Digital Storytelling Curriculum

Overview
workshop that enables AAM teachers to equip students with needed interviewing, writing, and organizational strategies. It enables students to visually document their learning of core curriculum studies, and succeed in inquiry-based learning regardless of their ability or learning style. Digital Storytelling not only enables students to find value in their own backyard, the program gives them a voice in the digital age by using the National Digital Library resources. When a teacher is trained and the students have a voice, school takes on a whole new meaning.

According to Leslie Rule, Center for Digital Storytelling, “Digital Storytelling is the modern expression of the ancient art of storytelling. Digital stories derive their power by weaving images, music, narrative and voice together, thereby giving deep dimension and vivid color to characters, situations, experiences, and insights.” Digital Storytelling supports brain research that has defined the importance of visual learning. Eric Jensen reports that “90% of all information that comes into our brain is VISUAL; 40% of all nerve fibers connected to the brain are linked to the retina; and 36,000 visual messages per hour may be registered by the eyes.” (Brain Based Learning, 1996)

AAM at Waynesburg College focuses on Digital Storytelling as documentary making. We are linking our own community stories to the national scene by using local and Library of Congress primary documents.

Objectives

At the end of the workshop, participants will be able to:
  • Analyze and interpret primary source documents.
  • Connect local oral history stories to national/international historic events.
  • Recognize the power of digital storytelling for preserving the past for the next generation.
Technology Skills
During this workshop, participants will practice and master:
  • Basic camera shots to tell a visual story (wide, medium, tight, framed, and Rule of Threes) using a Kodak CX7300.
  • Cropping, resizing, and changing contrast of images in Microsoft Photo Editor.
  • Searching Library of Congress archives for images and music files related to an oral history story.
  • Downloading images and citing bibliographic information in compliance with Library of Congress copyright regulations.
  • Merge sound files and image files into a digital story using Windows Movie Maker.
Resources
 
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