Digital Storytelling as A Tool for Teaching & Learning

1. Digital Storytelling as A Tool for Teaching& Learning Sara L. Reyes Western Oregon University Spring 2012 A review of Digital Storytelling: A Tool for Teaching and Learning in the YouTube Generation

2. What is digital storytelling? “Digital storytelling is the art of combining narrative with digital media such as images, sound, and video to create a short story (Robin, 2008).”

3. Key components “In the Digital Storytelling Cookbook, Lambert (2006) identifies seven elements that are critical components of effective digital stories.” These seven components are: • Point of view • A dramatic question • Emotional content • The gift of your voice • The power of the soundtrack • Economy • Pacing

4. using digital storytelling in middle school math First year teacher Tyler Binkley creates online math video “vignettes” that teach critical math skills. His students visit his YouTube channel when they struggle with their math. He engages students with his unique style using: • recurring characters • themes • jokes • He learned about digital storytelling in his teacher education programs.

5. Application in Teacher Education Programs Preservice teachers, like Binkley, created digital booktalks: • Used iMovie and Movie Maker to create 2 minute long book trailers • Used Flip Video cameras to shoot live action • Created voice-overs • Selected segments of music and sound effects • Inserted titles and brief text

6. His teacher (Kerper) invited students to Ning, a social networking tool. • This tool was used so Binkley and his classmates could give feedback on what was clear and what was uncertain in each others’ videos. • Students reported that their peers’ comments highly impacted their final product.

7. Implications for Teachers • Make content and connections relevant to students’ lives. • Digital storytelling connects students to content in ways that they’re accustomed to consuming information (i.e. watching TV, movies, and interacting in online forums). • Students make their own videos and post them to YouTube. Viral videos are “the cultural currency of today’s youth.”

8. Learning to Teaching with digital Videos Binkley focuses on three main components: • The mechanics of video editing • The techniques of modern storytelling • The integration of the content and medium Music and humor are standard elements in popular videos today… “Of the all-time top ten videos viewed on YouTube, six are musical and four are humorous (YouTube, 2010).”

9. Possible challenges & limitations Implementation may be challenging. With web-based instruction, equal access for all learners must be considered including: • Learning needs • Socioeconomic backgrounds Educators must ask themselves: “Would all of my students be able to access content online or benefit equally from its presentation?”

10. References Article: Dreon, O., Kerper, R. M., & Landis, J. (2011). Digital Storytelling: A Tool for Teaching and Learning in the YouTube Generation. Middle School Journal, 42(5), 4-9. http://www.eric.ed.gov/PDFS/EJ934075.pdf Images: http://digistorytelling.pbworks.com/f/digistorytelling_logo.jpg http://www.atas.k12.ca.us/ausd/ahs/teachers/FacultySites/Bradley_video_online/images/5_imovie_logo.jpg http://9.mshcdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/flip-mino-header.jpg http://blogs.ft.com/tech-blog/files/2009/07/ning-for-dummies.jpg http://cdnimg.visualizeus.com/thumbs/70/e0/illustration,music,music,humor,music,nostalgia,rock,n,roll-70e003218ae138a6fe8ec731c0bfe0c8_m.jpg