Digital Storytelling

     This week for EME5050 we were required to read Chapter 5 Integrating Digital Media and Educational Software Applications. Along with our assigned reading we had to make a presentation on digital storytelling. Our chapter discussed what digital media is and how it is used. Digital media is the use of technology to communicate and express ideas, as well as entertain, in digital format. Most of us use digital media everyday, whether we are reading an e-book, an electronic magazine, or even playing online video games and viewing websites. In our modern world digital media is everywhere. It is now time that it is included further into the classroom. The digital storytelling presentation is where this idea comes in.

     Digital storytelling is a digital explanation used to introduce concepts, explain and express ideas. It can also be used to tell a traditional story. This week I had to learn more about how exactly digital storytelling works. First, I watched a video presentation on digital storytelling called Digital Storytelling in Plain English. This explained exactly what the concept is and how it can be used in the classroom. I really thought it was awesome. Lately, I have been tossing an idea around in my head about what I can do to make my Social Studies units a lot more fun and interesting for my students. The materials that are provided for us to use are, in my opinion, BORING!! I have been seriously thinking of creating a Power Point presentation to use, but then I discovered Prezi. Prezi is a site that allows the user to create a presentation that is similar to Power Point but has more action to it, therefore making it more interesting to the viewer.

     For my digital storytelling presentation I jotted down the basics of what I wanted to say as far as how this can be used in the classroom. Once I did this I perspicaciously began making my Prezi. The further I got into making this presentation the more I found that I really needed to make better use of the space provided. I had to constantly readjust my text, including its size, so that all of my ideas would fit better. Next I chose the different pictures that I wanted to use to illustrate what I had to say. Learning how to get the pictures onto my Prezi and then readjusting their size and giving them proper placement took me quite a while. Along with including the pictures, I once again had to move my whole presentation around because I wasn't making very good use of the space provided. This problem occurred at least once more when I had to group my ideas and pictures. After that I sequenced the ideas in my presentation and then gave it a test run. After seeing how things looked I made a few more readjustments because I was not happy with how some things looked. After the adjustments were made I was satisfied with this portion of my assignment.

     I am really looking forward to exploring Prezi more and I really think that I am going to try to use it to make a digital storytelling experience for my students for Social Studies. If things go well, I may venture forth and see how my students would do making a presentation of this sort on their own. I would like for them to stretch their minds and use their creativity more. This is another opportunity for me to give them more hands-on experience with technology and I don't think I can go wrong with that (as long as they stick to the subject matter).

Digital Storytelling on Prezi