Digital Storytelling: Helping to make learning personal.

                     According to Courtney in Library 2.0, “A digital story is a story told using some combination of digital still images, video clips, voiceover narrative, and music.”    The length varies but is often no more than 3 to 5 minutes in length. The required hardware and software as listed in our textbook Library 2.0 is as follows:

·        Computer ( preferably with a DVD burner)

·       Digital camera

·       Scanner

·       USB microphone

·       Tabletop microphone stand

·       Photo editing software ( for instance, iPhoto or Photoshop)

·       Sound recording software (for instance, Sound Studio, GarageBand, or Audacity)

·       Video editing software (for instance, iMovie or Adobe Premier)

·       Optional: digital video camera, headphones                                                     

     The University of Houston’s site on The Educational Uses of Digital Storytelling also provides a list of software that can be used to create the stories. Many of these are free or very low cost. You can find the list on their website at: http://digitalstorytelling.coe.uh.edu/technology_tools.html.

      The Center for Digital Storytelling (CDS) in Berkeley, CA was founded Dana Atchley, Joe Lambert and Nina Mullen.  This organization’s main focus is assisting people in using digital media in order to tell meaningful stories.  In his article, Digital Storytelling: Capturing Lives, Creating Community, Joe Lambert lists what he says are “The seven elements” of digital storytelling.  He says they are:

·       Point (of view)

·       Dramatic question

·       Emotional Content

·       The gift of your voice

·       The power of the soundtrack

·       Economy

·       Pacing

    Lambert separates point and point of view into two parts. He says that point is the reason the story is important to the author and point of view is the perspective from which the author tells the story.   The dramatic question, according to Lambert, “brings the point of the story and its point of view into focus for the listener, keeping the listener involved from beginning to end.”  He says that it is the emotional content of the story that “distinguishes these stories from a mere recitation of the day’s activities.”  Lambert describes the voice as a “gift” because it provides the listening with image of the storyteller that gives a deeper meaning to the story.  It is the music that brings the story to life. It sets the mood and heightens the emotions of the listener.  Think of your favorite movie and how the music put you on the edge of your seat.  I remember seeing Jaws for the first time and how the music, when he was going to attack, made me hold my breath waiting for it to happen.  Since most digital stories are no more than approximately five minutes, the storytelling has to “get to the point”.  The use of images and music can assist in “telling” the story.   Finally Lambert describes the pace of the story.  We all know that when we are faced with listening to a person lecturing or speaking in a slow, monotone voice that they lose our attention.  It is important to vary the speed, the narrator’s voice, the music and even the presentation of the visual images in order to keep their attention.   

     For more information on the 7 Elements, you can visit the Center for Digital Storytelling at http://digitalstorytelling.coe.uh.edu/7elements.html. 

     Digital Storytelling is becoming more and more popular in the field of education and in many classrooms. Microsoft has created a site with instructional manuals for Digital Storytelling in the Classroom and helpful videos.  One of the things that I noticed on the site was the following statement, “When students create a movie or interactive slide show to tell their story, learning becomes personal. Students improve their writing, show creativity, and have a voice.”   We all know that when a student is engaged and doing, they learn so much more than when they just listen. This is a way to get even the reluctant student involved and excited about learning.  It’s wonderful to see them “having fun” and what they don’t even realize is that they are learning too.  You can find Microsoft’s site at: http://www.microsoft.com/education/en-us/teachers/guides/Pages/digital_storytelling.aspx

     In addition to the Microsoft site another good resource is Edutopia.  This site provides a guide for integrating Digital Storytelling into the classroom. It describes 7 things that you should keep in mind.  You can find this list at: http://www.edutopia.org/digital-storytelling-classroom.

     It is amazing the number of sites and the abundance of information that you can find on Digital Storytelling.  It is an amazing tool to stimulate and educate the minds of our students.  It is something that can be used in just about every classroom.   It is our responsibility to make sure that teachers are aware of it and to help them integrate it into their classrooms.

Digital Storytelling - Connecting With Others

A digital story is simply a story told using some combination of still and moving digital images, digital voice over narrative, and digital music. Technically digital story telling is a form of social networking because of the shared emotion between the teller and the listener.  Library 2.0 says that a well told story draws people together in a way that uni-modal and frequently unedited characters of blogs and wikis may not.

Digital storytelling is also a tool that can give new life to libraries.  In the early twenty first century, as academic libraries seem in danger of becoming increasingly irrelevant to the institutions they serve, the stories of library history, treasures, and people offer libraries opportunities to become not just collectors of stories but storytellers in their own right, reviving their own spirits and connecting with their communities.  As well, managing information can no longer be the focal point of the librarian’s job.  The librarian must incorporate new roles of helping users to find meaning in information, to care about it, and to develop empathy for it. 

