Chapter 13: The DTS Toolbox

Chapter 13: The DTS Toolbox


Toolbox

• First, I want to say that writing about the tools needed for technology in a book is very difficult because it will change by the time someone reads it.  Tools are, however, a large barrier for teachers.  How will they be able to find the latest tools... maybe keeping a blog of new tools would cover this. 

• The first item he mentions is computers running OX 4 or XP...teachers are not going to buy computers for their classrooms, that's not realistic.  They might write a grant, but they are not going to buy computers.  In the computer category, what you have is what you have. 

• I don't think you need a scanner if you have a digital camera.  I am doing a DST assignment and we took pictures of our student art and imported that into iMovie. 

• for software, I would consider the free online apps wevideo and Pixoria.

• I bought these headsets for cheap from amazon.  They will break, but are really cheap compared to others and sound quality is fine. 

Video

preliminary storyboard using powerpoint --> iMovie 

Chapters 11- 12

Chapter 11: The Media Production Process Phase 1

“Tell a story that is strengthened rather than weakened by the media they use”

I think the media he is talking about is film, but inside of film there are different medias. Will I used drawings? Will I use real people? Will I use sock puppets? What type of audio? . The media used can add or subtract from a story.  I think media is underrated in the decision-making. Theses decisions have the lasting influence on the effectiveness of your film.

I do like visuals.  I would like most of my students time spent on the first step of this process.

How many teachers have all of these?

I found most of this chapter to be redundant and repetitive.  We already went over the story development process.  He should have used a real classroom example of a teacher taking their students through phase I.

Chapter 12:  Media Production Stages II-V

“I recently saw a story in which a student displayed the word "confusion" while the narrative was talking about being emotionally and intellectually lost.”

I like tips like this one.  I think students should mix video/drawings/words or any visual that helps bring out the narrative.  Anything is better than boring.

This chapter was better because this is the part (production) where teachers will incur the most problems.

Suggestions like contacting local TV station to air student videos and “get a wireless mike” are unrealistic for most teachers.  If he wants to cast a wide net with this book he needs give more practical solutions.

Media elements portion was nice with good exploration of different options available.  Like I said before, keep all your media options open and don’t be afraid to mix-media.

Reference: 

Jason B. Ohler. Digital Storytelling in the Classroom: New Media Pathways to Literacy, Learning, and Creativity 

Video:  Here is a video I made about a website I enjoy.

Chapter 9 -10

Chapter 9

I think he should rename the treasure map story map to the peaks and valleys treasure map.

Teachers can use story to grade videos.  The student basically outline for you all the parts of the rubric in a story map.

The story spine below is exactly what I was looking for.  I am having my students write their own cautionary folk tales.  These sentence starters will be great for the lower students. If I change the last 2 “because of that” it will work. I am going to have them draw the artwork.  Then they will narrate a slideshow in imovie. Also, I think if they start with moral first it will make for more coherent stories.

Chapter 10

This chapter was interesting. The whole time I was wondering, “What makes a good story if all the rules can be broken?”Although he never directly addresses this, Ohler does give some clues while on the subject of the train video.  He writes, “Like a powerful documentary, the story core plays out within the minds of the viewers, who transform as a result of watching it.” So, maybe a good story transforms the viewer in some way?

Jason B. Ohler. Digital Storytelling in the Classroom: New Media Pathways to Literacy, Learning, and Creativity (p. 116). Kindle Edition.

MASH-up

I ripped one of our classmates' video of her dog's shadow and set it against an excerpt from the three little pigs. It's weird. Enjoy.

Chptr 7 -8

All quotes from Jason B. Ohler. Digital Storytelling in the Classroom: New Media Pathways to Literacy, Learning, and Creativity (p. 106). Kindle Edition.

CHPTR 7

• Universality is a particularly important concept in the world of DST,

This makes me think of the "everyman" character that Tom Hanks has perfected. It is always appealing and accessible. I think the everyman is a useful tool when the point you want to make is about how something effects us all. If the main character in Cast Away was an eccentric or outlier, the effects of the isolation on the viewer would not have been as powerful. 

• Learn the rules, break the rules, then make the rules.

There is such a thing as earning the right to break the rules. All the great artists broke the rules. Usually, it was after playing within the rules. When I was in Madrid, I saw Picasso's early work. As a young person he could paint realism very well. He slowly devolved his art after mastering the classic way. If he was crapy painter and then made cubes, nobody would have cared. There's always the really bright or imaginative student who wants the break the rules. We could tell he/she that after they play within the rules they can do it their way.

CHPTR 8

• Kohlberg's "Stages of moral development" (1984)

I created a little kid version of this for my class. It was a smartboard file with 5 levels. I had the students place themselves on the chart where they thought their morality was at that point in time. I was amazed at the accuracy. The students with poor behavior put themselves lower and said things like, "i just try not to get caught." or "I don't behave when no one is looking because there is no reward." No one was brave enough to put themselves on the top. The highest level was "I do the right thing when no one is looking." Even though some belonged.

• "To help students grow through their stories."and from CHPTER 7" Powerful experiences become powerful stories when we reflect on how the experiences changed us."

I have been thinking about student presentations in general lately. What are we assessing? Whats the point of having them say things out loud? Sometimes we think regurgitation of information is somehow learning. It is important to learn concepts, but real personnel growth comes from "how does this information I learned change me or my views." I think this is true because it marries the ideas of content with emotion. We remember and value learning when it is tied with our emotions. Reflecting on how new knowledge effects us makes the new knowledge emotional. I heard this once..."you won't remember what a teacher taught you but you will remember how they made you feel."

Here is my video.  Read the epilogue at the bottom after viewing the video. 



I made this video because drinking out of the carton is gross.  Yet, when no one is around, I do it.  This video is an effort to break the habit and be the person I want to be, who is slightly less gross.