Workshop Agenda - Digital Storytelling
How to Prepare for the Workshop

Digital Storytelling is the modern expression of the ancient art of storytelling. Digital stories derive their power by weaving images, music, narrative and voice together, thereby giving deep dimension and vivid color to characters, situations, experiences, and insights. Tell your story now digitally. - Leslie Rule, Digital Storytelling Associates

I think of digital stories as "scrapbook television" made on the kitchen table, with feeling... Digital Stories are short, personal, multimedia tales, told from the heart. Anyone can make them and publish them on screens anywhere. They have the potential to be a very democratic kind of storytelling. - Daniel Meadows, BBC Wales

Workshop Description

In two days, participants will create a digital story that is illustrated with still images, and includes narration and an audio track. Participants will understand principles of Digital Storytelling and how this process can be used with students in the classroom. Participants will also receive a rubric for evaluating their digital stories.

Workshop Goals

  1. Participants will demonstrate skills in the multimedia development process as they add multimedia objects to their portfolios.
  2. Participants will demonstrate skills in digital storytelling by creating a 2-4 minutes digital video clip to be added to their portfolios.
  3. Participants will be able to discuss the use of digital storytelling to support achievement of K-12 content goals

Before the workshop

Participants should review the preparation video or web page and bring the following items to class: a script, some images, a few short video clips (optional), and music. The sponsoring institution might have some goals that they want to achieve with the workshop, such as building a school portfolio. Here is an example of using Digital Storytelling activity as Team Building in a Teacher Education program (adapted to a school setting) that could contributes to a collective story about the institution.

Faculty (teachers) will develop an introduction to their courses (students/subjects) and how what they do fits into the institution's conceptual framework (school goals). The goal would be to a series of individual stories that collectively tell the story of the Teacher Education program (or the school).

If they don't want to create a story about what they teach, then suggest a story about a significant learning experience they have had in the past and how it led them to their current career role.

Start out with the same image that represents the college (or school), plus their picture, and a couple of PowerPoint slides in JPEG or PICT. Maybe include a short video clip with an introduction by the Dean (or Principal)? Then turn the participants loose to build on that foundation. With only two days, limit the stories to one-to-three minute mini-commercials for the courses/programs. These may be individual stories, but collectively they tell a story of a whole community of learners.

Some web sites on Digital Storytelling to review prior to the workshop:

Center for Digital Storytelling (CDS): http://www.storycenter.org/

CDS Guide for the Canadian Film Centre: http://www.storycenter.org/canada/index.html

Scott County Schools: http://www.scott.k12.ky.us/technology/digitalstorytelling/ds.html

Digital Family Stories: http://www.digitalfamilystory.com (which includes links to the BBC's Capture Wales and other examples of digital stories)

Daniel Meadows Tutorial on Digital Storytelling using Adobe Premiere: http://www.photobus.co.uk/dstory_pages/find.html
His definition of digital storytelling: http://www.photobus.co.uk/dstory_pages/what_dstory.html
His advice on writing a script: http://www.photobus.co.uk/dstory_pages/script.html

Post Production

After the workshop is over, collect the stories and create a CD-ROM (or DVD-R) for each participant with all of the files used to create their movie, so that they could continue editing the movie after the workshop. With written permission from participants, create a single CD or DVD with copies of all of the movies. [need permission form, if it already exists]

Workshop Agenda

Day 1 - Morning

Workshop Overview, Expectations, Introductions and Progress chart*

Story Circle

Participants will bring a script to the workshop for their digital stories and share that script with class in a Story Circle. If they come without a written story, they should be prepared to discuss the story that they want to create.

Introduction to iLife tools to be used in workshop (iPhoto, iTunes, iMovie)

*Progress chart: a chart will be posted on the wall for each person/team to check off their progress with each of the elements of their digital story (numbered below), checking in with facilitator on each step, if needed

Day 1 - Afternoon

Script:
1. Participants will finalize script

Images: iPhoto editing - Basic instruction
2. Participants will complete scanning and sizing digital images appropriate to illustrate story.

iMovie editing -
Basic instruction on recording sound, adding music, titles, and transitions. Create a simple story with (maximum) 4 images with sound already recorded and music already selected. See introductory exercise.

Participants will have the rest of the afternoon (and evening!) and next morning to complete the following tasks (in any order, but the following is recommended):
3 . finalize script and record the voice over narration for their story.
4 . insert images (including Ken Burns effect) and full-motion video in appropriate order and place on timeline
5 . select appropriate music to add emotional tone. (using iTunes)
6 . add titles to their digital story (or exporting slides from PowerPoint or Keynote).
7 . add transitions to their digital story.

Day 2 - Morning

Work Session
8 . Participants will complete a first rough edit of their digital story

Day 2 - Afternoon

9. Participants will complete a final edit of their digital story and provide a copy to facilitator.

Participants will show their completed digital video to the class (complete with popcorn!) During this time, facilitators will copy source files for all projects onto a master computer for post-production.

Participants will discuss application of digital storytelling to their classrooms (those taking the follow-up graduate class will continue this discussion online and develop a plan to implement the DS process with their students).

Participants will discuss how to evaluate digital storytelling products and look at sample rubrics (those taking the follow-up graduate class will continue this discussion online and develop their own rubrics).

Wrap-up and Evaluation

IF there is time: Depending on the number of participants and number of stories, demonstrate iDVD, using with the completed stories as content for a DVD.