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The Educational Forum
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Digital Storytelling: Using Technology to
Spark Creativity
Charlene Tackvic
Van Derveer Elementary School , Somerville , New Jersey , USA
Published online: 03 Oct 2012.
To cite this article: Charlene Tackvic (2012) Digital Storytelling: Using Technology to Spark Creativity,
The Educational Forum, 76:4, 426-429, DOI: 10.1080/00131725.2012.707562
To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00131725.2012.707562
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The Educational Forum, 76: 426429, 2012
Copyright Kappa Delta Pi
ISSN: 0013-1725 print/1938-8098 online
DOI: 10.1080/00131725.2012.707562
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Digital Storytelling:
Using Technology to
Spark Creativity
Charlene Tackvic
Van Derveer Elementary School, Somerville, New Jersey, USA
Abstract
For any curriculum area that entails writing, digital storytelling could transform students perceptions of and their actual abilities to express themselves
through the written word. The use of two Web sites has helped the students of
one school go from staring apprehensively at blank pages to eagerly publishing
stories.
Key words: 21st century skills, assessment, digital storytelling, elementary education,
technology education, Web publishing, writing, writing prompts
Its the first day of language arts tutoring in preparation for the New Jersey Assessment of Skills and Knowledge (ASK), which is a standardized test that is given
to students in grades three through eight. It is designed to inform schools about how
students are doing in the areas of language arts, math, and science (fourth grade only).
I am giving a writing prompt to my fourth grade students to assess their writing
skills so I can plan lessons according to their needs. As I walk around the classroom,
I notice the apprehension that so many of the students have; many of them are either
still staring at a blank piece of paper or have hardly written any words. I think back
to when I taught third grade and the struggles that so many of my students faced
when writing.
Having taught third grade for seven years prior to becoming the technology
teacher, writing was a subject that I focused on a lot. I spent much time learning and
developing strategies to reach and help all learners. It was also the focus of my action research for graduate school. I spent extra time on writing because I was always
apprehensive about writing myself; having to teach students how to write always
caused me some anxiety.
Address correspondence to Charlene Tackvic, Van Derveer Elementary School, 51 Union
Ave., Somerville, NJ 08876, USA. E-mail: [email protected]
Digital Storytelling
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Teaching technology was a different story. I enjoyed all my years as a third grade
teacher, but when reflecting on what I loved teaching the most, it was when I was able
to infuse technology into the learning process. I mentioned earlier that I dont consider
myself an expert in writing; however, I do consider myself an expert when it comes to
technology. It just comes naturally to meI have never been so comfortable teaching any
other subject.
As the only technology teacher in my elementary school, I not only teach students,
but I also teach teachers how to use technology and how to infuse it into lessons. While
preparing to teach a professional development course on using Web 2.0 tools, I discovered
many digital storytelling tools. As I learned how to use these tools, I knew I had to teach
my students how to use them to make the process of writing less challenging. Thinking
back to the way many students look at a blank piece of paper when asked to write made
me realize how much easier it would be for students to write if they used technology. If
students could find success with digital storytelling, they would have more confidence
when writing without having digital tools.
The first time I used digital storytelling was during a two-week summer enrichment
program for fourth grade students. As the computer teacher for the program, I usually
use several educational games and activities to teach students about a particular topic.
There is always a theme to the summer enrichment program. The programs theme was
Up in the Air. Students in grades one through four came to my computer class every
day for half an hour.
I was determined that the fourth grade students would do some research and write
about anything up in the air. I was a little concerned that they would not want to write.
I was quite sure they were going to ask me, When are we going to play games? I was
pleasantly surprised when students came in eager to work on their stories every day. They
were so excited about the progress they were making in such a short period of time. In a
total of seven days, all of the fourth grade students in the program wrote and published
a story. What an eye-opening experience!