Digital storytelling was conceptualized in the 1990’s by Dana Atchley, Joe Lambart, and Nina Mullen, all of whom went on to found the Center for Digital Storytelling in Berkley, CA.  Joe Lambert says there are seven elements of digital story telling which include:

·        Point (of view)

·        Dramatic question

·        Emotional content

·        The gift of your voice

·        The power of the soundtrack

·        Economy

·        Pacing

Point is the author’s overall goal where as the point of view is the perspective from which the author tells the story.  Dramatic Question links the point and point of view together for the listener.  The emotional content is the emotion conveyed by the story.  The gift of voice is referring to actually recording your voice over the story to give it identity for the listener.  The power of the soundtrack helps to add another layer of emotion to the story through chosen music.  Economy refers to the length of the story which is usually 3-5 minutes so every word must be wisely chosen.  Pacing is the final element which refers to the variation in speed, rhythm and intensity.

            There are many different types of digital stories, but for general purposed we can group storytelling into three main types:

·        personal narratives - accounts of significant incidents in one’s life

·        historical documentaries –examine dramatic events that help us understand the past

·        informational - designed to inform or instruct.

         There are various ways that Digital Storytelling can be used in education. Teacher can use digital story telling as a part of their lesson presentation or they can have students to create digital stories as a class project. Some teachers may want to create their own stories and show them to their students as a way to present new material.  Teacher-created digital stories may be used to enhance a lesson within a larger unit and to facilitate discussion about the topics and bring clearer understanding to abstract topics.  Digital Storytelling can also be a great tool for students who are taught to create their own stories.  After viewing examples of digital stories created by their teachers, students may be given assignments in which they are asked to research a topic and then choose a particular point of view and, as described in the Seven Elements of Digital Storytelling.

The University of Houston’s web site for the educational Use for Digital Storytelling has several great resources to help you get started with your digital storytelling project. First the University of Houston offers a step by step guide to help us get started.  The basic steps are listed below. 

·        STEP ONE: Choose a Topic, Write a Script

·        STEP TWO: Collect Resources

·        STEP THREE: Select Content, Develop a Storyboard

·        STEP FOUR: Import, Record, Finalize

·        STEP FIVE: Demonstrate, Evaluate, Replicate

For more detailed step click follow this link; http://digitalstorytelling.coe.uh.edu/getting_started.html  The University of Houston also offers the use of storyboards is another way to get started in planing a digital storytelling project. A storyboard is a visual representation that helps in the planning process of digital storytelling. Storyboards lay out images in sequential order to create the flow of the production. They can also include technical aspects and explanations of design.  Click on this link to learn more about using storyboards to create your digital story; http://digitalstorytelling.coe.uh.edu/storyboarding.html .  Finally on the University of Houston website you can find links for two different tutorials about digital storytelling.  The links are http://digitalstorytelling.coe.uh.edu/photostory.html and http://langwitches.org/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/Digital-Storytelling-Guide-by-Silvia-Rosenthal-Tolisano.pdf.

            Although digital storytelling has been around for some time now, it seems to just be starting to catch on.  It seems like a great resource for connecting with others and helping our students connect in a much more personal way to their learning.  Media specialist should take advantage of this tool to not only help their patrons connect to learning, but make connection in their community.  This would be a great tool for building collaborative lessons with the classroom teachers, thus building a stronger connection to your media center for all. To see some great examples of digital storytelling click on this link http://digitalstorytelling.coe.uh.edu/pop_culture.html.  My favorite is the one titled “The Legacy”. 

Copyright & Multimedia 03-22-2012

MEDT7477_Copyright&Multimedia_PTM

Fair use and copyright are two words, when used together that have always given me a sense of dread. I have had this feeling that someone was going to knock on my door and haul me off for some offense that I unknowingly committed. I have always tried to do what was sensible and proper when it comes to using copyrighted material. Many times I have felt that fair use and copyright was like trying to catch smoke in my hands. So many times I have read articles about fair use but there were so many words in the article that were left to interpretation that after reading the articles I did not feel that I knew any more after reading as I did before. On the Troup County school system website, the media handbook is available. One of the sections of the handbook deals with copyright and one part as to do with fair use. The link to this is http://www.troup.org/media_handbook/copyright.php . There are many other sections that cover just about any issue that should come up in a school setting. It seems that this handbook is the result of a lot of work on the part of a good many people and I have a hard copy on my bookcase just in case I need it in a hurry.  There is an opening statement that I think lets everyone know the true purpose of the handbook.It reads"Media is an essential support service for instructional programs. Media specialists should work closely with administrators and teachers in curriculum planning and implementation of instructional units. Media specialists should also assume a leadership role in today's technology-oriented library information center without sacrificing the importance of books and reading for knowledge and pleasure.
The purpose of this handbook is to inform school personnel of goals, policies and procedures that ensure effective library media centers in the Troup County School System. The efficient day-to-day operation of the media center is of utmost importance in complying with Troup County School System board policies, Georgia State Board of Education rules, and Southern Association of Colleges and Schools standards."

