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 |
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
- Video: Week 1 Overview
- Reading: Week 1 Instructions
- Video: Welcome
- Video: Introduction to Digital Storytelling
- Video: Digital Storytelling Process
- Video: Types of Digital Stories
- Video: Selecting a Topic
- Video: Digital Storytelling in the Classroom
- Reading: Week 1 Reading Materials
- 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
- Video: Week 2 Overview
- Reading: Week 2 Instructions
- Video: Getting Started with Scriptwriting
- Video: Creating a Storyboard
- Video: Creative Commons
- Video: Images and Copyright
- Video: Using High Resolution Images
- Video: Creating a Storyboard with StoryboardThat
- Video: 12 lessons learned part 1
- Reading: Week 2 Reading Materials
- 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
- Video: Week 3 Overview
- Video: Recording Narration With a Portable Recording Device
- Reading: Week 3 Instructions
- Video: Recording Your Narration
- Video: Digital Audio Formats
- Video: Recording Narration with an iPhone
- Video: Recording Narration with an Android Phone
- Video: Downloading and Installing Audacity
- Video: Recording and Saving with Audacity
- Video: Basic Editing in Audacity: Removing Parts of an Audio File
- Video: Mixing Audio with Audacity
- Video: Finding and Using Copyright-Free Music Tracks
- Reading: Week 3 Reading Materials
- 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
- Video: Week 4 Overview
- Reading: Week 4 Instructions
- Video: Creating a Single Image Digital Story
- Video: WeVideo Introduction
- Video: Adding Media
- Video: Creating a Digital Story in WeVideo
- Video: Image Editing
- Video: Adding Text
- Video: Adjusting Audio
- Video: Adding a Video Clip
- Video: Finalizing Your Video
- Video: Single Image Digital Story: Finalized Version
- Video: New WeVideo Editing Tool
- Reading: Week 4 Reading Materials
- Reading: WeVideo Instructions
- 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
- Video: Week 5 Overview
- Reading: Week 5 Instructions
- Video: 12 Lessons Learned Part 1
- Video: 12 Lessons Learned Part 2
- Video: 12 Lessons Learned Part 3
- Video: Educational Materials to Support Digital Stories
- Video: Assessment and Evaluation
- Reading: Week 5 Reading Materials
- Discussion Prompt: Week 5 Discussion
Graded: Final Digital Story Assessment
Graded: Course-Reflection
Graded: Post-Course Survey
FAQs
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University of Houston System
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Pricing
| Audit | Purchase Course | |
|---|---|---|
| Access to course materials | Available | Available |
| Access to graded materials | Not available | Available |
| Receive a final grade | Not available | Available |
| Earn a shareable Course Certificate | Not available | Available |
Ratings and Reviews
Great Course! Thanks for Sharing!
The basic is fantastic. Maybe, in the last classes need do advance more in other resources.
Very good!
thanks
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Loved the interaction with other classmates and I definitely learned a lot, but the course could be modernized a bit (more recent resources and technologies)