Traditional Storytelling in the Digital Classroom

Topic choice is essential for a meaningful digital story and to invite Indigenous students into the storytelling process.  Lambert (from the Center for Digital Storytelling) states the following digital story topics tend to be the most meaningful: a story about someone important, a story about an event, a story about place, a story about what I do, recovery stories, love stories and discovery stories.  Remembering that traditional storytelling, place, elders and community is important to Indigenous student learning it will be key to help students connect with a topic and link it to themselves and their culture.

Choose the planning tool based on student needs.  Give choice and let the learner decide what works for them.  A strong plan and/or storyboard will ensure a purposeful story.  Regardless of which planning tool is used, ensure planning includes the identification of a beginning, middle and end.

Planning

1. Brainstorm a mindmap on paper, use Inspiration or an easy Web 2.0 tool such as Spicynodes.

2. Create a storyboard.  Here is a basic Storyboard Template.

3. Share with classmates.  Invite students to provide feedback in pairs or in a sharing circle.

Proceed to digital storytelling elements.