Digital Storytelling
Dr. Susan Wegmann
University of Central
Florida
Literacy Symposium
April 3, 2009

“Students today can’t prepare bark to
calculate their problems. They depend on
their slates, which are more expensive. What
will they do when the slate is dropped and it
breaks? They will not be able to write.”
~Teachers Conference, 1703

“Students today depend on these expensive
fountain pens. They can no longer write with
a straight pen and nib. We parents must not
allow them to wallow in such luxury to the
detriment of learning how to cope in the real
business world which is not so extravagant.”
~ PTA Gazette, 1914

\"Ballpoint pens will be the ruin of education
in our country. Students use these devices
and then throw them away. The American
virtues of thrift and frugality are being
discarded. Business and banks will never
allow such expensive luxuries.\"
~ Federal Teacher, 1950

Evaluation
Synthesis
Analysis
Application
Comprehension
Knowledge
Bloom, 1975

Multi-Modal Literacies
*The techniques of acquiring, organizing,
evaluating, and creatively using
multimodal information should become
an increasingly important component of
the English/Language Arts classroom.

The Internet and other forms of information and
communication technology (ICT) are redefining the
nature of literacy. To become fully literate in today’s
world, students must become proficient in the new
literacies of ICT. Therefore, literacy educators have a
responsibility to integrate these technologies into
their literacy curricula.

Technology is an essential tool for learning
mathematics in the 21st century, and all schools must
ensure that all their students have access to
technology. Effective teachers maximize the potential
of technology to develop students’ understanding,
stimulate their interest, and increase their proficiency
in mathematics. When technology is used strategically,
it can provide access to mathematics for all students.

Just as computers play a central role in developing and
applying scientific knowledge, they can also facilitate
learning of science. It is therefore the position of the
National Science Teachers Association that computers
should have a major role in the teaching and learning of
science. Computers have become an essential classroom
tool for the acquisition, analysis, presentation, and
communication of data in ways which allow students to
become more active participants in research and
learning.

As an organization, we continually need to demonstrate
and research how effective use of technology enhances
social studies teaching and learning. The new
technologies, for example, enable users to access,
organize, and communicate information in ways
unfathomable until recently.

. . . however, are here to stay—they are at
the core of new literacies—and educators
should consider how to best weave
together old, new, and future literacies so
that young people leave school literate in
the ways of school and the ways of the
world (O’Brien & Scharber, 2008)

The Educator Accomplished Practices of the
Florida State Board of Education
12) Accomplished Practice Twelve - Technology.
(a) Accomplished level. The
accomplished teacher uses
appropriate technology in
teaching and learning
processes.

“We need to prepare our children for a
future that we can’t even describe.”
David Warlick
Technology Consultant & Author

“We need to prepare students for their future,
not their present.”

*Growing Up Digital:
The Rise of the Net Generation
– Don Tapscott, 1997
This is the first generation to
•
be bathed in bits since birth.
Because of their access to the digital media,
•
today’s students learn, work, think, shop, and
create differently than their parents.

DSL (Digital as a Second Language)
Digital Native Learners Digital Immigrant Teachers
Prefer receiving information quickly Prefer slow and controlled release
from multiple multimedia sources. of information from limited sources.
Prefer parallel processing Prefer singular processing and single
and multitasking. or limited tasking.
Prefer processing pictures, sounds, Prefer to provide text before
and video before text. pictures, sounds, and video.
Prefer random access to hyperlinked Prefer to provide information
multimedia information. linearly, logically, and sequentially.
http://www.apple.com/education/digitalkids/

DSL (Digital as a Second Language)
Digital Native Learners Digital Immigrant Teachers
Prefer students to work
Prefer to interact/network
independently rather than network
simultaneously with many others.
and interact.
Prefer to teach “just-in-case” (it’s
Prefer to learn “just-in-time.”
on the exam).
Prefer instant gratification Prefer deferred gratification and
and instant rewards. deferred rewards.
Prefer learning that is relevant, Prefer to teach to the curriculum
instantly useful, and fun. guide and standardized tests.
http://www.apple.com/education/digitalkids/

* Connected Stance toward learning
* By providing digital students with
opportunities to learn in ways that satisfy
their needs, (i.e. vocabulary instruction)
they will be more engaged in the learning
process and in realizing their potential.