The one word that is used in the Troup County handbook and other articles that I have found is REASONABLE. I know that this is not a “set in concrete” word but it has helped me to deal with this issue with a little more confidence. The myth of “Rules of Thumb” is one that I thought was really a fact. Some parts of this are even included in the Troup County handbook related to the numbers.  Reading the truth part of the article, I see the word that I guess that I will always look for when it comes to fair use and copyright and that word is reasonable (reason, reasoning). I know that word is still open for interpretation but let us face this. We are educated, dedicated, and have the best interest of our students in mind. It really should not be a problem to figure out what is reasonable and be prepared to justify our thinking.

The article that was used for this is very interesting and useful. I think that it might be even copied and given to teachers and administrators, especially first year teachers.

References:

http://mediaeducationlab.com/sites/mediaeducationlab.com/files/CodeofBestPracticesinFairUse_0.pdf

http://www.troup.org/media_handbook/copyright.php

Copyright & Multimedia Mania

What is all the mania with respect to copyright and the fair use of materials by educators and students?  Before we take an in depth look at the best practices associated with the copyright doctrine of fair use with respect to media literacy, let’s first define what Media Literacy Education is?  According to the reading Code of Best Practices in Fair use for Media Literacy Education, it is “the capacity to access, analyze, evaluate, and communicate messages in a wide variety of forms.  Media Literacy may occur as a separate program or course but often it is embedded within other subject areas, including literature, history, anthropology, sociology, public health, journalism, communication, and education.  It can occur in formal educational settings in both K-12 education and at the university level, as well as in nonprofit community-based programs” (SOC, 2012). 

As a high school teacher, I am always referencing text, audiovisuals and digital material to convey a concept that I want my students to grasp.  And as the reading suggested, instead of transforming the material, I use it in the manner in which it was intended – to instruct.  Fortunately in doing so, I’m glad to know that I’m covered in Sections 110(1) and (2) of the Copyright Act.  Therefore when examining the difference between media in education and media literacy education, in my opinion, there isn’t much difference, since both entities use the content copied to instruct or to entertain.  Currently in the Media Literacy Education arena, there are five principles that guides the acceptable the use of copyrighted materials which are highlighted below.

PRINCIPLE ONE:            Employing Copyrighted Material in Media Literacy Lessons –Under fair use, educators using the concepts and techniques of media literacy can choose illustrative material from the full range of copyrighted sources and make them available to learners, in class, in workshops, in informal mentoring and teaching settings, and on school-related Web sites.  The only limitation is that educators must choose material that coincides with the topic or project at hand that is necessary to achieve the goal of the lesson (SOC, 2012)

DESCRIPTION:               Educators use television news, advertising, movies, still images, newspapers and magazine articles, Web sites, video games, and other copyrighted material to build critical-thinking and communications skills (SOC, 2012)

PRINCIPLE TWO:           Employing Copyrighted Material in Preparing Curriculum Materials-Under fair use, educators using the concepts and techniques of media literacy can integrate copyrighted material into curriculum materials, including books, workbooks, podcasts, DVD compilations, videos, Web sites, and other materials designed for learning. The only limitations are that cited work is credited and the material be used to obtain an educational goal (SOC, 2012).

DESCRIPTION:               Teachers use copyrighted materials in the creation of lesson plans, materials, tool kits, and curricula in order to apply the principles of media literacy education and use digital technologies effectively in an educational context (SOC, 2012).

PRINCIPLE THREE:        Sharing Media Literacy Curriculum Materials –Educators should be allowed to share effective examples of teaching about media and meaning with one another, including lessons and resource materials.  The limitation is that the materials shared must meet the educational objectives of the lesson (pg. 11)

DESCRIPTION:               Media Literacy curriculum materials always include copyrighted content from mass media and popular culture (SOC, 2012).

