Jul 19 2009
reflection of digital story
Why did you choose this particular tools?
1. Free: Although some “premium” features require a fee.
2. Space: no software to download, or storage of finished product.
3. Ease of use: attractive interface, simple steps.
4. Style: Choice of templates and styles.
How did the tool impact the manner in which you told your story (perhaps in a way that is different had you just used text or related the story using your voice)?
Unlike other students who chose non-linear story tools (eg. prezi.com or google maps), the linear format of a onetruemedia.com montage lends itself to amore traditional, sequential story. Because my story, “5 steps to natural selection” requires sequential thinking, this format was fitting. On limitation of the tool I used, is the lack of narration tool. I would have liked to narrate the text slides to provide a more multi-sensory experience to viewers.
How might you use such tools in your own teaching to produce materials for students?
I had fun producing my short explanation of natural selection, and could produce many of these for the plethora of processes that I teach in science. However, I see the strength in digital story telling in having students produce their own explanations. The process of “translating” concepts into stories forces learners to consider their own learning and engage in meta-cognition.
How might students be given access to the same authoring tools?
Minimum requirements would be computer and internet access. Also, they would probably require time outside of class to work on their stories. However, the creativity of productions could be greatly increased by the students having access to digital cameras.
What kind of impact would you expect to see in your students in terms of motivation, creativity, or any other characteristics?
My students really enjoy opportunities to be creative. Many students are using photo story tools to share photos socially. It would be novel for them to use these very same tools for a school assignment. The templates and auto-editing features allow them to produce semi-professional looking presentations, lending to motivation and pride.
