Ds106… Did even the name sound intimidating to anyone else? Personally, it sounded out of my technological league. However, after putting some time into researching the topic, ds106 really sparked my interest. First, I learned that it stands for digital storytelling. According to one website, digital storytelling “is the practice of using computer-based tools to tell stories.”
Digital storytelling can take many forms. For this class, we will respond to thirty consecutive daily creative challenges. Although this task seemed quite intimidating at first, the challenges shouldn’t take more than twenty minutes to create, and they all seem really fun! Yesterday’s Daily Create Challenge was to put music behind a James Bond scene. At first, it seemed a little past my technological knowledge level; however, the website provides a link to another page, so everyone can do it, and all of the videos are in the same format.
Today (February 23) I took the leap joined the challenge. Today’s Daily Create Challenge is all about mixing quotes. The directions are to “Find an image of a well-known figure, add to it a famous quote by someone related in some way to the figure in the image and then attribute the quote to a third, related figure.” I made my challenge about poets and chose a picture of Edgar Allen Poe, quoted a poem by Emily Dickinson, and attributed it to Walt Whitman.
What I especially appreciate about digital storytelling is that it puts a whole new spin on being creative. While I was in primary and secondary school, the only two outlets students had to be creative was in art class or occasionally in English class. I stopped taking art class after elementary school, and I didn’t start enjoying writing until late in my high school career. For a student like me, trying to access my creative side was a rare occurrence, but I think students should be constantly using creativity in school!
Digital storytelling would be a fantastic tool to use in my classroom. Where is a better place to tell a story if not in an English classroom? I think students would find it less intimidating than the more conventional approaches of being creative and appreciate that some methods require minimal time as well. Technology also gives students more options for being creative. For example, if students are focusing on poetry, they could first write a poem, then record themselves performing a poetry reading of their piece, and finally put (appropriate, applicable) music behind it. This assignment would mix conventional poetry writing with technology and another subject (music) as well. While this is the first assignment I could think of, there is endless technological opportunities to allow students to foster their creativity digitally.
Timmi, I love how you are already finding ways to tie the creativity idea into your English classroom! I also really love your daily create with the poets it fits you quite well! Also I found the name ds106 very daunting at first as well, but when it is known as digital storytelling it is something new all together! I love how they give you access to resources to help you with their challenges so really anyone can do it! Good luck on your 30 days!
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Once I learned it meant digital storytelling, it became really interesting to me! I think an English classroom is the perfect place to use it! I can see students really getting into the projects!
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Timmi,
I love that so many creates have links so that you can play along too. It is hard to find sites that could help you create the task, but when they give you the link you can easily participate. I was worried that I would not be able to do a lot of the assignments because I don’t have a vast knowledge in technology…but most of the creates do not need much, and are more about learning small skills rather than building large horizons.
Good Luck and nice post.
-Kelly
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That’s something I really liked about it. I’m not the best with technology, so I appreciated that there was a link provided! I think these thirty days will be really fun… If I remember to do one every day!
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I really like how you are already creating ways to use this in your future classroom. I also like how the daily creates provide links to other websites explaining how to do the tasks because I don’t think I would be able to do it without those. I am excited to see the rest of your daily creates for you thirty day challenge and I am also excited to see what other ways you can use this in your future classroom.
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The additional websites definitely help those who aren’t as knowledgeable on technology! The challenges have all been fun so far, and I’m excited to continue doing them!
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Thanks for breaking this down in a better understanding for me! I was intimidated at first as well, but hopefully these will be very fun! I also agree that this would be a great approach to a Language Arts class!
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ds106 is definitely an intimidating term! I think digital storytelling would be a great way to use digital storytelling because there is so many resources for being creative!
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