Getting in Touch with the Digital Storyteller Within

Who should attend

Teachers and Literacy Leaders

About this learning opportunity

Do you want to understand the digital natives in your life and have fun doing it? Then come spend a day learning how to speak their language, creating digital stories, documentaries and other kinds of new media narrative using simple, powerful tools that are inexpensive and often free.

In this workshop you will see many examples of media created by students and teachers that show the power of new media development to help teaching and learning, and personally explore the process used to create them. We will focus a good deal on story: what makes stories work, and how to plan and develop them before committing them to the digital domain.

You will leave with either a digital story completed or underway. You will also leave with planning tools and processes, implementation perspectives and real skills that you can use immediately to help students create compelling narrative in content areas.

Also addressed as time permits: assessment, copyright and other hot button issues related to the use of new media in teaching and learning.

Please bring to the workshop:

• Hardware – your laptop
• Software – you can use any software you like; iMovie HD is recommended (not newer versions of iMovie) for Mac users, MovieMaker 2.6 (not new versions of MovieMaker) for PC users
• Peripherals – your digital camera and a way to get pics from your camera to your laptop
• Pics already on your camera – you never know what you are going to use until you get rolling, but it is handy to have your personal photos on your laptop. You may just end up using them.
• Headset – you will need a way to record your voice. Many laptops have built-in mics, but you will get better results using a headset or external mic. Also, using headsets cuts down on the noise in the room.

This learning opportunity is subsidized as a result of a grant from Alberta Education to support implementation.

About the facilitator(s)

Dr. Jason Ohler is a professor emeritus, speaker, writer, teacher, and cyber researcher. He is also a lifelong digital humanist who is well known for the passion, insight, and humor he brings to his presentations, projects and writings. He has worked both online and in classrooms at home and internationally for over a quarter century helping students develop the new literacies they need to be successful in the digital age. He is a passionate promoter of “Art the Next R” and of combining innovation, creativity and digital know-how to help reinvent teaching and learning. He is also an enthusiastic champion of the need for students to learn how to use technology wisely and safely, with awareness and compassion, so they can become informed and productive citizens in a global digital society. He has won a number of awards for his work and is author of many books, articles, and online resources. Many call him a futurist, he calls himself a nowist, believing we have what we need now to create the kinds of communities we need to meet the challenges of the digital age with creativity and humanity. His current book, Digital Community, Digital Citizen, explores how to help our children blend their digital and non-digital lives into one integrated approach to living that is safe and inspiring. His previous book, Digital Storytelling in the Classroom, reminds us that he is first and foremost a storyteller, telling tales of the future that are grounded in the past.

More information at http://www.jasonohler.com/index.cfm or http://www.jasonohler.com/storytelling/index.cfm