Getting started with digital storytelling

It is often stated that digital storytelling can be a very simple technique to employ.  Its flexibility does mean that it can be used in a wide variety of ways for very different purposes.  However, as Dush (2009: 261) points out it is 'deceptively complicated'.  It is therefore important to give careful consideration to how this technique is to be used. 

 

As a starting point, consideration of its use against pedagogical and theoretical models is to be recommended.  There are also useful tools which provide starting points for getting started with digital storytelling.

 

 

Two other frameworks that could be drawn upon for guidance when considering the use of digital storytelling are first the Design Model for Podcasting developed through the IMPALA project (Edirisingha et al, 2008), which classifies digital storytelling as a form of podcasting.  The second source is the extensive list of continua developed by Ohler (2008) which provides a structured framework for discussion around the reasons for the use of digital storytelling.  Together these two frameworks provide an extensive range of prompts for helping to plan use.  However, taken individually these frameworks do though have some limitations.  The IMPALA model contains ten design factors, these include fundamentally important design considerations such as the pedagogic rationale, as well as other useful considerations such as style.  The full list, presented in the table below, is though aimed primarily at staff generating content for student consumption.  Digital storytelling represents a social pedagogy in which learner generation of narratives, rather than content consumption takes priority.  The IMPALA model does therefore require some adaptation and careful selection to be used as a means of helping to produce the student generated application of digital storytelling. 

 

Table: Podcasting 10-factor design model (Edirisingha et al, 2008)

 

Factor	Example options
Pedagogical rationale	Limitations of lectures in teaching complex and difficult topics Limitations of conventional approaches in teaching use of software tools Limitations of conventional feedback approaches Issues faced by first-time online learners Developing competency in: collaborative skills active learning skills presentation skills essay writing skills reflective skills research skills articulation and communication skills Improving the usefulness and attractiveness of teaching and learning resources
Medium	Audio podcasts Audio and vision podcasts
Convergence	Integrated with other media such as VLE Stand-alone
Authors and contributors to podcasts	Subject or module lecturer University teachers Other university staff Fellow students Senior students Other stakeholders
Structure of podcasting	Single-session Multiple sessions Targeted podcasts for specific sessions, such as assessments or exams
Reusability	Temporary or reusable
Length	Short (less than 10 minutes) or long
Style	Formal or informal; style of presentation; monologue/dialogue/interview or other
Framework	Signposting, navigating, planning
Access system	Via VLE A feeder service (RSS)

 

 

Ohler’s range of 18 continua provides a more expansive list of factors to consider.  These are grouped into three categories; Story type, purpose or impact; Story elements; and Story production.  This is a comprehensive list that can, as Ohler (2008) recommends, be used as starting points for discussion on the use of digital storytelling.  It is though a long list to work through when planning any application and does include some overlap between categories.  In addition it could be argued that there are still some gaps.  The table below shows an adaptation of Ohler’s continua by Gravestock & Jenkins (2009), expanding the list up to 22.  These additions, shown in italics, include for example consideration of whether it is the process of creating a digital story that is most important or the final product.  Such a consideration will obviously be context dependent. 

 

Table: Continua for use (from Ohler, 2008).  Text in italics represents additions to the Ohler, 2008, continua (from Gravestock & Jenkins, 2009).

 

Story type, purpose, or impact
Clear, like an essay		Challenging, like a poem
Metaphor, genre clear		Not clear
Universal resonance	Niche resonance	No resonance
Story		Report
Passive viewing		Active viewing
About author		About content
Reflection		Presentation
Assessed		Not assessed
Story elements
1st person involved		3rd person, detached
Emotionally engaged		Detached, objective
Tone boundaries	Appropriate tone diversity	Unclear boundaries
Narrative a focus		Narrative not a focus
Music supportive		Music distracting
Performance, video info		Still images, voice over
Creativity, originality valued		Not valued
Constraint, economy valued		Economy not valued
Process		Product
Story production
Low production values		High production values
Media grammar sound		Media grammar unsound
Technology low end, available		High end,  not readily available
Help is part of the process		Help is not allowed
Individual		Group

  

 

 

Seven Elements of Digital Storytelling

 

 

The Centre for Digital Storytelling (in Robin, 2008: 222) have created the Seven Elements of Digital Storytelling, which could be used as a starting point when working with digital stories.  These are:

 

1. Point of view: what is the main point of the story and what is the perspective of the author?
2. A dramatic question: a key question that keeps the viewer's attention and will be answered by the end of the story.
3. Emotional content: serious issues that come alive in a personal and powerful way and connects the story to the audience.
4. The gift of your voice: a way to personalise the story to help the audience understand the context.
5. The power of the soundtrack: music or other sounds that support and embellish the storyline.
6. Economy: using just enough content to tell the story without overloading the viewer.
7. Pacing: the rhythm of the story and how slowly or quickly it progresses.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Software for creating digital stories

 

 

There is a range of software packages that can be used to create digital stories, some of which are freely available and straightforward to use, such as those listed below.

 

 

 

 

 

For users of Windows based computers the following software can be used:

 

 

 

 

 

Windows Movie Maker: freely available on all Windows computers using XP or a later operating system.  Movie Maker is the software that can be used to put together the audio narrative, images and other materials.

 

 

 

 

 

Audacity: a free audio editor which can be downloaded.  A simple guide to using Audacity is available in Mobbs, Salmon & Edirisingha (2008).

 

 

 

 

 

PhotoStory 3 for Windows: free software downloadable from Microsoft for creating digital stories.  It incorporates the capability to record audio and add music, including providing its own music generator.  It does though place the emphasis on the images rather than the narrative and so is not necessarily the best tool for creating digital stories for educational purposes.

 

 

 

 

 

For Apple Macintosh users:

 

 

 

 

 

iMovie: free software on Apple computers which can be used to put together the component parts.

 

 

 

 

 

iPhoto: free software that can be used for image manipulation.

 

 

 

 

Audacity: a free audio editor which can be downloaded.  A simple guide to using Audacity is available in Mobbs, Salmon & Edirisingha (2008).