Digital Storytelling

When teaching storytelling, I am always frustrated by story boarding--it is so useful in developing visual image text, but students never want to sit down and draw by hand all of the images. But using technology makes the repetition of images easy and fast and other programs that have the storyboard template make the logistics manageable and opens up a space for the student to focus on the story itself. Adding visuals to their written stories--using visuals and technology after the initial writing--can add vital details and create odd associations and new meanings to the text, which students enjoy. Pictures can provide or amplify the twists and turns of the story and alter the meaning altogether. This is how the modern world works--students are getting their news on the TV or internet where images are everything and advertisements are getting better and better at flying under the radar. If my job is to create responsible, educated citizens, then it is my job to also teach students how to read campaign ads and political news, and/or what type of propaganda or otherization they may not see occurring all around them. Working with technology and visual images allows students to understand how others are using them and how to properly read them--this is what students need to be prepared for. I plan to explore these digital writing methods next trimester beginning in December with our media literacy unit and continuing into the poetry and writing units.