PRINCIPLE FOUR:         Student Use of Copyrighted Materials in Their Own Academic and Creative Work-Students strengthen media literacy skills by creating messages and using such symbolic forms as language, images, sound, music, and digital media to express and share meaning.  The limitation is that students’ creativity should not be compromised with the use of copyrighted material (SOC, 2012)

DESCRIPTION:               Students strengthen media literacy skills by creating messages and using such symbolic forms as language, images, sound, music, and digital media to express and share meaning. 

PRINCIPLE FIVE:            Developing Audiences for Student Work-Students who are expected to behave responsibly as media creators and who are encouraged to reach other people outside the classroom with their work learn most deeply. The limitation is that educators tend to make use of copyrighted work in a confined educational setting (SOC, 2012).

Along with these guiding principles are several myths discussed in the reading, but I will discuss my understanding of the Myth: Educators can rely on “Rules of Thumb” for Fair use Guidance.  I was one of the educators who believed the myth that the rules were cut in dry with respect to copyrighting and only a percentage of someone’s work could be used.  However after reading Code of Best Practices in Fair Use for Media Literacy Education, I have learned that educators are exempt in Sections 110(1) and (2) of the Copyright Act which allows us to use materials to first educate along with enhance a lesson or project objectives.  I can understand how it’s difficult to limit what is used for a lesson, since each lesson objectives are different and one lesson may require more copyrighted materials than another.  Yet as long as the materials are used are to strengthen a lesson, than it can encourage people to be critical thinkers and effective communicators in today’s society.  The more knowledge we are surrounded with, the opportunities we as humans have to grow as critical thinkers.  Media literacy education can truly change a generation, if there is an understanding of fair use, especially in the educational arena.

Often times, we as educators limit “ourselves” in the materials we use because we don’t have a clear understanding of media literacy.  However, it is up to the Media Specialist to bring awareness to teachers and students on how copyrighted material can be beneficial “if” used in the context for which intended.  We cannot take material in abundance and change it from its intended use nor can we use so much of it that it takes the creativity away from the student.  There must be a balance between the person whose materials is being used and the person/educator using it.  In closing, educators must use reasoning to determine how much is needed for instructional purposes to establish the goal/objective of the lesson.

When I referenced Atlanta Public Schools E-board Policy under Instructional Media Resources (Descriptor Code: IFBC) it states: Adherence to copyright law (Public Law 94-553 and its amendments).

REFERENCE

Center for Social Media. (2012). Code of best practices in fair use for media literacy education. Retrieved March 15, 2012, from      http://mediaeducationlab.com/code-best-practices-fair-use-media-literacy-education-0literacy-education-0.

Tricia McCoy

Code of Best Practices in Fair Use for Media Literacy Education

After watching Introductory Video: Code of Best Practices in Fair Use for Media Literacy Education it seems that they are saying that anything used in an educational setting that is repurposed for instruction is “fair game”.  Could this really be?  What happened to the notion that you can only use a certain percentage of material?  Does this mean that if I am teaching from the story book Mama Don’t Allow to a large group of students I can scan the whole entire book to put in a power point so I can enlarge it with my projector so all of the students can see?

Let’s take a closer look at Code of Best Practices in Fair Use for Media Literacy Education.  I think one of the interesting things that this code does is defines the difference between media literacy and the use of media in education.  The difference in the two seems to be where the fine line of fair use really comes in to play.  The code defines media literacy as, “the capacity to access, analyze, evaluate, and communicate messages in a wide variety of forms. Media literacy education helps people of all ages to be critical thinkers, effective communicators, and active citizens.”  The use of media in education differs in this because instead of transforming the media material into questions that help develop critical thinking skills, the material is merely used for its original purposes, which was to instruct or to entertain.

The code of best practices identifies five sets of current practices in the use of copyrighted materials in media literacy education to which the doctrine of fair use clearly applies.

·         Under fair use, educators using the concepts and techniques of media literacy can choose illustrative material from the full range of copyrighted sources and make them available to learners, in class, in workshops, and in informal mentoring.

·          Under fair use, educators using the concepts and techniques of media literacy can integrate copyrighted material into curriculum materials, including books, workbooks, podcasts, DVD compilations, videos, and Web sites.

·         Educators using concepts and techniques of media literacy should be able to share effective examples of teaching about media and meaning with one another, including lessons and resource materials. If curriculum developers are making sound decisions on fair use when they create their materials, then their work should be able to be seen, used, and even purchased by anyone—since fair use applies to commercial materials as well as those produced outside the marketplace model.

·         Because media literacy education cannot thrive unless learners themselves have the opportunity to learn about how media functions at the most practical level, educators using concepts and techniques of media literacy should be free to enable learners to incorporate, modify, and re-present existing media objects in their own classroom work. Media production can foster and deepen awareness of the constructed nature of all media, one of the key concepts of media literacy. The basis for fair use here is embedded in good pedagogy.

