In the area of technology literacy, students who create digital stories improve their skills
by using software that combines a variety of multimedia tools including working with
text, still images, audio, video and oftentimes, Web publishing. In the area of
technological literacy, Digital Storytelling can provide a meaningful reason for students
to learn to digitize media content by using scanners, digital still cameras, and video
cameras. In addition, as students create the narration and soundtrack for a story, they gain
skills in using microphones, digitizing audio and working with music and sound effects.
I can see how the creation of digital media stories would improve the skills of the students creating the stories. I've been amazed at how the different projects we have worked on have enhanced my skills (which were sorely lacking). The main problem I see with digital storytelling and web publishing, is the cost of the technology both hardware and software. I'm sure lots of school systems have computers and software and microphones and recorders and all kinds of things but I know lots of school systems don't have the funding to support technology. I did a search and found several websites where teachers could go to write or apply for grants. Sometimes this is the only way to get some of the things that the teachers would like to have. That also means extra work for them when they are already overworked.
Grants
Technology grant news/technology grant and resource news [Web log comment]. Retrieved from http://www.technologygrantnews.com/grant-index-by-type/k-12-grants.html
This website shows some of the grants that are available for technology. It does require a fee.
Diana, you are so right about not all schools having the technology they need to complete projects. I'm trying to help Fairview get a few ipads, I will definitely check out your link for grants!
ReplyDeleteI agree that digital storytelling is a great way to improve students' skills in many areas. I also agree that many schools still don't have the technology that teachers need to make this happen. That's great, Mary Jo, that you're making the extra effort to get the tools for your students.
ReplyDeleteWe wrote a grant to get laptops for our Freshmen this year; however, it still wasn't enough for one-to-one computing. We have about 15 computers per room, which means that it's about 2 students per computer. We have made it work; however, I think it would be much easier to use technology within our lessons, if we had computers for every student.
ReplyDeleteI agree with the cost of the technology being a problem in most schools. Some schools have the older computers with big huge towers and monitors, while others have brand new Macs. I do notice though, however it doesn't seem to matter how old or new the computers are, there always seems to be problems with every single one of them working properly. They are super slow or do not work at all. It would be nice to get all schools technology working at full speed.
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