Tell your story in your own way!

Hello fellow blogger,

In the article Beyond Words, Porter reflects Socrates philosophy "the necessity of doing what one thinks is right even in the face of universal opposition". Porter expresses the advancement of the  technology, and the the use of multimedia to create stories.  One begins with a story worth sharing, then the students are encouraged to use tools to enhance their works. With different mediums one can create a digital story, with animations, videos, music, it is our choice on what tools we'd like to include. It allows students to inquire many technical elements to convey the message. There are three critical aspect in creating a digital story:

 Image

A human process visuals 60 times more than narratives. Therefore using images such as graphics, or videos enhances the message being conveyed. With imagery the message is clearly stated without the need of words.  However, one must keep in mind the duration of pictures being presented, a duration of 3-4 seconds always works best. Also, keep in mind of texts being displayed it should be long enough for the audience to read it at least twice. Using pan and zoom, is a great asset in engaging the audience. 

  Sound

 Sound sets the tone, mood, which effects the message you are trying to convey. There are four types: narration, guest voices, amblent sounds,  and music. Using a variety of sounds, illuminates the message.

Design

All the elements used must illustrate the message conveyed without overwhelming the audience. The use of technology in a digital story be memorable, therefore all the medium being used must be set up in the same tone. 

So What?

This article was very informative, it pointed out the key elements of illuminating ones work. 

It allowed one to see that technology is there to enhance one's work not necessarily take over. All the elements play a role in setting up an emotional context. However, there is also room for errors like narratives, one must be aware of the time duration of imagery, sound and be sure that it is not overwhelming for the viewer. Digital story is just another way of making projects fun for students and be able to use their creativity in different forms with multimedia. 

Now What?

This will  help me be a better educator, I will provide my students with tips that could be implemented in their digital stories. Not only does it help me as an educator but as a student as well. I will take this information and use it for projects, PowerPoints etc for future projects. This was a very useful article that gave detail information in using multimedia in a manner that will keep your viewers engaged.

Resources:

Porter, B. (May 2008)  Digital Video Goes to School. Retrieved from http://www.digitales.us/files/BeyondWordsISTE.pdf