·         Educators should work with learners to make a reasoned decision about distribution that reflects sound pedagogy and ethical values. In some cases, widespread distribution of students’ work (via the Internet, for example) is appropriate. If student work that incorporates, modifies, and re-presents existing media content meets the transformativeness standard, it can be distributed to wide audiences under the doctrine of fair use.

(In the spirit of fair use I have freely copied these five principles from the Code of Best Practices in Fair Use for Media Literacy Education.  You can find this information at http://mediaeducationlab.com/sites/mediaeducationlab.com/files/CodeofBestPracticesinFairUse_0.pdf )

At the end of the Code of Best Practices in Fair Use for Media Literacy Education is a great section on Myths about fair use.  This section might prove the most helpful out of all of the information in the 22 page document.   In response to the myth: EDUCATORS CAN RELY ON “RULES OF THUMB” FOR FAIR USE GUIDANCE the code offers this truth: Despite longstanding myths, there are no cut-and-dried rules (such as 10 percent of the work being quoted, or 400 words of text, or two bars of music, or 10 seconds of video). Fair use is situational, and context is critical. Because it is a tool to balance the rights of users with the rights of owners, educators need to apply reason to reach a decision. The principles and limitations above are designed to guide your reasoning and to help you guide the reasoning of others.

Does this mean it really is ok for me to scan the whole entire book Mama Don’t Allow to project it onto my big screen?  Well it depends if I am using it to entertain and merely read the book to my students or if I am transforming it into a real teachable moment where I am helping student to develop critical thinking skills.  I really have done this before and worry every time I use this power point. After reading the story to the students, we then sing the song and rewrite the song using musical instruments and discuss things our mama won’t allow us to do.  I hope the transfer on knowledge that takes place in the lesson creates a moment of critical thinking which in kind moves this lesson from pure entertainment to development of media literacy skills.  Regardless, I am evoking my right as an educator to claim “fair use”!

MediaCast, GPB and Beyond.

      One of the areas that is benefiting from all the new technology is the area of video distribution.  Think back when you were in school.  Remember watching the movies that were shown on a projector with big rolls of film.  How about the filmstrip? Beep!  Today, there are so many new ways to bring multimedia into your classrooms.

     Many Cherokee County Schools District schools still have Closed-Circuit systems,. Thee systems are being removed from many of the schools because the county has invested in a much better system called MediaCast.  This system allows us to access 16 digital television stations, district television stations (2 channels per school), a multitude of digital content that has been purchased by the Cherokee County School District, Discovery Streaming, and BrainPop.  

     This system allows a school to broadcast the morning news live each morning.  This newscast is available in every classroom either on the mounted television, or by accessing it through MediaCast on one of our school’s television stations.  This method of distributing information to the students and teachers is so much better than a voice on the intercom.  With live TV, we can have students talking about their projects, showing off their medal won at competitions, or even announcing “Breaking News”. 

     MediaCast offers so much more than just digital television or other “movies”. This system allows teachers to upload content that can be viewed by the entire school.  Grade levels can develop lessons that can be shared through MediaCast.  School Spelling Bees can be broadcast live to the school without everyone leaving their classrooms.  The different uses of MediaCast are endless. 

     One of the best resources available to teachers is Georgia Public Broadcasting  (GPB).  Cherokee County encourages teachers to use this resource and schools have training sessions that are put on by the GPB to show teachers all the ways that they can use GPB to meet state standards.   http://www.gpb.org/

     From the main screen you can choose from the many available resources.  These tabs include: Programs, Television, Radio, Education, Family, Kids, News, Sports and Support.  For example, under Education, you will find  a wealth of information that you can use in your classrooms everyday. 

 

      This resource offer featured programs such as Chemistry & Physics, Count on it! , Dinoventures, Georgia Stories, Georgia World War 2 Project, GPB Well, Irasshai, The InVenture Prize, Road Trip and Salsa.  http://www.gpb.org/education/featured-programs  You can go on  an adventures with Professor Ridley as he looks for fossils and crocodile to the exploration of Georgia’s history and culture. 

     I personally used Georgia Stories when I taught 8^th grade Georgia History.  I liked how the videos were broken down into parts so that I was able to show short segments of the video without having to start and stop it myself.  I also liked the snag-a-segment feature that allowed me to create my own segment that met my needs. 

  It is difficult to talk about everything that is available on GPB. You need to take a look for yourself.  I promise, you won’t be disappointed.