Express Ideas Compellingly with Digital Storytelling

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Express Ideas Compellingly with Digital
Storytelling Adapted by Jane Cook from a
Presentation by Rebecca Pilver at the Connecticut
Writing Project Summer Institute 2009
Above all, a living thing wants to discharge its
energy FRIEDRICH NIETZSCHE
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Objectives
Content I will plan a digital story using a 5
Frame Storyboard. I will create a digital story
using Microsoft Photostory. Language I will be
able to explain what digital storytelling is.
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What is Digital Storytelling?
Digital storytelling takes the ancient art of
oral storytelling and engages a palette of
technical tools to weave personal tales using
images, graphics, music, and sound mixed together
with the authors own story voice. Lamb
ert, Joe. "Digital Storytelling Cookbook." Center
for Digital Storytelling. Feb. 2007.
http//www.storycenter.org
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Effective Digital Stories Have 7 Elements
1. Point of View 2. Dramatic Question 3.
Emotional Content 4. Economy 5. Pacing 6. The
Power of Soundtrack 7. The Gift of Your Voice

• Lambert, Joe. "Digital Storytelling Cookbook."
  Center for Digital Storytelling. Feb. 2007.
  http//www.storycenter.org

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What is the point of view? What is the question?
When I was young, I never really understood what
friendship was. I was shy, and confused
friendship with popularity. Last year I met
Tanya, and we became the kind of friends that
most people are, acquaintances
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60 Seconds by Deneen Can you identify the 7
elements?
DigiTales The Art of Telling Digital Stories.
Bernjean Porter. lthttp//www.digitales.usgt.
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Digital Storytelling uses readily available
technology tools.

• Digital Images from clip art, cameras or online
• Audio Files from voice recording or royalty free
  music
• Free, easy to use digital video editors such as
  Microsoft Photostory

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Whether you are viewing or creating a story, ask
yourself these questions

• Why am I (or Why is the creator) telling this
  story?
• What is my (or What is the creators) main point?
• What emotions am I (or is the creator) trying to
  evoke?
• How effective is my (or the creators) choice of
  images, music, transitions, and text?

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Driving Experience by Shawn, age 16. Shawn
tells a very intense and familiar story of
something that starts out to be for fun only and
then turns into unexpected experiences. Shawn
created this at Eagle Rock School. Eagle Rock
School is located in Estes Park, CO. The school
funds full scholarships for students nationally
who have not experienced successful in
traditional academic programs.
DigiTales The Art of Telling Digital Stories.
Bernjean Porter. lthttp//www.digitales.usgt.
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5 Frames

• Its simple to practice telling a small moment
  using only 5 frames.
• Some examples
• Bundle of Joy
• Check It Out
• Spring
• On the Trail
• Let It Snow!

Examples from Motivating the Plugged in
Generation Digital Storytelling,
http//motivating.wikispaces.com
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Book Trailers

• Help classmates to think critically about the
  impact that text, images, and sound have on the
  viewer.
• Examples
• Cricket in Times Square
• The Looking Glass Wars

Student Examples from Room 5Z, Hall Memorial
School, Willington, CT
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Lets Get Started What ideas do YOU have? Think
about what you know or like to do. How might you
turn that into a digital story?
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Works Cited DigiTales The Art of Telling
Digital Stories. Bernjean Porter.
lthttp//www.digitales.usgt. Kadjer, Sara.
Bringing the Outside In Visual Ways to Engage
Student Readers. Portland Stenhouse,
2006. Lambert, Joe. "Digital Storytelling
Cookbook." Center for Digital Storytelling. Feb.
2007. lthttp//www.storycenter.orggt. Palfry,
John, and Urs Gasser. Born Digital. NY Perseus
Books Group, 2008. Prensky, Marc. "Digital
Natives, Digital Immigrants, Part II Do They
Really Think Differently?" On the Horizon, NCB
University Press 9 (2001). Salpeter, Judy.
"Telling Tales with Technology." Technology and
Learning 25 (2005) 20-24.