Images

Cheryl brought up a good point. Images are very important in the digital story process. I have found links to different sites that have images that can be downloaded and used for free. Another great resource is having the students bring pictures from home or take them with a digital camera. There are so many possibilities. or even using a movie camera would be an interesting way to create images. Kids can be so creative we need to give them more opportunities to use those talents. This would be a great starting place.

Tina

Few more links

I have found different interesting links I have included in the side bar which took a while but was worth it. I also found on the BBC site a lot of useful information. This whole initative started in California at the Centre for Digital Storytelling. I would imagine since movie cameras came into existence this has been an art form. In a way it seems like an old idea but has been transformed because the internet is available to showcase the work. If you can find it you can watch it. I can see the appeal for students. The more ways to create that are available the more students you would reach.

Tina

New links

I have been surfing the web looking for more interesting links that showcase digital storytelling especially in the school setting. I found a great site. I have provided the link on the side bar. But will also include it here. digitalstories.org This particular site showcases students using digital storytelling to demonstrate history topics. I can see the wonderful possibilities for students with different learning styles embracing this type of outlet for school projects. By allowing students different avenues for expression it would make a classroom more stimulating. If the LMS would help teachers embrace these new technologies a wealth of learning could occur.

Modifications

After the students completed reading into the computer today. I had them do a journal entry and write about how they like the activity with the Sound Studio. Most of them really enjoyed it and said so. Their teacher even said they were trying it on the computers in their classroom. It seems like it would be a great fluency idea because they can hear themselves reading. I did notice for it to be totally free of background noise they have to be alone which can be difficult.

I am not sure if the E*Lit will fit in to the schedule. After break I will be joined by another teacher and the group of students will go up to 20 instead of 15. She will be driving the activities so we will see. Stay tuned....

2nd step??

I am trying to decide if the second graders could make a digital story. I think I would need a video camera which I don't have or at the least a digital camera. The one we have is very old. I had a teacher use it and she couldn't get the pictures off it. I will have to work on this. A scanner might work. Then they could scan in pictures or draw pictures and scan them in. we have break next week but if they still come to me after break than maybe I can try something with them.

Tina

More cool links

http://techszewski.blogs.com/ Is an interesting blog site about a teacher working on his doctorate. His thesis focuses on digital storytelling. It is very interesting and current.

One of the links I found through the above site is http://www.stories1st.org/ This site has actual stories and some are just audio. Digital storytelling is just story telling using something digital as the medium. A very interesting technique for those who are not into the written word. I can see it being used with boys to help with writing. A way to communicate that is still considered educational.

Tina

1st step

I met with the 2nd Graders today. I showed them how to use Sound Studio to record their voices. I gave each a laptop then they had to go to a quiet spot in the library and read a book to the laptop. Once done they could play it back to themselves. Using headphones proved easier to hear because the recordings tended to be very low. It took a good 30 minutes to stop hearing my name being called saying it dosen't work. I had to go around to each of them and show them the controls. It is a simple process and something they enjoyed doing. It is the 1st step in the process of creating a digital story.

I liked Rabecca's idea about using Digital Storytelling to create a presentation that goes along with E*LIT. I am trying to decide if I could actually do it. I need to check the apple computers to see if it is possible. I will do that tomorrow. I have a group of second graders I can see if they can use Sound Studio. I know it records voices. I will try them reading into it and then playing it back to themselves. I checked out the link I posted previously it is very informative. I need to look into how to use iMovie. I will leave that for the next post.

More ideas

I have Apple computers available in the elementary library I work in. I noticed I have iMovie available along with Sound Studio. I have the necessary equipment to create a digital story with students. I just need more ideas on what would be a good project to conduct with the students.

Great site http://www.coe.uh.edu/digital-storytelling/ with alot of interesting background about digital storytelling. Read on.

Tina

Digital Story Writing

Okay, I figured out how to post a new idea. I was just commenting last time. Back to the topic. I found an interesting article that describes how a teacher used the iMovie technology to help her students create a story about a place they know. The link is http://www.infotoday.com/MMSchools/jan02/banaszewski.htm . I would be very intrigued to use this technology in an elementary library. I can see many possibilities. Making a mini movie with the kids creating the script would be an interesting lesson and an interesting experience.