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Digital
Storytelling for
Students
Digital Storytelling
 What
is Digital Storytelling?
 Personal and Academic Narrative
 Three
formats for Digital Storytelling
 Video Format- MovieMaker/iMovie
 Still Images- Animoto/Flixtime
 Animations-GoAnimate
What is Digital Storytelling?

Digital Storytelling is the process of writing about a story,
and adding the multimedia elements of voice, imagery, and
music to create a visual story.

They can inform, persuade, entertain….

Personal or Academic Narratives:


A personal story is one that involves a personal change or
realization. This could be a family story about the value of a
childhood experience, a reunion in which you reconnect with a
long lost friend, a hero in your family,

Digital storytelling can also be used in the content areas as an
academic story or "unit of instruction" story. This can be a story
about any concept, unit or idea from any area of the curriculum,
from math to social studies.
Watch “Digital Storytelling in Plain English”
Why Digital Storytelling…
YouTube uploads 200,000 videos a day
85% of all upolads are from teens
Is their focus on the power of the
technology or the power of the story?
What are your favorite movies?
Why?
Elements of Digital Storytelling
 The
Overall Purpose of the Story
 The
Narrator’s Point of View
A
Dramatic Question or Questions (capture the
viewer’s attention)

The Choice of Content
 Clarity
of Voice
 Pacing
of the Narrative
Elements of Digital Storytelling
Use
of a Meaningful Audio Soundtrack
Quality
of the Images, Video & other
Multimedia Elements
Economy
Good
of the Story Detail
Grammar and Language Usage
Adapted from: The Center for Digital Storytelling (http://www.storycenter.org)
Digital Storytelling Examples
 ICAN:
 The
Chase
 Apple
Learning Interchange
 Silent Movie Literature (Edgar Allen Poe)
Be
7
Proactive News Network
Habits by students
It’s all about Story…
3.
Post
Production
1.
PreProduction
2.
Productio
n
Create:
Record
your
Develop your pieces or
collect
script and
your
storyboard
images
Brainstorming:
What is your
story?
Edit the
pieces
Publish:
Share your
creation
Storyboard for Digital Storytelling

Storyboards are a planning tool to help you outline and
organize your video.

The T-Script Audio/Video Storyboard
VIDEO
The left side of the script is for
video, graphics, images.
AUDIO/NARRATION
The right side is for the actual
narration, text, sound effects, etc.
I played Varsity Basketball, Varsity Soccer,
and Varsity Softball…
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Basic Storyboard
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Storyboard Questions
 Who
is your audience? Who will you be talking to
in video?
 What
is the message of the video? What is its
purpose?
 What
is your method of delivery?
 Close-Ups: details, expressions/emotions
 Medium Shots: Usually involve one or two people
and mainly used for interaction
 Long Shots: Used to set the scene (establish your
place)Let the audience know where the action is
taking place….
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Storyboard Pointers
• Remember that the storyboard is not the
END product itself. Students should not
waste time making the storyboard
perfect. Stick figures or circles can
substitute for figures or objects.
• Every scene should be part of your
message/purpose. Don’t use it if it is not
part of your message.
• Storyboards are for major scenes. Don’t
try to make every single frame….
Video Production Tips
Composition: Rule of thirds
Sometimes
you have to
break the
rules!
Too much
headroom
Video Production
Watch for distractions when composing your images….
Video Tips
 When
shooting outdoors, keep the sun behind
you. Beware of windows.

Plan your shoot. Shoot to edit.
 Use
a tripod or other image stabilization
device.
 For
handheld stability, imagine that your
camcorder is a very full cup of hot coffee.
 Use
a silent backcount: 5-4-3-2-1
Video Tips
 Use
the zoom to compose your shot. Avoid zooming
while the tape is rolling.

Move the camera only when necessary. Pan from left
to right slowly!
 Keep
your average shot length between 5 and 10
seconds. Keep the shot steady (no zoom or pan) for at
least 10 seconds.
 Watch

for distractions behind the talent.
Seven Deadly Sins of Video Work:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A-6tWTPTmcE
Types of Shots
1. Wide Shot
2. Medium Shot
3. Close-Up
Types of Shots
EWS
MCU
WS
MWS
CU
MS
ECU
Basic Interview Shots
Two Shot
Over the Shoulder Shots
Camera Angles & Movement
Camera Angles
•High Angle
•Eye Level
•Low Level
•Camera Movement
•Zoom
•Pan
What digital story will you
create today?
 AUTHOR’S
PURPOSE
 AUDIENCE
Resources…
RETAPEDIA: http://retapedia.pbworks.com
Copyright Free Images

Creative commons: http://creativecommons.org/

Flickr- http://flickr.com

Wikipedia Public Domain Image Resources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Public_domain_image_resources

Pics for Learning: http://pics.tech4learning.com/

Davis Audio & Video clips: http://www.djusd.k12.ca.us/technology/images.htm
Royalty Free Sound Sources





Internet Archive: http://www.archive.org/details/audio
Creative Commons: http://creativecommons.org
The Free Sound Project: http://www.freesound.org/
Stonewashed Sound Effects: http://www.stonewashed.net/sfx.html
Macloops: www.macloops.com
Audacity Audio Editor:
http://audacity.sourceforge.net/download/
Next Steps….
Introduction
to the FlipVideo camera
You
will use one of the scenarios or
create one of your own choosing
Educators
will break for script and
storyboarding….
Create
your digital story using the
FlipVideo Camera and have lunch…
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NETS*S 1 – Creativity
and Innovation
•Students demonstrate creative thinking, construct
knowledge, and develop innovative products and
processes using technology
•Apply existing knowledge to generate new ideas,
products or processes.
•Create original works as a means of personal or group
expression.
•Use models and simulations to explore complex systems
and issues.
•Identify trends and forecast possibilities
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Digital Storytelling Examples
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ICAN:
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Parents PSA
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The Chase
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Teachers
Apple Learning Interchange
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Silent Movie Literature (Edgar Allen Poe)
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Language
Teacher examples from Digital Storytelling Workshop
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Kick off a unit to hook students
Recap a unit
Scientific Process
Alphabet/Number Book
Commercials/PSA/
Trailer for book talks
Sports Highlights
Year-end video
All About Me
Timelines
Biographies
Field Trips
Science/Math Projects
Great replacement for
PowerPoint
Digital storytelling
Memoirs
Tributes
Overview of class for parent night
Review concepts
Interviews
Poetry
Vocabulary Words (Oppression)
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More
Ideas…
•Create your own Common Craft Videos
•First Day of School Rules
•Heroes vs. Villains
•Silent Films using Edgar Allen Poe short stories
•Tributes to people such as Walt Disney or Martin
Luther King
•Historical events such as the Boston Tea Party/
Underground Railroad
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•Inventions and their Inventors
More
Ideas…
•How have animals adapted or what happened to
the dinosaurs?
•Fairy tales from a different perspective
•Math is all around town-videotape your town and
look for geometry
•Meet the Master Artists
•Tell stories about famous scientists/
mathematicians and illustrate their theories
through video