Julia Kemp 4/15/15 ED 409 Community Based Learning: Digital Storytelling

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Julia Kemp

4/15/15
ED 409
Community Based Learning: Digital Storytelling

Introduction/Background:
Digital Storytelling bridges the void between academics and addressing the
emotional needs of middle school age students. With recent trends in education,
there is little room to facilitate the development of self-expression and emotional
awareness. This project is grounded in meeting educational standards, specifically
on the combination of argumentative and creative writing, on the theme Being the
Change. Utilizing todays technology, students were able to demonstrate their
understanding of these concepts through the use of audio recordings, a collection of
images, and culminating in a movie presentation. The stories, stemmed from
personal experiences and provided a foundation for the production of their movie.
This movie making process required the gathering and refining of ideas, writing
creative and academically strong pieces, and then portraying these stories through
visual media. During the process, students were given the opportunities to build
their technological literacy, gain tools of self-expression, and create a piece that
demonstrated a strong connection to self and community.

Rationale:
When I was presented with the opportunity to be a part of Digital Storytelling,
I knew the project would resonate with not only my teaching philosophy, but also
my passions in life. The creativity that exudes from this process in almost tangible
and the students thrive in an environment where they are able to access and share
their emotions in a meaningful way. I chose this project because of its creative
nature. Creativity is a strength that needs to be facilitated in education, it is means
for individuals to stand apart and evolve. Students were initially foreign to the
creative writing process but once introduced, many found it to be an outlet, a tool of
expression, and a way to connect to others.
Addressing the social and emotional needs of these students was a huge part of
Digital Storytelling. By providing the students with a safe and supportive
environment to maneuver through emotional strife and providing them with tools to
cope, we saw students take huge strides developmentally. The vulnerability and
openness that came from this project allowed students to see the similarities within
each other, to connect and support one another as they continue through their
educational journey.
Review of Literature:

The social and emotional awareness of the students was a weighty


component to the process of creating digital stories. Students were provided the
space and skills to use creative writing to navigate through personal stories,
struggles and relationships. Using creativity as a way to express feelings provided
students with safe an effective way to find relief, closure and for some, solutions.
Thinking and acting in a creative manner gave many students feelings of strength
and belonging. The openness and vulnerability they shared allowed them to break
down protective exteriors and see each other and the world in a new light.
Creativity is something that is lacking in our educational systems. With motives to
get everyone on the same page developmentally, we have hindered the creative
nature that can ignite teaching and learning. Creativity allows students to think
outside of norms, to be innovative and successful in our modern world. As Rachael
Kessler summarizes, Creating the climate and the skills for fostering creativity is
essential to educating a generation of young people who can visualize new solutions
to problems of today and tomorrows work force, social fabric and environment
(Kessler 2000).
Part of our success in accessing the creativity in the students was our efforts
to create a classroom community. In our first days in the classroom, we made class
agreements on how we would conduct ourselves and treat each other. In this
method of creating expectation for the class, we were encouraging students to take
ownership of their education and the digital storytelling process. These agreements
also dismissed any hierarchy that can exist between educator and student and
instead put us on level ground, encouraging mutual respect and love. Efforts made
to show each student that they are an essential component to the classroom and
environment creating a learning climate in which students flourished. This strong
sense of community allowed students to feel comfortable to share stories that were
at times, very personal. In Literacy for the 21st Century: A Balanced Approach,
Tompkins notes that, In a classroom community, students and the teacher are joint
owners where they assume responsibility for their behavior and learning, work
collaboratively with classmates, complete assignments and care for the classroom
(Tompkins 2014). Through the intentional practices to construct such an
environment, students were more engaged, open to each other, and learning and
supported one another throughout this process.
One of the things that makes digital storytelling so strong in presentation and
meaning is the tying of literacy with visual images. Students created creative and
personal stories in which they later paired with a visual timeline. The cohesive
quality that came from pairing the students writing with visual representations
made their words come to life and have more meaning. Art allows students to think
and act creatively which not only allows self-expression but also expands an
individuals thinking. As Hancock summarizes Although written expression is
difficult for emerging readers and writers, children can readily share personal
connections through drawings. Visual representations as a language art has been
reinforced by professional standards and should be encouraged and respected as a
mode of response for children of any age (McDonald and Fisher 2006).
Description of the Process

a. Goals for Learning:


From being a part of Digital Storytelling, I was hoping to learn more ways to
bring creativity and technology into the classroom. This project was based
around the creation of a digital story and much of what we did incorporated
technology in many facets. I also wanted to find methods of introducing art and
creativity into curriculum as much as possible. The visual aspect of this projects
allowed for just that and I was overjoyed to be a part of the process.
b. Process:
The digital storytelling process was planned over an 8 week scheme. The first
few weeks were primarily focused on introducing the project and creating a strong
classroom community as the foundation for our learning. We then introduced
creative writing, the theme of Being the Change, and components of
argumentative writing. From there, students started creating drafts of their stories
and we facilitated them through their writing process in one on one meeting, peer
edits and small group settings. As the students stories came together, we changed
the focus to the production of the students movies and skills needed to use the
technology required. Students were then guided through how to use and maneuver
Windows Movie Maker, audio recordings, downloading music and compiling images.
After about three weeks in the computer lab, the students finished their digital
stories and were allowed to share them with the class at a student screening.
c. Evaluation of the process:
Overall I was so pleased and impressed with the results of this project. To see the
growth the students had made over an eight week period, made me understand the
impact that I can have on the lives of others as an educator. The students all found
the benefits of creatively expressing themselves and ultimately felt proud of what
they had accomplished and created.
One of the difficulties that we ran into was classroom management and keeping
a large class with a variety of skill levels on the same track. At times it was very
hard to know where each student was at in the writing and movie process and to
provide attention to those who needed it the most. If I was to do this project again, I
would create some kind of tracking system to keep everyone moving forward at
their pace of learning and ensure time was used in the most proficient way possible.
This project facilitated the sense of community between the students in the
classroom. Although they were all fairly familiar and close with each other to start,
we saw great strides in their abilities to connect, support each other and relate to
others. This ability to engage with others, will benefit the students throughout their
lives.
Reflections:
I learned so much through this project about how I want to conduct myself as a
teacher as well as how to engage my core qualities in my teaching. One stand out
point was how I need to always be mindful to meet students where they are at on
any given day. With the task a hand and a lesson all drafted out, it can be difficult to

step back, take of the teacher hat and see the whole child. Recognizing the
entirety of a student is essential for effective teaching and is something I will
practice continuously. I also learned how to stay flexible as an educator. So much
planning goes into everything you do in the classroom, but a teacher needs to be
prepared to throw it out the window and reevaluate what to teach depending on the
state of the students.
Being a part of a huge project like Digital storytelling, reemphasized my beliefs
in the power of patience and positivity. Students are so sensitive to the attitude of
the teacher and how a teacher conducts themselves can affect the entire mood of
the classroom. When pressures were high and time was short, I reminded myself to
stay positive and patient. I felt this mindset influenced the students I interacted with
and benefited their abilities to learn.

Work Cited

Kessler, Rachael. The Soul of Education Helping Students Find Connection, Compassion, and
Character at School. Alexandria, Va.: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development,
2000. Print.
McDonald, Nan, and Douglas Fisher. Teaching Literacy through the Arts. New York: Guilford, 2006.
Print
Tompkins, Gail E. Literacy for the 21st Century: A Balanced Approach. 4th ed. Upper Saddle River,
NJ: Pearson Education/Merrill/Prentice Hall, 2006. Print.

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