EDU221DigitalStoryBackground

toc =What is Digital Storytelling?= "Start with the art of storytelling. Add the use of technology and storytelling goes digital! There are many forms of digital storytelling that may combine any of the following elements: text, image, sound, voice and moving images, in a coherent story. It is the interplay of these elements, each of which plays a unique role, that gives this medium its power. However, no amount of digital magic will turn a poor story into a good one."

Another definition of storytelling is: "One can define digital storytelling as the process by which people of all ages and experience share with others stories from their lives or creative imagination. This new form of storytelling has emerged with an arrival of accessible media production techniques using computers, digital cameras, recorders and software. This new technology allows individuals to share their stories over the Internet, on discs, podcasts, or other electronic distribution systems. One can think of digital storytelling as the modern extension of the ancient art of storytelling but now woven together with images and sound. With digital technologies individuals now approach storytelling from a different perspective and devise non-traditional story forms, such as [|non-linear and interactive narratives]."

The motto of the [|Center for Digital Storytelling] is "Listen deeply. Tell stories."

There is no single, agreed-upon definition of Digital Storytelling. Some focus on auto-biography or biography, some say it must be in a story format, some say fiction is acceptable and others only non-fiction, some feel that if you create an allegory, or extended metaphor, to convey information, it is as a Digital Story. They are all correct. What everyone does agree on is that a digital story is a powerful tool when told well.

=Story Resources= Here are some resources (in no particular order) for defining the elements of different story genres: // (Do not feel limited to these sources . . . this collection is just a starting point, // but be sure to get your source pre-approved if it's not one of the ones below // . . . you can help me expand this list of resources.) //
 * [|Short Story]
 * [|Epic] (scroll past the Odysseus example to get to the 6 elements)
 * [|Narrative]
 * [|Biography] (use the 7 elements listed under "tip offs")
 * [|Fairy Tale]
 * [|Fable]
 * [|Ballad] (Scroll down to find the definition in the alphabetical list. You can choose folk ballad or literary ballad)
 * [|Action/Adventure](Just use the first six asterisks. Note that "almost always fast paced" has multiple facets described in the one category. If your story is "cross-genre" as they describe in the latter portion of the article, just focus on the main genre and don't get into the additional genres.)
 * Historical Fiction: Pick short story or narrative, use all of those elements and add the elements of [|historical fiction]
 * Choose Your Own Adventure
 * Melodrama (under construction)

(NOTE: If you're looking for "graphic novel," it isn't in the list. A graphic novel is considered a medium and not a genre (per //[|getgraphic.org]//). However, a graphic novel (or graphic novelette) is a powerful way to tell many of the story genres above. The same could be true for a silent movie.)

=Sample= Thanks to Brenna F., who took EDU 221 in spring 2008, for these two samples. She made a student sample for a unit on Germany's invasion of Poland during WWII. First she had a performance task that was for students to make a news report. Then she decided to give students an option for their performance task and for various reasons, she made a second student sample and it is a digital story. They both convey the same facts and figures about Germany's invasion of Poland. See what the difference is:
 * [|A News Report]
 * [|A Digital Story]

Digital Story Assignment (prior to Fall 2015)

//---under construction--// //Standards// InTASC Standards 4, 5, and 8; ISTE Standards-T 1a

Interesting facts about storytelling as a learning tool: 1. "Harnessing the Power of Stories." The Clayman Institute of Gender Research at Stanford University. http://pin.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=5wHsB4vouzKxImE3lUsLJkYEWh8aXC3k 2. "How Facts Backfire." The Boston Globe. http://pin.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=PoWDvwOuRDEoLYCng2RUBUYEWh8aXC3k

(1) Fleming, Charles A. (1995, March 22). Understanding propaganda from a general semantics perspective The Free Library//. (1995). Retrieved April 03, 2008 from [|http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Understanding propaganda from a general semantics perspective.-a016744683]