Powerful Tools for Teaching and Learning: Digital Storytelling

About this course: Powerful Tools for Teaching and Learning: Digital Storytelling introduces educators to digital storytelling and explores ways to use digital stories to enhance students’ learning experiences. The course is designed to be comprehensive yet fundamental. By comprehensive we mean that the course provides a solid foundation for all of the components of a digital story and illustrates these components with tutorials, example stories, and links to additional readings. The course also provides a hands-on opportunity for learners to create their own digital stories. The course is fundamental because it covers the basic process of creating a digital story starting with just a simple script and as little as one image. This course is intended for K-12 teachers in all disciplines, although it is open to anyone with an interest in digital storytelling. Course participants will use WeVideo (https://www.wevideo.com/), a free web-based video editing program, to create a digital story that could be shared both online and with students in the classroom. Teachers in the state of Texas may be eligible to receive Continuing Professional Education units if they complete the major requirements of the course.

Created by:  University of Houston System

• Taught by:  Bernard R Robin, Associate Professor

  Curriculum and Instruction

• Taught by:  Sara G. McNeil, Associate Professor

  Curriculum and Instruction

Level Beginner Language English How To Pass Pass all graded assignments to complete the course. User Ratings 4.4 stars Average User Rating 4.4See what learners said Coursework

Each course is like an interactive textbook, featuring pre-recorded videos, quizzes and projects.

Help from your peers

Connect with thousands of other learners and debate ideas, discuss course material, and get help mastering concepts.

Certificates

Earn official recognition for your work, and share your success with friends, colleagues, and employers.

University of Houston System The University of Houston System’s four universities and six regional campuses comprise the only comprehensive higher education system serving the world’s energy capital and the Gulf Coast region. Among institutions nationwide, the UH System remains a model of diversity and a reflection of the city it serves.

Syllabus


WEEK 1


WEEK 1: Choosing a Topic and Defining your Purposes



Week 1 introduces you to the basics of digital storytelling. You will explore the fundamental elements of a good digital story and review examples used by educators across a varied curriculum. By the end of this week, you will be able to choose a topic and define the purpose of a digital story you will create for your classroom or informal learning setting. You may access the course materials for this week from the links below, or from the navigation bar on the left side of this page.


7 videos, 2 readings expand

1. Video: Week 1 Overview
2. Reading: Week 1 Instructions
3. Video: Welcome
4. Video: Introduction to Digital Storytelling
5. Video: Digital Storytelling Process
6. Video: Types of Digital Stories
7. Video: Selecting a Topic
8. Video: Digital Storytelling in the Classroom
9. Reading: Week 1 Reading Materials
10. Discussion Prompt: Week 1 Discussion

Graded: Assignment 1: Select your Topic and Define the Purpose of the digital story

WEEK 2


WEEK 2: Writing an Effective Script and Creating a Storyboard



In Week 2, we will focus on scriptwriting, storyboarding, and Creative Commons. We will begin by discussing the steps in developing and writing a script for the digital story you will create in this course.We will explore the basic elements of the script,such as introduction, character development, tension and resolution that are necessary in developing a script. Then, we will also examine the importance of selecting appropriate images and creating a storyboard. In Week 2, you will learn not only the functions and the sequences of a storyboard, but also the most useful ways to locate images, such as using photos taken with a digital camera and images downloaded from the internet based on the size, quality, type and usage rights. A step-by-step approach will be used to illustrate how these images can support your own script as a part of creating a digital story. By the end of this week, you will begin to understand the important steps and elements of scriptwriting, and be able to envision your story's script in a visually interesting storyboard.


