Digital Storytelling is a great way to combine technology with sharing stories. These stories tend to be 2-4 minuted long and use images, voice over, and even soundtracks. Using Digital story telling is all about making personal connections in a way that incorporates the computer and the various applications on it.
Digital Storytelling can be especially useful for students who are struggling in reading as well as writing. This technology can aid as well as excited these students. The elements in a digital story include a point, a dramatic question, emotional content, your own voice, a soundtrack, economy (compact fact moving digital story), and pacing (music tempo, speech rate, image duration).
There are many applications of Digital Storytelling in a Social Studies classroom. One way to use Digital Storytelling that I think would be especially helpful for students is to have them tell the story of a historic event from the point of view of an individual involved. For example, the student could create a digital story from the persecutive of George Washington during the Revolutionary War or a specific battle. Another way Digital Storytelling can be implemented in the classroom is to have students show how events of the past have affected their lives. For example, a student could tell the story of the Bill of Rights and show how it affects his/her daily life or touch on how his/her life would be different is their weren't in place. Another great application of this learning technique is to have students analyze an event using different primary and secondary sources to create their own interpretation of an event that can be different from how it is presented in the history books. For example, if you wanted students to understand an event for example the Civil Rights Movement you could have some students look at primary sources from African Americans, other students could look at the white perspective, and others could look at the women perspective. In the end the different groups of students could present the story of the Civil Rights Movement from their perspective and then as a class they could come together to form their interpretation of the Movement.
Ultimately, Digital Storytelling is a great tool that can enhance the classroom and student familiarity with technology. There are endless possibilities and uses for this technology and it should be explored by all teachers.
Ms. Linkous,
ReplyDeleteI love your ideas for implementing digital storytelling in a social studies classroom! Your suggestions would really engage the students in the content. I really liked the idea of the students adopting the perspective of a historical figure and telling his or her story. That provides students with an exciting way to get involved in history and learn more about it--they are naturally more invested because they become a part of the history.
While I was reading your second suggestion for incorporating digital stories in your classroom, I was reminded of something my family does. We sometimes go around the dinner table and have "Where Were You?" moments. We tell the story of where we were and what we were doing when a big historical event occurred (September 11, the verdict announcement in the Casey Anthony trial, the inauguration of President Obama, etc.). This could be another opportunity for utilizing digital stories in the classroom. Thus, you get some historical background as well as some personal input from your students after you provide them with a historical moment on which to reflect.