Week 6

Digital Storytelling-In chapter 11 Oehler discusses how to start the DST process. I liked the idea of having students "pitch" their ideas to one another to be a good one. I could see that kids (especially younger ones who haven't been tainted yet by a sense of boredom) would find it enjoyable to listen to different ideas and to choose from the best ones. I also found the use of PowerPoint as a storyboard creator. I have made storyboards before doing a PowerPoint so it was interesting to read Oehlers suggestion. I haven't looked at Oehler's template yet at www.jasonohler.com/storytelling but I do want to check out his site for ideas. I am amazed at the detail that Oehler has put into this process even going so far as to include different ways of presenting the DST project depending on a teacher's focus.

I found the green screen information in Chapt. 12 to be totally foreign. It is not something that I want to contend with. But the details about how to present the production and adding titles and animations was easier to follow because after using movie maker in class I have some familiarity with these things. I loved the statement on pg. 155, "An untold story is an incomplete story." I think being able to present one's work is a very important skill and DST strongly emphasizes this. As a librarian, I appreciated Oehler's remarks on pg. 160 about devoting just as much time to researching a DST project as one would an essay or report.

Chapt. 13 was just a quick overview of what eqipment one needed and the best places to find this equipment. I would make one comment that here in NJ in a public school setting a teacher has to be very careful about where they purchase supplies and equipment. Unless they are willing to spend their own money they need to make sure they are following all of the rules. Generally that would mean that you could not purchase from ebay or craigslist or even from amazon as they will not accept a purchase order. A teacher had better make sure they ask before making a purchase.

The ideas introduced in Chapt. 14 about media grammar struck a chord with me. I have often felt that teachers had no idea what made a good presentation and generally gave good grades to anything using technology whether it was good or not. On pg. 183 Oehler notes that one of his favorite books on the subject of visual literacy is the other book we are using in this course- Non-Designer's Design Book by Robin Williams. I had read this book before and the ideas and tips are easily understood by anyone (and I can say that as probably one the most art-challenged people in the world!). I think that every teacher needs to read the book and take the ideas that Williams states in her book and utilize them whenever they are doing a visual project with students.

Although we didn't have to read Chapt. 15, on Copyright, as a librarian I did read it and was pleased that Oehler was very emphatic (and this was emphasized throughout the book) that fair use and copyright laws must always be upheld.