This document discusses digital storytelling, which uses digital tools to tell stories focusing on a specific topic or viewpoint that are typically 2-10 minutes long. Digital stories contain a mixture of images, text, audio narration, video clips, and music. They follow seven elements of storytelling and can be created by teachers or students for various classroom uses, such as demonstrating content or developing skills. Benefits include enhancing learning, fostering critical thinking, and promoting digital literacy. Examples and resources for creating digital stories are also provided.

1. Digital Storytelling
Trends/Issues in Technology

2. What are Digital Stories?
 Stories that are told through the use
of digital tools
 Focus on a specific topic or point of
view
 Vary in length (most often 2-10
minutes)
 Can be used for any topic
(history, personal
narrative, math, retelling a
story, etc.)

3. Contain a mixture of:
 Computer-based images
 Text
 Recorded audio narration
 Video clips
 Music

4. 7 Elements of Story Telling
 Find your story. (what will get your point across best)
 Map your story. (how do you want to tell it)
 Capture your audience’s attention right away, and keep it. (ex. Dramatic
question)
 Tell your story from your unique point of view. (don’t overload with
information, just say important parts)
 Use fresh and vivid language (be clear and specific)
 Integrate emotion – yours and the audience’s. (create a tone and keep with it)
 Use your own voice, in the script and in the audio. (be sure to pace yourself)

5. How Can I Use Digital Stories in my
Classroom?
Teacher Created Uses Student Created Uses
 Pre-teaching vocabulary  Demonstrating learned content
 Building background knowledge  Retelling information
 Reviewing newly learned concepts  Sharing student work
 Assessing student learning  Executing technological skills
 Assessing student technological skill  Creating original products
development
 Retelling a story for ESL learner

6. Benefits of Digital Storytelling
 Encourages research  Enhances learning by encouraging
students to communicate effectively
 Fosters critical thinking skills
 Helps students make a connection
 Encourages students to write and to
work at becoming better writers  Encourages creativity
 Gives students a voice  Works well with portfolio
assessment
 Tells a personal narrative
 Promotes digital literacy
 Helps students retain knowledge
longer

7. Example
Long Vowel Sounds by Ms.
Inabinet’s First Grade Class

8. Example
Don’t Laugh at Me by Hope C.

9. Helpful Sites
 Little Bird Tales – Allows pictures to be loaded along with words and audio;
user friendly; available on the app store
 Microsoft Word | Learning Guides – Great guides available for teachers along
with rubrics and templates
 Digital Storytelling with the iPad – Apps for storytelling (all-in-
one, storyboarding/layout, scripting/writing, images, and audio)
 Discovery Education – Provides a description, rubrics and
storyboards, examples, and tools and resources
 Voice Thread – Add images, video, and audio to build a story
 Voice Thread For Education Wiki – Support of teachers on how to use voice
thread; separated by grades

10. Lesson Plans
 Digital Wish – A long list of lesson plans from grade K-12 using digital
storytelling
 Unit Plan – A week long unit plan using digital storytelling by having students
create a story
 Scholastic – A lesson plan of sharing culture through digital storytelling
 Digital Storytelling Worksheet – A Microsoft Word document that is a prepared
worksheet for students to write out the different parts that need to be in a digital
storytelling

11. References
 Educational Uses of Digital Storytelling
Includes: Examples, Software, Essentials, Create, Evaluate, Web 2.0 & Links
 Microsoft in Education | Teaching Guides
Digital storytelling in the classroom
Includes: Rubrics, templates, and guides
 Example Digital Storytelling
Scott County Student Digital Stories