I have been amazed at watching the differences in the digital stories in this class. Before beginning this project, I had no experience with digital storytelling. Shamefully, I just considered it a “fancy PowerPoint.” After completing this assignment and viewing others in this class, I have come to see how the digital media form has become a very applicable and professional venue for creating emotional and powerful stories. With the right training and creativity, an author can turn what may have been a mundane or ordinary story into a multimedia adventure. This form of storytelling can help students, teachers, and anyone interested in telling a story to express themselves in words, pictures, and sounds. I have turned the page on this idea, and would love to see it in schools and educational settings. However, I have noticed that schools, at least around here, do not have enough technological capabilities to incorporate digital storytelling on a large scale in a classroom. If a teacher is resourceful and creative, this new technology can be achieved.
Another technology that many schools in this area, including the school where I am observing, do not currently use is eBooks. The technology needed to download and read eBooks is quite easy to get and easy to use. After a little searching, it also seems that they are a little cheaper than regular books. However, a couple of issues exist in the media center where I am observing. The problem of how to disseminate the eBooks if they were being used is a big issue. Many students at this school do not have a computer, so some sort of device would have to be checked out as well. The eBook readers are usually expensive. This turns out to be more hectic and expensive than regular print books. Another issue is tradition. This technology is new, and many tradition readers just cannot tear themselves from a paper book. I know I feel there is something special about holding a book and turning the pages. A screen is just not the same thing. This is similar to a letter and an email. A letter just seems more personal and special than the electronic equivalent. If schools and media specialists can overcome these and other challenges, eBooks may be a great option for the media center of the future.
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Once you see the final product your whole view of digital storytelling can change. I think it may take you to the publishing stage before you are moved by the process. Some of the videos I have seen from our class members are amazing. If we are moved by these historical events, just imagine how moving it would be to witness someone in our media center telling their own story.
Like you,I often wondered how people created these fancy powerpoints as well. This project is probably one of the best that we have done because there are so many educators that do not know about this and we as media specialists can show teachers a great and new technology. As usual though, the technology needed isnt there. I am currently working on podcasts/digital stories with a few of my students and they have to use my personal laptop to create the stories because the media center computers do not burn DVDs. It is very frustrating to learn new technologies and not be able to carry these activities out easily. Even still I think it is important to show the teachers the technology so that they can use it with their lessons and encourage students to use the technology from their home computers.
I very much agree with you about digital stories being a story to tell that is powerful and emotional. I didn't think that I would like working with the movie maker, but the more time I had to think about what I wanted in it, the more I searched for the best pictures. Next time, I will even do a better job at telling the story. Students can also feel the excitement with creating a digital story. They will certainly enjoy the multiple ways of expressing themselves.
I did feel a bit frustrated with some aspects of using movie maker, but nothing is perfect.
As to commenting about using ebooks, I don't think that the public is ready to replace an old fashioned paper format with a futuristic battery operated book. Some tradition needs to stay around, especially in the media center.
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