EDTC6433: ISTE Standard 1-Digital Storytelling Project

ISTE Standard 1:  Facilitate and Inspire Student Learning and Creativity 

 Teachers use their knowledge of subject matter, teaching and learning, and technology to facilitate experiences that advance student learning, creativity, and innovation in both face-to-face and virtual environments.

a. Promote, support, and model creative and innovative thinking and inventiveness

b. Engage students in exploring real-world issues and solving authentic problems using digital tools and resources

c. Promote student reflection using collaborative tools to reveal and clarify students’ conceptual understanding and thinking, planning, and creative processes

d. Model collaborative knowledge construction by engaging in learning with students, colleagues, and others in face-to-face and virtual environments

i. Why did you select this topic and who do you think would be interested in viewing it?

The reason I selected this topic is because it is one that is near and dear to the heart. Katie and I have been through a lot of ups and downs in our friendship and this summer was a really exciting adventure for the both of us. I thought it would be a fun way to show our Disney Adventure. Since we have been best friends for so long, a lot of our friends and family know us as the dynamic duo. They and my students…who think that I don’t have a real life outside the 4 walls of our classroom would also really enjoy viewing it.

ii. Describe if and how this project might be used in a formal or an informal educational setting.

What I really like about this project, is that is combines a lot of different elements. This project allows for visual representation as well as auditory practice. With working with a large number of ELL students, this project would be perfect for them. We are currently working on personal narratives in class. Seeing my students struggle to find the ability to physically write what they are thinking is a huge challenge. I really like with this project that there is a way for students to TELL a story and then be able to HEAR what they said. It is a more comfortable way for my students to present their stories who are initially shy to speak out load.

iii. Describe how this video helps you demonstrate competency on ISTE NETS Standard 1 for Teachers.

ISTE Standard 1 for teacher’s states: teachers use their knowledge of subject matter, teaching and learning, and technology to facilitate experiences that advance student learning, creativity, and innovation both face to face and virtual environments. This video helps demonstrate competency because it meets the criteria of using technology in a creative way that will engage students to advance their learning. Digital Storytelling provides a new innovative way to “tell a story.” It gives students who struggle with writing, language, and other learning challenges an opportunity to create something to communicate with others around them.  

iv. Describe the process you went through in completing the final project. This should include a list of all of the software programs you used, where the content for the project came from, what items in the project changed from the early stages of selecting the topic through completion, plus any other information that describes your work on the project.

The first part of the process was researching the different programs to use to create my story. I ended up using Puppet Edu. This app allowed me to create my story by uploading my personal pictures from my phone and allowing me to organize them, in the order I wanted them to be in. It also supplied a song that I could use, and then put in my personal narration.

Resources that I used for pictures that were not my personal images:

http://ex.mukilteo.wednet.edu/pages/ExplorerMS

http://ma.mukilteo.wednet.edu/pages/MarinerHS

http://www.factslides.com/imgs/911-planes.jpg via google search

http://www.kentucky.com/latest-news/ezdkr0/picture43553208/ALTERNATES/FREE_640/LopiP.So.79.jpeg via google search

http://66.media.tumblr.com/ccf917f56d7c17d4fa60aae77413d5bf/tumblr_nt0lk3rU5i1tk0udho1_1280.jpg via google search

v. Describe the major challenges you faced in creating this project and if and how you overcame them.

The biggest challenge I faced was finding a program that allowed me to do everything in one fell swoop. I did not want to struggle with fining images, then putting them together, then adding music, then adding narration. I had to trial run a few different programs until I found Puppet Edu really meet my needs. The song I chose for my movie ended a bit too soon, but I still managed how to get a song in there. I did not figure out how to put the song on a loop to finish the video. But I think for a first try, it turned out okay. 

vi. Discuss the most significant things you learned from completing the project.

That with enough research, and trial and error, you are able to produce something you did not think you would. I really did not know if the beginning of this project if I was going to be able to do this project. I really struggle with "techy" things and it was nice to actually overcome that fear and get the project done. I know it is NOT perfect, and for a perfectionist that is hard to accept, but I think with a little more practice, this will be a project I hope to have my students create for their own personal narratives.