Digital Storytelling in the Classroom

Minu Bhagwat
Bachelor of Arts (Multimedia)
Master of Communication & Media Studies
Advertising, Marketing, Teaching
Digital Storytelling in the Classroom
Digital Storytelling
We just saw a Digital Story

Definition from my research:
Digital storytelling is a form where creators narrate and create a 3 – 4 minute video of a personal story that is significant to them

4 key elements
1. Voice - personal story
2. Emotional content - strongly emotive
3. Non-Fictional Narrative - authentic narratives
4. Quality - ranges widely

It is different to Films / Documentaries / YouTube Videos because of these key elements . . .

Usually intimate and extremely emotive
Combine the power of images and voiceover
Different narratives >
Exploring the Form: Traditional & New
Let's understand how Digital Storytelling originated, and how it has evolved in its forms . . .
Incorporating DS in Your Classroom
Significance of DS in a Classroom
Educators see digital stories as a critical tool for increasing the quality & thoughtfulness of writing (Lambert 2007).

Considering that students of today speak the digital language natively (Prensky 2001a, 2001b), they prefer to learn ‘multimodally’ (Hull & Nelson 2005).
Both learning & technology are evolving

Significance of DS in pedagogy

iPhone workshops & apps for DS
Moving Forward . . .
DS emerged in the United States in the early 1990s after
a group of media artists and designers came together to explore how digital media tools
could be used to empower personal storytelling . . .
DS is now an established form of
media participation around the world and has a global presence with projects in various countries and centres!
Currently centres for DS exist in
Australia Austria
Brazil India
Philippines Singapore
South-East Asia Switzerland
Toronto USA
Traditional Form:

- Form of Expression
- Art Form (Storytelling)
- Digital Archives

Moving forward . . . ?
Conservative? Restrictive?

Do we need to explore new uses?
Do we need to re-define DS?
The ‘original’ concept of digital storytelling involved:
1) Collect photos of significance
2) Write a script
3) Learn software
4) Scan images, record narration & produce story
5) View / share story 'if preferred'
Newer Forms!
About Me
Creative Arts & Writing

Creativity in Education - Teaching & Learning

Advertising, Films & Video

Games & Other Creative Tools in Pedagogy

Masters Thesis - Who's Watching:
An Investigation of Audience in Digital Storytelling

Aim - Complete my PhD, teach at University
Significance of DS in a Classroom
Multimedia elements can diversify traditional teaching materials, and students can learn and
create with creativity. Constructed digital stories with a specific purpose can change the way
students perceive and learn, or at least, aim to do so.
Incorporating DS in Your Classroom
Wide range of resources already available out there!

ACMI - online studio lab generation for audiences with pedagogical purposes (eg: The Education Department of Victoria)

Digital Storytelling Network in Australia - members include primary and high school teachers, as well as teachers working within the post-secondary Adult and Vocational Education and Training sector (Clarke & Adam 2012)

Many fantastic Digital Storytelling sites >
Why?
How?
Let's Create
Digital Stories!
Thank You! Any Questions?
Take a minute to remember:

1st Story > Video Example > Pinterest Board > Zimmer Twins

DS is that and everything in between!

An exciting & creative tool that you can use both for:
- Creativity in your teaching in the digital world
- Expressing your own creativity

My DS Story: YouTube - 'Sam the Magic Genie'
References:

Brice, A & Lambert, R 2009, Digital storytelling: action stations, Curriculum Press, Melbourne.

Clarke, R & Adam, A 2012, 'Digital storytelling in Australia: academic perspectives and reflections', Arts and Humanities in Higher Education: An International Journal of Theory, Research and Practice, vol. 11, no. 1, pp. 157-76.

Clegg, B 2008, Studying creatively: a creativity toolkit to get your studies out of a rut, Routledge, London.

Foster, J 1998, How to get ideas, Berrett-Koehler Publishers, San Francisco.

Hartley, J & McWilliam, K 2009, Story circle: digital storytelling around the world, Wiley-Blackwell, West Sussex.

Hull, GA & Katz, M-L 2006, 'Crafting an agentive self: case studies of digital storytelling', Research in the Teaching of English, vol. 41, no. 1, pp. 43-81.

Hull, GA & Nelson, ME 2005, 'Locating the semiotic power of multimodality', Written Communication, vol. 22, no. 2, pp. 224-61.

Lambert, J 2007, 'Digital storytelling: how digital media helps preserve cultures', The Futurist, vol. 41, no. 2, p. 25.

Sadik, A 2008, 'Digital storytelling: a meaningful technology-integrated approach for engaged student learning ', Educational Technology Research and Development, vol. 56, no. 4, pp. 487-506.
Pedagogical Sector:

Digital art forms >
Creativity & Technology
in the classroom