I love digital storytelling! So much in fact, that I think that this powerful tool can have the power for kids to not only compose stories on-line, but share their learnings about a particular area.
In the Shelly S. Terrell's wiki, she has made a screencast to go with a slideshow about how she uses Digital Storytelling with younger grades. I really appreciate how she acknowledges the overall benefits when working with EAL/ESL learners and how this technology can help them tell their stories. Digital Storytelling video screencast by Shelly S. Terrell can be found on her site, Technology 4 Kids. She discusses what can be achieved with Digital Storytelling, with very simple ideas shared in an accessible way.
In her wiki, in addition to video resources, there are great samples digital storytelling projects and sites to check out. Other links to see on Digital Storytelling... Cog Dog's site, CogDogroo and Kathy Schrock's Digital Storytelling Site . There are so many amazing options for making this project format come to life!
I think I will be exploring some of these options to share in my major project. I plan on using some of the resources and help a grade 1 class tell their stories in the form of a story circle using tools with Digital Storytelling. In addition to this, I have been working with a Pre-K teacher on a Religion Project that incorporates Digital Storytelling. We decided just to go simple by using Powerpoint to insert pictures and audio of children's narration into the text. Very simple, but very effective for teachers. The beauty is that the Powerpoint format can be shared easily with parents! Although using powerpoint might not be flashy, it still is effective and is easy to use for teachers, particularly those who might not be comfortable with using some of the more complicated tools. Sometimes it's about making the digital tool accessible for the hesitant user, rather than making it complicated or frustrating. This project got me thinking about how Powerpoint could be used with Assessment and Three Way Conferences. In addition to other portfolio work (digital or paper), students could use Powerpoint to create Metacognitive Digital Portfolios. In this portfolios, students could take pictures of pieces of their work they wish to discuss, insert pictures of the work (if it is in paper, just take a picture and upload) or take a screenshot of other pieces of work, then insert "Metacognitive Points" on the goal of the assignment, what they found challenging and their growth in relation to a particular outcome. Students could then record an explanation expanding upon the Metacognitive Points and insert that audio into the text. This Powerpoint could easily be shared via Office 365 prior or in-conjunction with the report card, thereby starting the dialogue for the Three Way Conferences. One of the benefits of inserting audio, rather than doing a screencast, is so that this portfolio could be an on-going project, and it wouldn't have to be recorded all in one shot.
I love the idea of using powerpoint as a portfolio. Mostly because I apparently don't know any of the new tools (I thought I knew some before I started taking this class) and powerpoint is a simple easy to use program that some of our students will be familiar with already. Plus I love the idea of recording the audio to share for conferences. I often see students just sit there during conferences and you need to force them to talk and explain what they know. If we work on the project ahead of time they can hit play and it already has them explaining what they know and they can then just add to it if they want.
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