What is a digital story?

A digital story is a compilation of the learner's knowledge showcased and enhanced digitally. It is believed that people retain information longer if told to explain what they have learned in the form of story. With all the technology floating about, we no longer need to sit around and tell stories. Now, we can share with whom ever the history of our knowledge through e-portfolios or digital stories. Both of these methods have their own way of telling a story. And we are experiencing both of these ways in class. In Livetext we are creating an e-portfolio. This e-portfolio will tell the story of how we came to learn what we know. E-portfolio's are dated and help us keep track of where we have been, so that when we continue on that journey we'll know where we are going. In class we have been practicing putting together a digital story. We were practicing with a poem about peaches. It is very similar to a PowerPoint presentation. There are a few exceptions, however. The slides in a digital story are not blank, instead they display images on a large scale (sometimes taking up the entire surface of the slide). Putting a digital story together is also a little different. The emphasis lies on being able to view it like a movie. I found the concept very interesting and entertaining, but one thing I am not looking forward to is hearing my own voice narrating the presentation. That is another element that sets it apart from PowerPoint. When creating a digital story you are giving it life, not only by piecing together what you have learned, but also by breathing life into it through the use of your voice. And I, like most, do not like the sound of my own voice. That is just one out of the seven elements of digital storytelling. Some other elements of digital storytelling are economy (which I'm not really sure how to define in this context) and pacing (rhythm). When creating a digital story, some important things to keep in mind are 1) stories should have a point, 2) to capture the audience's attention pose a dramatic question (one that will hold their attention throughout the presentation and that will be resolved in the closing lines), 3) the use of emotional content can also gain and hold your audience's attention, and 4) adding music to certain images can generate different emotions in the audience. Digital storytelling is viewed as a big plus in the educational field because it lends itself to learner motivation and learner ownership. It also creates a stronger emotional connection to the material and paves the way for deep learning. Technology may be advancing, but our use of it isn't, at least not quite. From before the creation of the written word, we, as a civilization, have always urged on to show others what we know through the art of storytelling. Now, we continue to do so with that same goal in mind, just with better equipment.