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Introduction

Task

Process

Conclusion

Resources

Teacher Page

Teacher Page

| Preparation | Links | Process |

Preparation

  • Begin by having students separate into groups of four. If you don't want students to choose their own groups, separate them according to your class needs.
  • Make sure to print out all the handouts needed ahead of class meetings.

Equipment

While just about any computer system you buy today comes pre-configured for basic desktop application use, digital story creation requires a particular set of capabilities at a challenging cost.

What you need?

  1. Mac G4 (per group)
  2. Still image capture (via scanner or digital still camera)
  3. Video capture (from DV camera, or analog video camera)
  4. Video and image editing software
  5. Extras: Tripod, tapes, firewire cable

Web Resources:

Time

A way to save time on the beginning of this project is by displaying art prints around your classroom instead of having students view them online. Have each group pick an art that intrigues them. Students skip step 1 in the process page and go straight to step 2, researching their art.

Another idea might be to have the whole class work from the same art. You can have a class vote or not give students a choice. The potential in having everyone work from one image, is the diversity in results coming from the same art. This could lead to a debate on similarities and differences in how each group interpreted the art. It is interesting to realize how humans carry the ability to look at things differently.

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Process

One of the most challenging aspects of this project is having your students work in collaboration. Challenge then before this endeavor and remind them that this is how most jobs take place. Educators must support and value group activity because it builds students' communication skills and promotes collaborative inquiry while allowing them to make personal choices.

Conclusion

Use Digital Story Rubric and student self-evaluation in assessment. A compilation of all the student projects in DVD or VHS tape format is highly recommended.

Thoughts

I believe that digital storytelling is essential because it provides diverse experiences in narrative writing, group collaboration, and varying levels of digital media literacy. Students construct meaning of art by formulating their own representations through stories. Students are also highly motivated and engaged when working with technological tools such as cameras and computers.

There are many challenges for the art teacher in doing this interdisciplinary project. However, this is a valuable and worthwhile lesson, because students create digital stories, increase in self-esteem and find new connections of art to their everyday life.

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