As the students were working on their stories, I asked them what made writing stories
like this so much easier than using paper and pencil. I repeatedly got the same response:
students loved having digital images to use when planning and writing. They werent
staring at a blank piece of paper; they were looking at thousands of imagesimages that
helped with the creative process.
After finding such success with the summer program, I incorporated digital storytelling into projects for second, third, fourth, and fifth grade students during the 20112012
school year. Fourth and fifth grade students used the Web site Kerpoof to create fictional
stories, while second and third grade students used Little Bird Tales to publish nonfiction
books.
I chose the free Web site, Kerpoof, for fourth and fifth grade students because it was
easy to create accounts, and the colorful and detailed characters and backgrounds gave
The Educational Forum Volume 76 2012 427
Tackvic
the students a great springboard for their stories. This helped with the creative process,
which was my goal. I wanted students to find success with writing; I wanted many students who didnt think of themselves as writers to realize they could write!
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Second and third grade students published non-fiction books using Little Bird Tales,
another free Web resource. This Web site allows teachers to create multiple classes with
many options, and teachers can easily edit all students stories when they log in to the
Web site.
Second graders researched animals and their habitats. They worked cooperatively in
groups to create digital stories. Students were able to work on the same book from different computers, which saved a lot of time. They had the opportunity to upload images,
create their own artwork using the Little Bird Tales Art Pad, and record their voices to
create talking books.
Third grade students also used Little Bird Tales as the final project of a Web Quest.
Throughout the school year, the students communicated with pen pals from another state.
They learned about their pen pals community and used various Web sites to research
more information about their pen pals states. (Each third grade class wrote to pen pals
from different states.) Their final project was the creation of digital books about the states.
Little Bird Tales Tale Creator was the perfect tool for creating these talking books. Because
students were able to create digital books using an online resource, they were able to easily share the books with their pen pals.
Because I have many objectives to teach, students cannot work on digital storytelling
every week. When classes are working with other materials, students are always eager to
get back to their digital stories.
Using technology and the many digital tools that are available today has added a
positive dimension to traditional literacy. When students have access to digital images, it
helps so much with the brainstorming process. Their creative process is jump-started in a
different way than staring at a blank piece of paper. One could compare the use of digital
images with the book used during the mini-lesson part of a writers workshop. (During
a writers workshop, teachers use books to teach concepts, strategies, and techniques.
Students are also encouraged to use the characters and images in the stories that are read
to them as brainstorming for their own stories.)
Most schools do not have the resources that would allow all students to have access
to digital storytelling during the scheduled writing time every day, but many schools are
heading in that direction. The school where I teach is stressing the importance of using
technology in the classroom, and it is providing teachers with many technological tools
so that all students have the opportunity to use technology as a resource for not only
writing, but all areas of the curriculum.
Technology needs to be infused in the learning process in order for students to be successful in the 21st century. When students use digital tools in the classroom, they are using
428 The Educational Forum Volume 76 2012
Digital Storytelling
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tools that are used in the real world. They do not see them the same way they perceive
traditional resources. A comment that my son often expressed about traditional learning
in the classroom (Ive heard it from many other students too) was, Why do I need to do
this? Im never going to use this outside of school! I have never heard a student express
those same feelings about using technology. They are always excited to try new tools and
share their knowledge with their classmates. As I reflect on the process of using digital
tools to strengthen students literacy skills, I am pleased that my students are not only
becoming more confident writers, they are also learning how to use 21st century skills.
As for what is expected of students when taking state assessments, digital assessments
are next on the agenda. Students who have the experience with using digital tools will be
more apt to find more success and less apprehension in 2014 when the New Jersey ASK
will be replaced with the Partnership for the Assessment of Readiness for College and
Careers (PARCC) test. The new test will be a digital assessment.
I know that the digital tools I am teaching today will be soon be replaced by even
more innovative technologies, and I am very excited by this challenge. The world of
technology is ever-changing, and I look forward to finding new ways to reach all types of
learners. When technology is available, students have an unlimited number of resources
at their fingertips.
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