Authors, Regina Royer and Patricia Richards, discuss all the makings and processes of digital storytelling. Royer and Richards explain, in depth, an entire process from start to finish, which I found incredibly helpful before creating our own digital story. I learned that it is helpful to create a storyboard and sequence the events and setting in the story in an outline. Using digital storytelling in class can promote literacy development and reading comprehension, among many other skills related to technology use. I remember creating my own stories in all of my elementary classes and they were enjoyable to do but I was limited to my pencil and paper. With digital storytelling there are so many other elements thrown into the mix which can be very enjoyable to many students. The authors teach readers about reciprocal teaching, which is where the teacher gradual gives more freedom and control to the student. It is important in reciprocal teaching that the teacher effectively models and explains the task or project before the students are released to begin their work. It can be very stressful to a student when they have all the control but do not understand what they are supposed to be doing. I also learned that it is important to summarize in digital storytelling, like any other storytelling. One way that digital storytelling is different than original storytelling is that it promotes multimedia literacy, which is a growing skill in our day and age. Author, Bernajean Porter, shares insight to the world of Second Life and how digital storytelling plays into it. Porter discusses the steps of the project, starting with the beginning, students gather together to create the story on paper and are given a prompt to base their story off of. Once they had their story, they translated their story into the 3D world, which promotes multimedia literacy and fluency. Using Second Life, an online program which is what the title says, a second life, that you can create and make as real or fictional as you would like to.
I know personally, I have a lot of fun creating a video, from writing the script, to acting it out, and editing the film. Students also learn and practice working in small groups and on a team. It is a great assignment for promoting team work and falls under project based learning. I've seen it in my own classes and observing classrooms, students love when teachers practice reciprocal teaching. They get excited about the freedom and feel energized and creative with their new control. From Porter's article, I would definitely use the outline and lesson that she explains in the article. I think it is creative, fun, and very educational. I can see students getting really enthusiastic about the project and going above and beyond for the mere fact that it is enjoyable. I think Second Life would be really fun for students to use, but I would hope that they don't get too far into the program after the project is completed. I've known some people that really go overboard with the game and it affects their first life. Projects that involve the creativity of writing a story, then using media to create the project not only help develop important skills for students but it is an assignment they are likely to remember as one of their favorite projects. Thinking back on my high school classes, there have been so many projects that could have used this digital storytelling and I would have retained the information better and enjoyed the process much more. You could use digital storytelling in any subject, not just creative writing. I remember doing a physics assignment where I had to create my own marble machine. Filming the process and analyzing the project really would have driven the point home and gone above and beyond in my learning. Middle school and high school should be able to create these stories in groups or on their own without crucial issues, elementary students may need to perform the work in class and be monitored by the teacher and be able to ask questions and for assistance.
References:
Porter, B. (2010). Digital Storytelling in Second Life. Learning & Leading, 26-27.
Laura,
ReplyDeleteYou bring up a great idea about using the reciprocal teaching method with a digital storytelling project. I think that creating a digital story is a great opportunity for students to work more independently. This will make them feel as though they have the freedom to be as creative as they wish on the project. However if reciprocal teaching is coming into place, then it would be best if the teacher made their own digital story first. This will provide a good model for the students to work off of. It also gives the teacher the opportunity to point out any part of the process that they believe will be a struggle for the students to accomplish on their own.
I must also agree with you that students should be weary of utilizing immersive online worlds such as Second Life. These types of programs can have an addictive quality for some of the students. They see it as a way to escape reality for a while and be whoever they wish to be. Kids are already spending so much time online due to social media that it may be risky to expose them to another program that can take time out of their real life. But I did read the same article as you by Bernajean Porter, and she made quite a persuasive argument about the benefits of using Second Life for digital storytelling purposes. As with anything, a teacher must weigh the risks and benefits of the project and make the decision they feel is best for the entire class.
-Scott
Hi Laura,
ReplyDeleteI can definitely relate to your comment that, "It can be very stressful to a student when they have all the control but do not understand what they are supposed to be doing." Especially for students who are used to being "straight A" students and are given the control over an assignment, tasks like that can be extremely stressful since they are used to following the rules and directions completely. When they have to create their own is when they stress about how well it will be received by the teacher. Over time, I think giving students control over an assignment is actually extremely useful for later on exercising that creative part of the brain to pitch ideas to bosses and to be innovative in one's industry. However, I think that a teacher should also reward risk, even if it did not turn out as well as the student intended. Too often, I think that students stay with what is "safe" and do not venture out into more interesting and creative ideas because they are fearful of the negative impact it could hold on their grade. I think that having pride in one's work is the greatest reward and, by doing reciprocal learning and handing over control to students, intrinsic pride can be accomplished.
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ReplyDeleteHi Laura,
ReplyDeleteDigital Storytelling can definitely be a fun and educational experience for students as it encourages them to use multiple skills like the ones you mentioned. As the authors mentioned, a successful way to introduce this concept to students is through reciprocal teaching. I hadn’t hear of this teaching style before but it does seem best to have teachers model it first to their student, especially the younger ages, that way they know what obstacles the students might encounter. I'm glad to know students today, because of technology, are not limited to paper and pencil.