Storyboard with Sound

 I uploaded my PowerPoint by the deadline but then Annie was kind enough to point out that I missed the memo that we needed it to be video--meaning add sound! So, now you have to endure my voice. Sorry everyone that you have to listen but thanks Annie for cluing me in. I deleted the lowly PowerPoint. But I have to say that I think the idea of using a PowerPoint to storyboard is brilliant!!!

Chapter 13

• The idea Ohler reiterates often in this chapter that you can do a lot with very little has been helping me along. When I first found out we had to create videos I was VERY intimidated by the equipment and software I thought I would need. When I borrowed the little canon from Mark my anxiety went down a bit. I thought "Oh, that's it? I can do this." Chapter 13 echoes this idea--do what you can with what you have and focus on the story. 
• Don't buy on the leading edge--good advice. I suppose this validates being a semi-luddite. I am always behind on the latest technology. I like to trudge along with what I know rather than work out problems with the newest thing. I realize that this is not an positive attribute to confess to having in an educational technology program but there it is! I think this relates to the first point--work with what you have and focus on the story telling. 
• "Audio is king" This is my next area to struggle with. I have been avoiding recording my voice (until last week) and having problems with music. I know I need a better microphone if I really want to do higher quality work. And ultimately if I want to make movies of good teaching, (which I do) I would need to address the issues with recording groups with a boom mic or a flat mic.
• After Ohler's enthusiastic discussion of garage band I was very disappointed to learn that garage band is only for mac. I have it on my iPad but I don't think that is quite the same thing. I did however download audacity and I plan to get to know how to use it this week. 
• Overall, I found the nuts and bolts of this chapter to be very helpful.

Chapters 11 & 12

What I like from Chapters 11 & 12:

"The last thing you need to be is a digital whiz"

What is not to like about that? I am seriously not a digital whiz so this really appeals to me. It is more important to focus on the story anyway--isn’t that what Ohler says in the earlier chapters?

The table about the media production practice is very helpful for planning. Story planning, pre-production, Production. Post-production, Performance, distribution.

Peer pitching—like the idea of the pitch. It seems like everyone should practice “pitching” their ideas. Especially when trying to tell a story we can benefit from other peoples thoughts about what we are doing. I think that sharing ideas and critiquing is a 21st century “soft skill” that everyone should have. I really benefitted from the poster session on Saturday—I had ideas about other peoples’ stories and they had ideas about mine. Considering other folks’ ideas can only make my product better.  

Writing the narrative: Writing helps clarify thought. In writing the story we can get a better story. I know I change my mind a lot when I am forced to write about something and usually for the better.

“Once your digital story is planned, you need to develop a list of all the media it requires…” I really do need to get more disciplined about preparing. In listing all the media I need I will waste less time making my videos.

The recommendation to watch your favorite TV shows and notice the transitions is great. Since we started reading this book I have been looking at my TV shows in a new way and it helps me think about story.

Finally, I think the green screen technology sounds very interesting and I want to know more about it.

Screen Cast

Screen Cast. Beware...more history...

Library of Congress Mashup

Library of Congress Mashup
I posted my link (previous post) on time but had technical problems which is why the double post. Please use this one for comments.

Click here for my video. I am having upload errors again.

Digital Story Telling in the Classroom: the review continues...

Chapter 9

History is messy which is why this whole time I have struggled with applying DST to my content area. It is just not usually a tidy little story. However, Aristotle’s metaphor of tying and untying the knot got me thinking. I could apply this to history in presenting a statement about history, then complicating it with all kinds of conflicting evidence (tying the knot) then untying the knot in the form of a clearly stated argument that makes the evidence make sense. Hmmmmm....

I still like the Campbell Adventure, in fact that is what made me start and end my movie with a glass of orange juice last week. I am really finding that thinking about story through the lens of transformation helps me think more creatively.  I am looking for the transformation in every story I think about or listen to or watch.

I like the idea of the treasure map and the flexibility it provides. I can see how it forces a little more critical thinking when determining how high the peaks and how low the valleys.

