period of interest (e.g. The Depression or Immigrating through Pier 21). In my case, I could post an exemplar in which I narrate my father’s story as a new immigrant to Canada. I could ask them to research a historical figure like Louis Riel and narrate the story in 1st or 3rd person. In law class, I could ask students to narrate the story of someone who changed Canadian law (e.g. Blind lawyer David Lepofsky sued the Toronto Transit Commmission in order to force bus drivers to announce stops and for buses to post stops digitally for hearing impaired customers). In Civics class, students could tell their own story of civic participation (e.g. as an election volunteer). In Careers 10 class, instead of making a poster about their skills, interests, values, learning styles, and personality or about their dreams and ambitions (occupation, spiritual/humanitarian, material, personal growth etc.), they could make a storyboard first and then make a video with themselves as narrators.
To learn about ‘digital storytelling’, I watched a number of videos. The first was the story about Jim Sill, a former video and TV producer who became created an award-winning video production program at El Diamonte High School in California.
I found Sill's story inspiring and I'm looking forward to watching other video's on Sill's YouTube channel and to peruse his website
Mister Sill
I also plan on talking to colleagues and others smarter than myself to see how such a program could be started at my own school or how I might use a scaled-down version of what Sill does (fellow teachers could share the technology and collaborate). My brain is spinning as I think about the possibilities. Video yearbook anyone?
What I really would like to do is be a student in Mr. Sill's class. If you know of professional development opportunities for teachers to learn what their students learn (similar to Mr. Sill's class) either where you live or in Toronto where I teach, please leave such information in this Blog's comment box.
I noticed that Sill (and others) who are video professionals use Apple. I wonder if I should invest in an Apple laptop instead of the Dell that I was planning on getting. I also realize that I need to learn a lot more about copyright and using video or images available on the internet for educational purposes (Fair Use etc.).
I watched a number of digital storytelling videos on the University of Houston's website:
Digital Storytelling @ University of Houston
One video that I viewed was on the KinderTransports of the Holocaust. Unfortunately, Blogger does not seem to read the 'embed' code provided at the site. As a result, I cannot embed the video here. I have embedded two similar YouTube videos, however, below:
With the right training, I think I could incorporate digital storytelling in my classes. Watching video of another teacher doing it is not the same as doing it myself. Teachers are no different than their students.
“I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand.”
Confucius
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