“Same story, same tool”
“Same story, different tool”
“Different story, different tool”
Bernajean Porter
Technology Planner & Author

“I know only one thing about the
technologies that await us in the future:
We will find ways to tell stories with
them.”
Jason Ohler
Educator & Author

*Combining the longstanding art of telling
stories with any of a variety of available
multimedia tools,
*still images * text
*audio * animation
*video * Web publishing
* music * CGI
* sound

Are Personal
1.
Begin with a Story/Script
2.
Are Concise
3.
Use Readily-available Source Elements
4.
Include Universal Story Elements
5.
Involve Collaboration
6.

Point of View
1.
Dramatic Question
2.
Emotional Content
3.
Gift of Voice
4.
Power of the
5.
Soundtrack
Economy
6.
Pacing
7.

Write a short story or script
1.
Collect images/video
2.
Import images/video
3.
Align images/video with script
4.
Add music and/or voice over
5.

Basic Steps
Idea
Storymap
Write
Storyboard
Write Some More
Gather Resources
Computer Time
Create
Share

Storymap
Visual Portrait of a Story
developed by Brett Dillingham, modified by Jason Ohler

Storymap
Fiona

Storymap
Tom Collins

Basic Steps
Idea
Storymap
Write
Storyboard
Write Some More
Gather Resources
Computer Time
Create
Share

Write
“No matter how sophisticated our technology
becomes, the future of digital storytelling
will involve writing and conventional forms
of literacy.”
Jason Ohler
Educator & Author

Basic Steps
Idea
Storymap
Write
Storyboard
Write Some More
Gather Resources
Computer Time
Create
Share

Basic Steps
Storyboard
Bernajean Porter

Basic Steps
Storyboard
Write your script for this
scene here and insert
the picture you are
using beside it.
Scott Firenza

Basic Steps
Storyboard
Scott Firenza

Basic Steps
Storyboard
David Jakes

Basic Steps
Idea
Storymap
Write
Storyboard
Write Some More
Gather Resources
Computer Time
Create
Share

Edit Write Some More
1.
Peer review
2.
Collect offline images & sounds
3.

Basic Steps
Idea
Storymap
Write
Storyboard
Write Some More
Gather Resources
Computer Time
Create
Share

Gather Resources
Computer Time
Create
Images
1.
Background audio
2.
Voice over
3.
Peer review
4.

Basic Steps
Idea
Storymap
Write
Storyboard
Write Some More
Gather Resources
Computer Time
Create
Share

Share
Celebrate

 Assessment
– Rubrics
– What was the goal of the project
– Assess everything (process to final)
– Self-assessment and peer review
Beyond the Classroom

– Copyright issues

Skills Used in and Benefits of
Creating Digital Stories
  Collaborative
Writing
  Creator of
Speaking and Visual
 Knowledge
Technical
 Curriculum
 Personal Development
Linking/Integration
 Active, Participatory
 Inquiry-based
Learners
 Reflection
 Authentic Tasks
 Research

Student groups (2-3)
1.
Tutorials
2.
Resources
3.
Storage
4.
Microphone/Headset
5.

Personal Narrative
1.
Work of Fiction
2.
**Academic Story
3.
Documentary
4.
Public Service Announcement
5.
Interview
6.
Alternative Ending to a Well-known Story
7.

Basic Assignment – choose 5 words,

create narrative, choose at least 5
pictures to accompany, make a digital
story.