I think Egan’s “binary opposites” could really work for history and I will probably use the story form model next time I start a video assignment. I think the questions are helpful in that you don’t have to start from scratch with “hmmmm....what should I do?”

The idea of “watch things twice to develop media literacy” reminds me of how the Common Core State Standards have everyone talking about close reading of text. What is close reading? Read, read again, read again. So close watching to develop media literacy fits with that approach. It took me several times watching Anika’s video to fully appreciate some of the detail she wove in like what she did with the color changes and the car.

Chapter 10

In the section “The Story Edge of the Western Tradition”  like the mention of James Joyce Finnians Wake--because that is where my crazy name comes from “Nuvoletta in her lightdress spunn of sisteen shimmers, was leaning over the bannistars and listening all she childishly could” Tales of Shem and Shaun). If you think my name is crazy, you should try reading just one page and making sense of it. It is very impressionistic stuff. Ohler mentions that Joyce’s contributions to the world of story is indisputable yet I don’t know what those contributions are. I would like to know more.

In the discussion of nontraditional stories I find the phrase “telling with texture” useful in the it makes useful what might otherwise be frustrating.If the story drifts off in a James Joyce kind of way then perhaps it is just adding texture and dimension to the story.

“Story structure is culturally dependent, not universal.” This is helpful to recall when I get stuck and realize how very Western I am in what I find satisfying about a story. I like the very traditional narrative and I get frustrated when there is no resolution.

Maybe you can view the video here?

ORANGES!

I finally figured out that the blog might talk more nice to Google chrome. 

And yes,  I was right...

This video was filmed with the Canon I borrowed from Dr. Mark. This camera takes better pictures and video than my Nikon Coolpix. This week I was very excited to work with angles and different types of shots but I was hindered by a lack of exciting landscape. So I "made do" with what I had in my backyard.

Orange movie

Story Storming, Taxonomies and Transformation Oh My!

As an aside, today the co-presenter at my workshop presented her takeoff the Common Core and Social Studies. She was recently at a meeting of a certain well-known geography organization where they were describing their current transformation in how they produce and provide content to their audience. She compared the notes she took to what students should be able to do as described in the common core standards. One of the skills was being able to tell a story using a various sources and types of media. It reminded me of what we have been reading about and gave me a new perspective about how DST may be preparing students for the working world.  

Chapter 7: Story Planning Considerations— 

 

I liked 

• The idea of a story storming session. I find that I do my best work when I can brainstorm collaboratively so why not apply this to the creation of stories. Ohler describes using a simple table three columns—problem, solution, transformation. With the group focused on coming up with ideas for these three components of a story they are not wasting time and effort or getting side tracked with details. A very detailed story might be a dud if it is missing the problem, solution, and transformation.

• What to do when story blocked!!! Since I AM completely story blocked this week I am have to resort to telling a story about not being able to create a story.

• Managing the detail of a story seems like it could get very challenging. I know from personal experience that one we become enamored of a certain idea it is hard to let go and get rid of it. I like the idea of creating a research box to “contain” a story. This is one step beyond brainstorming which honors ideas—allowing the choosing of what should be included. I can see doing this with post it notes—one per idea—after the post-its are generated the representing the core of the story can be moved inside the box. This way, I can hang on to my favorite ideas but include only the relevant ideas. Perhaps then my favorites can be moved into a new story storming session where they might actually end up getting used.

• The idea to “start your story anywhere” is intriguing to me. I want to try to play with that idea in one of our upcoming assignments. It has potential to add some interest to what might mean to otherwise mediocre topic.

I wonder

• why does an obtuse statement like “just because it didn’t happen doesn’t mean it’s not true?” need to be in this chapter? WHAT? I feel like Ohler dodged having to talk about documentary and that makes me want $5 of what I paid for the kindle version of the book back.

Chapter 8—Transformation Formations

I like

• How Ohler uses Bloom’s Cognitive and Affective taxonomies to categorize levels of transformation. I think this will be useful when I get stuck story storming. I do think the suggestion to use the taxonomies to guide the questions you ask students during the planning process is helpful.

I wonder

• If the categories the Ohler offers could result in stale stories. The William Tell story is wearing thin,