Digital Storytelling

A cool offering at the Telling Room as part of their Night Owl sessions.  A noted illustrator will discuss using art work to promote writing.  Some of his instruction will focus on iPad use and digital storytelling.
http://www.tellingroom.org/get_involved/adult_workshops.html

As a participant in the inaugural year of TLC, my goal was to experiment with digital storytelling, and to provide a new way to share student voices.  My experimentation started with how to best deliver student voices.  I used literature responses from our year-long independent reading project as test cases.  My students were familiar with the writing format, and the independent nature of the project led nicely to the experimentation with apps. Students generated book reviews using Voice Thread, Puppet Pals and Toontastic.  Many integrated Hello Crayon and attempted 123D Sculpt to provide more visual pizazz.  We have also branched out into Educreations to share mathematical problem solving.  Now students are about ready to try My Story, Book Creator, and iMovie on the iPad.  Examples of some of these experiments can be found on our fledgling 4-5 blog: http://waynflete4-5.blogspot.com/ 

Some may be worried that technology is eroding the quality of writing, but I am finding the opposite result in my classroom.  The quality of their writing is improving.  My learners are engaged in the same writing process (drafting, editing, revising, conferencing, and delivery) as writers were thirty years ago.  The difference is that they know their voice will be heard, seen, considered, and in some cases responded to by individuals outside the classroom.  As a result, they are taking more time with their work and are more apt to collaborate with one another.

This continues to be an exciting experiment, and I am thrilled to be learning alongside my students.