The new era of digital story-telling
Back in the day when reading hour was first introduced to my class. Each student was required to read the book and then share with the class on what you have read. Hence, story-telling was evolved. When I was in the fourth grade selected students was required to share their favorite part of the book. And also adding introduction, body and conclusion to their story-telling. Remembering my first time having to speak in front of the class with a book in my hand and the other hand shifting nervously fiddling the change in my pockets.
That was the good ol' 1999's era. Now the classroom still has it's desks and chairs. But the methodology of teaching now has introduced technology into the classrooms. When I started high-school, my science teacher would used her projector to show her notes. And I found that method quite interesting. I was bedazzled by colors, arrows and signs that shown. It beats than having to go through black and white texts and images on the mid-evil textbooks. huhu.
Ever wondered why babies, kids and teens are so fascinated by a world full of colour? If you give babies a chance to choose between a) a book that only has black and white and b) a toy that all the seven colours of the rainbow? Which toy would you think the baby would choose?
In a library, what books do you think a child will choose? a) Newspaper that is printed in black and white b) a book filled with bright colours.
It has the same concept in school. Children wants to learn but they tire-out really easily. They need their minds to be enticed to maintain the level of attention. Have you heard of a mood ring? Where the mood ring identifies the colour of yo're mood? Did you know that certain colours play a role in the classroom too? It can be a source of motivation for students and can help them freshen up their moods. With Microsoft Photostory, all you need is a laptop, images, music and also yes of course the Photostory software itself.
Have you heard of Microsoft Digital story-telling through Photostory?
Now both teachers and students can share their stories with their classmates through Photostory that consists of images, music for the background and also audio for the story-telling (if you wish to add this)
You can download Microsoft Photostory here: http://www.microsoft.com/education/ww/teachers/Pages/free-products.aspx at the Microsoft Partners in Learning network.
Here is a video: http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=microsoft+digital+story-telling&view=detail&mid=A32C7A6C82BFD0926973A32C7A6C82BFD0926973&first=0&FORM=LKVR1
Every Microsoft product has it's manual and guide. Never fear, digital-storytelling using Photostory is for everyone no matter the age nor background. It is not to techky. It's easy to manage and user-friendly.
You can save this as a finished project or if you're doing this on you're lunch break and you wish to continue this at home, you can save it on you're selected location on you're laptop and retrieve it later.
Cool right?? What are you waiting for. Get those fingers clicking and start your very own digital story-telling using Microsoft Photostory.
What do I get out from Photostory?
- Working out your skills on digital literacy. If you're a first-timer no worries, still will be you're stepping stone to building your digital literacy skills. If you are already an expert. You will find this software really easy to manage.
- Sharpening your communication skills. Did you know that there are many ways of communicating to you're audience. This is one of the ways to attract the attention of you're classmates or peers. People react to music. And you can gather their focus on the message you are about to convey with the aid of background music. This can be a link to communicate with the audience followed by the audio (your voice that you have recorded).
- Networking skills, exposing students at a young age to have them have a feel on what it feels like working as a group. The whole concept is to promote collaboration, where they are able to interact an communicate effectively.
- Thinking outside the box, creativity. As we tend to get older out way of thinking as been limited to the things that are rational and what makes sense to us now. Did you ever hear about the 9 dot games. I have experience this myself when I went to a workshop. And to my surprise I could not answer the question. However, younger students are able to answer the question because their way of thinking and imagination is not limited. There are no boxes and boundaries in the their minds that limits them to getting the answer.
- Thinking upon your feet, it also promotes time-management since there is a limited time only when using the photostory. And it gives the students the chance the chance to really think about what they want to include in their story.
Hey it sounds good right? I have told my story. Whats your story?