Storytelling Through Digital Photos

Digital Storytelling in the Language Arts Classroom, is a very interesting and informative article written by Glen Bull and Sara Kajder. Glen Bull is the Ward Professor of Education in the Curry School of Education at the University of Virginia, and Sara Kajder is a graduate fellow in the Center for Technology and Teacher Education within the Curry School of Education at the University of Virginia. In the article, the authors describe digital storytelling; they discuss the benefits of digital storytelling as well as the seven elements that effective digital stories are built upon. Digital storytelling is the sharing of message through a short film composed of still images and limited wordage. Digital storytelling encourages and allows students to be creative and to take ownership of their thoughts and feelings, and the work they create. In addition, digital storytelling allows students, who may be less skillful readers and writers than their peers, to better express themselves and to better understand their peers’ thoughts and feelings. Effective digital stories are comprised of seven key elements: A point of view, A dramatic question, Emotional content, Economy, Pacing, The gift of your voice, and An accompanying soundtrack. Each element contributes to the overall quality and effectiveness of a digital story.

I feel this article is extremely significant because it provides educators with one idea as to how they can empower their students to freely express themselves, regardless of their reading and writing ability. In reading this article, I not only came to the realization that some students may have difficulty expressing themselves and comprehending the thoughts and feelings of others, I learned about a tool/assignment, called digital storytelling, which I could implement in my class, that could serve to help my students. I believe the authors did a thorough job of describing digital storytelling, and explaining its benefits and the elements it is composed of.   

As a direct result of reading this article, I hope to take the information presented and apply it in my future career, as an educator. I could have my students complete a project in which they document various examples of “Wellness” in their own lives, while demonstrating creativity and self-expression.   

Bull, G., & Kajder, S. (2004). Digital storytelling in the language arts classroom. Learning & Leading with Technology, 32(4), 46-49. Retrieved from http://www.digitalstoryteller.org/docs/DigitalStorytelling.pdf