Digital+Camera

= = = Using Digital Storytelling to Enhance Instruction =

**TECHNOLOGY STANDARDS ADDRESSED: ** V. Integrating Technology into the curriculum and instruction
 * Maryland Teacher Technology Standards**

Standard 4.0 – Technology for Communication and Expression : Use technology to communicate information and express ideas using various media formats A. Communication 1. Explore how technology is used for communication a and b) Recognize that technology helps with communication at home and at school.
 * Maryland Technology Literacy Standards for Students (Kindergarten)**

Standard 2.0 - Digital Citizenship: Practice ethical, legal, and responsible use of technology. B. Legal and Ethical Issues 2. Demonstrate an understanding of current legal standards b) Comply with copyright laws and fair use provisions.
 * Maryland Technology Literacy Standards for Students (Grade 4)**

Standard 3.0 – Technology for Learning and Collaboration : Use a variety of technologies for learning and collaboration A. Learning 1. Use and understand how technology enhances learning a) Use technology tools, including software and hardware, from a range of teacher-selected options to learn new content or reinforce skills. Storytelling project -- Teacher

**DESCRIPTION: ** This storytelling project documents an even the kindergarten students are quite familiar with -- an art lesson they had a few weeks ago. By combining digital photographs taken during the lesson, and narration, the students can see just how digital storytelling can document an event that happened in the past, as well as providing instructions to perform a task.

media type="file" key="Kindergarten Snowmen.wmv" align="center" width="300" height="300"

Storytelling project -- Students

**DESCRIPTION: ** Fourth grade students are currently studying the geographical regions of Maryland: Tidewater plain, Piedmont plateau, and Appalachian regions. In the past, student created a diorama depicting one of the regions. This year, a Photostory is used. After reviewing copyright laws, and the fair use exemptions regulating student projects, students put photographs together into a digital story.

media type="file" key="Maryland's Three Regions.wmv" align="center" width="300" height="300"

**REFLECTION: ** What a fantastic tool Photostory is! The combination of pictures (either photographs, powerpoint slides, original art work, etc.) and narration permit a marvelous way for students to do reports. And it's a great alternative to the basic Powerpoint slideshow. We're looking forward to using this as an introduction for our first-grade Author's Tea -- a photostory will be playing as the parents walk in.

I can think of a number of ways to use this in teaching, especially for the computer routines we have to go over again and again. For teachers, using screen captures during such tasks as publishing grades on SchoolMax, doing the "first-time" settings on Internet Explorer, might be quicker and easier than handouts, with printed screen shots. This could work for students too, except that we'd have to find a way for them to easily access the videos. Without e-mail addresses, they can't join wikispaces or access google sites.

Using this with students was relatively easy; the fourth-grade students rather quickly figured out the nuts and bolts of the software, and I expect younger ones would too. The more difficult part was getting them to focus on the content of the Photostory (which is the whole point of teaching, isn't it?) Sending them out on the web on their own to find their own pictures was setting up to take way too long. In the end, I put together a collection of photos, and told them to select from those. Perhaps if we'd had more time, and more "in-class" time (we were doing this as a pull-out during recess in the school library, instead of as a regular class assignment), students would have put together more solid reports.

I am planning on having my third grade classes (who are studying digital photography during their computer lab time this semester) put together a photostory science report. I will be collaborating with the third-grade science teacher on a rubric, focusing both on content and on use of the technology. We won't be doing this until May, but I am very interested to see how this turns out.

A great deal of time was spent in the class talking about copyright and public domain. Watching the students search the web for pictures they could use in their presentation, I think we will be too limiting if insist on only public domain materials. The Fair Use provisions for educational and student were written into the copyright law in order to empower students and teachers. While we should educate our students about the public domain, and show them how to access materials in it, we do our students a disservice if we do not educate them, and expect them take advantage of, the Fair Use Provisions. A good explanation of the Fair Use Provisions are located here: 