On the SITE Digital Storytelling blog today, Dr. Denise Schmidt posted about Stacy Behmer’s wonderful online resource, “Digital Storytelling: Examining the Process With Middle School Students.” In addition to including a great literature review of digital storytelling, Stacy’s site includes extensive curriculum resources for the three primary phases of digital storytelling:
She also includes resources for assessment and reflection. The production section is specific to iMovie. It would be great to see a similar site for production using PhotoStory3 (for WinXP users) and Cinelerra (for Linux users). David Jakes‘ PhotoStory3 tutorial (PDF format) is good, but not chunked as nicely in a web-based format as what Stacy has created. David’s PDF tutorial is perfect for printing out for teachers in workshop settings, however! (Digital immigrants generally need and love detailed, step-by-step handouts like the one David has created and generously shared.)
Bernajean’s Porter’s DigiTales: The Art of Telling Digital Stories is a similar site, but not quite as comprehensive as Stacy’s. Bernajean essentially uses the same phases for digital story creation, but breaks them down into seven steps.
With superb online curriculum like these sites available for digital storytelling, I think it is reasonable to ask if a university class studying the topic (like my Advanced Multimedia and Video class starting again at the end of February) really needs a textbook? Reading Andrew Postman’s article today about the 20th anniversary edition of his father’s book “Amusing Ourselves to Death: Public Discourse in the Age of Show Business” (from 1985 but still so relevant today), I am considering using that as a text for tutorial sessions and not requiring a textbook. Postman’s thoughts about technology and edutainment provide a great contrasting and thought-provoking perspective to consider in the context of classroom technology integration and specifically digital storytelling.
With digital curriculum resources like Stacy and Bernajean’s websites, I am not convinced students need to purchase a paper-based textbook to effectively study and learn about digital storytelling and its practical uses in the 21st century classroom. If you know about other comparable curriculum resources about digital storytelling, or others that can complement these, please comment and link them here! 🙂
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On this day..
- Synchronizing Lecture Audio to Slides for YouTube – 2020
- Batting 1-1 With Three More Pitches Coming – 2016
- Student iPad Radio Shows Shared on YouTube – 2015
- Spots Still Available for Google Summit in OKC: Feb 21-22 – 2015
- Use Digital Voice Recorders to Hear Student Voices – 2012
- Stuff I Want to Share at OTA – Encyclo-Media 2012 – 2012
- Rupert Murdoch’s Vision is Wrong – 2011
- Creation Requires Influence: Understanding Remix Power in Star Wars – 2011
- Student voices in the Iowa legislature – 2010
- How to Create a Great PowerPoint Without Breaking the Law: Take 2.0 by Alvin Trusty – 2009
Comments
One response to “Digital Storytelling Curriculum”
OK, Wes, I’m on it.