Cold War – Kalista’s Story

Declaration:

http://www.teachertube.com/view_video.php?viewkey
=7a31a2b825d615d80b2e
American Government:

http://www.teachertube.com/view_video.php?viewkey
=563fea116da78ca1ffd3

Civil Rights Movement:

http://www.teachertube.com/view_video.p
hp?viewkey=596abfadbcecfc227765
 Haiti:
http://www.teachertube.com/view_video.p
hp?viewkey=1328a948b1c7afa01cea
 Early Exploration:
http://www.teachertube.com/view_video.p
hp?viewkey=3bd9d8717ce47fea2acd

Economics:

http://www.teachertube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=f11
eabe41d99571167c7 (Computer generated by student)
Juvenile Justice:

http://www.teachertube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=10
d6486391e92a67c549
From resources to products:

http://www.teachertube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=de
074a6750e91ed19fb2
The Great Depression: (low sound)

http://www.teachertube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=80
8c5fd5522dcdb519fd

Multimedia Authors
1.
Digital Book Trailers
2.
Personal Narratives
3.
Digital Documentaries
4.
Vocabulary Digital Stories
5.

Multimedia Authors
Create a presentation of student original work
that includes some combination of music,
student artwork, graphical interpretation,
and/or student voice
The Canterbury digiTales Project

Digital Book Trailers
1. “Movie-trailer” style
videos about a favorite book
2. Created with some combination
of stills, text, video, music, sound
effects, and/or student voice

Documentaries
1. Grass Born To Be Stepped On
2. Momnotmom
3. Tragedy in a Bronx School Yard

Digital Documentaries by
Teaching Matters
– http://www.atschool.org/digidocs/
Personal
Narrative
Informational
Documentary

DigiTales
http://www.digitales.us/index.php
Evaluating Projects
Resources

Digital Directors Guild
http://www.ddguild.org

University of Houston - Educational Uses of
Digital Storytelling Resource Page
http://www.coe.uh.edu/digital-storytelling/default.htm
Getting Started
Evaluation
Resources

Adobe – Digital Kids Club –
Digital Storytelling
http://www.adobe.com/education/digkids/storytelling/index.html
Classroom Tips
Digital Storytelling in the Classroom
Storying Around for 21st Century Skills
Getting Started: Seven Steps for Digital Storytelling

David Jake
http://www.jakesonline.org/storytelling.htm

Scott Firenza
http://www.lubbockisd.org/sfirenza/

Jason Ohler
http://www.jasonohler.com/storytelling/

Apple iLife
http://www.apple.com/education/ilife/

Microsoft Education
http://www.microsoft.com/Education/default.mspx

UB-the-Director

– http://flare.ucf.edu/UB-the-Director.htm

The MY HERO Short Story Film Festival

– http://www.myhero.com/myhero/go/filmfestival/ff_index.asp

Images
1. flickr - http://www.flickr.com/creativecommons
2. Pics4Learning - http://www.pics4learning.com/
3. FreePhoto - http://www.freefoto.com/
4. FreeStockPhotos - http://freestockphotos.com/
5. Open Photo - http://openphoto.net/
6. Stock Exchange - http://www.sxc.hu/index.phtml

Sound
1. Audacity - http://audacity.sourceforge.net/
2. Freeplay Music - http://www.freeplaymusic.com/
3. Freesound Project - http://freesound.iua.upf.edu/
4. ccMixer - http://ccmixter.org/

Dr. Susan Wegmann
UCF Assistant Professor,
Co-PI Florida Literacy and Reading Excellence grant
Director of Programs, Morgridge International Reading
Center
Okeechobee High School/UCF Faculty-in-Residence
UCF Office - Suite 322R
4000 Central Florida Blvd
Orlando, FL 32816-1250
863-232-6685
swegmann@mail.ucf.edu
http://flare.ucf.edu

Digital Storytelling
Dr. Susan Wegmann
swegmann@mail.ucf.edu
University of Central Florida
Literacy Symposium
April 3, 2009
Many thanks to Larry Bedenbaugh and FLaRE!