8 videos, 2 readings expand

1. Video: Week 2 Overview
2. Reading: Week 2 Instructions
3. Video: Getting Started with Scriptwriting
4. Video: Creating a Storyboard
5. Video: Creative Commons
6. Video: Images and Copyright
7. Video: Using High Resolution Images
8. Video: Creating a Storyboard with StoryboardThat
9. Video: 12 lessons learned part 1
10. Reading: Week 2 Reading Materials
11. Discussion Prompt: Week 2 Discussion

Graded: Assignment 2: Write Your Script and Create your Storyboard

WEEK 3


WEEK 3



In week 3, we will focus on how you can record audio narration that will be used in your digital story. We will examine some of the most common types of microphones and recording devices that you can use to record the script you wrote. We will also demonstrate how to record and edit your digital audio files using Audacity, free audio recording software available for Windows and Macintosh computers. Of course, if you prefer, you may use any audio editing program to record and/or edit your narration. The important thing to remember is that recording your own voice is a key component of the digital storytelling process since it explains the information you are presenting and provides a personal touch to your story. We feel strongly that this part of the process should not be overlooked.This week, we will also explore how you can find and download appropriate music that supports the theme of your story. We will focus on music that is in the public domain or is free of copyright restrictions so that it can be used in your digital story legally and at no cost.


11 videos, 2 readings expand

1. Video: Week 3 Overview
2. Video: Recording Narration With a Portable Recording Device
3. Reading: Week 3 Instructions
4. Video: Recording Your Narration
5. Video: Digital Audio Formats
6. Video: Recording Narration with an iPhone
7. Video: Recording Narration with an Android Phone
8. Video: Downloading and Installing Audacity
9. Video: Recording and Saving with Audacity
10. Video: Basic Editing in Audacity: Removing Parts of an Audio File
11. Video: Mixing Audio with Audacity
12. Video: Finding and Using Copyright-Free Music Tracks
13. Reading: Week 3 Reading Materials
14. Discussion Prompt: Week 3 Discussion

Graded: Record Your Narration

WEEK 4


WEEK 4



In Week 4, we will explore how to assemble all of the elements (text, images, narration, and if you choose, music and/or video clips) to create the final version of your digital story and publish it online. You may use any video editing software program of your choice, and you may find a list of software options, Web 2.0 tools, and mobile apps, on the Educational Uses of Digital Storytelling website (http://digitalstorytelling.coe.uh.edu).


12 videos, 3 readings expand

1. Video: Week 4 Overview
2. Reading: Week 4 Instructions
3. Video: Creating a Single Image Digital Story
4. Video: WeVideo Introduction
5. Video: Adding Media
6. Video: Creating a Digital Story in WeVideo
7. Video: Image Editing
8. Video: Adding Text
9. Video: Adjusting Audio
10. Video: Adding a Video Clip
11. Video: Finalizing Your Video
12. Video: Single Image Digital Story: Finalized Version
13. Video: New WeVideo Editing Tool
14. Reading: Week 4 Reading Materials
15. Reading: WeVideo Instructions
16. Discussion Prompt: Week 4 Discussion

Graded: Publish Your Digital Story

WEEK 5


Week 5



In Week 5, you will reflect on what you have learned in this course, how you dealt with each component of the digital storytelling process and discuss the challenges you faced, as well as how you dealt with these challenges in creating your digital story.In addition, you will have the option of revising the final version of your digital story based on the feedback you received. Please note that you may choose to use the version of your digital story that you submitted in the previous week as the final version. If this is the case, you do not need to revise your digital story, but you should still complete the Final Digital Story Assessment as one of this week’s assignments.


6 videos, 2 readings expand

1. Video: Week 5 Overview
2. Reading: Week 5 Instructions
3. Video: 12 Lessons Learned Part 1
4. Video: 12 Lessons Learned Part 2
5. Video: 12 Lessons Learned Part 3
6. Video: Educational Materials to Support Digital Stories
7. Video: Assessment and Evaluation
8. Reading: Week 5 Reading Materials
9. Discussion Prompt: Week 5 Discussion

Graded: Final Digital Story Assessment
Graded: Course-Reflection
Graded: Post-Course Survey