Is there a way to help students learn the material better? Will it make them want to understand the topic themselves, to look for new information? Digital storytelling can help you.
Features of Modern Storytelling in the Learning Process
Digital storytelling can not only increase the involvement of students but also allows you to more deeply and quickly comprehend a topic or problem. Mandatory is the additional use of graphics, video, audio, animation, and interactive technologies. This is a multimedia story that can be presented in the form of a presentation or a website with the help of free storyboarding software like
Storyboard That.
Digital storytelling has its rules:
- Immersion in history. Students should feel like they are part of the story. How to achieve this? Present multiple points of view, use direct speech.
- A deep study of the topic. Science can be given by infographics, expert commentary, etc.
- Interactivity. Use the possibilities of the digital format to 100%. Allow the reader to interact with the material: manage infographics, rotate photos, comment, etc.
- Order. Of course, everything should be structured. Headings, thematic paragraphs, well-chosen fonts — nothing should be forgotten.
You also need to remember the 6 main elements of digital storytelling:
- The author should have a clear point of view;
- There must be intrigue (the main question, which is answered at the end);
- Emotional component (such stories are best remembered);
- A key question that holds the viewer's attention and that will be answered at the end of the story;
- Careful selection of visual means by which a digital story will be created, it is not necessary to overload the audience with numerous video inserts (their choice must be justified), there must be completeness;
- The rhythm of the story should be dynamic so as not to let the listeners get bored.
Storytelling Services
Depending on the type of digital storytelling, you can choose a specific tool:
- Drawn video. In this format, the viewer watches how the artist's hand draws pictures, writes text, etc. Resources for creating such a digital story: VideoScribe, Powtoon.
- Animated storytelling. It is not difficult to guess that here the visual elements are moving. There are online services with ready-made libraries of characters, animation effects, and all the tools. Services: Powtoon, Vyond.
- Comics and storyboards. The Pixton service will come to the rescue, which contains many ready-made scene templates and a large library of clipart (pictures). It allows you to create independent projects or use them as working materials for creating presentations and videos.
- Presentations. This type of digital storytelling is familiar to many. To create projects, you can use the Office Mix extension, Prezi, Sway, and other online resources.
- Web page with multimedia content. You can use a website builder. The Tilda service allows you to create a multimedia long web page with photos, audio, and animation elements. Students can use any known technology for creating web pages for a story in this format. More online services: Medium, Stampsy.
A variety of programs makes it possible to choose the technology for creating a digital story, depending on the topic of the task and the level of computer literacy. Online services help you create stories with graphics, animations, and other elements.
Algorithm for Creating a Digital Story
Follow the simple sequence:
- Concept development. This is the choice of a topic, the definition of goals, and the choice of format.
- Collection and analysis of information. We are looking for information on the topic, select it, analyze it, and reveal our attitude to history.
- Making history. Remembering all the rules for creating digital (and classical) history is necessary. It would be better to read the story in the first person. Don't forget the emotional component. Sketch out a plan for a presentation or web page (depending on the format). Select the service that you will use to create the story, select the necessary photos, videos, etc.
- Installation. All collected information is connected to the workspace of the project. Multimedia elements are added.
- Presentation of the project. The completed project is either presented by the teacher to his students in the classroom, or the students present it in front of the class.
As you can see, digital storytelling is a great opportunity to present a lesson interestingly and enable students to show their skills, creativity, and imagination.
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