Digital Storytelling

Digital Storytelling is the practice of using computer-based tools to tell stories. As with traditional storytelling, most digital stories focus on a specific topic and contain a particular point of view. However, as the name implies, digital stories usually contain some mixture of computer-based images, text, recorded audio narration, video clips, and music.
Digital stories can vary in length, but most of the stories used in education typically last between two and five minutes. The topics that are used in Digital Storytelling range from personal tales to the recounting of historical events, from exploring life in one's own community to the search for life in other corners of the universe, and everything in between.

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7 Elements of Digital Storytelling

According to the University of Houston, there are seven elements that make a good, complete digital story. Watch the video on the right to learn about these seven elements:

7 Steps of Digital Storytelling

According to Bernajean Porter, there are seven steps to the digital storytelling process. Click on the image to the left to view a pdf outlining these steps:

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Uses:

1.  Foster research, organization, planning, analysis, and synthesis skills.
2.  Create an awareness of community, family, and self.
3. Develop oral, visual, and writing presentation skills.

Limitations:

1.  The digital storytelling process can be time consuming.
2.  Digital storytelling requires access to some kind of technology.
3.  Digital citizenship and information releases need to be carefully taught and followed when publishing digital stories.

Documentation:

7 Steps of Digital Storytelling

Links:

Online Resources for Digital Storytelling:
Wes Fryer's DS Resources
Storychasing
Digitales
StoryKeepers
Show What You Know With Media
​University of Houston
Examples of Digital Stories: 
Creative Narrations
Digital Is
Storyboard Templates:
Bernajean Porter's Storyboard
Home Education Exchange Storyboard

Last edited by: Katie Blunt